Latest News & Information  

[December 2] New editions of the psalms set to traditional Anglican and plainchant music featuring the text and music aligned are available from Church Music Services, Inc www.PsalmsMadeSingable.com

MUSIC BY HEART Paperless Songs for Evening Wo rship was featured at the Ministry School and Retreat in Grinnell this summer and is available through Church Publishing http://www.churchpublishing.org/products/index.cfm?fuseaction=productDetail&productID=3266. This original music is simple and repetitive, yet holds incredible depth. It allows congregations to become communal music-makers, learning to sing and improvise together in a vital way.

[December 3] Up to 10 test sites are needed to test a peace project in your parish and/or community which may be included in the toolkit of peace-action resources. A parish or EPF chapter can either select one of our tools from our Peace Tool KIT (vestry tool, Jr. Sr High tool or community peace tool) OR they can create their own peace project. With a grant from the National Church, EPF is able to provide some funding for supplies, transportation etc. up to $500 for each site. We're looking for sites representing a wide spectrum of geographical locations and congregational profiles (size, age, race, urban, rural). Application Deadline is February 1st. If you have questions, please call or write Jackie Lynn (EPF Executive Diretor) 847-502-5921 or epfnational@ameritech.net Or go to the EPF website for more information. http://epfnational.org/our_resources/creative_peacemaking_toolkits/index.html

[December 2] The University of Iowa School Nursing is presently seeking caregivers of cancer patients to participate in journal writing as a way of relieving stress. You would qualify if you are over 50 years of age and have served as a caregiver for a cancer patient. The study is well grounded in the work of Dr. Pennebaker. There is a triple good here, self, others, and the common good.

The Rev. Marlin Whitmer signed on after being interviewed by Harold Butcher, RN, PhD, who can be reached at howard-butcher@uiowa.edu or 319-335-7039. A pamphlet entitled "Reducing Cancer Caregiver Stress. Does Journaling promote Health?" is available. Says Whitmer, “I commend the study or I would not be participating, and I encourage others to participate to document the importance of journaling as a health resource. Therefore let folks know, benefiting themselves and others at the same time.”
 

 

[October 30] Read the blog where they have posted notes and photos during their trip:  http://companionsofswaziland.blogspot.com/.

 

[E4GR, October 2008] Got a ministry working on the MDGs? Tell E4GR about it so they can add it to their keyword searchable virtual map of all the MDG ministries in the Episcopal Church. MORE>>

[October 13] Home Depot, the nation’s second-largest retailer, will take back old compact fluorescent bulbs in all 1,973 of its stores in the United States, creating the nation’s most widespread recycling program for the bulbs. They will accept any maker’s bulbs.
 

[October 13] Since colleges and universities do not release lists of Episcopal students to local churches or campus ministries, it is important that you contact the Episcopal parish in the community where your freshman (or transfer) student is attending college so they can be supportive of your young people during their college years. 

[October 6] New 2009 UTO grant application forms are available. The deadline to submit your application to the Bishop is December 31, 2008. The grant criteria now state that a diocese may submit two grant applications MORE>>

[October 6] Episcorific? Its a low budget, self-published, free-as-a-bird 'zine for and by young adults (20s, 30s and beyond, like you!) to get their voices heard and hear one another. Started in the Diocese of Texas, we're going Episco-wide, which means we're looking for submissions (and readers) from across the country.

The big idea? Well, young adults are not big church-goers generally. Our lives are hectic and often unstable. But for many of us the church is an important site for self-creation, a place of expanding the me-box to let God in. So, we thought, "wouldn't it be great if there were a forum where we could hear from other young Episcopalians about what the church, their faith, their prayer book means to them in their lived lives as twenties and thirties?" And with some submissions from friends, a computer at the Cathedral and the Diocesan photocopier, we created Episcorific.

Check out our first two issues online at episcorific.org

We're printing Episcorific on a seasonal basis (church seasons that is), so our next issue will be the Advent/Christmas issue and we want to hear your voice. Fact or fiction, reviews, poems, interviews and horoscopes, we welcome any original written work (not tooo long, about 750 words or less) as well as black and white artwork (gotta be copier friendly).

The deadline is November 1st, so send what you got to episcorific@gmail.com.

Read. Listen. Think. Pray. And when you're ready, lend your voice to the babble. Let's share our lives of faith.

-The Sierra Brothers (Jason and Jeremy) 
 

[September 19] Iowa's Bishop Scarfe is one of the "Blogging Bishops" this week sharing personal reflections during the House of Bishops MORE>>

Statement of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on the actions of the House of Bishops, Thursday, September 18, 2008

The House of Bishops worked carefully and prayerfully to consider the weighty matter of Bishop Duncan. The conversation was holy, acknowledging the pain of our deliberations as well as the gratitude many have felt over the years for their relationships with, and the ministry of, Robert Duncan. The House concluded, however, that his actions over recent months and years constitute “abandonment of the communion of this church” and that he should be deposed. Concern was expressed for the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in the face of leadership which has sought to remove itself from The Episcopal Church. In the days and months ahead, this Church will work to ensure appropriate pastoral care and provision for the members of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, so that mission and ministry in that part of Pennsylvania may continue in the name of Jesus Christ and in the tradition of the Episcopal Church.

Also available on EpiScope: http://episcopalchurch.typepad.com/episcope/

[September 14] Stevie & Dr. Terry Shively were awarded Global Episcopal Mission Network (GEMN) certificates on June 6, 2008 at the World Mission Conference, "Everyone, Everywhere," in Baltimore, MD. The Shivelys’ designation by GEMN as Diocesan Mission Agents also acknowledges their active involvement in creating a model program of support for the Companion Diocese of Swaziland at St. Alban’s and serving as SwaziCompanion Coordinators for the Diocese of Iowa. Further congratulations to Dr. Shively, who serves on the One World One Church Commission of the Diocese of Iowa, for his election at the GEMN annual meeting on June 6th to serve a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the Global Episcopal Mission Network. 
 

 

[September 14] The Iowa Episcopal Mission Minutes site has now been resurrected. Visit http://missionminutes.blogspot.com/ and share photos and stories about Iowa's Episcopal Churches and their global missions.

 

 

[August 26] As the Lambeth Conference of 2008 comes to an end, I want to offer some further reflections of my own on what the bishops gathered in Canterbury have learned and experienced. Those of you who have been present here will be able to share your own insights with your people, but it may be useful for me to add my own perspectives as to where we have been led. MORE>>

[August 26] The diocesan required child abuse prevention education and training, Safeguarding God’s Children, is now available online. Individuals needing training or to renew their training are now able to access the training modules using a computer with a high-speed internet connection. Contact Lydia Kelsey for information on how to get started. 

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[August 1] With discussion about the Covenant and the Windsor Report now upon us, you can imagine that conversation has become more intense, and at times accusatory. The general level however of sharingin our small groups and expanded groups has remained open and respectful.  MORE>>