Episcopal Diocese of Albany - Priests and Deacons Update

Business Office: 68 South Swan Street - Albany, NY 12210 - (518) 465-4737
Christ the King Spiritual Life Center: 575 Burton Road - Greenwich, NY 12834 - (518) 692-9550

July 12th, 2007

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is hard to believe it has already been a month since we gathered for the Diocese Convention. It was a wonderful Holy Spirit–filled weekend. Thank you to everyone who filled out critique forms. While most of the feedback has been extremely positive, there were also some helpful suggestions on how to help make the Convention Weekend even better. Many people have commented on what a tremendous healing impact the nailing of the lists by each of the parishes, (offering up to God the sins of the Church and the many things that hamper our ministry together), had on them and others. I pray that was just the beginning of the healing the Lord has planned for each of our parishes and the Diocese. Thank you to all who invested all or a part of their weekend to participate in the workshops, services, and business meeting.

We have already begun the planning for next year. The Convention will be June 6-8, 2008, so mark your calendars. God willing, our special guests for 2008 will be The Rt. Rev. Benjamin Kwashi, Bishop of the Diocese of Jos, and President of SOMA International; Gloria Kwashi, wife of Bishop Ben; The Rev. Russ Parker, Director of Acorn Healing Ministry in Great Britain; and The Rt. Rev. Harold Miller, Bishop of our sister Diocese of Down & Dromore. All four are outstanding speakers and have much to offer.

The theme for Convention 2008 is “Press on to know the Lord.” It comes from one of the appointed lessons for the weekend; specifically the reading from the prophet Hosea 6:3.

How is the theme selected? The Planning Committee is given the readings ahead of time for the scriptures appointed for the daily offices and Eucharistic celebrations for the weekend. We are asked to read and meditate upon those readings. When we gather to wrap up the current year Convention and do the initial planning for the next, we discern with prayer and sharing of our individual reflections what the Lord is calling us to select as the theme. Hence our theme: “Press on to know the Lord.”

Before we get to far ahead of ourselves thinking about the 2008 Convention, as a follow up to much of what we laid the groundwork for at Convention 2007, we have two major events coming up. The first is our Bible Conference and Chili Cook-Off, entitled: “On Fire for the Lord,” scheduled for Saturday, August 18th, at Christ the King SLC, 9:00 – 5:00 p.m. Please see the flyer that has been mailed out to all of the parishes or check it out on the Diocesan website: www.albanydiocese.org The flyer is also attached as a Word and PDF documents. It should be an excellent day of Bible learning and fellowship, followed by what will hopefully become an annual event – a Diocesan Chili Cook – Off, where parishes throughout the Diocese are invited to enter a pot of their best chili for friendly competition with other parishes. You are asked to try and pre-register by August 11th, if possible. I am asking every parish to send a team for at least the first part of the day focusing on Bible Study. Hopefully they can stick around for the Chili Cook-Off as well.

Also related to Bible Study, I invite you to try the daily Bible meditation booklet, entitled “Discovery,” handed out at Convention in the diocesan bags. This is an excellent Bible study and daily prayer resource. For those who are looking for an alternative to Forward Day by Day, I highly recommend Discovery. If you didn’t get a copy of Discovery, but would like one, we have a few extra copies at Christ the King SLC or call the Diocesan Office and we can tell you how to order it.

The second thing coming up is a series of informational meetings offered in six locations around the Diocese to begin training Parish teams to lead the Crown Financial Ministry program, which I hope will be in EVERY parish in the Diocese. If we can learn to trust the Lord with our finances, our individual lives and that of our parishes will be set free and blessed in ways that we never could have imagined. The initial informational meetings are set for: Sept. 10, 1l, 12, and Oct. 1, 2, 3, from 7 – 9 p.m. The locations are still being determined. The clergy and lay representatives from each parish are only asked to attend one of the initial informational meetings, which ever best meets your schedule and location. Again, I urge every parish to take part in this program.

One other important event and date to keep in mind is the Regional Confirmation Service planned for Saturday, August 4th, at the Cathedral of All Saints, beginning at 11 a.m. If there are any parishes who have people ready and would like to be confirmed or received into the Church, please contact Jerry Carroll at the Diocesan Office, (518) 465-4737.

As soon as Convention 2007 was over, Fr. Nigel Mumford and I headed out early Monday morning for Newark to catch a flight to the Diocese of Down and Dromore. Bishop Miller had asked me to attend their Synod and then lead a three day retreat for their new clergy being ordained to the priesthood. I was also asked to preach at the ordination Sunday evening before returning to Albany on Monday.

Fr. Mumford was also kept very busy during the visit. He gave and excellent sermon at the Synod and assisted me in leading the Ordination Retreat. Most importantly, he was able to visit some of the sites in Belfast where he served over 30 years ago as a Royal Marine during the height of the tension. Fr. Nigel received a major healing as a result of the trip. All in all it was a very busy, but enjoyable time with our Irish brothers and sisters. Bishop Miller will be with us the last week of July and the first week of August. His daughter Laura and several others from Down & Dromore are helping out this summer with Beaver Cross.

Since returning from Ireland, I have been trying to get caught up on necessary meetings, calling on clergy and parishes, making visitations, and whittling down the stack of paper in the “dreaded” in-box, not to mention emails. While Canon Carroll and Fr. Haskell have been a tremendous help, I am learning more and more there is some correspondence only the Bishop can read and take action on!

I had a wonderful visitation at St. James, Lake Delaware, where Fr Patrick Hunt is the Priest in Charge, and doing an excellent job.

The following weekend, July 1, it was off to Canton to visit Grace Church which is ably led by Mtr. Evette Austin. Many of the Deanery Clergy came by to visit during the reception following the service. It’s always a pleasure to be in the North Country.

On the way home from Canton, I stopped to visit Fr. George Easter who was in critical condition at Saranac Hospital, suffering from pneumonia and complications from a fall. Please keep Fr. Easter and his family in your prayers.

This past weekend, I visited St. Sacrement, Bolton Landing. Fr. Jim Loughren and his wife Laurie are doing a great job helping to build up the parish and its various ministries.

Beaver Cross is in full swing with a new Day Camp program and its traditional overnight program. The traditional program is exceeding last year’s numbers. This is the second week of elementary school kids. They have been full of energy and enthusiasm. It is a pleasure to worship with them during the week. Chris Copeland, Tina and all the counselors and staff are doing a terrific job. One sign that it has been a fun and action packed time is that at the end of the week everyone is totally exhausted. Next week begins the middle school kids.

Our new retreat lodge, The King’s Inn, is now open for business. There are still a few touch-up items being worked on, but we now have all our permits and have had our first overnight guests. Canon Matt Baker is to be commended for doing an outstanding job overseeing the day to day operations and construction of the lodge. It is a beautiful facility and will be a tremendous blessing and asset in carrying out the various ministries at Christ the King.

In addition to Canon Baker, I would like to thank everyone who contributed in so many different ways to the design, construction, financing and furnishing of The King’s Inn. I can’t thank all of you enough who have given so generously of your time, energy and financial resources, making the lodge become a reality. The date for the official dedication of The King’s Inn will be announced soon.

Finally, I ask your prayers for the upcoming SAMS mission trip to Bolivia, organized by Fr. John Scott and Fr. Gus Calvo. Twenty folks from the Diocese of Albany, including Karen and I and our two kids, Chris and Catie will be going to La Paz, Bolivia this Saturday, July 14 to July 26th. I give thanks to God for all the missionaries throughout the Diocese who are sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed, here and around the world.

Faithfully Yours in Christ,
+Bill

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