PDF From Our Newest Priest, Lara Shine - Amazon S3

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NEBRASKA

ADVENT 2012

From the Bishop's Desk

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

BCP Collect for Advent 1

The season of our Incarnation Cycle ? Advent, Christmas & Epiphany ? is now upon us. In the weeks and months to come, we'll be preparing for the celebration of Christ's birth and his return at the end of days, we will be remembering Jesus' nativity and feasting with great joy at Christmastide, and we will be telling the stories of Epiphany, in which the identity and mission of the Holy One is surprisingly and wonderfully revealed. There is probably no richer season in our church calendar, and no more delightful journey than the one we will take together during the short days and long nights just ahead.

I hope that in the midst of observing all the cherished traditions of the holidays, you can open your heart and mind to the prospect that when Christ comes again at this time of year, it is quite possible he will change our lives in a deep and meaningful way. Incarnation means, among other things, that God is a real and present being in our here and now. We may think we know what this season will bring and what it means to be a follower of Jesus (and a member of the Episcopal Church!) but if God really is a living and loving presence in our lives, then it's likely ? even inevitable - something new and wonderful will happen in the days to come. Maybe this season of Incarnation is not just about hearing stories we already know and celebrating traditions that have long been a part of our lives' fabric. Maybe God has something utterly new for us this time around.

This is exactly my hope and prayer for each of you and for all the wonderful parish churches of the Diocese of Nebraska. I pray that during this

2013: Year of the Bible Challenge!

See page 11 for the Bishop's Bible Challenge for 2013. This exciting program aims to unify and inspire all Christians by helping us develop a lifelong habit of reading the Bible and encouraging us to share this spiritual practice, to know more deeply the love God has for us, and to take our faith more seriously.

Incarnation Cycle, Jesus might be revealed to you like a new and best friend who enriches your experience and truly changes your life for the good. May you prepare for that possibility well in the days to come, and be blessed in God's time by the very real presence of Emmanuel your lives.

Faithfully Yours in Christ ?

The Right Rev. J. Scott Barker Editor-in-Chief

How to Subscribe

You can get the on-line version of this FOR FREE--click the "Nebraska Episcopalian" button on the diocesan website and enter your email address. You can receive a printed edition in the mail by sending your name, address, and an $8 annual subscription fee to the diocesan office.

From Our Newest Priest, Lara Shine

Sunday night, November 11th, is a night I will always remember. The ordination service was a deeply moving, humbling, and Spirit-filled experience. For me, it was the culmination of years of preparation. I discerned a call to the priesthood five years ago, when I was the Resurrection House Intern serving at All

Saints, but the seeds were planted years before. My faith was nurtured by being raised in the church, participating in church camp, singing in the choir, and being active in campus ministry. Along the way I had amazing teachers, mentors, family, and friends who shaped me into the person I

am today (several of them were able to be there to celebrate with me!). Without them--without you--I would not be here. Thank you to all who came to the service, and to all who were there in spirit. Thank you to all who served in some capacity or another, whether participating in the service or helping quietly in

the background. The music was beautiful, the service powerful, and the food delicious; all in all, it was an amazing night, and I was so glad you could share it with me.

The Rev. Lara Shine

Favorite Bible Verse Matthew 25:40

Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.

Claire Atkins St. Andrew's, Omaha

Lara with her family

Freedom

Imagine being free of all the undifferentiated anxiety that compels us to posture ourselves for public display, wondering who is watching. If we had such independence from public opinion, would we not be free for greater things, for matters more important? Would we not be free then for the work of what Jesus calls the Kingdom of God?

Br. Kevin Hackett Society of St. John the Evangelist

Sign up for "Brother, Give Us a Word", a very brief daily devotion from The Society of St. John the Evangelist, an Episcopal Benedictine monastery in Boston, at

Lara with the participating clergy.

How Firm a Foundation

The Real Lives of the Parish Administrators in Nebraska...

After seven years as the Office Manager at Church of the Holy Trinity, Teri Thomsen continues to enjoy her job at this Lincoln parish! Whether she is crunching numbers, developing a mailing, or tapping into her creative side to design posters for outreach, things are never dull. Teri is always searching for innovative ways to make things easier and work smarter. One of her favorite projects was the mini-parish directory she designed in 2004. These booklets are small enough to fit in a glove box, console of a car, or purse and help keep a parish connected outside of the church walls. She keeps these updated twice a year and the parishioners have come to rely on them for their accuracy.

Teri spends her extra time working at other part-time jobs. These help her fund some of the mission efforts that are close to her heart and close to her home. She supports scholarships to an area camp, helps at a local homeless shelter, sends Bibles to China, school supplies to India and Sudan, and gives to food/shelter programs in Haiti and Israel. In June, Teri held a garage sale and gave all the proceeds to the Lincoln Crisis Pregnancy Center. On Labor Day weekend, she welcomed a college foreign exchange student into her home for the year. "'I cannot do everything, but I can do something' was a topic at a Christian women's conference I attended several years ago. At the time, I didn't think one person could really make that much of a difference, but I've learned that it just isn't

Send us your favorite Bible

verse and we'll use it in a future edition of the NE Episcopalian !

true. It doesn't have to be huge -

even the small 'bits and pieces'

will add up. So I continue to

ask,

what

is

the

`something' You want me to do

today, God?" This is how Teri

in Lincoln lives her life and

serves the people at the parish of

Church of Holy Trinity in

Lincoln.

- Kate Baxley Director of Administration and Communications

Special thanks to Raf at heartlandlens. for the use of his photo as this issue's front page masthead.

Page 2

Environmental Ministry--The Coming of the Light

Advent - Prepare Watch Behold Rejoice

What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:3b-5)

The deep roots of our Christmas traditions connect Christ both to us human beings and to the world in which we live: the earth, air, water, plants and animals of all sorts.

The Gospel points to an essential piece of our understanding of Christmas: through Christ's coming to us as a helpless baby in humble circumstances, we realize that far from our being too distant from heavenly things for God to take notice, we humans and our earth are where God chooses to dwell. Luke tells the beloved story of angels, "a multitude of the heavenly hosts" telling shepherds out in the fields about the birth of a baby in a stable. John's Gospel begins with an account of Christ as the co-eternal Word through whom all things were created, yet John's Gospel goes on to connect heaven with earth through even more than creation itself. John tells us that the same Christ through whom everything in heaven and on earth came into being took on human form and came to live right here among us here on Earth.

Along with our traditions rooted in Scripture are traditions rooted in the celebration of the winter solstice. As Christians consider the birth of Jesus to be the coming of the true light into the world, the celebration of Christmas easily incorporated ancient winter solstice traditions. Displaying boughs of evergreens, holly, and mistletoe is one of those ancient practices that set our celebration of the birth of Christ in the midst of the earth's natural cycles and the life cycles of all living things. Our songs and Christmas cards reveal a sense of wonder and joy at the beauty of winter's snow, at bright starry skies, and at the birds and animals that remain active in winter.

In today's world, our tradition of giving money or other gifts to help poor people be more comfortable in the winter and enjoy some of the pleasures of the holiday also connects us to the earth. In our own country this year, the human impact of Hurricane Sandy and other severe weather events associated with global warming have prompted us to give to

January 7th Snowlight, photo by Betsy

relief organizations. In recent years, our charitable giving has expanded through organizations like Episcopal Relief and Development to include gifts in the names of loved ones to strangers, gifts of necessities such as seeds, livestock, or sponsorship of community gardens or rainwater catchment tanks to help people around the world, where accelerating climate change has made life more difficult for many who already lived close to the edge of hunger, homelessness, and illnesses related to poor water and air quality.

As we enter the calendar year 2013, the resolution we passed at Annual Council asking that every meeting in our parishes or in the diocese prayerfully include the agenda item: "How will what we are doing here affect or involve people living in poverty?" goes into effect. How well we care for the earth impacts people living in poverty. Our liturgical year will move from Christmas to Epiphany, when the light of a star again brings together the elements of Christ, humankind, and the rest of creation. In the weeks after Epiphany, our Scripture lessons point us toward the light of Christ shining throughout the world.

shining of that light throughout the whole world, paying close attention to the deep roots of our traditions can lead us to serve Christ and one another through reverent care for the earth. Good stewardship means thinking about the environmental impact of our shopping, gift wrapping, meals, and energy use, but that extra care combined with an awareness of our interconnections with all living things through Christ can bring renewed wonder and joy into our celebrations this year. Let heaven and nature sing!

- The Rev. Dn. Betsy Blake Bennett

Salute!

The Nebraska Episcopalian salutes Deacon Bob and Ellen Snow for their years of faithful, tireless and joyful service to our diocese and to the people of the Dominican Republic. They are the first recipients of the Bishop's Cross.

In these weeks in which we anticipate the coming of the light, celebrate Christ's light coming into the world at Christmas, and then celebrate the

Page 3

Youth Ministry Notes

It has been a year since I took on the position of Youth Chair, and now it is time for my service in that position to come to an end. The diocese welcomes Abbey Kutlas into the role of Youth Chair, and I know that the church has made an excellent choice! After seeing Abbey's work with NOVO earlier this year, I believe that she is perfectly suited for the job, and will bring a new light into our diocese. While I cannot wait to see what will be accomplished in the future with Abbey leading the way, I will certainly miss working with the diocese. However, as with all things in Christ, my service to God will not end

here. We are always called to

be examples of Christian

faith, in one way or another.

God will ask us to serve Him

in many ways - some

challenging, requiring great

responsibility;

others

seemingly smaller, just a

smile to a stranger or a

prayer for a friend. In

everything, we bring God's

love into the world, as

disciples of Christ. The

future of the church, the

followers of Christ, is

looking bright, with

enthusiasm and faith

marching it forward. I want

to thank every person in this

diocese for allowing me to

serve you as Youth Chair,

and I pray in thanksgiving

for Abbey Kutlas and her

willingness to share her faith

with our church. I know that

she will impact our church in

wonderful ways, with a love

for God that is extraordinary.

Let us go into the future as

servants of Christ, spreading

His love in all that we do!

- Abby Culp TNE thanks Abby for her faithful service and insightful articles during the past year ? Ed

My name is Abbey Kutlas, and I'm a junior at Grand Island Senior High. I'm involved in theater, choir, orchestra, Student Council, the school newspaper, tennis, and competitive dance -- and I'm a proud Episcopalian! I'm one of those "cradle Episcopalians" -- I was baptised at St. Stephen's in Grand Island at the ripe old age of three months old, and I've been a parishoner there ever since. I went to church faithfully throughout my childhood; I sang in the children's choir, I was an acolyte, I memorized the Nicene Creed, and I said my prayers to a God I only believed in because my mom did.

However, during a youth event in the fall of my freshman year, I found God for myself, and I began to define my personal relationship with Him. I was also given the chance to meet amazing people and watch them transform through the power and grace of God. From then on, I was hooked on a spiritual life. So, of course, when I was offered the opportunity to create a

new youth event this past

fall, I took it. That's how

NOVO

was

born!

Throughout the event, I was

moved by how quickly

God's word could change a

group of teenagers; I also felt

completely blessed to be able

to meet some beautiful

people (like the wonderful

Abby Culp) who changed

my life, and by some

miracle, I was able to help

introduce them to God and

renew their faith.

I have been given a set of talents, some good and notso-good. Also, God has given me a passion for bringing people together and helping them find who they are. Therefore, I'm beyond excited to begin my post as Youth Coordinator, and I look forward to helping more of the youth of Nebraska and hearing from all of you!

- Abbey Kutlas Abby attends Grand Island Senior High and serves as the new Chair of our Diocesan Youth Commission. ? Ed

On a gloomy misty 24th of October 2012, Bishop J. Scott Barker and Deacon Wes Agar headed to Little Sioux Scout Ranch near Little Sioux, Iowa. Why did our Nebraska bishop and deacon go to Iowa?

They went to bless the Chapel in the North Valley at Little Sioux Scout Ranch. The chapel is built on the site of the cabin that four Boy Scouts (Aaron Eilerts, Josh Fennen, Ben Petrzilka and Sam Thomsen ) lost their lives in 11 June 2008.

A Job Corp team of 10 young men and their instructors had just finished up putting brick and mortar around the support posts for the roof and stayed for the blessing service.

Dave Tasich of the MidAmerica Council is trying to have as many different denominations bless the chapel as he can as the chapel is for all faiths. So far Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Episcopalians now bless the chapel at Little Sioux Scout Ranch.

BSA Chapel Blessing

Page 4

Photo by Denny Deters, Mid-America Council BSA

Time...Talent...Treasure. The Money Talk. Oh boy.

We have heard great reflections on Time and Talent from other folks on the last two Sundays, but, let's be honest: the Treasure conversation is different

Time: You've got it or you don't. You're at work when the knitting guild meets, or you're not. You have to get together with your family across town right after church, or you don't. Etc.

Talent: You've got it or you don't. You have a gift for working with preschoolers or you don't. You know how to improve the church website, or you don't. Etc.

Treasure: I assure you, it is NEVER easy to really figure out if you've got it to give or you don't.

The starving widow with the ever-full jar of oil seems a bit extreme as a jumping off point, so let me share another example from 2nd Chronicles.

Set up: Israel has been angering God because they have been praying to other gods and neglecting Temple worship, so the new king, Hezekiah, decides to reinstitute the Tithe: The giving of 10% to God.

Chapter 31: verse 5: The people of Israel ... brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.

The king asked the chief priest, "So, how's it going?" and the priest replied: Verse 10: "Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty to spare; for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this great supply left over."

My thought on reading this: Yeah. Right. Now, please understand, I'm NOT saying that it wasn't a good thing to Tithe, nor that the people of Israel weren't having a bumper crop that year, but, I'm saying, I do NOT think it was cause and effect.

Let me tell you why I think that: This past year, for the first time ever, I made the decision to tithe to our church.

If I had made the decision to tithe because I thought the EFFECT would be an unexpected inheritance, or a huge bonus from OPS, I would have been very disappointed.

If I had made the decision to tithe because I thought the EFFECT would be the building up of my Roth IRA in heaven, I would have been deluding myself, because the gift of God's grace is free, and cannot be bought or earned.

And if I had made the decision to tithe because I thought the EFFECT would be that I was going to end up giving out of my abundance, and I had kept on spending my money like I wasn't tithing, I'd probably have a few creditors coming after me by now.

For me, tithing is no small thing. When I decided God was calling me to tithe, I needed to take a hard look at my own finances and make some life style changes.

Since I started tithing, among other things: I cut down the number of times I go

out to eat each month by over 50%. I cut down the number of Starbucks

coffees I buy myself each month by over 50% And despite my love of travel, the only vacation I've taken has been a road trip with my parents.

When I explain some of this to my friends who don't go to church, they don't get it. They can understand giving up some of that stuff if I were saving up for something even nicer. But, what CAUSE could I have to give up that stuff just to give more money to my church?

Well, I'll tell you the cause: I'm on the Vestry. I know the financial situation this church. And I just can't stand the idea of not tithing.

I see that we have slashed our budget as much as we know how, and there is no excess left to trim. The cost of the utilities and maintaining this building are what they are.

Without a full time priest or without a music director, we might have more money in our budget, but I believe it could only make us less, as a church and

as a community.

As Keith and Bri mentioned in their sermons the past two weeks, we are a community full of people with amazing gifts. We, as a community, are often Christ incarnate, providing the Ministry of Presence during the times of joy and the times of sorrow.

Time and Talent are essential for providing that Ministry of Presence. However, the Treasure that is our church cannot exist without money.

I can't put a price tag on what our church is worth to me. Or, if I tried to, it would be more than I could ever afford.

But I looked at the budget of this church, and I looked at my personal budget, and I knew that I could not afford to give out of my abundance, because, if you are like me, whatever your financial situation, if you are looking for the abundance in your budget, there is never, ever enough.

And, so, I tithe anyway.

Maybe when you look at your finances, even with changes in your spending habits, you will find that tithing is still out of the question. But, please prayerfully consider what you truly CAN give. Not out of your abundance, but out of prayerful commitment.

The EFFECT? You may not win the lottery. You may not be putting a down payment on that mansion in the sky. But you will be keeping the ovens burning on Soul Food Sunday. You will be keeping a priest on staff to provide marriage counseling for a couple starting a new life together. You will be keeping a music director on staff to guide the choir through the perfect hymn of comfort at a funeral.

And you will be keeping the doors open for a church community that strives every day to be a beacon of hope to a world starving for the Presence of Christ in their lives.

Amen.

Ed. -- Denise Forrest is an OPS teacher and member of the Vestry at Church of the Resurrection in Omaha.

Page 5

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download