e-News March 2022
On a recent visitation, I met with members of the congregation after worship. We were talking about transformative experiences, and a member of the congregation who is relatively new to the Episcopal Church shared that he found the regular corporate confession of sin to be especially moving. We Episcopalians regularly acknowledge, all together before God, that we don’t live up to God’s desires for us; that we miss the mark; that, even when we do our best, we simply are not perfect. Immediately after that in our liturgy, God grants us absolution. We get to start again with a clean slate, over and over, as many times as we need.
This is one of the gifts that Christianity offers to the world: God will forgive. In our baptismal covenant, we promise that “whenever” we fall into sin we will repent and return to the Lord. We don’t hedge that promise with “if” we fall into sin, we jump straight into “whenever” we fall into sin. We recognize from the beginning that we will fall into sin not just once, but over and over again.
Lent is a time for us to learn to accept our need for forgiveness. The beauty of Christianity is the recognition that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23) so our own personal sins are not somehow unique or monstrous. They don’t make us particularly terrible or dreadful humans. We can recognize our wrongs, ask God for forgiveness, resolve to do better, and move on.
This is especially important when we find ourselves considering huge concepts like peace. Right now, with Russia invading Ukraine, with prayers for peace flooding social media as well as God’s ears, we can lose sight of the connection between our own lives and the enormous concept of Peace On Earth.
Our world is so very complex and interconnected that it is almost impossible to be sure that we as individuals are not, in some way, participating at a distance in violence, oppression, or destruction. Between our financial systems and our manufacturing systems, not to mention our political systems, we all participate in activities we would not necessarily choose. At the same time, our globally connected planet feels smaller than it ever has before. We are learning to recognize that environmental policies in one part of the globe affect all of humanity.
This interconnectedness has been brought into sharper focus by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While we pray for peace, we also applaud businesses that divest from Russia. Our prayers, however, come into a sharper and more practical focus when we fill our cars with gas and notice the increased prices. We need to ask ourselves how much discomfort we are personally willing to endure, in gas prices and in other areas, as we continue to pray for peace. God invites us to align our prayers and our actions. Lent this year gives us a unique opportunity to do just that.
At the same time, we need to remember to pray for those who, through no fault of their own, are hurt by the West’s response to the Russian invasion. Countless Russian citizens are suffering as their currency devalues and their government spends its resources on war. Praying for peace includes praying for those on both sides of any conflict. War is always hardest on those who have the fewest resources, whichever side they are on.
In addition, as we reflect on the global implications of our personal actions and the personal implications of global actions, we can bring our deep desire for peace into our own relationships. We have the opportunity to reflect on the ways in which we forget to respect the dignity of every human being, or to seek and serve Christ in all persons, even in our ongoing relationships with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and members of our congregations. We can challenge ourselves to live more closely into the values that Jesus taught us.
Finally, Lent also invites us to hold ourselves with compassion. We are called to holiness of life, and at the same time, we know that we will fail. God’s call to us is not to be infallible, but to do our best, recognize our weaknesses, ask for forgiveness when we need to, and try again. This call is a gift from God that is brought into sharper focus in the church’s season of Lent.
May your Lent be a time of clearing away that which separates you from God, and a time of preparation for the celebration of the resurrection at Easter.
In the promised abundant life of Christ,
+Betsey
The Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Bishop of Iowa
Spring Chapter Meeting
SATURDAY MARCH 5, 10:00 AM - NOON
Join us for a Joint Chapter meeting, open to all. All Chapters will have the opportunity to meet together online via Zoom and then breakout into individual rooms by Chapter.This meeting may serve in place of (or in addition to) your usual Spring Chapter Meeting.
You must register to receive the Zoom link.
From Dust to Roses
Are you a fan of the TV series "Schitt's Creek"? Come join us as we explore how Lent and the Rose family have more in common than one might think. Don't worry if you are positively bedeviled with meetings et cetera - come to one session or all, join for as many as you're able. No age limits or participation fees to join, but you do need to be familiar with the characters' story arcs throughout the series.
Questions? Contact Traci Ruhland Petty tpetty@iowaepiscopal.org or Amy Mellies amellies@iowaepiscopal.org
Wednesdays at 7:00pm
March 9: Johnny
March 16: Not meeting (Spring Break)
March 23: Moira
March 30: David
April 6: Alexis
Becoming Beloved Community
Faithful Conversations about The 1619 Project in Lent
BCI invites you to join us in faithful conversations about The 1619 Project. Slavery in the United States has been referenced as our “original sin.” Given that context and the fact that many communities of faith justified enslavement and benefited materially from it, or, on the flipside, worked for its elimination, it is critical the faith community intentionally study slavery and its lasting impact on the generations during and after.
Meeting by Zoom: Mondays 6:00-7:00pm: March7-April 11
Dismantling Racism: Training for Church Leaders
Dismantling Racism: Training for Church Leaders is a training day that is required of all lay and ordained leaders in The Episcopal Church (including vestries, search committees, diocesan leadership, etc.). Grounded in The Episcopal Church's commitment to dismantling racism as essential to our formation as Christians, this ONLINE training is open to all persons who would like to deepen their understanding of racism, prejudice, and privilege.The training will consist of 2 sessions from 10:00am-12:00pm and 12:30pm-2:30pm.
Youth Ministry News
Becoming Beloved Community Where You Are: A Youth Retreat - March 25-27, Christ Church, Cedar Rapids
This is a retreat for young people (9th-12th grade) who desire to work together to create beloved community. Through mission, learning, and fun, participants will gain the knowledge and tools they need to work towards a community that works for all people. We planning lunch at Groundswell Café, a ministry of Matthew 25, a tour of the African American Museum, and we will watch and discuss "Black Panther." Participants may also be involved in the Sunday morning worship service.
Participants will arrive on Saturday, March 26 at 10am and depart on Sunday, March 27 after the 9am service.
For more information or questions please contact Amy Mellies at amellies@iowaepiscopal.org
TBD Middle School Event- (6th-9th grade) - April 22-24, St. Andrew’s, Des Moines
EPIC Summer Camp (4th-12th grade) - July 5-8, Christian Conference Center, Newton
Stay up-to-date on all of our upcoming events HERE.
Mental Health
Kindness Matters and so Does Prayer
"We are in very troubling times. We are still in a pandemic, and we are witnessing via news outlets a country being overrun and attacked by Russia. People are scared. People are being injured and killed. Schools are being bombed. We feel helpless.
What can we do?
First and foremost, we follow the directions of Jesus to Pray. Perhaps we take ourselves away from media, sit in a quiet place, come to ourselves, and open our hearts to God."
To read more from the BHMT Newsletter click HERE or visit our WEBPAGE.
Children, Youth and Family Mental Health Funds Request Form
The Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, through a GILEAD Grant, has funds available to assist with co-payments for mental health related appointments for children, youth, and families. You may request incremental funds for up to $50 per appointment. A completed request FORM is required for each appointment. You must submit a receipt for reimbursement or have a bill sent to the Diocesan Office. Funds will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
You can find more information and resources HERE or email the team at bhmt@iowaepiscopal.org.
Check out our webpage! It has many resources for your mental health or those around you who may be struggling. You can attend free webinars from MindSpring Mental Health Alliance, find support groups, phone numbers, and websites that can help in time of crisis. You can also click HERE for bulletin inserts for your congregation on different mental health topics.
GILEAD Grants Spotlight: 2021 Recipients
The Middle Way Podcast, in partnership with Hannah Landgraf & Rev. Eric Rucker
$4,773.08
Evangelism Grant
The Middle Way is a podcast that explores the intersection between the church calendar and the lives of God's people with an Episcopal lens. Since its start, in May of 2020, the Middle Way has brought over one hundred monthly listeners from diverse backgrounds, together to share, explore, and learn on topics ranging from mental health, spiritual disciplines, queer theology, and grief. At its core, this is the work of evangelism—of sharing the Good News of Jesus, telling our own stories, and inviting others to know God's love and liberation.
Grant funds are being used for technology and equipment, staff compensation, and honorariums for guests invited to speak on various episodes.
Check out the latest episode - it's the first in a 3-part Lenten Series on Faith and Food.
Garden Tractor at St. Timothy’s, West Des Moines
$5,000
Expanding Tools & Technology Grant
The Faith & Grace Garden is a ministry that addresses food insecurity in our local communities by donating fresh, organic fruits and vegetables to local organizations, and has been doing so for over 20 years. Last year, the garden donated 16,320 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables to food pantries and food distribution partners in central Iowa; that’s over 65,000 meals! And they provided starter plants to community gardens across the metro. To keep the one-acre garden so productive after 20 years of cultivation is increasingly hard work, and the tractor allows them to mechanize the heaviest work.
Grant funds were applied to the purchase of a used 25-35hp diesel garden tractor.
They used their GILEAD Grant application as the foundation for applying for and receiving 4 other grants, which allowed them to fully fund the tractor purchase.
Help make grants like these possible with a donation to the diocesan GILEAD Campaign. To learn about the other grants funded from your generous gifts, click here for 2020 grantees and click here for 2021 grantees.
General Convention
General Convention is approaching!
The General Convention is the governing body of The Episcopal Church that meets every three years, and was scheduled to take place last summer but was postponed due to the pandemic. It is a bicameral legislature that includes the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops, composed of deputies and bishops from each diocese. During General Convention deputies and bishops consider a wide range of important matters facing the church.
General Convention is scheduled to be held in person this summer in Baltimore, Maryland (July 7-14). Our diocese will be represented by Bishop Monnot and our elected clergy and lay deputies. The bulk of the work will be completed in July, but the work of the General Convention has already started. The Legislative Committees began meeting in November 2021. The process for holding public legislative hearings will begin in February 2022 and will be held online. Information about the dates for the hearings and how to register to attend or participate can be found here and other news related to General Convention 2022 will be in forthcoming announcements and posted on the General Convention website.
The Great Middle Book Club
To follow up with the "Great Middle" report on January 26 from the Episcopal delegates in our region to the world climate negotiations (COP26) last November, we have organized a “Great Middle Climate Book Club.
The book we will be discussing is “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World” by Texas Tech professor Katharine Hayhoe. For the first session, we will be focusing on the Preface and Section 1 of the book (through page 33). We are also planning sessions on these Mondays: April 4, May 2, June 6, and July 11.
It would be great if you or others wanted to join Episcopalians from the "Great Middle" - from North Dakota to Texas and from the Great Lakes to the Rockies - for this discussion.
Contact Rob Hogg if you have questions.
Beware of Scammers
We are starting to see email messages that claim to be from Bishop Monnot. Please double check the source of any communications asking for money or gift cards. Legitimate emails from the bishop and the diocesan staff will use an email address ending in @iowaepiscopal.org. Verify any requests for money or assistance that claim to come from your local priest or church office by emailing or calling them directly, not by responding to texts or emails.
Please also be aware of current email and phone call scams purporting to come from Google and Square credit services - do not respond to phone calls that ask you to opt out or in of those services.