• NEW ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCE DEBUTS: eministrynetwork.org
  Telecourses and webcasts covering a variety of topics geared towards lay and clergy, have a new online presence at eministrynetwork.org
  This new resource offers cost-effective, online training - led by a diverse group of clergy and laypeople from across the country who have expertise in a specific area of outreach or congregational ministry. In their own words:
  
  • eMinistry focuses on practical ministry content (not seminary-type content);
  • addresses a wide range of ministry topics/areas -- all kinds of outreach ministries, and ministries that strengthen our congregational life;
  • identifies and shares the "best practices" of congregations throughout the Church;
  • is geared to the practical needs and concerns of lay people and their congregations;
  • is directly accessible from anywhere by telephone and internet;
  • is affordable ($14-15 per class hour);
  • crosses diocesan borders and gives lay and clergy leaders a broad forum for sharing their experience and expertise;
  • especially benefits lay members in small or rural congregations, or in dioceses without extensive programs, resources, or staff; reaches people who want to explore a topic but who may never attend an in-person conference due to cost, distance or time constraints
    
  They are just getting started, but have good selection of classes to choose from, including:
  
  • 7/27/2006: Building Congregational Support for an Outreach Project
    Leader: Bob Runkle - Time: 7:00 pm EST (one hour class)
    Bob Runkle is a lay outreach leader at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (outreach website: www.stlukescares.com). He has started major outreach projects in every parish he's ever been in -- most recently in parishes in the dioceses of Chicago and Maryland. At St. Luke's he helped get the congregation involved in the hands-on ministry of a weekly food and activities program for local children, working with St. Vincent de Paul's Transitional Housing facility in Coeur d'Alene.
    • Do you want to help your congregation get started on a new outreach project? Do you feel God's "call" to help do Christ's work in the world -- or have a ministry passion you want to share -- but are uncertain how to start?
      
  • 8/1/2006: How Can I Help?  How to be "Life Support" for Someone who is Grieving
    Leader: Dee Bailey - Time: 8:00 pm EST (one hour teleclass)
    Dee Bailey, MA, CPCC, is a grief specialist and life coach who has been working with adults in transition since the early 1980s. Dee’s experience with grief education and support includes creating support programs for bereaved adults and children, group facilitation, one-on-on support, speaking and training others. During her 12 years at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, MN her ministries included bereavement, singles, families experiencing divorce and lay ministry.
    • You’ve read that one of the most critical aids in healing from loss is good support, but wonder, “What can I do to help?” “Isn’t that the role of our pastor and our grief group?” Yes, of course it is, and it is also our opportunity to be present to others’ suffering in a uniquely personal way.
      
  • 9/11/2006:
    Substance Abuse: How to Recognize it -- and How to Respond
    Leader: Jim Adams - Time: 7:00 pm EST (one hour teleclass)
    James R. Adams is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, Kentucky. He has served as a member and chair of several charitable boards focused on substance abuse issues, including the treatment and education of indigent alcoholics and suburban teenager abusers, and the funding of abuse education. He has spoken extensively on substance abuse issues to lawyers as part of their continuing legal education requirements and teaches "Pretrial Practice and the Art of Lawyering" at Northern Kentucky University's Chase College of Law. Jim is also a member of the Advisory Council for Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church.
    • This class is an introduction to a pervasive problem many of us encounter every day. We may see it in parishioners, family members, co-workers or our clergy. We'll look at substance abuse as a disease, and why denial is often a key symptom for those involved. We'll examine how it affects patterns of behavior, and the way it impacts key areas of life, especially spiritual values, relationships, and finances/possessions.
      
  • 9/20 & 9/27/2006:
    Tools for Year-round Stewardship: Explaining your Ministries through Narrative Budgeting
    Leader: Mike Stephenson - Two sessions - 7:00pm EST (one hour teleclass)
    Mike Stephenson is Canon for Development for the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, where he is responsible for diocesan financial development programs, including a major endowment initiative, the annual Bishop’s Appeal, and the stewardship of current and prospective donors. He also provides assistance to clergy and congregations in stewardship, capital campaign planning, and planned giving.

    According to recent research about religious giving, there is a substantial relationship between people’s understanding of why they give and how much they give. When parishioners don’t understand how their gifts of time, talent, and treasure enable ministry, they tend to give less of each, especially treasure. One of the most effective tools for stewardship education is narrative budgeting, a process for explaining how contributions of time and money translate into ministry throughout the congregation and community. It offers both quantitative and qualitative presentations to describe the ways in which lives are transformed through worship, pastoral care, Christian formation, outreach, hospitality, and fellowship. This class is for people who want to learn how a narrative budget can be a key means of stewardship education, and to begin drafting a narrative budget for their congregation.

  Visit their website for technical requirements, instructions on how to register and the costs involved with these and other courses...

  ---

  REMINDERS:
  

  • 9/24/2006: "KEEPING YOUTH SAFE ON THE INTERNET"
    2pm to 4pm - Peace Lutheran Church (ELCA), 830 N. Cochran, Charlotte, Michigan 48813
    CLICK HERE FOR A MAP TO THIS LOCATION
    
    This workshop - (developed originally for the Ministries in Formation & Education seminar held at St. David's in Lansing this past February) - is geared towards providing parents with information and guidelines on how to make the internet a safer place for youth.
    • Developed and presented by Steve Stofflet (Assistant to the Bishop for Communication & Technology), it will cover four primary areas:
      • Internet usage among youth (how many are online, how much time they spend online);
      • Dangers of sexual predators (how they locate and 'groom' their potential victims);
      • Understanding the Language of the internet (do you know what P911 or POS stands for?);
      • Steps parents can take to help create a safer online experience for their children.
    • Materials presented at this workshop will be followed up with additional online educational support. To register, visit the edwm.org website - or contact Steve Stofflet at the Episcopal Center at 269-381-2710, x11.
      This workshop is also available for presentation at any parish in the diocese - contact Steve for more information.

    ---

  • Save the dates for upcoming youth events:
    
    • Youth BASH
      October 7, 2006
    • Winter Fest
      February 2-4, 2007

    Both events are open to young people grades 5-12. More information to follow – but make sure you put it on your calendars now!
    
    Also…
    Camp registrations are due soon – July 20, so please don’t forget to get them in on time!!!

    ---

  • THE REV. MARK CURTIS - "Canada's Singing Priest" - St. Timothy's in Richland

    Saturday, September 30th @ 7:30pm.
    Sunday, October 1st @ 2:00pm
    Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door. 9800 East BC Avenue, Richland, MI.
    CLICK HERE for a map to this location.
    
    Considered one of the leading Christian Evangelists in the country today, Curtis is an Anglican priest of the Diocese of Niagara, Ontario. Known for his powerful and inspirational music and speaking ministries on life's experiences and spiritual matters, he travels throughout Canada and the United States sharing his strong tenor voice, captivating on-stage presence and marvelous sense of humor. Music critics have described his musical talents as 'one of Canada's leading national treasures.'

    ---

We have included the calendar items for this issue, due to a couple of date corrections that are highlighted in RED below (September 19 Clericus Lectionary Studies)

For the most recent edition of these calendar items, please visit the website at: http://www.edwm.org/enews/calendar.htm

JULY:

• 7/15/2006: SAFEGUARDING GOD'S CHILDREN - CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP & TRAINER TRAINING
  St. Gregory’s, Muskegon ~ 10:00am-1:00pm - (Training-the-Trainers 10:00am – 4:00pm)

• 7/15/2006: SMALL RURAL CHURCH SUMMIT: Re-Imagining the Small Rural Church
  Huron College, London Ontario
  For more details please see: http://www.clergyleadership.com/training/small.html

• 7/16/2006: BISHOP VISITATION - Trinity, Grand Ledge
  
• 7/20/2006: SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION DEADLINE
  
• 7/23/2006: BISHOP VISITATION - Pentwater & Ludington

AUGUST:

• 8/1/2006: Standing Committe
  St. Andrews, Grand Rapids - 4:30pm

• 8/6/2006: BISHOP VISITATION -Leland
  
• 8/6 - 12/ 2006: SUMMER CAMP - Senior
  Download camp information here.
  
• 8/7-20/2006: BISHOP'S VACATION
  
• 8/13-19/2006: SUMMER CAMP - Junior
  Download camp information here.
  
• 8/13-19/2006: SUMMER CAMP - Counselor in Training Program
  Download camp information here.
  
• 8/17-21 Yearning for Justice: Writing the Unlived Life (for men and women)
  This workshop is offered through the Leaven Center in Lyons, Michigan. Cost: $300 per person. Leaders: Demetria Martinez and Naya Achtenberg. Location: Leaven Center, Lyons, Michigan Please visit the Leaven Center website at www.leaven.org for a full workshop description and registration information.
  
• 8/25-26/2006: Whose Church Is It Anyway?
  A hands-on program for those who work with children, youth & adults in our congregations.
  Location: THE CONFERENCE CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARY OF THE LAKE IN MUNDELEIN, ILLINOIS
  Co-Sponsored by the Christian Education and Formation and the Youth Ministry Networks of Province V
  and The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. If you have questions, please call 312-751-4206 or e-mail acothran@epischicago.org
  
• 8/26 - Registration Due: Anti-Racism Training
  for Lakeshore Deanery Training Session held on September 9, 2006.
  Anti-Racism Training Registration Form Submit registrations to : EDWM A-R Team c/o Pat Baxter
  E-Mail: pntb@comcast.net Fax: 616-365-0927
  
• 8/25-26/2006: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT PROGRAM
  Spiritual Discernment program Application Form & Program Essentials
  can be downloaded here: http://www.edwm.org/pdf/2006 -SDP.pdf
  
• 8/6/2006: BISHOP VISITATION -Beaver Island

SEPTEMBER:

• 9/5/2006: RESOLUTIONS DUE FOR DIOCESAN CONVENTION
  
• 9/5/2006: STANDING COMMITTEE
  St. Andrews, Grand Rapids - 4:30pm
  
• 9/9/2006: ANTI-RACISM TRAINING - Lakeshore Deanery
  Anti-Racism Training Registration Form
  Submit registrations to : EDWM A-R Team c/o Pat Baxter
  E-Mail: pntb@comcast.net Fax: 616-365-0927
  
• 9/1-4/2006 - SOLO FLIGHT and the Spirituality of Homing
  (click here for downloadable brochure)
  (http://groups.yahoo.com/group /soloflightepis/)
  A national Episcopal Conference for adults who are single. Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, NC. A non-refundable deposit of $50.00 (made payable to Kanuga Conferences) should be sent to: Registration Services - Kanuga Conferences, P.O. Box 250, Hendersonville, NC 28793 (Tel: 828-692-9136) http://www.kanuga.org For further information: Offices of Solo Flight - Catch the Vision, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 27, Paris, KY 40362 kcollierm@diolex.orgor davidwperk@aol.com
  
• 9/9/2006: Anti-Racism Training - Lakeshore Deanery
  9a - 4p at St. John's in Grand Haven. Registration due: August 26th.
  Anti-Racism Training Registration Form Submit registrations to : EDWM A-R Team c/o Pat Baxter
  E-Mail: pntb@comcast.net Fax: 616-365-0927
  
• 9/10/2006: BISHOP VISITATION - Grace, Grand Rapids
  
• 9/11/2006: CLERICUS LECTIONARY STUDY - Traverse Deanery - 12:30pm
  
• 9/12/2006: CLERICUS LECTIONARY STUDY - St. Joseph Deanery - 10:00am
  
• 9/12/2006: CLERICUS LECTIONARY STUDY - Eastern Deanery - 1:30pm
  
• 9/16/2006: EXECUTIVE COUNCIL - Kalamazoo - 10am
  
• 9/15/2006 DEADLINE: Renewal Grants for Clergy - Deadline 9/15/2006
  
  • Louisville Institute: Sabbatical Grants for Pastoral Leaders Program The Sabbatical Grants for Pastoral Leaders Program, administered by the Louisville Institute, awards grants to pastors and other religious leaders in the U.S. and Canada seeking time for study, reflection, retreat, and rest for the renewal of their vocations. The program will award up to sixty grants for eight-week ($10,000) and twelve-week ($15,000) sabbaticals. Recipients must be released from all pastoral duties during the entire grant period. The program is open to Protestant and Roman Catholic clergy, church staff members, denominational and diocesan staff, and others employed full-time in recognized positions of pastoral leadership, ordained and lay. Visit the web site for more information. http://www.louisville-institute.org/secondary/SGPLdetail.asp
  
  
• DATE CORRECTION- 9/19/2006: CLERICUS LECTIONARY STUDY - Lakeshore Deanery - 11:30am
  
• DATE CORRECTION- 9/19/2006: CLERICUS LECTIONARY STUDY - Grand Valley Deanery - 3:00pm
  
• 9/19-24/2006: A BENEDICTINE EXPERIENCE
  AT THE EPISCOPAL HOUSE OF PRAYER COLLEGEVILLE, MINNESOTA
  For a complete flyer with registration information, fees, schedule and more -
  please visit the diocesan website and click on = FILE DOWNLOADS - CONFERENCES
  
• 9/23/2006: Registration Due: Anti-Racism Training
  Grand Valley Deanery- Saturday October 7, 9AM-4PM Location to be announced.
  
• 9/24/2006: "KEEPING YOUTH SAFE ON THE INTERNET"
  2pm to 4pm - Peace Lutheran Church (ELCA), 830 N. Cochran, Charlotte, Michigan 48813
  CLICK HERE FOR A MAP TO THIS LOCATION
  This workshop is geared towards providing parents with information and guidelines on how to make the internet a safer place for youth. Developed and presented by Steve Stofflet (Assistant to the Bishop for Communication & Technology), it will cover four primary areas: Internet usage among youth (how many are online, how much time they spend online); Dangers of sexual predators (how they locate and 'groom' their potential victims); Understanding the Language of the internet (do you know what P911 or POS stands for?); Steps parents can take to help create a safer online experience for their children. Materials presented at this workshop will be followed up with online educational support. To register, visit the edwm.org website - or contact Steve Stofflet at the Episcopal Center at 269-381-2710, x11. This workshop is also available for presentation at any parish in the diocese.
  
• 9/24/2006: SAFEGUARDING GOD'S CHILDREN CERTIFICATION TRAINING - St. Luke's - Kalamazoo
  Call Mary McGuire @ the Episcopal Center for additional information and to register.
  
• 9/24/2006: BISHOP'S VISITATION - St. John's - Mount Plesant
  
• 9/30/2006: SAFEGUARDING GOD'S CHILDREN CERTIFICATION TRAINING - Emmanuel - Petoskey
  Safeguarding God's Children 9:00am-12:00pm
  Adult's Model 12:30pm - 3:30pm
  Call Mary McGuire @ the Episcopal Center for additional information and to register.
  
• 9/30/2006: THE REV. MARK CURTIS - "Canada's Singing Priest" - St. Timothy's in Richland
  7:30pm. Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door. 9800 East BC Avenue, Richland, MI.
  CLICK HERE for a map to this location.
  Considered one of the leading Christian Evangelists in the country today, Curtis is an Anglican priest of the Diocese of Niagara, Ontario. Known for his powerful and inspirational music and speaking ministries on life's experiences and spiritual matters, he travels throughout Canada and the United States sharing his strong tenor voice, captivating on-stage presence and marvelous sense of humor. Music critics have described his musical talents as 'one of Canada's leading national treasures.'
  

OCTOBER:

• 10/1/2006: THE REV. MARK CURTIS - "Canada's Singing Priest" - St. Timothy's in Richland
  2:00pm. Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door. 9800 East BC Avenue, Richland, MI.
  CLICK HERE for a map to this location.
  Considered one of the leading Christian Evangelists in the country today, Curtis is an Anglican priest of the Diocese of Niagara, Ontario. Known for his powerful and inspirational music and speaking ministries on life's experiences and spiritual matters, he travels throughout Canada and the United States sharing his strong tenor voice, captivating on-stage presence and marvelous sense of humor. Music critics have described his musical talents as 'one of Canada's leading national treasures.'
  
• 10/7/2006: Anti-Racism Training - Grand Valley Deanery - 9a-4p
  Location to be announced.
  Anti-Racism Training Registration Form Submit registrations to : EDWM A-R Team c/o Pat Baxter
  E-Mail: pntb@comcast.net Fax: 616-365-0927
  
• 10/21/2006: Diocesan Convention
  Hosted by the St. Joseph Deanery - location is yet to be determined at this time.

NOVEMBER:

• 11/04-05/2006: NIGHTWATCH MIDWEST (Adult)
  Contact: the Rev. Chris Yaw for additional information.

• 11/17-19/2006: VOCARE Weekend - St. David's, Lansing.
  Click here to download informational materials for the weekend.

• 11/12-15/2006: "WE DO NOT LOSE HEART" - YOUTH WORKERS SUMMIT
  at Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista. http://www.youthworkersummit .org

DECEMBER:

• 12/25/2006: CHRISTMAS (MONDAY) DIOCESAN OFFICES CLOSED