Prayers for Japan, A letter from Bishop Wolf

[3/15/2011] The images of the earthquake, after shocks, and tsunami are powerful reminders of the mighty forces of nature and the wonder of things beyond our control. The fragility of life was ever apparent as trucks and boats were swept away, as if toys, and the bodies of the dead continued its horrific increase. Radiation frightens all of us, especially the Japanese, and who can predict the psychic wounds on children and adults alike.

In both the 1998 and 2008 Lambeth Conference, I had the honor of being in a small group with the now archbishop of Japan. At both conferences, I was struck by his deep insight, and capacity to articulate the mind of the group with compassion and quiet wisdom.

“I have been trying to collect the information from the provincial office and from all the dioceses of NSKK [Nippon Sei-Ko-Kai; the Anglican-Episcopal Church of Japan],” wrote the Most Rev. Nathaniel M. Uematsu, Primate of Japan & Bishop of Hokkaido to Episcopal Relief & Development. “Because of the scale of damage and devastation, our communication has had great difficulty, and I have not heard anything from the Diocese of Tohoku which has been hit most by the earthquakes and tsunamis, and I am very concerned for Bishop John Kato and churches and people in his diocese.”

Our ongoing commitment to the Diocese of Haiti, the recent earthquakes in New Zealand, and now, the tragedy in Japan are stretching the resources of Episcopal Relief and Development, and our willingness to reach out and help the victims of these frightening disasters must stretch our generosity as well.

During this season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, please pray for the people of Japan, and continue your intercessions for those in New Zealand and Haiti. Please consider making a contribution to Episcopal Relief and Development through their website www.er-d.org, or send a check made out to The Diocese of Rhode Island for a joint diocesan contribution to ERD. All contributions should be earmarked for “Japan,” or other country of your choice.

Holy and Gracious God, from whose love we are never separated; be with those who are suffering from dislocation, fear, profound loss, and inconsolable grief; bring them relief from their troubles and tears, and instill within us the gift of generosity to support them in this time of great need; this we ask through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

+The Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf

Practical Evangelism Days with Christina Rees of the BBC! April 8th & 9th

Free Event! Christina Rees is a well known public speaker, writer, and broadcaster as well as a member of the General Synod of the Church of England and the former Chair of WATCH (Women and the Church).

Many of us have trouble talking about God to our friends and neighbors, but Christina talks openly about God with the BBC and in the Guardian, the most prominent news outlets of the UK. She has learned a bit about evangelism in the process, so we've invited her out to spend two mornings with us, sharing practical tools and ideas. Come learn how to share Christ's love effectively and honestly with the community around your church as well as the individuals you see in your every-day life.

For Clergy

Friday April 8th 9am-1pm
Synod Hall, The Cathedral of St. John
Includes Lunch. Please RSVP on Facebook or email Liz Crawley to let her know you are coming. We are not doing eventbrite online registration for the Clergy day.

For All
Saturday April 9th, 2011 9am-Noon
Synod Hall, The Cathedral of St. John
Please register online using the form below by April 7th. A prize will be given to the parish who has the most people register, so bring a friend. Want to know who is going? After you register, Visit the event on Facebook .
Can't see the registration form? Click here to register on our website.

St. Luke's in Pawtucket and St. John's in Cumberland Vote to Merge

More Worshippers at St. Luke's Episcopal as Cumberland Merger Wins Approval

By MARCIA GREEN, Valley Breeze Editor

3/8/2011 PAWTUCKET - The vote on Sunday was unanimous. St. Luke Episcopal Church on Weeden Street is welcoming a merger with St. John Episcopal Church in Cumberland.

The Rev. Dennis Bucco told The Breeze Monday that he expects some of the Cumberland worshippers at tonight's Ash Wednesday service as final merger details are worked out this spring.

Officially, the process of bringing the two together will take a while, he says, but spiritually, they are already becoming one... read the full article at the Valley Breeze

The Latest eRISEN: March 5th 2011 Bishop Wolf's Retirement Special Edition

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

eRISEN March 5th, 2011 issue

Want to subscribe to the eRISEN mailing list? Want to submit your event? Just visit eRISEN our website

Bishop Wolf Announces Her Retirement

This afternoon at Diocesan Convocation, The Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf announced her intention to retire by the end of 2012. Listen to the podcast of her announcement, and read her letter to the Diocese below. You can also download and print her letter to share with others, as well as a letter from the Honorable Scott Avedisian, President of our Standing Committee, about the official process moving forward.

Podcast of her Convocation Announcement

Can't see the Podcast? Download it here

Letter from Bishop Wolf
March 5, 2011
Dear Friends in Christ,

Three weeks ago I celebrated with thanksgiving the fifteenth anniversary of my consecration as the XII Bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island. Your support and affection during these years are gifts that I treasure and words are inadequate to express the love and appreciation that I have for you and for the people of our state.

As Christians we are called to serve Christ as best as we are able and then to accede to the contributions and vision of those who would follow. So it is that on this fifth day of March, 2011, I officially inform you of my intention to retire by the end of 2012, and hereby call for the election of my successor. By then, I shall be approaching my 66th birthday and the 36th year of my ordained ministry.

This was a very difficult decision for me to make, for I am truly invigorated by the ongoing challenges of episcopal ministry. However, it is the duty of every Christian to continually discern God’s will. Through prayer and conversation with others, I recognized that this was where the Lord was leading and have informed the Presiding Bishop’s office of my decision.

During the next twenty months or so, I will continue to have the honor of serving as your Bishop, gladly fulfilling the responsibilities of this sacred office. Having served in two dioceses during a change in diocesan bishops, I am well aware of the anticipation, excitement and anxiety that are part of this process and equally aware that on a daily basis, most things remain the same.

The crozier, one of the signs of the Episcopal Office, reminds us that the work of Christ, the Good Shepherd, never ends though the person who represents the shepherd is bound by the changing seasons of human life.

So it is a change of season for me, whom you have entrusted with this blessed ministry, and by extension it is a season of change for our beloved diocese. I believe that God is inviting us to give thanks for all that we have received, to look to the future in hope, and to trust in his unfailing love. May our ministry during this time of transition be a faithful response to this holy invitation.

I write this with enduring affection and gratitude.

Yours faithfully,

+Geralyn Wolf
Bishop of Rhode Island

The Latest e-RISEN: February 24th 2011

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

eRISEN February 24th 2011 issue

Want to subscribe to the eRISEN mailing list? Want to submit your event? Just visit eRISEN our website

Diana Butler Bass Video Preview for Convocation 2011 (Don't forget to register by Feb 27th)

Our 2011 Diocesan Convocation features Diana Butler Bass, the bestselling Author, Speaker, and Episcopalian. For a fun preview of what she has to say, watch this clip of her visit to Trinity, Copley last year. Then, on March 5th, come gather with hundreds of your fellow RI Episcopalians for an exciting day of learning and discussion of evangelism and the future of our Church.

For more information on Diana and her books, or to register, visit our website. Remember to register by February 27th to avoid late fees! See you there.

Episcopal Youth Mission EYE 2011

This is the year! Mission EYE (Episcopal Youth Event) is a triennial event for youth currently in grades 9-12, attended by delegations of youth and chaperones from all 109 diocese and 3 regional areas of the Episcopal Church. It is a gathering of young leaders in our denomination and a significant opportunity for building, sharing, and fulfilling our call to mission in the world. Come gather with 1500 other young Episcopalians on the campus of Bethel University St. Paul Minnesota, June 22 -26, 2011.


This year’s event is themed “Come together: intimately linked in this harvest work” and will call participants into a greater awareness of and commitment to God’s mission in the world. There will be three full days of worship, fun, sharing, praying, learning, singing, and working. The primary event will be followed by an opportunity to remain on campus for three more days of urban mission in the Greater Twin Cities Area, or rural locations throughout the diocese. The RI delegation will discuss the possibility of staying on for this extra project

Adult Youth Leaders throughout the Diocese of Rhode island are now planning together to form the delegation from Rhode Island. Youth leaders are looking for interested young people in our parishes who demonstrate a leadership capacity, a clear commitment to their Christian identity, and a desire to engage God’s mission in the world. These young people should be able to participate in all aspects of the event, lift up our covenant for being in community with respect for the behaviors and boundaries of others, and excited to take their learning home to their diocese, congregation, and community.

The cost is yet to be determined but will include airfare, a registration fee to cover meals and lodging at the event, and shuttle service fees. Usually one third of the total cost is paid by the family of the participant, one third paid by the parish, and one third paid by budgeted diocesan funds. Ten percent of each registration fee will be used specifically to respond to mission opportunities at the event, in keeping with the Five Marks of Mission and Millennium Development Goals.

Interested youth leaders and young people should contact Mary Ann Kolakowski, (401) 274 -4500 x247 maryann@episcopalri.org  or Catherine Thenault CAThenault@cox.net . The deadline for notifying us of your interest in attending is February 15, 2011, so don’t delay in contacting us. More information about EYE can be found here http://www.episcopalchurch.org/eye2011.htm

CDC Invitation for Grant Applications to support your parish

The Commission on Congregational Development invites applications for grants to support parishes and missions in the Diocese. Grant money is available for new or significantly expanded programs that seek to transform the life of the congregation and which support a documented plan for development.

This year, we have particular interest in collaborative proposals that will bring together different congregations and will invite participation from those outside the parish community. Please note that CDC grants are not awarded for bricks and mortar projects. Grants may be made for up to three years, with annual renewal dependent upon a review process. We encourage applicants to think big. The aim of these grants is to support the mission of the Diocese to “live in Christ, transform the world.”

Application Process

1. Submit a one-paragraph description of the proposed program via email to betsy@episcopalri.org by March 15.

2. Selected applicants will be notified by April 15 and requested to submit a full application which will include a development plan.

3. Full application is due on June 1.

4. Finalists will be interviewed by members of the CDC during the summer.

5. Grantees will be notified by August 1.

The Latest e-RISEN events Newsletter: February 4th 2011

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

eRISEN February 4th 2011 issue

Want to subscribe to the eRISEN mailing list? Want to submit your event? Just visit eRISEN our website