May, 2008 • Volume 133, Issue No. 5

By Susan Prendergast

The Dedication andConsecration of St. Peter’s by-the-Seain Gulfport was held April 9th withover 300 current and former parish-ioners and many other friends fromlocal congregations and other volun-teers who worked rebuilding thechurch from out of state. A newparish hall was also blessed duringthe evening.

Bishop Gray, III presided overthe service. The St. Peter’s choir,under the direction of J.T. Anglin, wasbolstered by the presence of Mobile’sGloria Dei Chorale.

With the assistance of Jon Marcand Van Zutphen, the St. Peter’s ECWheld a “phenomenal reception” afterthe service in the new parish hall afterthe service.

St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Gulfportrebuilt and moving forward

SALUS CRUCEsalvation by

the cross

The Rev. GeorgeWoodliff honored

in Yazoo City

Through aseries of phenome-nal dreams withsupernatural quali-ties, GeorgeWoodliff wasuprooted from hiscareer as a verysuccessful attorneyfor a vocation tothe priesthood.

“For as long asI have lived, I havealways wanted toknow about myfaith, and I feel thiswas God’s way ofcalling me into the ministry,” Woodliff recalled.

George Woodliff grew up in Jackson and graduatedfrom Murrah High School. With uncertainty about hisfuture, he ventured off to Ole Miss and graduated in1970.

“There were some good years at Ole Miss,” heremembered. “Archie (Manning) was the quarterback,and we went to the Sugar Bowl that year.”

After graduating from Ole Miss, Woodliff studiedlaw and graduated from the University of Virginia.

“My father was the founder of the law firm ofHeidelberg and Woodliff in Jackson,” he said. “The firmwas one of the top three in the entire state.”

After law school, Woodliff did a clerkship for theSupreme Court of Mississippi Chief Justice RobertGillespie.

Woodliff left his clerkship and joined his father’sfirm in 1974. By the time of his departure from the firmon July 31, 1991, he had previously served several yearsas the managing partner.

The Diocese of Mississippi offers aclergy pastoral training conference begin-ning Sunday afternoon June 1st at GrayCenter. The conference is for those whowish to deepen their pastoral skills inworking with gay and lesbian persons andtheir families.

Bishop Duncan Gray, III said that theconference is offered “in the spirit of theconsistent encouragement by LambethConferences and our own church to pro-vide pastoral care for gay and lesbian per-sons in our congregations.

The Rev. Dr. Philip Culbertson,recently retired professor of pastoral careat the School of Theology in the Universityof Auckland in New Zealand is invited tolead the conference. Culbertson taughtmany diocesan clergy during his tenure asa professor at Sewanee.

In a March letter to clergy, Gray stat-ed: “my commitment to the pastoral careof all members of Christ’s body calls me toimagine new models for care-giving in ourday.”

Gray said that in much the same wayhe’ll never understand the life experiencesof his foster daughter who lived in aKenyan refugee camp for eight years, he isalso unable to fully understand the lifeexperiences of gay and lesbian people.However, Bishop Gray stated, “I can learnto listen more deeply and I trust that in solistening I can become a more effectivepastor. That is my hope for this confer-ence.”

The conference begins the afternoonof Sunday June 1 and concludes mid-after-noon on Monday, June 2nd The cost ofthe conference is $95.00 and continuingeducation unit credits are given.

All clergy attending the event will gainten contact hours of continuing educationcredit which equals one unit.

There will be time for small groupdiscussions and time for conferences withBishop Gray and Culbertson.

For registration information, contactEmily Everett at the diocesan office oremail her at eevertt@dioms.org.

Woodliff,Continued on page 5

Friends,Continued on page 5

Bishop: pastoral care clergytraining a response to Lambeth

Conferences and TEC

Leila Clark Wynn,longtime parishioner ofSt. James’, Greenville,received an honorarydoctorate from theSeminary of theSouthwest in Austin,Texas at its May 13thCommencement.

Wynn is a native of Austin and served on sev-eral diocesan committees since moving toMississippi in the mid 1950s. She served on theSeminary of the Southwest’s development boardfor several years.

Wynn’s philanthropy is well known in thediocese. She has given generously to rebuild theGulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina as well asbeing a major supporter of education at threeinstitutions of higher learning.

For the last twenty years, Wynn has been atrustee of Millsaps College and was awarded anhonorary doctorate in recognition of her publicservice. She still serves on a number of boards insupport of South culture and literature.

Wynn is the editor of the book, The TimeHas Come: The Greenville Literary Tradition, aselection of readings from works by earlyGreenville writers. She also donated her collec-tion of first-edition books by William Faulkner tothe University of Mississippi and has served on theboard of the Faulkner Center in Oxford.

Clergy and choir process in at St. Peter’s by-the-Seawith a standing room only congregation to dedicateand consecrate the rebuilt church in early April.

The Rev. George Woodliff selected asMan of Year by Yazoo Herald.

By Gary AndrewsEditor and Publisher,Yazoo Herald, reprinted with permission

By John Fontaine“Family Time” at Gray Center offers one pos-

sible way to increase use of the conference centerand further the purposes of the church. That wasthe consensus of some 45 “Friends of GrayCenter” meeting there on May 4-5 at the invitationof Bishop Gray.

In his opening remarks, Gray emphasizedthe importance of the center as a resource of thediocese: his major reason for assuming chairman-ship of the center board. He cited purchase of afamily cemetery plot and naming the center in hiswill as further personal commitment.

Gray Center, to cover operating costs, nowneeds $240,000 a year over and above the incomefrom camps and conferences. “Good stewardshiprequires that we explore ways to reduce that levelof dependence on the diocesan budget,” the bish-op concluded.

“Friends” explore ways to expand use

of Gray Center

Leila Wynn receiveshonorary doctoratefrom Seminary of

the Southwest

By Scott Lenoir

2 The Mississippi Episcopalian May 2008

OUR DIOCESE

March, 2008

Faithful Departed

by Catherine Johns

The last time I wrote, itwas of the joyous anticipa-tion of the Consecration ofthe new, post-Katrina St.Peter’s-by-the-Sea inGulfport. I was subsequentlyasked to do for the serviceexactly what I had donewhen we consecrated thechurch the first time, in

June 2000: to be the intercessor and a chalice-bearerusing the identical service we used the first time and areplica of the service bulletin that I had designed andproduced. For me, it was truly déja vu. I could hardlybelieve what I was doing as I stood there outside,waiting for the knock of the crozier at the thresholdand the resonant voice of our bishop saying “Let thedoors be opened” and the procession to begin. As I sitthere now, each Sunday morning, I marvel at the re-creation of this magnificent place of worship; at thefact that it is whole again; and that it is for me, some-how, a glorious cocoon.

Next to my deep reverence for my Church, is myabiding love of the arts. An acute awareness of thesevere loss sustained by both artists and collectors in2005 is ever with me. So it was with great joy that Iread of St. Stephen’s, Indianola’s plan to host ajuried visual art exhibition this Fall between the Feastsof St. Michael and All Angels (September 28) and AllSaints (November 1). “A Feast for the Eyes” will openwith an evening reception Saturday, September 27,and close with a festival Evensong Sunday, November2, featuring a guest choir and organist from anotherEpiscopal church. St. Stephen’s will issue a call forartists nationally, regionally and locally throughnumerous communications channels, seeking draw-ings, paintings, prints, photographs, pottery, sculptureand mixed media. More on this from St. Stephen’s, asthe opening date nears.

Meanwhile, as I write this, we are approachingPentecost, the birthday of the church and that long,green season that will take us full circle back toAdvent and the church’s New Year. It hardly seems

possible! Your newsletters contain much news of glo-rious Easter celebrations and plans for Pentecost,which by the time this is printed, will be behind us.Some ongoing and upcoming events include linedancing lessons at All Saints, Jackson, every Tuesdayevening; Nativity, Greenwood’s start of a large con-struction project, including a new parish hall, kitchen,office suite, library and meeting rooms, restrooms andloggia to connect existing buildings to the new build-ing, entrance courtyard, main courtyard and play-ground. By the time you read this, building should beunder way. All Saints, Tupelo, is reorganizing itsGarden Guild and looking for help with flower bedsin the landscaping around its new building.

The EYC of All Saints, Grenada, made anextraordinary pilgrimage to Canterbury, England,where they worshiped at Canterbury Cathedral andheard Evensong sung by the King’s School of theChoir. Parents of the returning EYC Pilgrims hosted aCanterbury Night to share stories and photos of thetrip. St. Timothy’s, Southaven, is sponsoring a Relayfor Life team June 20-21 to help raise funds for cancerresearch. All Saints, Tupelo’s ECW had its annualSpring Luncheon May 18, and earlier, on April 30, pre-sented its choir and the MUW Chorale in a perform-ance of the Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem.” St. Mark’s,Gulfport’s ECW had its Spring Luncheon, in the newParish Hall. Its featured entrée was Pam Roberts’ ownShrimp and Grits concoction, the recipe for whichearned a place on the Sun Herald’s Food Page. St.Mark’s church is nearing completion and will likelybe the next Coast parish consecrated. St. Patrick’s,we hear, is due to start construction this summer.

Trinity, Natchez, hosted the closing concert ofthe Natchez Musical Arts League May 19, featuringinstrumentalists and vocalists, both professional andgifted amateurs, from the Natchez area. A reception(of course!) followed.

For the outdoor types, St. James, Jackson, issponsoring a Bike Trip in Vermont in July 12-21-ridinga bicycle from the southeastern tip of Vermont to thenorthwest and back in 12 days. In April, St. James senta group of volunteers back to the Coast to help withKatrina Relief. They worked on a home in Wavelandand stayed at Mission on the Bay in Bay St. Louis, oneof the five work camps being run by LutheranEpiscopal Ministries. While much has been accom-

plished here, much remains to be done. Many whodon’t see how we live from day-to-day don’t under-stand that we are still not back to “normal”-whateverthat is! St. John’s, Pascagoula’s, Sheetrock Ministrycontinues to serve the community as people rebuildhomes and lives.

St. John’s, Ocean Springs, held its annualRenaissance Faire, now rated one of the “Top 20Events in the Southeast,” Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4, with all proceeds going to benefit its outreach min-istries: The Lord Is My Help, Ocean Springs Boys andGirls Club, Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County,Samaritan Ministries and Interfaith HospitalityNetwork. St. Peter’s by-the-Sea, Gulfport, hasresumed its food collection ministry, this time forBack Bay Mission in Biloxi, which operates a FoodPantry.

NOTABLE QUOTES...“Pentecost marks the birth of the church when it

was at its youngest and most vibrantstage...Furthermore, Pentecost signals the beginningof the transmission of the faith. Before his ascension,Jesus told his disciples in Jerusalem to ‘wait there forthe promise of the Father.’” [Acts 2:39] (Trinity,Yazoo City) “In our baptismal covenant, we promisewith God’s help to ‘continue in the apostles’ teachingand fellowship, in the breaking of the bread and inthe prayers’...This idea of fellowship is vital to the lifeof the Christian as the call of Christ is a call to com-munity-coming together to serve one another and theworld. We are not called to be alone on some ‘me andJesus’ adventure, but instead Christ opens our mindsand hearts to the reality that we are all connectedthrough our creator...” (St. Peter’s by-the-Lake,Brandon).

“ ...The Book of Common Prayer is central towho we are. It is based upon a critical premise: ‘Wepray what we believe and we believe what we pray.’These prayers are appropriate for public worshipbecause they are what we have all agreed upon whatwe hold in common. Basically, the Book of CommonPrayer protects us from one another’s creativity, orlack thereof, bad theology or current passions...” (St. Andrew’s Cathedral)

The Mississippi Episcopalian (USPS 024755) is published monthly by the Episcopal Diocese ofMississippi, 118 N. Congress St., Jackson, MS 39201. Periodical postage paid at Jackson, MS.POSTMASTER: Send change of address to the Mississippi Episcopalian, P.O. Box 23107,Jackson, MS 39225-3107. In giving changes of address send the old address as well as thenew. We cannot be responsible for the return of manuscripts or photographs.

Continually published for 132 years in the Diocese of Mississippi

Official news organ of the Bishop and the Diocese of Mississippi118 N. Congress Street - P.O. Box 23107

Jackson, Mississippi 39225-3107

The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray IIINinth Bishop of Mississippi

The Rev. Scott LenoirEditor

Notes & Quotesby Maria Watson

Charles C. McInnis, 81, communi-cant of Trinity Church, Hattiesburg,died December 2, 2007.Dorris Curry Traylor, 82, commu-nicant of Trinity Church,Hattiesburg, died December 31,2007.Horace Patrick Gautier, 97, diedon January 29, 2008. He was aCommunicant of Church of theRedeemer in Biloxi.Gerald Jefferson “Jerry”Montgomery, 57, died March 3,2008. He was a communicant ofChurch of the Nativity, Greenwood.John Richards Early, Sr., 83, diedMarch 3, 2008. He was a communi-cant of Church of the Incarnation,West Point.Ruth Fleming Martin, 87, diedMarch 30, 2008. She was a commu-nicant of St. James’, Jackson.Inez Hood Heidelberg, 104, com-municant of Trinity Church,Hattiesburg, died March 31, 2008.Scott Sumner Turner, 29, diedApril 5, 2008. He was a communi-cant of Trinity Church, Hattiesburg. Coleman Creswell Craig, Jr., 86,died April 6, 2008. He was a com-municant of Church of the Nativity,Greenwood.Billie Arterbury Vickery, 82, com-municant of Church of the Nativity,Greenwood, died April 7, 2008Mary Walta Parsons, 102, diedApril 8, 2008. She was a communi-cant of Trinity Church, Yazoo City.Clara Louise Brooks Honey, 90,communicant of St. Timothy’s,Southaven, died April 9, 2008.Vera J. Jacobs Speakes, 84, diedApril 14, 2008. She was a commu-nicant of Grace Church, Rosedale.Floyd M. Sulser, Sr., 88, died April17, 2008. He was a communicantof St. Columb’s, Ridgeland wherehe had twice served as senior war-den. Irma Young McClendon, 70, com-municant of St. James, Greenvilledied April 24, 2008.Robert Clayton Corley, 90, com-municant of St. John’s, Laurel diedApril 25, 2008.Marie Jeanette Asmar, 86, com-municant of St. John’s, Laurel diedMay 1, 2008.William H. Ingram, Jr., 81, com-municant of St. John’s, Laurel dieddied May 1, 2008.

Executive Committee Deployment ReportSubmitted by the Rev. Canon David Johnson

May 2008New Appointments/CallsThe Reverend Jeff Reich, called as Rector, St. John’s

Church, LaurelAnnie Cumberland, appointed to be Curate, St. Andrew’s

Cathedral, JacksonCatherine Rickett, appointed to be Deacon-in-Charge,

St. Stephen’s, Columbia, and St. Elizabeth’s, CollinsPeter Gray, appointed Curate, St. Anna’s, New Orleans

Positions OpenVicar, St. John’s, AberdeenRector, St. Alban’s, BovinaRector, St. George’s, ClarksdaleRector, Calvary, ClevelandRector, St. Paul’s, CorinthRector, St. James’, GreenvilleRector, St. Peter’s-by-the-Sea, GulfportAssociate Rector, St. John’s, Ocean SpringsRector, St. Timothy’s, SouthavenRector, Advent, SumnerRector, All Saints’, Tupelo

The Mississippi Episcopalian 3May 2008

OUR DIOCESE

April 1 – Staff meeting in morning. In office therest of the day.

April 2 – Annual consultation with the Rev. JimCarlyle thru lunch. Made a call on Pastor TomClark of Ascension Lutheran Church to talkabout the use of Gray Center and Camp Bratton-Green by the Evangelical Lutheran Church ofAmerica.

Afternoon staff appointment to discuss pas-toral issues.

April 3 – Drive to Gray Center for meeting withcamp directors for this summer’s program atCamp Bratton-Green. Sincerely appreciate theministry of these people who are the backboneof our camping ministry.

After the Camp Director’s meeting I visitwith the Rev. Elizabeth Wheatley-Jones about hernew oversight responsibilities with our campusministries.

Return to office for remainder of the day.

April 4 – In the office in the morning. Late after-noon I drive to Gray Center to participate in theFriends of Gray Center weekend. “Friends” arethose who have made special contributions tothe ministry of Gray Center. This weekend is tosay thanks for their support and to gather ideasfrom them for the future direction of GrayCenter.

Severe storm with tornadoes hits theJackson area. My family is without power so Ireturn to Jackson in the evening.

April 5 – Still no power as I drive to GrayCenter. Conversation with the Friends of GrayCenter through early afternoon.

Drive to Grace Church, Canton where I amable to participate in the closing eucharist forthe staff planning of Cursillo #115. I look for-ward to my work on staff.

April 6 – Up very early to drive to Tupelo for anannual visitation at All Saints. Am asked to speakat the adult forum on what gives me faith andkeeps me going in the midst of the challengesfacing the church. It was an assignment thatmade me do a lot of thinking.

At the eucharist I preached, celebrated,confirmed 13 and reaffirmed 1. Following areception I had a good conversation and lunchwith the interim rector of All Saints’, the Rev.LaRae Rutenbar.

Drove to Okolona for visitation to St.Bernard’s. This very small congregation contin-ues to have a significant presence in their ecu-menical and outreach ministries. They continueto inspire me. I preach and celebrate at theeucharist, then enjoy an extended time of visit-ing and eating after the service.

Return home to Jackson and discover thatour electrical power has been restored. Many inthe Jackson area are not as fortunate.

April 7 – Continue to clean up after Friday’sstorm. Drive to Gray Center where I help hostand participate in the “Gathering of Leaders.”This is a growing group of young leaders whoare passionate about the mission of the church,and have a hope-filled vision of the EpiscopalChurch. Despite the fact that I am not terribly

young these days, I was a part of the develop-ment of this network, a project inspired and stillcoordinated by the Rt. Rev. Claude Payne,retired Bishop of Texas.

We welcome about 40 of these leaders toGray Center.

April 8 – Gathering of Leaders continues at GrayCenter. In the evening I briefly address theExecutive Board of the North AmericanAssociation of the Diaconate (NAAD) who aregathering at Gray Center prior to the arrival onThursday of deacons from across North America.

April 9 – Gathering of Leaders concludes at GrayCenter. It has been a wonderful time of renewalfor me.

After lunch at Gray Center I drive to thecoast where I gather with the congregation of St.Peter’s by-the-Sea, clergy and lay people fromacross the coast to bless and dedicate the rebuiltchurch and parish house. What an extraordinari-ly emotional time as this first of our destroyedchurches returns. Volunteer workers from CampCoast Care representing congregations inMaryland, Utah, Connecticut and NewHampshire are here in their work clothes. Howwonderfully appropriate that the faith andcourage of the people on the coast are celebrat-ed with the volunteers from afar who havemeant so much to us.

Afterwards we celebrate in the parish houselate into the night.

April 10 – Still on the coast. I attend chapel atCoast Episcopal School where I celebrate theeucharist and speak to the students. I am pre-sented with a book written by second grade chil-dren entitled What Does Bishop Gray Do WhenHe is Not Being a Bishop? Very revealing. Meet with the headmaster and the Board ofCoast Episcopal School after the service for a dis-cussion about future plans for the school.Meet the Rev. Harold Roberts for lunch and agood visit. Am shown the current plans for thenew Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi.Drive back to Gray Center where I have dinner,then address the full gathering of the NorthAmerican Association for the Diaconate.Return to Jackson in the evening.April 11 – Return to Gray Center to spend themorning with our Mississippi deacons who areinvolved in a parallel meeting with NAAD. Two appointments in the afternoon, then returnhome early. I am very tired.

April 12 – Drive to Chapel of the Cross,Madison for a meeting with the Daughters of theKing from around the diocese. I preached andcelebrated the eucharist. I also asked theDaughters to help me in their prayers to discernour diocese’s next step in our relationship to theBishop Masereka Christian Foundation inUganda.

Later in the afternoon drove to Oxford inanticipation of my visitation to St. Peter’s.

April 13 – Visitation to St. Peter’s, Oxford.Preached at early service. Preached and celebrat-ed at mid morning service. Preached, celebrated,baptized 3, confirmed 14 and reaffirmed 1 at the

late morning service. In between I visited withnew confirmands, their parents and sponsors.Reception following. Good visit with people whoare very special to me.

Drive to Michigan City where I preach, cele-brate, baptize 2 and confirm 2 in the midst of anoverflow crowd at Calvary Church. It seemedthere were more people in church than there arein the entire community of Michigan City.Reception following in very crowded parishhouse. After a good visit I drove home toJackson very tired.

April 14 – Day off

April 15 – In office all day. Staff meeting in themorning. Good working session with DeanO’Connor and newly appointed headmaster ofSt. Andrew’s School, Mr. George Penick.Afternoon appointment with the Rev. Ed Lundin.

April 16 – Breakfast with Chancellor and staff.Morning appointment with aspirant for holyorders.

Annual consultation with the Rev. JeffReich. Afternoon sessions with the Rev. MaryBerry and Ms. Carol Penick.

April 17 – Walk to state Capitol to pray beforethe state Senate convenes for its next to the lastday of the regular session. Our Congregation forChildren initiative has made some headway inthis session as an advocate for the most vulnera-ble in our state. Am thanked by a couple ofSenators for that work.

Appointment in afternoon with aspirant forholy orders. Working session with CanonMcCormick and the Rev. Paul Stephens, newchair of our Finance Committee.

April 18 – In office all day. Annual consultationswith the Rev. Diane Livingston and the Rev. BillLivingston. Afternoon appointment with the Rev.Harriet Simmons.

April 19 – Meet with Gray Center Board atGray Center through lunch. Good energy andcreativity as we are looking at several new initia-tives.

After meeting I drive to Clinton where I cel-ebrate my granddaughter, Harper’s first birthdayat Duncan and Amber’s home. What a joyousoccasion. Life is just too rich to be believedsometimes.

April 20 – Up early to drive to Greenville for vis-itation. At St. James’, Greenville, I celebrate,preach, confirm 5 and reaffirm 1. Wonderfulreception/lunch afterwards. Am very impressedwith the spirit of this place seven months afterthe departure of its rector. Greatly appreciatethe work of the Rev. Patrick Sanders here. Visitwith Patrick, wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Sky intheir home after lunch.

Travel across town for visit with the MissionCommittee of Church of the Redeemer,Greenville in the late afternoon. Hear their plansfor purchase of neighborhood property. In wor-ship later I preach and celebrate. Enjoy the timevery much with many old friends from myGreenville days.

April 21–Fly to Alexandria, Virginia to partici-pate in a meeting of the Board of Directors ofthe College of Bishops. The College of Bishopsis the group responsible for the orientation and

formation of new bishops and ongoing continu-ing education for all bishops. Our meeting is atVirginia Seminary which means I have an oppor-tunity to visit over the next two days with ourseminarians.

April 22 – College of Bishops Board of Directorsat Virginia Seminary. We finish late in the after-noon. I take Peter and Giulliana, his fiancé, todinner.

April 23 – Return to Jackson late morning. Goin to the office for a portion of the afternoon.Leave late afternoon to prepare for my work atthe Cursillo #115 where I will be serving on stafffor the first time in five years.April 24 – Gather with the staff of Cursillo#115 to finish preparations for the arrival thisevening of participants in the Cursillo weekend.I am supportive of the Cursillo movementbecause I have clearly seen its transformativeimpact on individuals, congregations and on awide range of diocesan ministries. High degreeof commitment from staff is very evident.

April 25 – Cursillo #115 at Gray Center

April 26 – Cursillo #115 at Gray Center

April 27 – Cursillo #115 concludes with awonderful eucharist attended by people fromthroughout the diocese. Driving rain does notdampen the spirits of those present. So apprecia-tive of all the work that has gone into the prepa-ration of this weekend.

April 28 – Day off. I participate in the Cecil andBob Brunson Memorial Golf Tournament for theAmerican Cancer Society at Annandale GolfClub. Lots of fun for a very good cause.

In the evening I go with Tabitha to a yearend banquet for her school service club.

April 29 – Staff meeting in the morning. Muchof the day with the convocation deans seekingtheir advice on a variety of matters and seekingto improve communication throughout the dio-cese. Late afternoon appointment with the Rev.John Jenkins to discuss current status of AllSaints’ School financial status.

April 30 – In office all day. Morning appoint-ments with Mr. Mike Huseth and the Rev.Richard Middleton. Afternoon session with theRev. Luther Ott. Annual consultation with theRev. Margaret Ayers.

The Bishop’s Journal

YOURAD

HERE!Contact Scott Lenoir

601-856-8234

May 2008

OUR DIOCESE

4 The Mississippi Episcopalian

Ring Around the CollarOne of the rituals we Episcopalians do at each celebration of the Eucharist is “pass thepeace.” The actual liturgy varies by congregation: In some it is a mere nod to the per-son on either side with a muttered “peace.” In others, it appears to be a gab-fest andcatching up on the week’s activity. Regardless of how you celebrate it in your congre-gation the idea is that “The Peace of the Lord” be offered to all. The Rev. CharlieDeaton, Rector of St. Peter’s by-the-Lake, Brandon has this to say about that peace.

Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not giveto you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’” (John 14.27)

If someone were to ask me for one single word to describe what Jesus’ life was like, I’m not sure that theworld would be “peaceful.” From the beginning - and even 9 or so months before that - Jesus’ life was anythingbut ordinary. The things which made it unusual at first (Annunciation, Birth Narrative and Epiphany, Baptism inthe Jordan, Temptation in the Wilderness, etc.) certainly don’t seem to be the kind of things which would makelife peaceful. If anything, these are the kinds of things which cause people who hear the stories to seek out, askquestions and generally irritate the living stew out of the person at the epicenter of these events. Peaceful? Nothardly - not in my book anyway.

But I suppose that’s thinking of “peaceful” as being the same thing as “quiet and undisturbed.” You know,“My, the lake looks peaceful today,” and such. But I have a sneaking suspicion that this is not the peace whichJesus leaves for the disciples. I have a hard time hearing Jesus say, “Uneventful days I leave with you; my owncalm and easy manner of life I give to you.” Not to say it would be an unwelcome gift, but it just isn’t quite right.

The truth of the matter, I believe, is that Jesus’ peace wasn’t found so much in the events of his life but in hisapproach to dealing with those events. The peace of Jesus is all about walking through life with God in much thesame way as a fish swims through life with water. In his often-quoted prayer, St. Patrick seems to get this total-immersion idea: Christ be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ inevery eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

The peace with Jesus promises is not about the stillness of the world around us but the stillness of our soulwithin us. Peace is a sure and certain knowledge that our Captain will see our ship safely home regardless of theraging seas which life sends our way. Peace is not the promise of an easy path in life; peace is the promise of afaithful companion as we walk along the way.

“May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge andlove of God and of our Savior Jesus Christ.”

Peace be with you, Charlie

In commenting on his public television series THE WAR, KenBurns said that one reason he made it was that young people knewnothing about World War II, some of them even thinking we werefighting on the side of Germany against Russia.Now how did they get that idea?I can answer that: in school!

I was fascinated by World War II even as a small child; Ilearned what I could from listening to my dad and his friends talking as they sat around the table inthe evening (no one ever notices the dishwasher). Later I read everything I could. I guess you cansay I am war-literate.

I did not, however, learn anything about the war in school. We studied the French-IndianWars, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War (or War between the States; I did go to school in theSouth), the Depression; World War II was covered with the statement “We won it.” I minored inhistory in college, and I commiserated with a history major who told me that World War II was hisspecialty, and no class covered it.

Veterans don’t always talk about the war, either; a cousin didn’t realize that his father hadfought at the Bulge until we gave the uncle a book of memoirs of the battle.

They don’t know because no one teaches them.Bible illiteracy may have the same source. We are so familiar with the stories that we forget

they are new to our children. Then we are surprised when they think David and Goliath is thename of a rock group or that Joshua is just the name of thirteen boys in the fifth grade.

They will know only if you teach them.Summer is a wonderful time to teach the Bible stories. And THE ELECTRONIC CAMPFIRE is a

fantastic resource to help you to introduce the stories.In this DVD program storytellers Angela Lloyd and Jim Friedrich present five familiar stories

with sometimes startling staging and interesting presentations: the Creation, the Binding of Isaac,the Red Sea, and the Valley of the Dry Bones. Using the video to introduce the stories, thenexpounding on them would be a challenging summer Sunday school project.

What about you? You know the Ten Commandments. You may hear them read in churchevery Sunday. Certainly you see them wherever someone wants to make a statement about being aChristian. But do you really know them?

A woman in a study group once told John Powell, S.J., that she didn’t know why we study theTen Commandments, she had never broken any of them. He responded, “That’s one, for a start.”

Do we take the Decalogue so literally that we feel smugly sure we have never broken one ofthem?

The A-V Center has several programs about the Ten Commandments, but one of the mostunusual is DECALOGUE, a series of dramatic programs illustrating each commandment in contem-porary terms, definitely NOT literally. Take your time with these; they are Polish, with subtitles.

To borrow either of these programs or to discuss others in the A-V Center, please call 662-746-5557 (ask for Miss Janet) or e-mail me at grandmastruck1994@yahoo.com. We will be help youplan your summer Christian Education program, your Vacation Bible School , or your study group.

By Denny Allman

It takes a particular kind of courage to do something that nobody else is doing, and do it pub-licly. At the risk of sounding condescending, which is absolutely not my intention, it is perhaps evenmore courageous to do publicly that which nobody else is doing when you are in your early adult-hood, when the opinions of others seem to carry more weight than later seems justified.

The idea for the Bishop’s Mission Corps was Bishop Gray’s: he saw that the Church has a deep,rich vein of life and wisdom which it needed to make better available to a new generation. Quite howthings would turn out no-one quite knew, but if we had known back then that the Benedictine cell inAberdeen would be an early fruit of the Bishop’s Mission Corps we would have been not just over-joyed but overwhelmed. What Watson Lamb, Bailey Ward and CJ Meadors chose to do with this yearof their lives has been brave, self-sacrificial and generous, and holy.

The pursuit of holiness is a vision that the modern Church needs to recapture for itself. There isa certain nervousness about that vision, because the pursuit of holiness brings risks and dangers - thedanger of self righteousness, or self centeredness, or self congratulation - the very opposite of trueholiness, in fact. But the pursuit of holiness - of living in a way that is centered on God rather thanon one’s own desires and wants - is the calling of each of us, and can for most of us seem so terriblydifficult. Ultimately it is only possible by the grace of God, and is the only real hope in a troubled,clumsy, fallen world.

I am sure that CJ, Watson and Bailey are well aware of the ways that they have failed to be holyor pursue holiness in the last several months. But theirs has been a particular success - they havealerted the rest of us to the reality that a life lived for God is not just idealistic but is a practical possi-bility, a genuine capability, that we each possess. Bailey, CJ and Watson have never been supermen,or super-Christians. They have always been remarkable in their down to earth normality. That theyhave had the courage to live this life for a year is therefore all the more exemplary for the rest of us.The call is there for us too, for us to answer in the ways God sets before us.

God bless them for what they have done, and God bless Fr. Reich and the community of St.John’s, Aberdeen, for being the hosts and experimental guinea-pigs. The blessing, though, is diffuse,spreading well beyond Aberdeen. The Benedictine cell in Aberdeen has been provocative and inspira-tional to the wider Church. My prayer is that your holiness proves infectious.

A reflection on the Bishop’s Mission Corps

By The Rev. Tim Jones

St. Lawrence and St. Hilda, York, England

A-V Center Newsby Janet C. Nail

May 2008

OUR DIOCESE

The Mississippi Episcopalian 5

An Episcopal outreach ministrybegun in 2001 has become a corner-stone in the social service communityof Lincoln County.

Angels Attic is a high qualitythrift store that sells everything fromclothes to coffee makers. There areracks of shoes and shelves of books,toys for children and you name...they’re stocked better than the dollarstore.

“Volunteers from RedeemerChurch and one from the communityare here two days a week workingwith our clients,” said Carole Bennett,President of Angels Attic.

The doors are open every Fridayand Saturday from 8-3 p.m. OnTuesdays, the workers spend hourssorting washing, ironing and pricingclothes.

Bennett, the wife of the Rev.Gene Bennett, rector of RedeemerChurch, said that Angels Attic is inde-pendent from the church budget.

“ We get many donations frombusinesses and individuals in thecommunity, but we don’t get moneyfrom the church.” said Bennett.

Money generated from sales ofdonated items is put back into thecommunity to support other socialservice ministries in Lincoln Countyand throughout the Diocese ofMississippi.

Angels Attic recently made con-tributions to Habitat for Humanity,scholarships for Camp Bratton Green, Toys for Tots, Katrina relief organiza-tions, the Bishop’s DiscretionaryFund, a camp for autistic children, theBoys and Girls Club, among others.

Bennett stated that over thirtythousand dollars has been given awayduring the last three years.

Angels Attic is located behindRedeemer Church in property ownedby the church and business is brisk.

The logo for the group wasdesigned and painted by Asem Zeiniand Dixie Simmons.

Friends, Continued from page 1

Redeemer’s Angels Attic serves Lincoln County

Angels Attic crew serves Brookhaven andsurrounding providing low cost commodi-ties and generating funds for other socialservice organizations. From left to right:Dorothy Benson, Betty McGee, BarbaraFord, Don Ford, Patsy Yates, CaroleBennett, Dott Cameron, Sue Menter (notpictured).

The “Friends” then broke into panels to consider three aspects of the cen-ter: Property Development, chaired by Girault Jones of All Saints, Grenada;Marketing/Stewardship under Tom Black of St. Peter’s, Oxford; andCamping/Programming with Peg Wahrendorff, Mediator, Meridian and SarahWilliams, St. Columb’s, Ridgeland as co-chairs. The discussions ranged widelyfrom sale of lots for family vacationcottages to the preposterous proposalfor a bar as one sure profit center.“After all the Vatican has a bar withdirect access from St. Peter’s. So, whyshouldn’t we?”

The panels were told of manypositive points of support: gift ofspecific buildings, in-kind gifts ofequipment or repairs; “work week-ends” of volunteers from variouschurches doing the myriad mainte-nance chores; and, notably, the on-going landscaping and tree plant-ing by Lee Lewis of St. Philip’s,Jackson.

The summary reports all pointedtoward spurring greater interest anduse, especially of the conferencefacilities. No matter the panel title,“marketing” was a factor in all. But“marketing” should be of a church-oriented activity rather than a commercial-oriented one. The strongties so many campers formed throughthe years were seen as a valuablebuilding-block.

“Family Time” was a logical out-growth. Those with special memoriesmight like to renew and share thetime of peace, quiet and the greatoutdoors for a mini-vacation- familytime to explore nature and give moma respite from cooking and homechores. Doing well by doing good!

Redeemer, Brookhaven recently erected the bell tower pictured above in memo-ry of Mary Compton Pounds. The tower, designed by parishioner James Menter,provides an entrance into a beautifully landscaped garden area.

Woodliff, Continued from page 1

In January of 1990, he began having the seriesof dreams that led him into the priesthood.

“I really struggled with leaving a steady incomewith a lot of stability,” he said. “I had a lot of goodrelationships, and I guess you could say I had to bedynamited out to where I was to get where I am.

“To follow the Lord Jesus and to be in the cur-rent of the Spirit is the most important thing in life,”he said. “I firmly believe that I am called by Him toserve, and as long as the Holy Spirit leads me, noth-ing else matters. The greatest privilege in my life isto serve the body and blood of Christ to the peopleof Trinity Church.”

Woodliff trained for the priesthood and attend-ed seminary in Oxford, England.

“We moved to England in 1991 for three yearsof college and training,” he said. “Even though itwas a three-year term, we stayed an extra yearbecause I had a detached retina during my time atseminary, and I needed the extra year to graduate.”

Woodliff was ordained a deacon in August of1995 and became a priest in March of 1996. Uponhis return to the U.S., Woodliff served as the associ-ate rector of the Episcopal Church in Starkville andalso chaplain of Mississippi State University. He andhis family moved to Yazoo City in 1998.

Since his move to Yazoo City, Woodliff hasbeen very active in community projects and current-ly serves as the president of the Yazoo CityMinisterial Association. He has been very active andhelped establish a community wide Easter serviceand also works with the association on the commu-

nity wide Thanksgiving service.Woodliff has been very involved with the Yazoo

Boys and Girls Club, serving as its chaplain since itsinception. Woodliff stated that the most credit forthe Boys and Girls Club must go to Clarence Brown,one of the real heroes of the city.

He started a Prayer and Praise service thatrotated from church to church each month.

“This was a good service and brought a lot ofpeople together,” he said. “It lasted for three or fouryears, and it also helped us form the current minis-terial association.”

Woodliff and the Yazoo Ministerial Associationendorsed a monthly businessmen luncheon that isheld on the last Monday of each month at ParkviewChurch of God.

“Ellis Wright came to us and told us what hewanted to do, and we readily accepted andendorsed his idea,” Woodliff explained. “This hasmade a major impact on our businessmen, and weseem to be growing each month.”

As president of Stand Firm, an organizationthat promotes orthodox Christianity within theEpiscopal Church, Woodliff has helped establish aninternational Web site for this organization. ,www.standfirminfaith.com.

Among other activities, Woodliff, through theMinisterial Association, promoted attendance bymen of the community to a promise keepers meet-ing in Jackson.

Woodliff is 59 years old and married to the for-mer Jill McLaurin of Jackson. She is a graduate of

the University Medical Center and works as a pathol-ogist with a private firm in Jackson.

They are the proud parents of Lauren, 22, asenior at Belhaven College, Anna Rose, 18, a seniorat Manchester Academy, and Elizabeth, 13, a seventhgrader at MA.

As the son of George and Ann Woodliff, hegrew up and was raised in St. Andrews Cathedralacross from the Governor’s Mansion.

“I was really blessed by my parents,” he said. “Ilost my dad in 2003 and Mom is now 82 years old,and she still gets around really well.”

Woodliff’s brother Dan is an internist inJackson and his youngest sister Ruth Woodliff-Standley is an Episcopal Priest. Ann, anotheryounger sister, is an international lawyer and lives inSeattle.

Woodliff said that Trinity Church offers Biblicalpreaching and the opportunity to encounter theRisen Christ in a style of worship used by the earlychurch in the first centuries of Christianity.

He said, “if you are not attending a churchnow, I invite you to come to Trinity.”

Yazoo City is privileged to have GeorgeWoodliff as Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church andas a citizen of this community.

“I feel that I am doing what the Holy Spiritwants me to do and as long as I am doing what Heleads me to do, then nothing else matters.”

The Yazoo Herald is honored to select GeorgeWoodliff as one of Yazoo City’s top citizens for2008.

May 20086 The Mississippi Episcopalian

OUR DIOCESE

The Rev. Jeff Reich with wife, Catharine,

and children Mattie and Thomas

St. John’s, Laurel calls the Rev. Jeff ReichThe Rev. Jeff Reich, Vicar of St. John’s,Aberdeen, will soon be the 12th rector ofSt. John’s in Laurel. Reich has served St. John’s, Aberdeen forthe last four years and will end that cure inMay, however, he will not assume leader-ship of St. John’s, Laurel until July. “No I’m not on vacation,” said Reich. “I willbe leading the 40 day Bishop’s MissionCorp retreat at Gray Center.” The retreat involves young men andwoman who wish to learn about and liveinto the Rule of St. Benedict.

On February 23rd, my wife, Faith, and I set out on a mission. We left the comforts of home and allthat is familiar to aid those in need as members of the Honduras Medical Mission Team. We had no ideawhat to expect as this was our first trip as missionaries. To put things into perspective in words is verydifficult to say the least. The overwhelming feeling we both have is that we brought back much morethan we left in Honduras. Over the course of four days, our extraordinary team worked with many won-derful people in the small town of Omoa on the northern coast of Honduras. Our clinics: medical, den-tal, pharmacy, eye, veterinary, and preventative worming station served a significant number of underpriv-ileged people and animals on this trip. This mission, in previous years, was undertaken in other locationssuch as San Joaquin and Conception, other very impoverished areas of Honduras. During our stay, themedical clinic served 1,101 families (a total of 2,322 patients) and the pharmacy dispensed almost 8,600prescriptions for various medical conditions. The dental clinic saw 316 patients and extracted 710 teeth.The dental and sealant clinics, where Faith and I worked, saw 217 patients and sealed 1,196 teeth. Theeye clinic served 811 patients and gave out 644 pairs of glasses. The veterinarians saw 395 cows, 70 hors-es, and 7 dogs, just a few of the many who need our compassion, love, and resources around the world.

What did we bring back? We gained a new appreciation for the power of the human spirit and a bet-ter understanding of the need to give ourselves up to serve others. After all, Christ gave himself for oursake and for that of the Church. Through the eyes, faces, and spoken words of our patients, we wereshown the reflective Spirit of Christ and the work of His hands through us all. We want to be more, wantto give more, and want to be better instruments of His power as a result of this endeavor. In addition, webrought back the influence and inspiration of the most wonderful group of people we have ever workedwith, our entire HMM team and all of the kind local children and adults in Omoa that volunteered in theclinics.

We are very thankful for our church family at St. Peter’s by the Lake in Brandon, who helped andsupported us tremendously on this trip and to our family and friends for their encouraging words andsupport. We realize that we are but just individual instruments in the orchestra of life. Faith and I onlyhope that, in some way, we can inspire others to tune their instruments and play their part when giventhe opportunity. There are so many people in need in this world, even in our own country, state, andtowns that we can help. This trip brought enlightenment and humility to us as a couple and as servantsof Christ. We had the opportunity of providing care to those who are less fortunate and do not have thebenefit of the many luxuries we so often take for granted. Let us all appreciate what we have, be betterstewards of it, and strive to share it with others every chance we get.

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank our wonderful team, especially our team leader,Deborah Hanson, for allowing us to take part in this cause, and look forward to going back for manyyears to come.

For more information about the Honduras Medical Mission and how you can contribute throughdonations, or as a team member please take a look at our website: www.hondurasmedicalmission.net

Sincerely,Jason & Faith DuggerBrandon, MSHonduras Medical Mission Team, 2008

HMM team members bring home more than they gave

Faith and Jason Dugger work with a young patient in the OmoaDental Clinic

Editor’s Note: below is an addendum to the April MSE article regarding the State of the ChurchCommittee of which the Rev. Chip Davis is a member. Davis submitted a needed clarification to thearticle which deals with the subject of inclusivity and the Episcopal Church. RSL+

I believe that The Episcopal Church should be, and I believe it is, passionately committed toincluding anyone who is seeking a deeper relationship with God. I do not and would not in any wayseek to exclude anyone from the table.

But everyone ultimately will not be included because of very clearly established boundarieswhich give expressions to our Episcopal identity. Anyone who rejects the Book of Common Prayer isgoing to have a hard time regularly experiencing TEC as inclusive because the very object they reject isessential.

More specifically, anyone whose worship experience must include an “altar call” will continuallyfeel excluded by the lack of a provision for an altar call in the liturgy. Several Christian traditions stillexclude women from ordained ministry.

In The Episcopal Church we no longer find it necessary to add a gender modifier before bishop,priest, or deacon (and neither should we) because of our full inclusion of both genders in ordainedministry. Those who do not accept the ministry of both men and women, may find their inability to doso places them outside the community in many of the parishes of today’s Episcopal Church.

Can we say that the choices made by individuals may have the effect of excluding them from TECrather than TEC excluding them?

By the way, the Canons also give priests the authority to refuse the sacrament of marriage to any-one and to exclude others from receiving communion under certain very specific circumstances.

Inclusion in The Episcopal Church as a full, baptized member invites individuals to consent tocertain minimum norms. The more one desires inclusion through the exercise of ministry in theChurch, the more opportunities there seem to be to consent to what is normative and further inclu-sion.

I join Blessed Richard when he said (if he said), “I pray that none will be offended if I seek tomake the Christian religion an inn where all are received joyously, rather than a cottage where somefew friends of the family are to be received.” — attrib. Richard Hooker (1554-1600)

Chip Davis+

May 2008 The Mississippi Episcopalian 7

PARISH LIFE

New addition planned for Holy Cross, Olive Branch

The Rev. Bruce Cheney leads Holy Cross, Olive Branch in a ground breaking service for an additionproviding 4,000 square feet designed to house new office space, a nursery and classrooms.

Holy Cross Episcopal Church held a ground-breaking ceremony after the 10 a.m. service onSunday, March 9th. As children stomp on the freshly turned earth and members look on, Rev. BruceCheney holds aloft the shovel used for the ceremony. Holy Cross is the oldest Episcopal church inDeSoto County, and the shovel held by Cheney is the original shovel used when the church brokeground on the existing structure Oct. 6, 1963.

The new construction will start with 600 square feet of “gathering space” that will be used as anentrance, for classrooms and for dining. The church also plans a multipurpose area of 3,400 squarefeet, to be used for staff offices, choir practices and as a nursery. A large commercial kitchen also will bepart of construction.

Holy Cross is located at 8230 Hwy. 178 in Olive Branch.

Cursillo #115 at Gray Center took place April 24th-27th with 37 par-ticipants including: Vernon Anaya, Mary Anderson, Anita Batman,Linda Banks, Mark Banks, Lori Bell, Sid Caradine, Melissa Crouch,Stacye Davis, Michelle Ford, Tom Fowlkes, Marilyn Frey, AnneHeidelberg, Debbie Laney, Robert Hollingsworth, Elizabeth Logan,Becky Luke, Michael Magargel, Patricia Matthews, Betty Melton, JimmyMiller, Mary Carol Miller, Ed Oliver, Chan Osborn de Anaya, DaleRiser, Emily Riser, Ben Ross, Betty Sessums, Jessica Smith, SandraStepp, Corrine Stockston, Vickie Taylor, Helen Tester, Al Trezevant,Judy Wallace, Karen Williams, and Lynn Wells. Van Bankston servedas Cursillio Rector, and Julie Breland was the Observing Rector.Spiritual Directors at #115 were the Rev. Margaret Ayers, the Rev.David Knight and Bishop Duncan Gray, III.

Diocesan Worship LeaderFOREST— For one evening, a small church in the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi was center stage

on May 7 as members welcomed its Diocesan Bishop in celebrating 25 years of worship in Scott County.The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray III celebrated the Holy Eucharist at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church with

the congregation and general community of visitors, a total of 42, attending. Past members of the congrega-tion were special guests, including the priest who originally provided the spiritual leadership for St.Matthews. Other clergy attending included the Rev. Bill Senter in addition to one of the church’s regularpriests, the Rev. Greg Proctor.

Other dignitaries included Forest Mayor Nancy Chambers and Mrs. D.R. Gibson contributed pianomusic for the special service.

While Bishop Gray routinely tours the state to visit churches in the Diocese, the key to the service wasthe celebration of 25 years of worship for this congregation nestled in a small house on East Third Street.

Mary Jo Walsh, a lay Eucharistic minister, said the service is a milestone in the life of the EpiscopalChurch’s presence in Forest.

“This was a special time for us. We enjoyed having Bishop Gray visit and celebrate with our churchfamily,” Walsh said. “We also welcomed many area Episcopalians who have attended here before who cameback to visit.”

During his sermon, Bishop Gray focused on the Ascension and related his own spiritual journey. Hecalled the 10 days between the Resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit as an amazing and particu-larly interesting period that had always fascinated him. He commented on the events of where Jesus hadleft his disciples upon his crucifixion, returned in the Resurrection and yet was leaving them again. Thistime, though, he was leaving them with the promise of the Holy Spirit to come later.

After becoming ordained as a priest as a time between significant phases of his life, Bishop Graydescribed the correlation of the time of the Ascension with his own timeline and that of St. Matthews’ his-tory and future.

While the roots of the Episcopal Church in Mississippi date back to the early territorial days beforestatehood, St. Matthew’s church was essentially created in 1983 when a group of interested persons met toinvestigate the possibility of forming an Episcopal Church in Forest.

The first Episcopal service was held May 8, 1983, at the Bank of Forest. The Rev. E. Gene Bennett,now in Brookhaven and who attended the recent service with the Bishop’s visit, conducted services thereuntil March 1985 when the group acquired the property where the church remains.

On June 9, 1985, The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray Jr. consecrated the building and the Episcopal Churchof St. Matthew became an official Mission Station of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi.

The congregation has met regularly since May 8, 1983, Walsh said. The Church has held three wed-dings, 21 baptisms and has had 35 confirmations. Attendance has fluctuated between five families up to 13families.

“Those families not involved at this time generally have moved out of town,” Walsh said. Attendanceon any given Sunday is at least 90 percent of the families involved. “Our church family, though small, isvery aware of the needs and concerns of others. Each family has its special outreach activities. Variousgroups use the building for meetings,” Walsh said.

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church now holds services on the second and fourth Sundays each month at6 p.m. Two priests share clergy duties for the church. Proctor, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church inMeridian, visits on the second Sunday. The Rev. Jennifer Deaton, the spiritual leader at St. Andrew’sEpiscopal School in the Jackson area, visits on the fourth Sunday.

Small Episcopal ChurchCelebrates 25 years of worship

By Chris Allen Baker

Clergy leaders of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Forest include, in front, The Rev. Greg Proctor andThe Rev. Jennifer Deaton. Regular attending members include, from left back, Ron and Mary Jo Walsh,Bobby and Vickie Hester. Members who attend regularly, but not pictured include Anne Johnson, Geneand Emra Lee. Services at St. Matthew’s are held on the second and fourth Sundays each month at 6p.m. at their location across from the Forest United Methodist Church on East Third Street in Forest.On May 7, the church celebrated its 25th anniversary including a visit with Bishop Gray.

OUTREACH & RECOVERY

May 20088 The Mississippi Episcopalian

Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and Episcopal Relief and DevelopmentGrant “gap funds” for second round of Hallelujah Houses

The second round of grants issued by the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and EpiscopalRelief and Development (ERD) is providing “gap funding” for workforce individuals seeking torebuild their homes or seeking to become first time home owners. After building five homes in thePass Christian community and one in D’Iberville, the Diocese of Mississippi, ERD and the ECD/Hope collaborative partnership, Hallelujah Housing, is beginning work in the North Gulfport andGautier communities.

The North Gulfport community is providing a rare opportunity for Hallelujah Housing to part-ner with the Department of Archives and History in moving a home from the corner of Tegardenand Pass Roads and restored it to a beautiful condition. House by house, the North Gulfport com-munity is seeing revitalization and is feeling renewed energy in their neighborhood.

The street in Gautier, MS where we are assisting homeowners is also receiving homes beingbuilt by Habitat for Humanity. This neighborhood north of I-10 is a true example of many partnersworking together to rebuild a community.

The high cost of insurance is forcing mortgage prices to be higher than expected. TheHallelujah Housing grants are making the difference for people who can afford a mortgage on a$90,000 home but would find a $120,000 home a little out of their reach. The national mortgagecrisis has also added pressure on all agencies attempting to assist families with home ownership.Gap funds are not plentiful and we feel fortunate to be a step on the walkway into a home for acoastal family.

Properties and collaborative partners are being researched in Pascagoula and Hancock County as well. The third round of Hallelujah Housing “gap funding” monies will likely assist in the financing ofhomes for people in the eastern part of Jackson County as well as in the north Gulfport and Hancock County communities.

These houses on Lima Street in north Gautier wereconstructed by community partners includingHabitat for Humanity, the Resource Foundation,Inc. and Hallelujah Housing.

This refurbished house was moved from Tegardenand Pass Roads with the help of grants from severalorganizations including Mississippi Department ofArchives and History. A grant from HallelujahHousing will assist the future homeowner afford themortgage for this home now located in the NorthGulfport Community.

“March Madness” has many faces-all reflective of a state of mind thatcelebrates the end of winter and close quarters. Natasha Porter, a Katrinasurvivor and client of LESM at Camp Coast Care (CCC), is truly celebratingthe end of a hard season and of the close quarters of her 900 square footFEMA trailer.

Porter and her three children will be moving out of their formalde-hyde-infected trailer into a new home, compliments of the Diocese ofIndianapolis, the Mennonite Disaster Relief Ministries, volunteers at CampCoast Care, LESM construction staff, her case manager Deng Mabil, andadditional funding from the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and GulfCoast Community Foundation.

LESM built 16 homes for case management clients (including Ms.Porter) in a massive building blitz during the month of March, in partner-ship with the Mennonite Disaster Relief Task Force. The relief organiza-tions prioritized elderly, single parent, and disabled clients who own theirown property; those who participated were required to help fund thecompletion of their homes.

Families contributed funds from their insurance settlements, FEMA,or housing grants. These funds, however, were insufficient to build. Withclients contributing up to $20,000, case mangers still needed to obtain anadditional $30,000 for a total of $50,000 in order to have a completedhouse. To obtain the balance, the five CCC case mangers were successfulin presenting their clients’ cases to Harrison and Hancock County LongTerm Recovery Committees. A total of $800,000 was approved for the 16houses to cover the cost of materials and supplies.

In Natasha’s case, funding was made easier through the generosity ofthe Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis. The Diocesan representatives metNatasha, filmed her telling her story of survival and determination follow-ing Katrina and shared the video with Diocesan members at home. Thevery successful fundraising effort was sufficient to assure that Natasha andher family have a fully completed, furnished, and landscaped home.

The Porter home was blessed on May 9th and stands as a testamentto the difference committed people can make in the life of a family.

Volunteer workers, family and friends gather atthe blessing of one of the sixteen homes construct-ed in a massive March building blitz jointlyaccomplished through the creative and persistentefforts of LESM and other disaster relief agencies.

by Karen Quay, Director of Case Management

“March Madness” at Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi

Newcomer reflects on Camp Coast Care ministryBetsy Enochs of Mediator, Redeemer in McComb-Magnolia, visited Camp Coast care last month for the first time and left

after a week with an experience of ministry she will never forget.“This has been such a rewarding few days and even though I am hurting from the physical work I have been doing, just a

few nights in my bed and I am ready to come back,” said Enochs who worked to salvage a home in Gulfport and worked in thecamp’s kitchen.

Enochs joined a group from Maryland and Jacksonville, Florida during the week to replace grass sod and also to floatsheetrock in the McKenzie home.

Thinking a day in camp helping in the kitchen might give her a chance to catch up on the high energy demands of workingin the field, Betsy discovered that the kitchen is the heartbeat of the CCC requiring as much or more work as the volunteers havein renovating houses affected by Katrina.

“Whoever said that kitchen work was easy hasn’t worked in the kitchen,” said Betsy after being with Chef Jon Marc for a day. Enochs said the experience has generated a desire to return, “This has been so good for me, I am on a spiritual high now.”

Betsy said that says she plans to return in May. Contact Michael Magargel today at mmagargel@lesm.org to reserve your spot and give your neighbors a hand up, as well as yourself. Camp Coast Care is fund by Episcopal Relief and Development and supported by Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi. Betsy Enochs of Mediator, Redeemer, McComb/Magnolia,

is experienced in floating sheetrock, and worked torestore the McKenzie home during her weeklong stay lastmonth at Camp Coast Care.

By Scott Lenoir

Betsy Enochs

By the Rev. Carol Borne Stewart

May 2008

PARISH LIFE

The Mississippi Episcopalian 9

Episcopal bands Will&Jason, Passenger Jones and Rubrixx played in the grove at St. Philip’s in Jackson tohelp raise money for people affected by the recent storms which hit the Jackson area in early April.

The Chicken Men of St. Coumb’s braved bad weather to grill hundreds of chicken lunches for theannual Men’s Club Bar-B-Que on April 26st.

Tornado relief concert raises cash for Jackson area homeowners

After seeing the damage caused by tornados embedded in a strong line of thunderstorms which hit the Jackson areain early April, Episcopal musicians decided to get together and raise money for people affected in the Hinds, Rankin, andMadison County area.

The Rev. Dr. Bryan Owen, a canon at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Jackson, and bassist for the all clergy band Rubrixx,suggested to the band that a benefit concert be held St. Philip’s Episcopal Church because of the parish’s close proximityto the worst hit areas along Old Canton Road in Jackson.

“St. Philip’s was delighted to host the event,” said Senior Warden Marcie Skelton, who firmed up the preparationswith the support of rector Tom Slawson and the vestry.

The benefit included three bands with strong ties to the Episcopal Church which played for donations in the groveat St. Philip’s on Friday April 25th, three weeks to the day after the storms hit.

Audio engineer Nat Duncan donated his service to the concert running sound for the guitars of Will Skelton & JasonWoodcock; the original, alternative sound of Passenger Jones; and the party music of Rubrixx.

The donations amounted to $2,746.00 and the money is being distributed by Lutheran Episcopal Services inMississippi (LESM)

Contributions may still be made for this particular relief effort. Contact the Rev. Sandra Braasch at LESM for moreinformation.

By Scott Lenoir

Picnic fare was the dinner of the night for many at the Tornado Relief Concert.Pictured are the Kyle and Brian Seage with daughters Betsy and Katie.

St. Andrew’s parishioners came to the aid of one of their own who suffered the lossof her home in the April 25th storm aftermath. Julie Braswell’s home, after surviv-ing the morning tornados which struck several of her neighbors on Canton HeightsDrive in Jackson, was gutted by fire that afternoon. Julie was unhurt as well hasher three dogs. She moved into a rental house May 3rd not far from her home.

Bishop Gray gathers with the Post Ordination Consultation group at Gray Center,completing the group’s meetings for the year. Participating in POC this year wereBillie Abraham, Margaret Ayers, Bruce Cheney, Tom Fanning, Walton Jones, PatrickSanders, Karl Schaffenburg, and Bill White. POC is a group of recently ordainedpresbyters and transitional deacons who meet with Bishop Gray and group facilita-tors David Johnson and Sylvia Czarnetzky four times each year.

Deborah Price, Gwen Covington, Dana and Curt Lamar enjoy a tasting of fine

wines at Mediator, McComb’s fund raiser.

March 27th the Episcopal Church Women of the parish of the Mediator-Redeemer inMcComb and Magnolia, held a wine tasting in the Mediator Parish Hall in McComb.

Not only did everyone enjoy tasting the different wines, they also enjoyed food pre-pared by ladies of the church from their cookbook “Faith of our Fathers, Food of ourMothers”.

A portion of the proceeds are going to “5000 for 100” to help St. Patrick’s EpiscopalChurch in Long Beach rebuild.

Mediator-Redeemer ECW, McComb-Magnolia Wine Tasting fund raiser

10 The Mississippi Episcopalian May 2008

YOUTH

The Scholarship Committee forthe Diocese of Mississippi awarded sev-enteen young people money toadvance their college educations froma variety of scholarships administratedthrough the diocese for the 2008-2009academic year. OKOLONA SCHOLARSHIPS

The Willie Mae RaspberryScholarship was awarded to DoreenNdishabandi, a member of All Saints’Church in Jackson. She will graduatefrom Murrah High School and wishesto work in international relations andforeign policy. Doreen is the daughterof the Rev. and Mrs. WilliamNdishabandi.

The James L. RaspberryScholarship is presented to TimothyUmeofia, son of the Rev. and Mrs.Christian Umeofia, formerly of this dio-cese. Timothy plans to attend EastCarolina University and hopes to oneday become a physician.

An Okolona Scholarship goes toLemnyuy Bernard Nyuykongi, a studentat Jackson State University where he is

majoring in Computer Engineering.Nyuykongi is a communicant at AllSaints’ Church in Jackson.

Also receiving OkolonaScholarship is Lorissa Tolliver, a mem-ber of St. Mary’s in Vicksburg. Sheattends Le Cordon Bleu College ofCulinary Arts in Atlanta and is thedaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Tolliver.

Jonathan and DorothyNdishabandi are receiving scholarshipsas well. Jonathan attends HindsCommunity College and Dorothy is astudent at the University of SouthernMississippi. Both are members of AllSaints, Jackson.

The Raspberry Scholarships andthe Okolona Scholarship were createdthrough the Trustees of the OkolonaCollege Endowment to be used to helpblack college students. Preference isgiven to Episcopalians, but applicationsfrom all churches are accepted. CAPERS SCHOLARSHIP

The Charlotte CapersScholarships are presented to thosewho are pursuing a liberal arts degree

and five applicants won the award. A Capers scholarship is awarded

to Bernard Hufft. He is a member of AllSaints’ Church in Tupelo and attendsthe University of Mississippi.

Mary Gray is also a recipient of aCapers scholarship. Mary will attendSewanee. She is the daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Lloyd Gray and is a memberof All Saints’, Tupelo.

Carol Jackson receives a Capersscholarship as well. Her home churchis St. Alexis in Jackson. Carol attendsBelhaven College and her major isMusic Performance.

Also given a Capers Scholarship isDylon Richmond, member of St.John’s, Ocean Springs. He attendsGeorgetown University.

Mary Street is also a recipient of aCapers scholarship. Her home churchis St. James’ Church in Jackson and shewill attend the University of Mississippi.She is the daughter of George andLorraine Street. MISTICOS SCHOLARSHIPS

Misticos Scholarships are awarded

annually to girls and boys of either theGreek Orthodox or Episcopal Faiths.The late Alexander Misticos establishedthese scholarships as memorials tomembers of his family.

The recipients are ElizabethAvant, Lila Schaffenburg, and WilliamSchaffenburg.

Elizabeth is graduating fromPillow Academy in Greenwood andplans to attend the University ofMississippi. She is a member of Churchof the Nativity in Greenwood. Elizabethis the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. MichaelAvant.

Lila and William Schaffenburg aremembers of Church of the Incarnationin West Point where their father servesas Rector. William attends DickinsonCollege in Pennsylvania and plans tobecome a doctor. Lila will attend theUniversity of Mississippi. WARREN TRUST

The late Robert Warren of St.Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral estab-lished the Warren Trust Scholarships.The scholarships are given to Maggie

Floyd, Amanda Frazier and NicoleStein.

Maggie is a communicant ofChapel of the Cross, Madison. Shewould like to become a physical thera-pist. She is the daughter of Ms. NellFloyd

Amanda Frazier is a communicantof All Saints’ Church in Grenada.Amanda will attend the University ofMississippi and plans to be a dentalhygienist. She is the daughter of FredFrazier and Patricia Taylor.

Nicole Stein is the daughter ofAnne Kinney Stein and the lateLeonard Joseph Stein. She is a mem-ber of Chapel of the Cross in Madisonand will attend Mississippi StateUniversity and major in Engineering.

Selections for all scholarships aremade each year by the ScholarshipCommittee composed of the Bishop ofthe Diocese of Mississippi, the Deanand Wardens of St. Andrew’s Cathedralalong with members of the ExecutiveCommittee and Trustees of theDiocese.

Scholarships awarded to 17 college bound students

Editor’s note: Elizabeth Lueth, one of theSudanese children sponsored through theDiocese of Mississippi, is a senior high schoolstudent at the Education Center School. Thefollowing essay Elizabeth write was the result ofanswering questions posed to her by threeMillsaps students as a part of a learning serviceproject for a course on Sudan to be taught atMillsaps College by Dr. Greg Miller. The essaydescribes her perilous journey from the Sudanto the United States. On Sunday, May 25, SaintAndrew’s Cathedral will celebrate the Feast ofthe Martyrs of Sudan. All in the Sudanese com-munity are invited to serve in the choir at bothSunday choral Eucharists (8:45 and 11) whichwill include Dinka tribal hymns.

Fleeing from the war in Sudan as a younggirl with my tribe, I traveled on foot to Ugandain 1991. On my journey, there was little food.The UN would provide us with some food, but

most days wewere withoutfood and water. Ican remembersleeping on theground with onlya small blanket toprotect me fromthe weather.There were notents or otherkinds of shelter.

In 1991, I was displaced from my home-town due to a civil war that broke out in Sudanthe same year I was born. The enemies attackedour village. I escaped to save my life. I walkedmany miles with my father and two sisters andmany other people to a displacement camp. Inthe displacement camp there was not enoughfood. I lived in the displacement camp for threeyears. When I arrived in Uganda, I traveled toKenya by car. In 1994, I came to Kenya with my

niece Tabitha. We came to the refugee campknown as Kakuma, where we met my brotherJames.

I remember when I stayed with my family:my mom, dad, two sisters, and two brothers. Ithink it was a good time; life in my country wasstill good. But when the war started, life in mycountry was not good anymore. And all themembers of our family were separated from oneanother. My daddy, Lueth Atem, died in 1991.My mom, Malang Mayen, died in 1993. My sis-ter, Amou Lueth, died in 1993. And my brother,Atem Lueth, died in 1995. And my sister, AdauLueth, still lives there in Africa. And one of mybrothers, James, is here. James came with myniece Tabitha and me to the United States forresettlement. So in the beginning there werefive in my family, three girls and two boys, andnow three of us are left, two girls and one boy.

When my parents died, I was still little. Iwas in a bad situation because the war was goingon that was why my family died. Not just myown family, but other people died because ofthe war. A lot of people don’t know why allthese people died. They ask me, “where is yourfamily?” Because circumstances in the country

are not good, we are fighting, we are at war. Idon’t know why we fight, but I just know wefight—that’s why a lot of people die. A lot ofpeople walked on foot to move from place toplace because of the war. No water. No food.No place to sleep. That’s why people got sickon the way without doctors. A lot of peopledied from sickness. A lot of people died fromkilling in the war. That’s why we came here-because life in our country was not good. Icame here because I didn’t have anyone in myfamily, and I was still young with no one to takecare of me.

The American people brought us here. Wecan go to school. A lot of people don’t have amom. Some people come here to go to school,so if we go back, the war stops, and life in ourcountry gets better, we can make our countrybetter with a good education. But as for me, Icame here because circumstances in my countrywere not good. I came here, and the Americanpeople brought me here, and they have takencare of me. And I can go to school, too, so mylife is going to be changed when I go back.

Elizabeth Lueth

Elizabeth Avant Maggie Floyd Amanda Frazier Mary Gray Bernard Hufft Doreen Ndishabandi Dorothy Ndishabandi Jonathan Ndishabandi

Lemnyuy Nyuykongi Dylon Richmond Nicole Stein Mary Street Lila Schaffenburg William Schaffenburg Lorissa Toliver Timothy Umeofia

Elizabeth Ajong Lueth

Continued on page 14

The Mississippi Episcopalian 11May 2008

YOUTH

By Jennifer Triplett“All things bright and beautiful,

all creatures great and small, all thingswise and wonderful, the Lord Godmade them all.”

Tall blades of chartreuse riceplants dancing in the warm, salvificMississippi Delta breeze, rows ofsnowy cotton bolls blurring into a softsouthern quilt, and the last glow offading daylight seeping into flat fieldsnear the edge of dense forests-truly,this is the work of God.

Orion’s Belt scintillating over a deserted stretch of the NatchezTrace Parkway, with shadowy knolls cradling a band of black asphaltmarked with faded white lines, and a dim, blurred tree line huggingthe bends in the road-truly, this is the work of God.

Bold and brilliant azaleas, towering and aged magnolias all dot-ting lush lawns throughout Belhaven, glistening in the bright morn-ing dew, radiating a warm glow reflected from the shining sun-truly,this is the work of God.

Cities consumed by acres of rotting rubbish, woodlands devas-tated by unnatural forest fires, consumption of over 2 billion treesannually (in this country alone), smog at levels dangerous to humanhealth, the decimation of rain forests in South America, the wantonpollution of water sources across the planet-truly, this is the work ofhumans.

As we all know (and as is documented in the Bible’s openinglines) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Theheavens and the earth were, and remain today, precious giftsbestowed upon us, the children of God, because of his love andgrace. This magnificent gift of seas and mountains, rivers and plains,

was not, however, a gift intended to be abused and squandered, as isoccurring with such great magnitude today. In fact, according toGenesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put him in theGarden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Though an imperfectplace, this planet is our Garden of Eden, and God explicitly instruct-ed us to care for it.

In today’s gospel lesson, we hear Jesus promising that he “willask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with youfor ever. This is the Spirit of truth.” In these lines, Jesus is explainingthat, while he will no longer physically be present on earth to lookout for his people, God will send something equally as precious inhis place: the Holy Spirit. Referring to each member of the HolyTrinity as an “Advocate” for us, the children of God, carries a conno-tation of loving concern and implies that God, Jesus, and the HolySpirit will both support and watch over our interests and needs.

In many aspects, we are defenseless and rely on God to be ourAdvocate. Just as starving children in developing countries or elderlyvictims of nursing home abuse, everyone depends on the advocacy ofGod by way of the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus speaking in the Gospelaccording to John, God promises to provide his people with anAdvocate to be with us forever. Rather than a tangible human, wemust rely on our faith and love of God to understand the presence ofGod as our Advocate. Jesus tells us that we will know the God andHis Holy Spirit, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”Accordingly, the Holy Spirit resides within each one of us, and itremains our obligation to God to let the Spirit and the light shinethrough us into the world.

Seeing a person upset and offering a kind and supportive word,seeing someone struggling to manage his groceries and offering ahelping hand, seeing a fellow human reveling in a moment of joy andjoining in her celebration-all these are ways in which we can embracethe presence of the Holy Spirit which resides within each of ourhearts and share the God’s love and compassion with people inneed. Just as God, through the Holy Spirit, acts as our eternal advo-cate, so must we be advocates for each other. It is our responsibilityas Christians to look out for each other, especially those of us unableto be our own advocates: the ill, the weak, the young, and thedefenseless.

If one cannot speak, cannot argue on his own behalf, cannot

flee from danger, and cannot fight back against injustices, who shallbe his advocate? Lush forests, gently scampering brooks, soothingbreezes, and all creatures of our God and King-these elements ofnature weave harmoniously together to create our environment, thebreathtaking world around us, a natural wonder bestowed upon usby the Almighty Creator of the Universe, and a gift that is currentlybuckling under strain and devastation wrought upon it by us,humans, the very intended recipients of God’s gift of the world.

As Bishop Gray noted in a letter from September of last yearconcerning the preservation of the environment, we have “the moralresponsibility [...] to protect God’s Earth.” He later goes on to notevery accurately that “We as Christians, like most Americans, consumematerial things and energy at a rate never before seen in human his-tory.” Bishop Gray’s letter and my words with you today are not tochide and to castigate our community for being wasteful and abusingGod’s precious gift of the natural world around us. Rather I hope toremind you, in the words of Bishop Gray, that “Time is of theessence in caring for this rare and beautiful gift God has given us, thisearth, our island home.”

Having said these things, I do not feel the need to dwell onrelaying to you a litany of the environmental issues currently plagu-ing our planet. I do, however, feel responsible to share with you justa few ways we can lessen our impact on the planet. MohandasGandhi, the great Mahatma, once claimed that “Whatever you do willbe insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” Upon cursoryexamination, this quotation is borderline discouraging. What, then, isthe point of action if its results are ultimately insignificant? Our actionis necessary because “insignificant” does not mean “pointless” or “ofno value.” In fact, when we consider the combined actions of eachmember of our faith community, our individual and “insignificant”actions band together to create an effect of great significance.

In closing, let us remember to flip light switches off when leav-ing a room empty; let us not leave water running unnecessarily; letus make efforts to place our trash and recyclables in the appropriatereceptacles; let us care for the blessing of this earth which God hasgiven to us.

God, our Father, is an eternal giver of gifts. Not only did he giveus the world and everything in it, but he also bestowed upon us thegift of the Holy Spirit to be our undying Advocate. Let us act now topreserve our environment and to show our appreciation to God for“all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, allthings wise and wonderful” because the Lord God made them all.

All Things Bright and BeautifulEditor’s note: Three young people delivered excellent sermons onyouth Sunday at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in April about stewardship ofthe Earth. Elizabeth Morrison preached the 8:45 service and LeeMorrison preached at 7:30. 17 year old, Jennifer Triplett delivered thesermon at the principle service and it is printed below. Jennifer is asenior at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, and will be attending TulaneUniversity next year. She is the daughter of Bill and Linda Triplett.

By Scott LenoirAn Anglican covenant entitled “The St.

Andrew’s Second Draft,” was discussed at a Maymeeting at Gray Center by clergy and deputies toGeneral Convention. Crafting of the proposedcovenant is the work of the Covenant DesignGroup, a collection of Anglican scholars fromaround the world who were appointed by theArchbishop of Canterbury.

The meeting, called by Bishop Gray, III,was designed for the Bishop to hear commentsand conversation about the developing Anglicancovenant which is divided in to three parts: 1)Our Inheritance of Faith, 2) The Life We Sharewith Others: Our Anglican Vocation, and 3) OurUnity and Common Life.

Those gathered at the meeting divided upinto five small groups which met for an hourand a half. After lunch, the groups reportedtheir impressions in a plenary session about thedocument which seeks to define through acovenantal agreement what it means to be a

member of the Anglican Communion.There was no general consensus apparent

to this reporter that the St. Andrew’s Draft issupported by those who attended; however,most acknowledged that there were valuableaspects to the draft that could in some form behelpful to the strengthening of our common lifeand mission in the communion.

There was discussion regarding the lengthof the appendix to the document which dealtwith conflict resolution. The appendix is almostas long as the covenant itself and seems to pro-vide a system that promotes, in the words of theRev. Bob France, “an eternity of process” regard-ing conflicts.

Many clergy felt parts one and two of thedocument were strong; however, part three boilsdown to issues of trust which drew support forand against the document. Some reporters tothe plenary session said that some in their groupquestioned why the document was even writtenas it says nothing new, with the exception of

part 3 regarding unity and com-mon life.

After several participantsshared concerns and hopesregarding the covenant, BishopGray reminded that statementssuch as these are all generatedwithin the belief that “commun-ion is a gift from God and that weare stewards of that communion.”

Gray noted that the impactof African provinces in theAnglican Communion since 2003has brought about more commu-nication between the liberal, west-ern side of the church and theAfrican Church than has been had in many years.

While conflicts make the headlines, Graysaid that stronger bonds between the AfricanChurches and the Episcopal Church are beingcreated.

In July, Gray will be traveling to Ugandaprior to his attendance at the LambethConference. The Rev. William Ndishabandi, anative Ugandan and now rector of All Saint’sChurch in Jackson, will be the Bishop’s guide ashe visits the Diocese of South Rwenzori to seefirst-hand the work of the Bishop Mizereka

Christian Foundation, one of the recipients ofTEC’s Millennium Development Goals funding.

“There is more to our common life thanthe conflicts experienced in the last few years,”said Gray.

The next step for Gray will be to take allthe notes made at this meeting and use them toprovide input into the covenant documentwhich will be presented to the primates andbishops attending the Lambeth Conference.

Anglican covenant discussed among clergy and deputies

The Rev. Lynn Barker, Rector of All Saints, Grenada, reportsfrom her group to the plenary session discussing the SecondDraft of the St. Andrew’s Anglican Covenant.

Jennifer Triplett

OUR DIOCESE

May 200812 The Mississippi Episcopalian

By Scott Lenoir St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Indianola is

hosting a juried visual art exhibition this fall betweenthe Feast of St. Michael and All Angels and the Feast ofAll Saints (Sept. 28 - Nov. 2).

A Feast for the Eye will open with an eveningreception on Saturday, September 27, and close witha festival evensong on Sunday, November 2, featuring aguest choir and organist.

“The arts are an important part of spiritual devel-opment and even a small parish can bring an arts experi-ence to not only the parishioners, but to the community atlarge,” said exhibition coordinator Alice Shands.

The competition-exhibition is open to men and women ofall faiths who produce original artwork in all media.Drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics,

sculpture and mixed media will be accepted. Film and videoare not eligible.

Each artist may submit up to two works for acceptance inthe show on a compact disk with a resolution of no larger than300 dpi (maximum dimension of 1000x800 pixels).

Entries for the competition must be postmarked by August15th and all work submitted should no more than three yearsold. There is a $25.00 entry fee. All works sold will have a 10%commission fee to St. Stephen’s.

Shands said that liturgical banners, icons, small dossals

(6'x8’ maximum), and festival vestments that are suitable to dis-play in the nave are of special interest to the show. Also, largefree standing sculpture, weighing no more than 100 pounds, maybe submitted for display in the St. Stephen’s church yard which isfenced.

Artists should submit entries with a completed entry formplus a typed biographical sketch with an artist’s statement that isno more than one paragraph each.

The consultant and advisor for the art show is Ron Koehler,Chair of the Delta State University Department of Art. Koehler isan experienced curator and arts juror.

To receive an entry form, call St. Stephen’s at 662-887-4365or email ststephensepisc@bellsouth.net.

Interfaith dialog hosted at St. Andrew’s CathedralBy Alice Skelton

St. Andrew’s Cathedral hosted the AprilCelebration of Faith sponsored by the JacksonChapter of the Institute of Interfaith Dialogwith dinner and conversation.

The Institute of Interfaith Dialog (IID) isa non-profit multi-faith organization whoseprimary goal is to help bring together thefaith communities in order to promote com-passion, cooperation, partnership and com-munity service through interfaith dialog andconversation.

This month’s meeting was attended byover fifty people of different faiths and cultur-al backgrounds. Several St. Andrew’s commu-nicants attended and enjoyed food fromTurkish and American kitchens.

The dinner was followed by a presentation on Eastern Religious Traditions. Dr. Lola Williamson of theReligious Studies Department of Millsaps College gave an excellent presentation on Eastern religions, focus-ing primarily on Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and practices.

The IID also sponsors trips to Turkey to enable Mississippians to enjoy a different cultural experienceand a view of global communities’ spiritual traditions.

If you would like more information on the IID, go to their website http://www.interfaithdialog.org/ orcontact Avery Rollins at averyrollins@aol.com or 601 898-0095.

Dr. Lola Williamson of Millsaps College led a presentationand discussion on eastern religions at an interfaith gather-ing at St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

The Spring Workshop of the Mississippi Art Colony was filled with Episcopalians. Meeting at Camp Henry Jacobsnear Utica for its weeklong event, the workshop allowed artists to paint, receive instruction, critique, and enter ajuried competition. Pictured front row (l. to r.) are Lyle Morehouse, St. Paul’s Meridian; Byron Myrick, St. John’sLaurel; Tina Lutz, All Saints, Tupelo; Harriett Lenoir, St. Mary’s, Lexington; Millie Howell, St. Francis,Philadelphia; Pat Stephens, St. John’s, Minden, LA; Pat Regan, Christ Church, Pensacola, FL; (back row l. to r.)Missy Patrick, Christ Cathedral, Mobile, AL; Susan Cox-Davis , St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Jackson; Latricia Graves,Chapel of the Cross, Madison; Sandy Ford, Christ Church, Pensacola; Carlana Lane, St. John’s Pascagoula.

A Feast for the Eye: juried art competition exhibition seeks submissions

Artist Georgeann McCullough, a past Presidentof the Ms. Art Colony and member of St.Andrew’s Cathedral, works in charcoal underthe pavilion at Henry Jacobs.

May 2008

OUR DIOCESE

The Mississippi Episcopalian 13

Ground was broken on the “Feed My Sheep” building in downtown Gulfporton Aril 17, 2008. The facility will feed up to 500 meals a day when opened inlate summer, 2008.

By the Rev. Carol Borne StewartAfter the waters of Hurricane Katrina washed away the building housing the “Feed My Sheep” soup kitchen in Gulfport, MS,

St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church began looking around their city to see what ministries outside the walls of their church(or lack thereof) needed assistance in its rebuilding.

St. Peter’s had been a partner for many years with “Feed My Sheep” so when ERD announced the availability of monies torebuild social outreach ministries, St. Peter’s jumped on writing a grant for the rebuilding of “Feed My Sheep”. In 2007, a grantfor $135,000.00 was awarded to St. Peter’s-by-the-Sea, Gulfport for the soup kitchen rebuilding project.

After a year of conversations with the city and the zoning departments, “Feed My Sheep” broke ground for their new build-ing on April 17, 2008. Money from the ERD grant will assist with food purchase, food storage and equipment needed to open theoperation. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, “Feed My Sheep” fed 500 people daily with additional meals delivered to persons not ableto walk or be transported to the feeding site.

Gulfport Soup Kitchen “Feed My Sheep” breaks ground on long awaited building

By Debo Dykes

Deacons and other clergy throughout the Episcopal Church gathered for NAAD annual conference

at Gray Center last month. Pictured (l. to r.) are: the Rev. Susanne Watkins-Epting, Diocese of

New York; the Rev. Richard Buhrer, Diocese of Olympia, WA; the Rev. Joy Dosher, Diocese of North

Carolina; and the Rev. Steve Owen, Diocese of MS.

An international list of archdeacons, deacons, priests, and lay persons gathered at The DuncanM. Gray Camp & Conference Center during the days of April 17, 18, 19, and 20, to share ideasabout continuing education and to discuss other important issues related to the life of the Church.

The topic for this year’s North American Association for the Diaconate (NAAD) conference wasLifelong Learning from Lifelong Learners. Drawing on the gifts of some of the most committed lead-ers in deacon formation and lifelong learning, the program included a presentation by participantsfrom NAAD regional conferences on what we’ve learned about lifelong learning and how to sharethis rich source of information with others throughout our churches and local communities.

A special evening was set aside for NAAD participants to visit historical sites and cities withinthe area such as The Eudora Welty House, The Islamic Museum, The Civil War Historic Park inVicksburg, and others. Hosted by Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi deacons, NAAD participantsexperienced true southern hospitality, complete with personal guides, transportation, and theunforgettable taste of great southern dinning.

A sincere thank you is offered to all of our Mississippi deacons for helping host this year’sNAAD conference. A special thank you to Carol Stewart, Dave Duggins, Frank Spencer, Bill Hanna,Gay Yerger, Nick Roberts, and Ilene Warwick for providing transportation for our NAAD guests. Welook forward to the NAAD Conference participants returning again in 2009.

North American Association for the Diaconate offers

Lifelong Learning for Lifelong Learners

By Diane LivingstonCertainly you have read the articles about the massive devastation

caused in Myanmar (Burma). Certainly you have seen the pictures ofthe terrible damages caused by the earthquake in China. Meanwhile,large parts of the United States continue to be wracked by tornadoes.As Christians, most of us want to do something to help the many thou-sands of people adversely affected by these recent events. Thankfully,our church provides an easy way for us to help. This is by supportingthese specific projects through Episcopal Relief and Development(ERD).

Let me tell you about what ERD is doing in each of these threeareas:

(1) Myanmar, where up to 100,000 people may have been killed by Cyclone Nargis. - You may haveread about how foreign aid has been discouraged, held up, or not even allowed by the government there.Because ERD was already collaborating with Anglican and other ecumenical partners in the area (since thesouth Asia tsunami), funds we have already furnished have been able to be put to use by the people wholive there (not by the government). So far, this has provided food, water, and shelter. An assessment teamis currently investigating to see how our funds can best be spent in the future. Most relief agencies will dotheir work and leave in several months. However, it generally takes from five to eight years for a communi-ty to recover from a calamity such as this cyclone. I assure you, ERD will assist in designing a long-termrecovery plan and will be there for years as the recovery plan unfolds. Accountability systems are already inplace.

(2) China, where the May 12th 7.9 magnitude earthquake killed over 12,000 people (that total will,no doubt, increase sharply as other towns are taken into account) - Here, the Chinese government is mak-ing a major effort to assist local emergency services. Some 50,000 military troops have been sent to thearea to assist. The estimate is that about 3,500,000 homes were destroyed by China’s most deadly earth-quake in three decades. Rescue crews are just now reaching the epicenter of the earthquake. In China,our partner is the Amity Foundation, an independent Chinese Christian organization. With ERD’s financialsupport, Amity has already begun providing food, bedding, and sheltering materials in some of the affectedareas. As more is learned about needs elsewhere, they plan to continue to meet the needs of suffering fam-ilies.

(3) United States, where tornadoes swept across the Midwest and Southeast over Mother’s Day week-end, killing at least 22 people and leaving thousands homeless in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, andGeorgia - ERD immediately contacted all the dioceses affected to see what their needs were. We standready to respond once the needs have been identified.

Many of your parishioners want to help these victims. Please give your members the opportunity todo so by asking for donations in your Sunday bulletins, your newsletters, or by a verbal request at yourSunday services. Individuals can make donations directly to Episcopal Relief and Development, PO Box7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. However, I suggest that you think about making this disaster relief efforta church project. In that case, donors would make their checks out to your church, but earmark them forERD. It might be for “ERD - Myanmar Cyclone”, it might be for “ERD - China Earthquake”, or it could befor “ERD - Emergency Relief Fund”. Another good choice would be just to “ERD”. Our staff would thendecide where the contribution was most needed. If you choose this option, your church would then havethe responsibility of identifying these checks, taking them into your general fund, and sending one checkfrom your church for the total to the ERD address above. I suggest you allow at least two weeks for checksto come in before remitting to ERD. Remember, when contributing through ERD, an exceptionally high92% of each dollar given actually goes to help people in need. ERD’s work depends on the generosity of allEpiscopalians.

Please contact Diane Livingston, 228-265-4794 or dianelivingston@hotmail.com if you have questions.

ERD update

Diane Livingston

May 2008

OUR DIOCESE

14 The Mississippi Episcopalian

People keep asking me, “Why did you comehere?” And they ask me because they don’tknow what is going on over there in my country.People ask me, “Do you like America? Which doyou like better? Do you like America or do youlike Africa?” I say, I like both of them. Becauseover there, life in my country was good beforethe war came. I still like it because it is mycountry. It is where I was born. And I likeAmerica, too, because they brought me here.They changed my life from what it was before.Now they take care of me. They brought meover here. I needed some help, too, when Icame here— at first, I didn’t know where I wasgoing! Nobody had been here before. Mygrandfather, Atem Bul, was in his own country;he had no reason to come here! But I came

because of the war. I didn’t come here as awoman. I didn’t come here to have fun. I camehere because of my bad situation and because Ididn’t have a family.

I thank America now for bringing me here. When I came here, I didn’t know anybody,

but now I have friends in America. We are fromSudan, and yet people help us. If you don’thave somebody to help you, you don’t knowwhere to find things, you have to ask somebody.It’s the same if you’re a boy or if you’re a girl.Everything is hard, but if you have somebody tohelp you, I don’t think there’s a differencebetween being a boy or a girl. Everything’s thesame.

James was in school in Africa. He startedschool before I did. The boys went to Ethiopiabefore so that they could go to school, and Istarted school later in Kenya.

James and I were separated in 1988, and

we met again in 1994. They took the boys to goto school. They moved to Ethiopia, and wemoved in Sudan during the war, and then wecame to Kenya because the war continued. Weknew that we would see each other again whenwe separated, but we didn’t know where.

People ask me how to help. People canhelp us get a good education. That’s the mostimportant thing. You can help them get a goodjob back home and help others.

I miss a lot of people. I was born inSudan, so they know me better. They knowabout me, and I know about them. That’s what Imiss. Here in America, they don’t know thatmuch about us; the people here, they’re differ-ent. They just know I’m from another country.The people over here, they treat me differently,because they know I’m not from here. Somepeople do that, but not everybody. The people,they ask me a lot of questions.

I’ve talked to my friends and family on thephone. The situation in the country is better,but still life is not that good yet. They’re stillwalking from place to place. It’s getting betterthan what it was before. They are trying to moveback into the country, into Sudan, now. Thereare not a lot of phones, but I can reach them.We call them. Some people have a phone. Youcan talk to them.

I am interested in going back to Sudan.My plan is to go and help build a country thathas been torn by the war. I want to avoid beingshy and being quiet so I can achieve my plans.

I thank God for protecting me and Jamesand Tabitha and bringing us to America. I con-tinue to pray to God to protect us while we’re inAmerica. God bless my family. I thank Americafor bringing me here. God bless Sudan, andGod bless America.

Lueth, Continued from page 10

Janet Nail professes to Third Order in Society of St. Francis

By George WoodliffJanet Nail, parishioner of Trinity Episcopal Church in Yazoo City, and Director of the Audio-Visual

Center for the Diocese of Mississippi, was inducted into The Third Order Society of St. Francis onSunday, April 13 at Church of the Creator in Clinton.

The Society of St. Francis began in 1205 when St. Francis recognized the need to include peoplefrom all walks of life within his movement of reform and renewal in the Church.

Today there are estimated to be over a half-million Franciscans worldwide. Anglican Franciscansare divided among five provinces. The Province of the Americas stretches from Canada to Brazil to theCaribbean. It includes The Third Order which consists of men and women, married or single, ordainedor lay, who are called to a dedicated life of service to our Lord through prayer, study and work.

The three aims of the Order are:To Make Our Lord Known and Loved EverywhereBy word and example, Tertiaries witness to Christ in their daily lives. By prayer and sacrifice, they

help forward God’s work wherever called.To Spread the Spirit of Love and Unity Within the Family of GodBy working joyfully with people of differing race, creed, education and opportunity, Tertiaries

seek to break down the divisions of the world, learning from Francis, an instrument of God’s peacewho honored the Christ in all people.

To Live SimplyAcknowledging that everything belongs to God, Tertiaries seek to use God’s gifts wisely and to be

good stewards, neither destroying or wasting what God has made. They provide necessities for them-selves and their families without demanding luxuries, never forgetting the needs of others.

The symbol of the Franciscans is the Tau Cross. The Tau is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet.Francis learned of it in Ezekiel 9:4, where God orders “the man with the writing case” to mark a Tau onthe foreheads of those in Jerusalem who “mourn and grieve over the abominations” committed in thatcity. Francis often signed his letters with a Tau.

Janet Nail of Trinity Church in Yazoo City was professed in the Third Order ofthe Society of Saint Francis at the Church of the Creator in Clinton. Pictured atthe event are: (l. to r.) Marla Kelly Asson, Provincial Fellowship Coordinator;Janet; the Rev. Ann Whitaker, TSSF, and Mary Ann Cortright, Nail’s spiritualadvisor in this journey.

For advertising information call

Scott Lenoir 601-856-8234

May 2008 The Mississippi Episcopalian 15

OUR DIOCESE

By Jim CarringtonIt was a beautiful spring day in 1970 when Bruns McKie Myers, III,

found himself faced with a choice and like many 19-year-olds he chose togo swimming rather than attending his calculus class at Mississippi StateUniversity. It was a choice that would impact his life and the lives ofcountless other people for the next 38 years.

Diving into the lake near Starkville, the Jackson native broke hisneck and started a journey that would lead him through untold chal-lenges, challenges that at times even had him questioning his will to live.

In 1970, recovery for a C 4-5 quadriplegic, who was essentially with-out movement below his collarbones, was far from where it is today. Tolisten to him describe the treatment that was available and the limits thatexisted in rehabilitation makes you wonder just how he became the per-son he is today.

The person he is today is Mississippi’s and perhaps the nation’s only quadriplegic Episcopal priest,actively serving the Parish of St. Philip’s as its Associate to the Rector. At St. Philip’s, he celebrates theEucharist several times a month, as well as teaching, preaching and visiting as would any priest. He is limitedonly by where his chair cannot go, but he will not hesitate to push those limits in order to do the work heloves.

Bruns was a cowboy before his accident and even today the Murrah High School graduate still loves hishorses and can work them into his teachings and sermons in ways that clearly indicate what kinds of personhe was as a teenager. What doesn’t show, thanks to his fantastic personality and perpetual smile is the loss ofhis true love, a girl he was going to marry; the loss of friends who didn’t know how to react to someone in awheelchair; and the confusion and sadness he experienced during those darkest days of his recovery. Theyall make up a very real part of who the man is today.

He is quick to tell you there are many people in his life who helped him make the transition from adeep sense of loss to one of hope and promise. Heading that list is his mother, who continues to play a vitalrole in his daily life. Bruns knows what he has had to give up due to his condition and is so very thankful forall who have helped him overcome those losses.

Talk with Bruns and you can see the his face light up as he recalls how with his first wheelchair he expe-rienced a sense of freedom that he thought was lost forever. This new freedom helped him see that therewas something special in his life. He wasn’t sure of what it was, but he knew something was out there. Thatsomething was hope and promise.

Little did he know, as one of the initial patients at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, he was seeing a pathbeing cleared before him for his future. Friends who truly cared began to take Bruns to church in the littlevan his parents had adapted for transporting him in his chair. With those trips and with visits from a very spe-cial little lady who would come to his house to visit, Bruns Myers began to renew his relationship with God, arelationship that would continue to grow and prosper during the coming years.

Bruns found himself being guided into going to the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson. Withthe help and support of others he found that he could learn and that he enjoyed learning. It quickly becameapparent to him that without a degree he would be limited in what could be accomplished. To overcomethat limitation, he enrolled in Belhaven College where he went fulltime until he graduated three and a halfyears later when he received a degree in Philosophy and Biblical studies in 1988.

Following his Belhaven experience, Bruns returned to the seminary as a special student. During that

period he began to look at what the future might hold for him. He loved academics and teaching, but quicklyrealized to further his education and obtain a PhD, he would have to go out of state. At that time in his lifeand journey, this wasn’t possible due to the lack of having someone to care for him. So, he turned to a sec-ond option, that of working in a hospital environment as a chaplain. He felt confident he could use his expe-riences to counsel and work one on one with others suffering life changing disabilities.

As he moved toward graduation from the seminary, the big question facing Bruns was, could a personwith a disability find employment? Cultural attitudes and opportunities for the disabled in the late 80’s weremuch different than those found today. Ultimately, after graduating and being ordained, he volunteered atMethodist Rehab as a chaplain for a couple of years. In 1990, he was hired as the chaplain and for the next16 years he rolled the halls of that facility working with people who, like him, had thought their lives overdue to their injuries.

While he felt totally sure this was where God wanted him to be, Bruns said he always felt something waslacking, that there was more to his life than what he was experiencing at the rehab.

Born and raised in the Episcopal Church, Bruns says he didn’t realize that stamped on his DNA werethe liturgy and worship of that church. It soon became clear this was what was missing in his life. He beganto look at the possibilities of returning to the Episcopal Church as a priest. After visiting with and receivingencouragement from friends, priests and even the Bishop of the Dioceses of Mississippi, the Right Rev. Alfred“Chip” Marble, he began the process that led him to being ordained as a priest at St. Philip’s in 2001.

While having found something that had been missing in his life, the challenges and obstacles didn’tcease, but with the support of his parish it was clear they could be overcome one way or another. A rampwas constructed to allow him to roll up to the altar and celebrate the Eucharist. With training from TomSlawson, Rector at St. Philip’s, and Luther Ott, who was just finishing his Curacy at St. Philip’s, Bruns contin-ued to learn about the church’s liturgy and about the gestures and motions that he could and could not do.In order for him to celebrate the Eucharist, he had to have the Lay Eucharistic Ministers serve as his arms andhands, something that required significant training and practice. He also had to have the congregation learnhow to receive the wafer from him by taking it from the paten which is placed the lapboard he uses to holdhis Prayer Book and other information.

While it has created moments of tension as the Lay Eucharistic Ministers learned to set the altar and turnthe pages of the service book, that group of St. Philippians will tell you that participating in a service withBruns tends to be one of their moments closest to Christ.

Tom Slawson calls Bruns a remarkable person in light of what he has accomplished given what hap-pened to him. He calls Bruns’ relationship with the parishioners something very special.

“The interesting thing about having Bruns at St. Philip’s is that over time people have begun to look pastthe chair to see the person and the priest that he is, rather than as a handicapped individual.”

Joining Tom Slawson in praising Bruns Myers and his service to the Dioceses of Mississippi, Bishop Grayrecently said, “The Christian witness of faith, hope and courage has never shone brighter than in the life ofthe Rev. Bruns Myers. Bruns has greatly enlarged our model of the ordained ministry, and we will be forevergrateful for his being God’s instrument of healing in our church and in our lives.”

Perhaps Bruns himself can best express his feeling about where he is today. During the interview forthis article, he concluded it by saying, “When I came to St. Philip’s and was able to serve and celebrate, Iknew, with absolute certainty, that this was my home and that God had led me here to serve him in ways thatI would have never dreamed. I wanted a home; I looked for a home; I missed that connection; and now Ihad a home and found the connection I wanted and needed. St. Philip’s mission statement begins by sayingthat we are to be about Christ’s work by: welcoming the stranger....I was welcomed here by people I didn’tknow, and as someone with a disability, you feel like a stranger because there is no way you can be 100 per-cent be a part of anything because your disability is something that separates you in so many ways. I’ve comecloser here at St. Philip’s than I have anywhere else.”

Phot

o by

Jim

Car

ring

ton

The Rev. Bruns Myres

Beyond The Chair

By Debo DykesDuring the first week of April, a group of bishops, priests, and lay persons were invited to take part in a national Gathering of Leaders con-

ference.The conference, led by The Rt. Rev. Claude Payne, retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, Ms. Mary MacGregor, Director of

Development for the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, and Mr. Belton Zeigler, from the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina, was designed toengage, encourage, and invigorate participants as leaders of their congregations.

Priests from Texas, Delaware, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Louisiana, California, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi gathered to lis-ten, worship, create, share theirhopes for the future of the Church,and be transformed and renewedby God’s blessings and time spenttogether in community.

Those attending from theDiocese of Mississippi were, BruceCheney, Laura Gettys, Bishop Gray,Alston Johnson, David Knight,Melanie Lemburg, ShannonManning, Brian Ponder, OllieRencher, Matt Rowe, Kyle Seage,and Elizabeth Wheatley-Jones.

A Most Interesting Gathering of Leaders!

Melanie Lemburg, Brian Ponder, and Ollie Rencher at national

Gathering of Leaders Conference at Gray Center.

BILL KING BILL YOUNGBLOOD

601-953-2847

May 200816 The Mississippi Episcopalian

EVENTSDIOCESAN CALENDAR

MAY 200815• Fresh Start, St. Peter’s, Oxford - 9:30 a.m. -

3:30 p.m.• Mississippi Religious Leaders’ Conference -

12 noon

16• Standing Committee Meeting, Allin House -

11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

17• Diocesan Altar Guild, Creator, Clinton• Stewardship with Terry Parsons at St.

Andrew’s Cathedral, Jackson - 9a.m. - 12noon

18Bishop Gray visits:• St. James, Jackson - 8:40 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

25• Mississippi Day at the National Cathedral,

Washington D.C.

26• Allin House closed in observance of

Memorial Day

27-June 2• Camp Bratton Green Regular Session 1 (7th-

9th Grades)

29• Ordination of Cathy Halford to the

Diaconate, Saint James, Jackson - 6 p.m.

JUNE 20081Bishop Gray visits:• Holy Trinity, Crystal Springs, 10 a.m.

1-2• Clergy Pastoral Training, Gray Center

3• Deadline for submittal to The Mississippi

Episcopalian

4• Province IV House Of Bishops, Kanuga

4-6• Province IV Synod, Kanuga

5-11• Camp Bratton Green Special Session 1 (age

36+)

7• Ordination of Transitional Deacons, Saint

Andrew’s Cathedral, Jackson - 10:30 a.m.

8Bishop Gray visits:• St. Columb’s, Ridgeland - 10:30 a.m.• Racial Reconciliation Presentation, All Saints,

Jackson - 3 p.m.

9-10• Retired Clergy & Spouses Retreat, Gray

Center

11• Diocesan Trustees meeting, Allin House - 2 p.m.

13-14• Gray Center Board, Gray Center

13-18• Camp Bratton Green Regular Session 2 (3rd-

4th grades)

15Bishop Gray visits:• Creator, Clinton - 10:30 a.m.

18• Deacons’ Council meeting, Allin House - 11

a.m.

20-26• Camp Bratton Green Regular Session 3 (5th-

6th grades)

22Bishop Gray visits:• St. Francis, Philadelphia - 10:30 a.m.

25• Executive Committee, St. Andrew’s

Cathedral, Jackson - 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

26-28• Diaconate Discernment Committee

27-29• Camp Bratton Green First Camp (1st-2nd

grades)

29Bishop Gray visits:• St. John’s, Leland - 10:30 a.m.

Sponsored by St. Timothy’s, Southhaven$100.00 per player

Includes lunchBlessing of the Putters for a mystical 18

Many contests & prizes Money raised goes to area charities

Play Big Red call Joe: 1-800-238-3028 ext 226

Red Stoles Golf TournamentSunday, June 29th

1:30 p.m. Wedgewood Golfer’s ClubOlive Branch, MS

Retired Clergy, Spouses & Surviving SpousesConference 2008

June 9th & 10th at Gray CenterContact Debo Dykes or Catherine Johns for more information

601-948-5954