The new year is upon us and moving fast. With each new year we usher in, we open ourselves to new possibilities and promises, to ourselves and to others, to live closer to the heart of who we are here to be and do. In the nine months I have been director of CSR, I have witnessed an outpouring of so many invaluable gifts of time and talent. In order to capture these gifts and to share them with others, with the very able assistance and abiding support of many, I have created a questionnaire to find out what folks have to offer. Once I receive a completed questionnaire, I then post the resource on the Center's website, arranged alphabetically both by name and by the resource offered. If you would like to be listed, please fill out a questionnaire (you can find one on the CSR website, http://thecsr.org/) and return it to me, either by mail, fax, or email. Or, better yet, bring it by and say hello. This online resource directory belongs to us all and will be much more valuable with your contribution and participation.
I'd also like to share a brief overview of some of the highlights for the coming month:
I am honored and excited to have been invited to participate on a panel at the NAECED Tapestry Conference in Charlotte February 3–5. The topic: Resource Centers in the 21st Century. This gathering represents the National Association for Episcopal Christian Education Directors. Shawna Gilmore, Miranda Hipple, and I are attending the conference, along with several others from around the diocese. We will be sharing our experiences in future articles and posts on the website.
I also serve on the Lifelong Christian Formation Diocesan Committee. One of the most recent offerings for which I am very excited is that the diocese agreed to pay for CSR to purchase a one-year subscription to Rite Worship, an online bulletin builder. Church Publishing has generously allowed us to do this as a pilot project for them to determine how to offer diocesan-wide resources. We are going to be able to offer this resource to all of our 50 small churches at no cost to them. I will be providing technical assistance and support as this new and valuable resource gets up and running. This is just one of the ways in which we are able to provide valuable resources to those who need them.
I will also be traveling with Jeff Batkin, our diocesan Canon for small churches, to both find and share resources around our diocese. As we raise awareness through asset mapping, and open, honest, engaged conversation, we will continue to discover resource treasures among us, and then I will be sharing those with you on our website.
2011 Days with the Bishop. This year we are doing this differently. Instead of Bishop Taylor choosing a topic to present, we are inviting congregations in the west, east, and north to let us know what is important to them and what they would like to focus on during a day with the bishop. We want to create an opportunity to put legs on plans and dreams for all of our congregations. The 2011 dates and places are: Saturday, March 5, at St. Luke's, Lincolnton; Saturday, May 7, at Good Shepherd, Hayesville; and Saturday, October 1, in the mountain deanery. More details coming soon.
The 2011 Mission & Ministry committee met in January, and this year's offerings are going to be diverse, rich, and meaningful. The theme for this year's M&M Conference, to be held Saturday, June 4: A New Church in a New Time. The sub-theme: Equipping the Saints to Keep Our (Baptismal) Promises. I will be sharing more about this in the coming months.
Italy pilgrimage: from Assisi to Rome, late summer/early fall 2011. Cynthia Bourgeault recently traveled to Assisi on a pilgrimage, and this is what she shared with me about Assisi:
We stayed at the Oasi Sacro Cuore, just outside the walls of Assisi at the head of the walking trail down to San Damiano. (www.oasisacrocuoreassisi.com). One of the staff speaks English well, and they're set up to cater to pilgrims. Take time, meditate in the sites, and WALK. Assisi is totally compact. Split up; don't clump into a single big group. Don't miss the little grotto room just underneath the main church at Chiesi Nuovo with its stunning bas relief sculpture of Francis and Clare, still largely unknown to tourists. Go to big sites (like the basilica) either early or late in the day to minimize tour buses. San Damiano and the Porziuncula (down near the train station, not in Assisi proper) may change your life forever. God bless!
We will be announcing more specific details about this very special offering in the next few weeks, but if you are interested in going on this pilgrimage, please let me know and I will put you on a mailing list to ensure that you get all of the information as soon as it is available.
Sam Portaro has accepted our invitation to be the presenter at this year's Zabriskie Learning Series. The theme for 2011 is "Vocation." He will provide a backdrop for the meaning and discernment of vocation, as individuals, as a community, and as the church; and then engage us in substantive conversation. We will be posting more information about Sam, this theme, and ways in which you can be involved in rich discussion and practices before the actual day. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 8. \
Web resources. We continue to add resources daily. Please take a look and feel free to contact those who have offered to assist you in learning more about a wide variety of programs and resources.
Robbin Whittington, Director
robbin@allsoulscathedral.org
www.thecsr.org