The Latest eRISEN: October 17, 2011

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eRISEN: October 17th, 2011 issue

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This Weekend: S. Sudanese Bishop Abraham Yel Nhial to visit RI Parishes

The Rt. Rev. Abraham Yel Nhial, Bishop of the Diocese of Aweil and Abuei in the South Sudan, will be visiting a few Rhode Island Parishes this weekend, October 21-23, 2011.

Bishop Nhial is the author of Lost Boy No More, A True Story of Survival and Salvation  with DiAnn Mills.


“As a nine year old child, Abraham found himself orphaned as civil war in his homeland of Sudan ravaged his entire village because they refused to embrace Islam. His journey is one of a perilous walk, along with 35,000 lost boys of Sudan, who fled to Ethiopia. Abraham and others like him made it to the border, but hard times were not over as he endured the refugee camps of Ethiopia. Abraham becomes a lost boy no more when he discovers real salvation through Jesus Christ.” From the back cover: Lost Boy No More A true story of survival and salvation by Abraham Nhial and DiAnn Mills

You are invited to meet and greet him at one of the following gatherings:

Grace Episcopal Church
When: Friday October 21, 2011 6:00pm
Where: 175 Mathewson Street Providence, RI 02903
Description: Come to Meet Bishop Abraham, Reception with light refreshments in Grace Church followed by a brief presentation by Bishop Abraham

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
When: Saturday October 22, 2011 7:30pm
Where: 325 East Main Road Portsmouth, Rhode Island 02871
Description: Brief Presentation and Conversation with Bishop Abraham

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
When: Sunday October 23, 2011 9:30 am Holy Eucharist Followed by Educational Forum
Where: 55 Main Street, Wickford, RI 02852
Description: Bishop Abraham will preach at the 9:30 service and offer a brief presentation and the opportunity for conversation at the educational forum.

2011-12 Discernment Program Intro

The Commission on Ministry in the Diocese of Rhode Island offers an in-depth discernment process for all who are seeking to explore their baptismal vocation, all who want to discern a call to either Lay Ministry or Ordained Ministry in the Episcopal Church.

It is a ten month program consisting of monthly meetings on topics such as the mystery of prayer, adventures in awareness, framing the question, and the faces of ministry. The program is designed to help participants discern what God is calling them to at this time in their life. With the support of participants' parishes and priests, they will be led through a structured program that will teach them the tools of discernment. This process is also a requirement for all who may be called to Ordained Ministry.

The Introductory Session of this year’s process will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 9:30 to 11:30 am at the Diocesan Annex next to the Diocesan office building, 275 North Main Street in Providence. Anyone who is interested in the Discernment Process is invited to attend this session, along with the people who will support the discerner spiritually during their journey; his/her spouse or partner and the Rector or Senior Warden. To ensure that we can offer the discernment program this year at least four persons must register at this session for the 2011-2012 program. All interested are asked to respond to: The Rev. Alcide Barnaby, Jr. by Friday, November 4, 2011

Outline of Discernment Process in the Diocese of RI

• Introductory Session Saturday, November 19, 2011:
• One Saturday a month December 2011 – June 2012
• The process builds using many spiritual and self-reflective tools for discernment. Participants will be asked to read some books, including Listening Hearts, by Susanne Farnham and Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer along with reprints of articles and materials that will be distributed at various sessions.
• Participants will prepare a spiritual autobiography and put together a Discernment Team. (A Discernment Team is in no way an evaluation measure; it is meant to provide a deep safe place and people with whom a discerner can explore concerns that may come up in the process of Discernment.)
• Summer 2012 – Discernment continues
• Participants are asked to spend the months of July and August exploring. They may want to visit churches other and different from their own and reflect on the experience. They may want to meet with a priest, deacon and/or lay minister and have conversation about vocation and call, as well as the practical aspects of the various callings and ministries.
• At the end of the summer each discerner is asked to write a reflection paper on this experience.
• September 2012
• A closing dinner is a way for the participants in the Discernment Process to reflect on the Process with their spouses / partners, rectors and the members of the Commission on Ministry.

Bishop Search: Diocesan Profile is Up and Nominations Open

The profile in the search for the 13th Bishop of Rhode Island is complete and posted below as well as at http://www.episcopalrisearch.org/profile .

The Search & Nomination Committee, chaired by Lora MacFall, a member at St. Andrew's in Little Compton, used survey responses from laity and clergy throughout the diocese as well as input from a series of listening sessions to develop the profile. The document outlines the diocese's strengths, challenges, and hopes for the future as well as specific strengths and skills the committee will look for in candidates to become our next bishop.

Nominations are open now through October 28. Interested individuals may nominate themselves or others as candidates. On our website here you'll find an e-Nomination Form and a PDF version for downloading and printing.

The Diocese of Rhode Island will elect its next bishop at a special convention June 2, 2012. The ordination service for the 13th Bishop of Rhode Island will occur November 17, 2012.

The Latest eRISEN - September 28th 2011

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eRISEN: September 28th, 2011 issue

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Bishop Search: Reflections and Impressions for September

Today’s post is another in a series of reflections and impressions from members of the Search & Nomination Committee and Transition Committee. This post is from the Rev. Bob Brooks, a retired priest in the diocese and a member of the Search & Nomination Committee.

I’ve served on several search and calling committees over the years. There’s always a distinct and logical set of tasks and steps the group must accomplish, but in this particular search there is also an interesting and important process going on at the same time that’s more subtle and less obvious. That process is informed and empowered by the Spirit, forming and shaping the group, informing and guiding our work.

We’re fortunate to have a group of chaplains from the Bethany House of Prayer in Massachusetts working with us. Their ministry with and for us is sacramental. They provide a quiet and prayerful context for each of our meetings. They encourage us to pause, to reflect, and to be attentive and aware of ourselves and of God’s presence with us. To me, the work we do with our chaplains makes serving on this committee a powerful and joyful experience. I am convinced that the outcome of our work will be immeasurably improved as a result.

Diocesan 9/11 Memorial Evensong at Grace Church

Grace Church in Providence will host a diocese-wide service observing the tenth anniversary of 9/11 at 5 p.m. on Sunday September 11, with a special Evensong led by the Right Reverend Geralyn Wolf, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.

The commemoration service will be enhanced with the beauty and choral music of the traditional evensong service; the Reverend Canon Jonathan Huyck, rector of Grace Church, will preach.

The public is invited to join this service of meditation and worship and to share the fellowship at the reception that will follow. Grace Church is located in downtown Providence at the corner of Westminster and Mathewson Streets. http://gracechurchprovidence.org/

The Latest eRISEN- August 31st 2011

You can view the latest issue of eRISEN, our biweekly email events calendar, at the link below:

eRISEN August 31st 2011 issue

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Hurricane Irene Readiness

Diocese of RI,

Here is the latest impact timetable that I have been able to locate for Hurricane Irene;

Projections change, and impact for us is still a couple of days away, so please stay up to date; The Weather Channel has good resources. For local information the channel 10 weather center has coverage.

The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency has issued an advisory which is attached in pdf format and can also be found on the web at http://www.riema.ri.gov/documents/Irene%20preparedness.pdf

In addition to the direct effects of the storm, heavy rains on already saturated ground and the effect of the storm surge on tidal estuaries will likely cause flooding in low-lying areas away from the coast. Those who intend to shelter in place should prepare for the possibility of widespread power outages that could potentially last several days. Those who might need to evacuate might consider keeping a full tank of gas and early evacuation.
Additional preparations are discussed in this advisory document.
As of yet, there has been no indication if or when a state of emergency will be declared or whether there will any mandatory evacuation. The best we can all do is stay informed and use prudent judgment as to weekend activities based on developments.

Other online resources;

PDFs of official evacuation routes
RI Emergency Management home page

For those congregations insured by Church Insurance, I have been in contact with them and they are ready to receive any claims that might arise via the normal claims number, 800-223-5706 or 800-223-5705. Other congregations should be in touch with their particular insurance carrier before the weekend.
The Diocesan office will be closed on Monday and will reopen on Tuesday assuming that conditions allow.
I can be reached by cell if needed, 241-5080

Mr. Tylan Creason
Canon for Program and Administration
The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
275 North Main Street
Providence RI 02903
http://www.episcopalri.org/
401.274.4500 x242

Search & Nomination Committee prepares profile; Transition Committee invites your help

The committees that are managing the transition process to identify, elect and welcome our next bishop are busily working.

In August, the Search & Nomination Committee (see list below) is conducting listening sessions around the diocese to supplement information gathered in the committee’s survey process.

In September, the committee plans to post the Diocesan Profile (www.episcopalrisearch.org). The profile will help potential candidates have a better understanding of the size and nature of the Episcopal Church in Rhode Island. The profile also will specify the skills, characteristics and background we are seeking in our next bishop.

“We are collecting information and looking at other diocesan profiles to come up with the best approach for our document,” says Lora MacFall, chair. “Our profile will contain information about our parishes and clergy, our history, financial trends, our strengths and the challenges we face, what it’s like to live in Rhode Island and, of course, what we seek in a bishop.”

Once the profile is available, the committee will begin accepting both self-nominations and nominations submitted on behalf of candidates.

After reviewing the nominations, the committee will conduct initial interviews using computer-based video technology (Skype). The current schedule calls for these interviews to be completed by the end of the year so that teams can visit candidates in their home parishes early in 2012.

While the Search & Nomination Committee has been working on the profile, the Transition Committee (see list) also has been busy — and is seeking additional help.

Planning is under way and will continue for more than a year for several major diocesan events. The Transition Committee will host meetings, parties, tours and liturgies, all requiring an abundance of hospitality:

• Walkabout (May 2012). The finalist candidates will visit locations around the diocese to meet with members of our congregations.

• Electing Convention (June 2012). Delegates elect the 13th Bishop of Rhode Island.

• Celebration of Bishop Wolf and her ministry with us (September 2012). This is an opportunity to thank Bishop Wolf for her ministry with us and wish her well as she prepares to retire.

• Ordination of the 13th Bishop of Rhode Island (November 2012). The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, presides at a festive Eucharist and consecrates our new bishop.

“If you are an energetic person with an interest in serving the diocese and would like more information please contact me at transition@episcopalrisearch.org,” says Cathy Iacobucci, chair. “I will work with you to match you with a subcommittee that best suits your interests and your available time.

“On behalf of both committees, Lora and I ask all Episcopalians in the diocese join us in praying that the Spirit guide us in this process,” Iacobucci said. “And please pray that God will send us the leader we need.”