Third Sunday of Easter and Updates from the Standing Committee

 

Diocesan Online Worship Continues

This Sunday, worship will be offered by St. Michael's in Mount Pleasant at 10:00am and will be found online on the diocesan Facebook page, the diocesan Youtube channel, and will be available on the diocesan website . Call-in option for members who only have access to phones (participants on the phone will NOT be able to be heard but will be able to hear the service): 312 626 6799 and enter the Meeting ID as prompted: 365 765 527#

Churches across the diocese offering regular online worship

Let us know if you are offering regular online services and would like to be added to this list! The list continues to expand.

Morning Prayer

Noonday Prayer

Evening Prayer

Compline

Sunday Morning Worship

In addition to the weekly online diocesan service, the following churches are offering online worship each Sunday.

St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral's Carillon in Your Car (or From Afar) at 9:00am

St. Paul's organist is performing weekly concerts in Eastertide on the Carillon. The concert will also be streamed live on their Facebook Page. 

Creating the Transitions Committee:

Imagination, Creativity, and Hospitality

The Standing Committee is pleased to let you know that the work of the Bishop Search and Nominating Committee (BSNC) continues on schedule. Due to quarantine restrictions, the committee’s listening sessions are being held via Zoom or other online mediums, individual phone calls, and paper surveys. The Standing Committee now begins the next stage of the Search Process, which is forming the Transitions Committee. The Transitions Committee will plan, coordinate, and carry out primary events during the transition and will attend to the relationships and dynamics affected by the transition throughout the diocese.

Imagination, creativity, and experience in event planning and coordination as well as confidentiality and communications are paramount traits for this Committee. Members of this Committee will collaborate with groups, guilds, committees, and ministries throughout the diocese to create a network of enthusiastic and creative teams needed for the multiple events of our Search. The Transitions Committee will work closely with our Search Consultant, The Rev. Conrad Selnick.

The nature of the work of the Transitions Committee includes:

  • Educate the diocese. Collaborate with the BSNC and the Standing Committee to create education materials about Episcopal polity, bishops, and the discernment and election process. Skills in written and oral communication, social media, and the ability to work collaboratively are key.

  • Plan and conduct “Meet & Greets.” These are the occasions when the candidates and spouses visit the diocese, travel from place to place seeing the diocese and its ministries, and participate in Q&A sessions. In addition to planning the meeting sites, the Transitions Committee will arrange for lodging and transportation, meals, and help determine the format of the Q&As. 

  • Provide Pastoral Care to Candidates – including those not selected, Committee Members and Staff, and to our Bishop and his family. 

  • Support the Electing Convention. While much of the responsibility for the convention will fall to the Standing Committee and Diocesan Staff, the Transitions Committee will assist as needed at the Convention and provide communication and care to Candidates.

  • Plan and host a Celebration of Ministry. We wish to honor Bishop Alan and Donna and to celebrate their presence and ministry among us. Our hope is to provide a memorable event(s) to offer our thanks for countless ways they have encouraged and inspired us during +Alan’s episcopacy, and to offer our best wishes for all that is yet to come for the Scarfes.

  • Support the Consecration Service. The Presiding Bishop, Bishop Scarfe, and the bishop-elect design the Consecration service. They will also call on various guilds and individuals to play various roles in planning and implementing the Consecration and other events relating to the Consecration. The Transitions Committee is expected to assist as needed on the weekend of September 18, 2021. 

As with all diocesan leadership positions, and in order to meet canonical requirements, Transitions Committee members, once appointed, will need to attend a Dismantling Racism training at the earliest possible opportunity and to complete Safe Church training unless already completed.

The Transitions Committee will serve as a steering committee and be comprised of 15 members. We will also need individuals to serve on the various sub-committees mentioned above. If you are interested or know of someone who would be an ideal member of the Transitions Committee or a sub-committee, please be in touch with the Standing Committee via this email address:

standingcommittee@iowaepiscopal.org

PLEASE INDICATE WHICH COMMITTEE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED WITH (either the Transitions steering committee or a sub-committee). The application can be found on the diocesan website and you can download it here:

APPLICATION

Mission and ministry during the pandemic

As we continue living into the ways that COVID-19 is shaping the world around us, we would love to share the ways you are finding to pivot your church’s ongoing ministry efforts in new ways that address the needs created by COVID-19.

  • How are you caring for peoples’ spiritual, emotional, physical, social, and safety needs?

  • How are you finding ways for your church to help bring calm and encouragement to stressful situations and community members' worries over COVID-19?

  • Are you finding ways to minister to the marginalized and vulnerable? Ways to help ensure the fair distribution of resources so that these groups don’t fall through the cracks amidst the public health crisis at hand?

  • Are you working with other faith leaders in your area to assess and meet the needs of the socially and economically vulnerable? 

  • Have you listed your COVID-19-related ministries on the Asset Map?

  • If you have volunteer needs, or people who want to volunteer to help during the pandemic, visit http://volunteeriowa.galaxydigital.com

LET US KNOW

Resources

 
Meg Wagner