Third Sunday in Lent
Three years ago, Episcopalians in Iowa began the effort to transform our diocese into a “Beloved Community” which:
gathers and sends forth in love
feeds, heals, forgives and brings forth new life
challenges oppression, and
grows in wisdom
by telling the truth, proclaiming the dream, practicing love and repairing the breach.
At its 168th annual convention in October 2020, the Diocese of Iowa committed to taking “tangible and enduring actions” to eliminate and heal the sins of racist enslavement, genocide and displacement against African-American and indigenous people through earnest and sacrificial actions by passing Resolution 168A. To implement that commitment, a Reparations Task Force has been created that will identify a working definition of “reparation” to be used in this diocese and will identify and recommend changes that combat systemic racism in the structures of this diocese.
Resolution 168A also calls on us to seek, find, review and share the history of Iowa’s and our own churches’ part in benefitting from the legacies of enslavement, genocide and displacement. To begin that effort, the Beloved Community Initiative has created an interactive, digital map where those histories can be added, located at becomingbelovedcommunity.org/raceiniowa, thanks to the work of BCI’s administrative assistant, Tammy Tran and the University of Iowa’s digital media lab.
We invite you into this statewide effort to locate, preserve and organize the archives of all our congregations. To support those efforts, Beloved Community Initiative will offer a workshop and ongoing support with an archivist and is in the process of creating a multi-part discussion guide to engage the congregation in this work. The content of congregations' archives will reveal who we have been and who we are. It will also bring us together and enrich us as we gather our history together. Members of all ages are encouraged to participate.
In the peace of Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa
The Rev. Meg Wagner, Missioner for Congregational Development, Communications, and Reconciliation
Dr. Hal Chase, Diocesan Historiographer
Reparations Task Force Members
Rev. Kim Turner Baker (Chair), Ames
Mr. Edgardo Ordonez, Ames
Dr. Hal Chase (diocesan historiographer)
Rev. Lizzie Gillman, Des Moines
Ms. Katelyn O’Hare, Des Moines
Rev. Marcus Haack, Iowa City
Rev. Wendy Abrahamson, Grinnell
Ms. Vivian Roberts, Dubuque
Mr. Jack Turner, Council Bluffs
Rev. Jeanie Smith, Des Moines
Ms. Donna Scarfe, Des Moines
Rev. Stephen Benitz, Mason City
Ms. Tracy Henry, Sioux City
Rev. Tom Early, Spirit Lake
Ms. Mary Greaves, Sioux City
Ms. Katy Lee, Cedar Rapids
Rev. Diana Wright, Boone
* Rev. Meg Wagner (staff liaison)
Diocesan Online Worship
Join us this Sunday, March 7 at 8:30 am to worship with St. Alban's, Spirit Lake.
Lenten Offerings
Journey with us during Lent as we explore and practice kindness as a spiritual discipline.
The season of Lent is a time for penitence and reconciliation, an invitation to take steps toward a right relationship with ourselves, each other, creation, and God. What might it look like to turn toward relationship this Lent using kindness intentionally, during this time of pandemic and seemingly increasing division and conflict? What small steps might we take, both alone and together?
Living Kindness
Wednesdays from 7-8:00pm
March 10, 17, 24
Join us Wednesday evenings for an intergenerational conversation where we'll practice and learn more about nurturing kindness as a spiritual discipline. You're welcome to join for as many conversations as you're able, but you must register to receive the Zoom information. We also invite you to follow along with a daily Lenten Kindness Calendar.
Lenten Kindness Calendar
A daily Lenten Kindness Calendar is available now on the Youth Ministry page of the diocesan website. Each day offers a simple prompt towards an act of kindness for someone in your life, each tied to the Gospel reading from the Sunday before. You will be able to follow along from the webpage, Facebook, and Instagram.
Joint Chapter Meeting & Leadership Gathering Resources (click below to view recordings the presentations)
Information about re-gathering, the electing convention, diocesan convention and more.
Vestry Resources
GILEAD Grants
For more information, visit the website https://www.iowaepiscopal.org/gilead-grants and for questions, contact Traci Ruhland Petty tpetty@iowaepiscopal.org
nature of a dream
Over the next few days (Feb 25-Mar 7) the Des Moines Playhouse is streaming "nature of the dream" -- a new production featuring Black Iowans, including Donna Scarfe among the cast and co-creators.
"nature of the dream" is an exploration of maintaining Black identity in predominantly white spaces. The film has its origins in devised theatre, a freeform style in which all members of the creative group work collectively and collaboratively to create a performance completely from scratch. There is no script involved prior to the devising process, but rather the script gets written along the way.
Following the film’s Feb. 25 premiere, there will be a conversation with the creators posted on The Playhouse’s Facebook page.
The conversation will also be posted on The Playhouse’s website and YouTube channel and on Two Steps to the Left Productions’ website for future viewing. (Read more.)
Mini Retreats: H.O.P.E.
The Small Church Core Team in the Diocese of Iowa invites you to a series of four mini-retreats focused on HOPE during these changing times.
Join us on Saturday, March 6.
From 9:00 am to 10:00 am. We will gather using Zoom technology.
Topics for each session include:
Healing and Hope in December
Opportunity for Community and Hope in January
Patience and Hope in February
Expectation and Hope on March 6
Dismantling Racism Training
Register for online training
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, with a break for lunch.
Episcopal Day on the Hill
Join other Episcopalians from across Iowa online for an opportunity to learn about bills that our public policy ministry is following and take an opportunity to speak with lawmakers. We will hear from legislators about the bills they are focusing on and learn more about how to actively engage with them about issues.
Why is Iowa so White?
Webinar: Monday, March 15 7:00pm
It is not uncommon for people who live in Iowa to mention that they grew up knowing very few people of color. As we are often reminded around caucus time, Iowa remains the 6th whitest state in the nation. How and why did that happen?
Dr. Charles Connerly will walk us through Iowa’s history—from the Indigenous nations who resided here until the land was taken from them to the establishment of “black codes” that restricted who could move here. He will highlight the ways that Iowa has at times welcomed and also excluded different groups of color. We’ll look at some of the milestone civil rights decisions in Iowa as well as some of the decisions and events that serve more as millstones, weighing us down and holding us back from becoming a place where every Iowan can thrive.
Joint Intercession List
The heart of diocesan companionship is joining together in mission. To this end Iowans and their companions in Nzara, Swaziland, and Scotland pray for one another daily through the Joint Intercession List.
You can find the list on our diocesan website or download the list.
Podcast Corner: For People
Welcome to For People, a conversation with Bishop Rob Wright, spiritual leader to the more than 50,000 people in the 117 worshipping communities of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. In this podcast, Bishop Wright meets listeners at the crossroads of faith and life to explore the challenges of an ever-changing world. Listen in to find out how he expands on his For Faith devotional, drawing inspiration from the life of Jesus to answer 21st-century questions.
The latest episode is part 1 of a 5 part series of Lenten Questions.
