Jubilee Centers
 Leslee Sandberg, Diocesan Jubilee Officer
LesleeDS@aol.com

The five Jubilee Ministry Centers in the Diocese continue to bring the gospel to people in need through feeding, teaching, providing health care and housing, visiting the sick, mentoring and a variety of other wonderful ministries. This past year four of the Jubilee Centers were redesignated as such by the Executive Council of the National Church. They include Agape Café at the Episcopal Chaplaincy at the University of Iowa, Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids, St. Paul’s Indian Mission in Sioux City and Trinity in Muscatine. Re-designation is a re-affirmation of their commitment to serve as a Jubilee Center for the next five years. A site visit and report to the Executive Council preceded the decision to re-designate all four centers.

The fifth and newest center, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Ft. Dodge is the recipient of a grant awarded by the Executive Council through the national church Jubilee Ministry Office. Congratulations to St. Mark’s.

At the time of this report being written, we are awaiting a site visit and confirmation for a sixth Jubilee Center in the Diocese: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Waverly. St. Andrew’s sets a wonderful example of a small church being committed to serving people in need in their local community through a collaborative, ecumenical effort in Waverly.

There are many more churches in the diocese that are doing Jubilee Ministry, yet have not been designated as such. For more information on the application process, the benefits and responsibilities of becoming a Jubilee Ministry Center, please contact the Diocesan Jubilee Officer, Leslee Sandberg at LesleeDS@aol.com.

St. Paul’s Indian Mission, Sioux City
The Rev. Canon F. David Titus, Vicar
To proclaim the Good News of God in Christ to every nation, tribe, people and tongue is the life and witness of God’s people at Saint Paul’s.

“Wakan” is a Dakota word we translate into English as Holy. There was an elderly Wakan couple who lived in a dwelling high on a rocky bluff, at the point where the majestic Black Hills embraced the star studded blue sky. In this place, surrounded by the four-legged creatures and the winged ones, the Wakan couple lived a life of thanksgiving for all the Creator had made.

On a sharp brisk fall afternoon, just as they were starting their sunset prayers, the doorway to the tepee opened to reveal the priest from the nearby parish on the far side of the valley.

“What is it you want?” asked the old couple, as if speaking with one voice. The priest began to tell them of the hardships that had befallen the parish over the years. How, at one time, it was alive and filled with the voices of many singing God’s praise and of the energy-filled building programs that raised stone upon stone of the great tower, of the singing bells that rang-out a call to the faithful, a call answered by many to the work of the Gospel. All of this had changed. Few came to worship. There was no more singing, only the resounding silence of a dying community. The bells had stopped and the tower needed repair. People no longer flocked to the church for the feeding of their souls. None had been baptized for years and a confirmation was a fleeing memory. Hard times had come on the parish and many had left and only a handful of people remained. Why? Why? Why? was the cry of the priest. Had this happened because of sin in the congregation?

After what seemed hours, the still small voices of the Wakan ones said, “Yes. It is the sin of ignorance. One of the members of the congregation is the Messiah in disguise and you are ignorant of this.”

With this revelation ringing in the ears of the priest, the Wakan ones returned to their sunset prayers. Making the difficult return journey down the mountain and across the valley, the priest’s heart pounded and the rushing sound of blood filled his ears. The mind whirled with the thought that the Messiah had returned and was a part of the congregation and all had failed to recognize the Holy One. Who was the Messiah? Could it be the usher, the treasurer or the Warden? Maybe the sexton: no, no he has too many defects. As the priest stumbled down the path, he remembered the Wakan ones saying the Messiah was in disguise. Could it be that defects were the disguise? Only everyone in the congregation had defects. Which one of them was the Messiah!

The end of the journey across the valley and up the other side found the priest telling of this encounter to all who were in the congregation. They looked at one another wide-eyed and with jaws gaping in disbelief. The Messiah here! In disguise! Who among these people was the promised one? You never know if the promised one is in disguise. So each person began to treat the other as if they were dealing with the Messiah. The atmosphere in the parish changed with vibrant joy. Soon dozens of persons began to increase the congregation. Once again the sound of praise, thanksgiving, and adoration filled each life. The voices of children filled the air. The bells sang and the parish was aglow with the spirit of love.

The Spirit of love was profoundly present as we, the Diocese of Iowa, gathered in worship for the closing service to mark the 150th Anniversary of the founding of our Diocese. The place was Saint Paul’s Indian Mission, high on a hill where the prairies stretch out towards the Black Hills and the western expanse of the United States begins; the path where Lewis and Clark navigated the great Missouri River and Sergeant Floyd found his resting place on a hill overlooking the gateway to the setting sun. In over twenty-five years of ordained ministry in this Diocese, this gathering was the first event where I witnessed true respect and honor being present for all as sisters and brothers in Christ. Could it be we are starting to live out the story of the Wakan?

Saint Paul’s Indian Mission does not exist as something the Diocese does for the poor Indians, but rather it is human beings, mostly Native American, in mission to the world in the Name of Jesus the Christ. In the Name of Jesus and as full and participating members of the Diocese of Iowa, Saint Paul’s touches lives. You are part of this high calling for you are part of us and we are part of you and together we are part of Christ stretching out His arms to all.