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April 1 News and Information Forward to a friend In this edition: News and Information to Take Publication Break: News and Information will not be published the week of April 5. Items submitted for publication that week will be published the week of April 12.
Easter Letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury Easter Letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury In his ecumenical Easter letter, the Archbishop of Canterbury says Christians need to "witness boldly and clearly." The Archbishop of Canterbury urges those living in politically secure environments to offer practical support as well as prayers for suffering Christians around the world, particularly in Zimbabwe, Mosul, Egypt and Nigeria. "We need to keep our own fears in perspective. It is all too easy to become consumed with anxiety about the future of the Church and society. We need to need to witness boldly and clearly but not with anger or fear; we need to show that we believe what we say about the Lordship of the Risen Christ and his faithfulness to the world he came to redeem" Click here for the full text of the letter. |
| Presiding Bishop’s Letter Regarding 'Developments in The Episcopal Church' "I write you because of developments in The Episcopal Church, about which you will soon hear and read. As you all know, the Diocese of Los Angeles elected two suffragan bishops in December, and the consent process for those bishops has been ongoing since then. One of those bishops-elect is a woman in a partnered same-sex relationship." ... Read the Letter here. Regional Focus Group Listening Meetings with the Bishop Search Committee=> Everyone is invited to participate and provide input to the Bishop Search Committee! Please widely publicize the meeting in your area. Click here for Bishop Search web site.
Apr 8: Middle East Focus Group
Apr 11: South East AreaFocus Group
Apr 13: Upper East Area Focus Group A different approach is planned for this year's Ministry Conference. The diocesan office of Ministry and Congregational Development, in conjunction with the Commission on Ministry, is hosting regional conversations about our church’s “Call to Lay Ministry.” The conversations will be held 9:30 a.m. to noon at the following dates and locations. Be sure to participate!
See the article on p. 15 of the Spring East Tennessee Episcopalian. Church Pension Group Monitoring New Healthcare RegulationsIn a letter to bishops and canons to the ordinary regarding the historic healthcare reform legislation approved by Congress on March 25, Timothy Vanover, vice president of The Episcopal Church Medical Trust, said “The Church Pension Group, along with other denominations, has closely monitored the activity on Capitol Hill and will continue to review and respond to federal healthcare regulations and guidance as they emerge. Although no one yet knows what the final regulations and guidance will look like, we are confident that the Episcopal Church Medical Trust is well positioned to adapt to this new legislation and continue to provide excellent healthcare benefits to The Episcopal Church’s eligible clergy, lay employees, and their families,” said Timothy Vanover, vice president of The Episcopal Church Medical Trust. He said he would continue to keep bishops, canons and diocesan administrators informed as the impact of the healthcare reform unfolds. Amy-Jill Levine to Speak in Chattanooga
'Jesus, Jews, and Jewish-Christian Relations' Amy-Jill Levine, who describes herself as a “Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Christian divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt” is the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. Her work, which focuses on the elimination of anti-Jewish, sexist and homophobic theologies, combines historical and critical rigor, sensitivity to both literary and critical issues, and frequent dashes of humor. Dr. Levine is a widely recognized speaker and her most recent books include “The Misunderstood Jew: the Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus.” For more information, please contact Erik Broeren at erik@broeren.org or 423-227-2237, or visit the church website at http://www.saygrace.net. Looking for “Key-men”Greetings to each Parish from the Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee: The Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee have held their annual conference at DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle, Tenn. each year since 1947. This year our 63rd annual conference will be held August 27 – 29 with outstanding speakers, music and fellowship. Over 400 Episcopal laymen from across the state will meet for a week-end of spiritual renewal at the largest gathering of laymen in the country. We are contacting you in hopes that you can provide us with the name of a layman in your parish that would be willing to serve as “Key-man,” that is to promote the conference and to recruit men from your parish to attend. He could be a person who has attended the conference in the past, the head of one of your men’s groups or an otherwise active layman.We are planning to invite the East-Tennessee Keymen to a “Round-up” at St. John’s Cathedral on May 8 to promote the conference, so please respond within the week with a name and contact information to Sam Adams, Vice President of the Mid-East Tennessee Churchmen at smada.home@gmail.com. Pastors' Social Media Boot Camp
The Pastors' Social Media Bootcamp offers to help you determine your own social media philosophy, guide you through social media basics, and help increase communication to church members in a minimal amount of time each week. The one-day sessions meet 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and cost $95, including lunch. Bring a laptop. Maximum enrollment is 50 participants. Information and link to registration here. Nashville session to be held April 23 Church Security Training SeminarThe Center for Personal Protection and Safety will be conducting one day Church Security Training Seminars that may be of interest. Click here for more information. Each seminar will be 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; locations are listed below:
May 18: Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tenn. His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama will lead a public conversation on happiness with other world religious leaders, including Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, October 17, 1:30–3:30 p.m., on the Emory University Campus. Emory's Center for the Study of Law and Religion (CSLR) is hosting the "Interfaith Summit on Happiness: Understanding and Promoting Happiness in Today's Society" as the capstone of its multi-year research project, "The Pursuit of Happiness." It is one of several events featuring the Dalai Lama during his October 17–19, 2010 visit to Emory. For information about CSLR's Pursuit of Happiness Project, click here. Tickets to the October 17 "Summit on Happiness" with the Dalai Lama are being sold at: http://dalailama.emory.edu. An October 17 "Reception and Reflections on the Summit" event and October 18 "The Pursuit of Happiness in Interreligious Perspective" conference are free and open to the public. Registration is required for both events. Register here. Further details are posted at http://cslr.law.emory.edu. Haiti
On the Light Side: Winners of the Washington Post 'Peeps Show' Announced Winners of the Washington Post “Peeps Show” are posted on its web site. "Easter at the National Peep-Thedral: A House of Prayer for All Peeps," is one of the entries for the peoples’ choice award. Visit the web site and vote for Episco-peeps! Calendar: Events and dates of interestApr 8: Middle East Focus Group with Bishop Search Committee, 6:30-8 p.m.; Ascension, Knoxville. Apr 8: Alternate Priest Focus Group with Bishop Search Committee, 1-3 p.m.; Diocesan House. Apr 11: South East AreaFocus Group. with Bishop Search Committee, 6:30-8 p.m.; St. Paul, Chattanooga. Apr 13: Upper East Area Focus Group with Bishop Search Committee, 6:30-8 p.m.; St. John, Johnson City. Apr 16-17: The Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Matthews to be keynote speaker for the joint Women’s Spring Conference of all three Tennessee dioceses, Dubose Conference Center. For full information, see the conference registration form. Apr 16-18: Patterson Jr. High Retreat, Ocoee. Apr 17: Deacons' Focus Group with Bishop Search Committee, 10 a.m.-noon; Diocesan House. Apr 17, Apr 24, May 1: ‘Call to Lay Ministry’ regional conversations A different approach is planned for this year's Ministry Conference. The diocesan office of Ministry and Congregational Development, in conjunction with the Commission on Ministry, will host regional conversations this spring about our church’s “Call to Lay Ministry.” The conversations will be held 9:30 a.m. to noon at the following dates and locations: .
Click here for flyer. Contact Rick Govan at rgovan@etdiocese.net or 423-698-1222. Look for more information in the spring edition of the ETE and on the diocesan web site. Apr 21: Bishop’s Day in Chattanooga. Bishop vonRosenberg will be taking appointments at St. Paul, Chattanooga. Contact Laura Nichols at 865-966-2110 or lnichols@etdiocese.net, if you would like an appointment. Apr 23: St. Joseph, Sevierville, will sponsor the first annual Bishops Cup Golf Tournament, to be held at Three Ridges Golf Club, Knoxville. Registration begins at noon; shotgun start at 1 p.m. Lunch will be provided noon – 1 p.m. The event will be a “Four Man Best Ball.” The winning church team will retain the trophy for one year and will defend the trophy the following year. The cost is $55 per person and includes all fees plus range balls and lunch. The deadline for registration is April 15. For more information and registration, please contact Bunky Devereoux at 865-774-1262 or call St. Joseph at 865-453-0943. Look for flyers to be sent to area churches, and enter the tournament for fun and fellowship. Apr 28: Concert to benefit Metropolitan Ministry, with Atlanta-based C.C. Booker III, featuring the soul-jazz music of Ray Charles, King Curtis and Booker T., led by Will Scruggs. Lindsey Street Hall, 901 Lindsay Street, Chattanooga, (corner of Lindsay St/MLK Blvd). Sets at 7 and 9 p.m.; $10 for one set, $15 for both. Refreshments available. For more information, contact PerryScruggs: revperry@hotmail.com or 423-658-5587. Apr 29: 'Jesus, Jews, and Jewish-Christian Relations,' 7 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Avenue, Chattanooga. Free admission – reception and book signing afterwards. For more information, please contact Erik Broeren at erik@broeren.org or 423-227-2237, or visit the church website at http://www.saygrace.net. Apr 30-May 2: Marriage Encounter - East Tennessee will be held in Knoxville. Registration is limited to 15 couples. A flyer about Marriage Encounter is available here. The Marriage Encounter web site is http://www.episcopalme.com/. Register online here. For more information, e-mail John Robertson and Dana Teagarden or call them at 865-671-0608. Copy for bulletins and newsletters about Marriage Encounter - East Tennesse can be found here. May 11: Carry the Torch Knoxville, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Steve Lopez, the author of the book The Soloist, will be in Knoxville as the featured speaker at a luncheon at the Knoxville Convention Center. This event will shine a spotlight on the issues of homelessness and mental illness. The event will begin with a Mission Fair at 10 a.m.; participating agencies will have booths and interact with visitors who are looking for volunteer opportunities. The luncheon will begin promptly at noon. Click here to download the sponsor packet. For more information, please call Mary Beth at 524-3926 or e-mail her at mramey@vmcinc.org. The Volunteer Ministry Center web site is http://www.vmcknox.org/. Jun 9-11: Province IV 2010 Leadership Conference: "Leadership Marks for Creating and Growing Vital Congregations,” at Kanuga Conferences, Hendersonville, North Carolina. Registration cost is $30 per person. The cost of lodging and meals will vary by conference site. The Episcopal Church Foundation is providing some scholarship funds for room and board. Click here for additional information and link to registration. http://etdiocese.net/Events/04-08-2010CDEConfInfo.pdf. Jun 17-20: Niobrara ConvocationJun 27-Jul 1: Province IV Youth Event, hosted by the Diocese of East Tennessee. To be held in Townsend, Tennessee, at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See registration form. More information will be posted soon at http://etnyouth.org/. Aug 27-29: Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee 2010 Conference, DuBose Conference Center. Theme is Matthew 7:16: "You will know them by their fruits." Bishop vonRosenberg will celebrate the Eucharist on Aug 29 at All Saints Chapel in Sewanee. Look for conference program in May.Visitations and Recurring Meetings Bishop's visitations and recurring meetings are posted on the diocesan web site calendar. The Supply Clergy list is posted on the diocesan web site at http://etdiocese.net/clergy/SupplyClergy.php. Guidelines for Submissions to News and Information News and Information is a newsletter for clergy, lay leaders, parish staff and members of the Diocese of East Tennessee. We welcome submissions that have a connection to the ministry of the diocese and/or the approval of a diocesan department or commission. Inclusion of submissions is at the discretion of the editor. Entries should include:
Submit your entry in the body of an email or as an attachment to editor@etdiocese.net. If you would like your entry to appear for more than one week, please reframe the information for a fresh read and submit it again. Deadline for submissions is end of the day Monday. |
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Episcopal School of Knoxville presents musical, "Lady Pirates of the Caribbean." Witty lyrics, spirited choreography and a cast of 55 marked an Episcopal School of Knoxville chorus performance of the musical, "Lady Pirates of the Caribbean," on Tuesday, March 23. Led by ESK Choral Director Dr. Deborah Sousa, the play offered sword fights, gold doubloons, a crooked governor, and a band of women pirates known as the Lawless Ladies. A central feature was a huge pirate ship set built by the ESK art department, headed by Marie Gibson, and parent Christos Christopoulos. This annual spring Middle School musical production is a tradition at the school and follows months of practice and preparation. Assisting Dr. Sousa with direction this year were Lucy Tyler, Sara Gibson and Glenn Zahn of Oak Ridge. Pirates leading a charge above right are: (L-R, bottom row) Anika Sichelstiel, Anna Banick and Natali Erickson and (top row) Alexandra Christopoulos, Craig Wallace and Sam Denton. The Episcopal School of Knoxville editor@etdiocese.net