Monday, September 29, 2008

Liturgical Art Website

The visual arts are another way we express our spirituality.

The Episcopal Church and the Visual Arts (ECVA) is an association of visual artists whose mission

...is to encourage artists, individuals, congregations, and scholars to engage the visual arts in the spiritual life of the church. ECVA values the significance of visual imagery in spiritual formation and the development of faith, and creates programs to support those who are engaged in using the visual arts in spiritual life.

Two artists from St Mary's Barnstable who are associated with ECVA, Barbara Hersey and Linda Hunter, have launched their redesigned website,'Now I See, liturgical art to enhance worship and understanding' ...The site features their liturgical artwork.

Barbara got started on banner making out of necessity at Saint Mary's Church, Barnstable as Church School Coordinator. She created the first two 6 foot banners to give the children a colorful backdrop for their annual Christmas pageant. She recieved amazing feedback from parishioners and she had an idea that she was onto something special. She then wanted to work with another artist to make the next set of banners. Barbara asked Linda Hunter, fellow parishioner and artist educator, if they could paint the next banners together. They talked while painting about spirituality, bible stories, color, texture, and all those things that go into the creative process. Twelve liturgical banners, fifty hours and a year later Saint Mary's had an incredible series and "Now I See" had a new mission and portfolio.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Next Assembly: Thursday, September 25 in Plymouth

Welcome back! Tourist season is winding down and Deanery activities are gearing up.
Upcoming Deanery Events:
Sept. 25: Deanery Assembly - Christ Church, Plymouth (Interactive webcast available)

Oct. 21: Pre-Convention Combined Deanery meeting - Grace Church, New Bedford (Interactive webcast available)

Parishes wanting to participate in either/both of the above via the online meeting room, please contact our Technical Liaison

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Details for September 25th Assembly

Our next Assembly is Thursday, September 25th at Christ Church, Plymouth. Bishop Bud Cederholm will be with us, and we will also have a short report from the youth who participated on the Diocesan mission trip this summer.

Agenda:

6:00 pm working supper (brown bag) - discussion groups by topic.
(Youth, Environment, Affordable Housing/Homelessness, Aid to Africa)

6:45 pm Assembly Convenes - reports from discussion groups, standard
reports, and then Bishop Bud's program.

Bishop Bud is planning on leading a discussion on the two articles
listed below. We ask that you follow the links to them, print out each article, and READ both before our assembly.

**Parish Offices & Clergy**

Please check with your delegates this week and make hard copies of the articles and other handouts for those who do not have email.

1. Leadership that matters by Anthony B. Robinson (Christian Century, Dec. 15, 1999)
2. Dimensions of Pastoral Authority by Christina Braudaway-Bauman (Congregations, 2006)

Our Assembly will be available for you to attend 'virtually' via our online meeting room if you are unable to get to Plymouth in person. Please email deaneryweb [at] capeislandsdeanery [dot] org (email address 'spelled out' to avoid spam) if you plan on attending in a 'virtual' sense rather than physical!

For parishes wishing to attend via the online meeting room, please let us know which focus group you wish to participate in.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Recent Video Conferencing...

On Sunday, August 31st, we met online with Rev. Jane Bearden, Church of the Redeemer (Biloxi MS) before she went to open a Red Cross Shelter before Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast. Jane met with people from St. Barnabas (Falmouth), St Andrew's (Edgartown), St David's (So. Yarmouth), and St Mary of the Harbor (Provincetown). Those of us in Massachusetts welcomed the opportunity to see and talk with Rev. Jane and we were able to convey the love, support, and prayers from our part of the country to Rev. Jane and the people in the the path of Hurricane Gustav.



Our online meeting room was in use again in early September when St David's (South Yarmouth) met with the Rector of St Patrick's in Long Beach, Mississippi. The two parishes are entering into a Partnership to help and support each other as St Patrick's rebuilds from Hurricane Katrina. Rev. David Knight of St Patrick's met with Rev. William Heuss and Sr. Warden Rob Parke of St David's to sign the agreement.



We are excited to welcome another Mississippi parish to our online meeting room!