Rhode Island Interfaith Power & Light Conference

Rhode Island Interfaith Power & Light
http://www.riipl.org/ presents:

Faith Lights Our Way…
toward a sustainable future

La SALLE ACADEMY, 612 Academy Avenue, Providence, RI
Thursday January 8, 2009, 5 pm - 9:30 pm

A conference for clergy, lay leaders, parents, educators, business people, students and others

Register on-line at www.riipl.org/pre_register.htm today!

5:00 pm – 6:55 pm Exhibits Open/Live background music by Lindsay Adler, environmental instrumentalist
7:00 pm , Opening Prayer and Introduction, Rabbi Amy Levin, Temple Torat-Yisrael, Cranston
7:10 pm – 7:55 pm "Signs of Hope: The Role of Religion in Climate Change." by Keynote Speaker, Rev. Canon Sally Bingham, President and Founder of Interfaith Power and Light.
The Interfaith Power and Light campaign and Rev. Bingham have received numerous awards including the 2007 U.S. EPA Climate Protection Award, the Purpose Prize, the Energy Globe Award and recognition as a “sacred gift to the planet” by the World Wildlife Fund. Rev. Bingham was recently named one of the top fifteen green religious leaders by Grist magazine and was installed as Canon for Environmental Ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of California.
8:00 – 8:30 pm Refreshments and Exhibits
8:30 – 9:20 pm Concurrent Workshops

9:20 pm Closing Reflections

Special thanks to La Salle Academy for their support and cooperation.

For Faith Communities:

Tour of the Low-Cost Energy Landscape
Explore low-cost, high efficiency energy solutions suitable for schools, houses of worship, businesses and residences

Paul Jestings, Portsmouth Abbey School ”This Old House of Worship” Savings Through Energy Management program
Learn about a program that teaches teams from congregations to deal with the energy problems of their
buildings.

Wilson Educational Services Launching Pad: Developing a Mission Statement
Learn an effective technique to bring clarity to your congregation’s mission statement. This session will revitalize the congregation and will serve as a launching pad in developing a strategic vision and action plan. Elizabeth David, Performance Results Group

For Schools and Youth:
Becoming a Green School
How recent school greening projects fit into a larger vision of green schools. Students of La Salle Academy

“Our Faith, Our Youth, Our Earth”:
Educators teaching young children (that means all of us!), Brainstorm and experience activities you can bring to the younger members of your community

New Dawn Earth Center / St. Bernard’s Parish The Infinite Potential of Social Networking
explore the concepts behind social networking, examine case studies, and explore its potential when applied to education, community service, social justice, and grass-roots organizing. Matt Lynch, music industry marketing strategist

For Faith and Advocacy:
New England’s Down Payment on the Future: Five Steps in Five Years to Confront the Climate Threat
Actions that we can take now that are realistic, fair and commensurate with the scale and seriousness of the climate crisis. Cynthia Giles, Conservation Law Foundation

What Homeowners Can Do:
Sustainable Living, One Old House At a Time
A retired teacher describes the process of selecting and rehabbing an ordinary ranch house with a view to environmental sustainability and affordability of the long term. The approach taken to the project reflects a desire to “live lightly on the earth” and to “age in place”. Cindy Saksena, Homeowner, Warren, RI

Walking on the Way - Bishop Wolf

"Vestries are worried about pledges and offerings, concerned that they may be less than last year. It is natural for us to be anxious, but anxiety and fear can paralyze the church, creating an atmosphere of stagnation and listlessness. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy he said, ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
-- Bishop’s Convention Address, 2008

Many years ago, a woman gave me an envelope with money inside, and asked that I give it to someone in need. As I was serving in an inner city mission, there were many people who qualified as being “needy.” The neighborhood surrounding our small church was tightly knit, so choosing one person or family over another was difficult, and might have led to distrust and suspicion. In my heart I rehearsed the many people that I had visited, and the many needs that I had observed, and they were overwhelming. It took almost a week for me to remember the family who sold fruits and vegetables from their hand made cart, in a different part of the city. During the summer, I made it a point to purchase food from them. They couldn’t attend church on Sunday because they had to work, but their son sang in the local Episcopal church choir, and when the stand was closed they would attend as a family.

I didn’t know where they lived, so I drove around the neighborhood of the fruit stand, asking people if they knew where I could find Lem and Joan. I was directed to a run-down two car garage on the corner of the block. They sold their fruits and vegetables in the garage that was heated by a kerosene stove. Joan was happy to see me, and our conversation was animated. She pointed to the garage and said, “Times are tough, but God is good. We couldn’t afford an apartment but we got this garage to rent for the winter.” She led me to a corner, set apart by long hanging blankets. As she pulled back the blankets I saw two beds on the garage floor, a light hanging from the ceiling, a propane gas burner, and a few pots and some clothes. “This is home,” she said with a smile, “and we thank God for what we have. There was a young boy leaning on a bed to do his homework. “Remember my son, John, he’s ten now and he’s singing at St. Timothy’s, Christmas Eve, and Lem and I are going to be there.” John looked up and smiled.

Joan and I took a walk down the street, and I said, “Look Joan, a woman in my last parish handed me an envelope with some money to give away, and I want to give it to you and Lem.” As I reached into my pocket her breathing became heavy and her eyes began to well up. I placed the envelope in her small, calloused hands. She was almost afraid to open it, as though it would be empty. Slowly, she opened the enveloped with her rough and cracked fingers, and took a very quick look at the contents. Then she touched each bill slowly, silently counting with her lips. And then she counted again as if the money might not be real: “One, two, three, four, five.” Her shoulders began to shake uncontrollably as she grabbed my shoulders and wept on my coat. It was as if a terrible agony had been removed from her heart and she lifted her arms to the sky and with a wet face said repeatedly, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Jesus.” There were five crisp one hundred dollar bills in the envelope.

Joan was still shaking, when she admitted to me that they owed money for the electricity, and the garage. “We stretch our money to buy kerosene and food because that’s what we really need. But now we’re going to pay back everything,” she said softly, “and put some away for the rest of the winter. Wait ‘til I tell Lem.” With tears still falling upon her face she added, “but first we’re going to surprise John with a Christmas present, because we already told him we couldn’t afford one, and he said ‘that’s okay Mom, I don’t need anything.”

I had tears in my eyes, too, tears of gratitude for Sue who gave me the money, and tears for this extraordinary family. They allowed me to see my blessings in a new way. Indeed, this family rose above fear and timidity, and discovered power, love, and self-discipline in God—even before they opened the envelope.

Christmas is about the extraordinary grace of the Father, sending his son into an unfair and troubled world, to be born in the tents and garages and fields of the poor. However, poverty has different faces. Joan, Lem and John didn’t have much money, but they had abundant faith. There are those whose material treasures are envied by others, but whose spiritual poverty keeps them in despair. This is the season to pray for a rebirth in your life: the birth of Christ within your heart. This is the best gift of all, one that money can’t buy, but which love can give away.

+Geralyn Wolf

Ordination of Susan Carpenter

Bishop Wolf to spend Christmas in Sudan

December 16th, Bishop Wolf and her husband, Tom Bair, departed for the Diocese of Ezo in the Sudan. They flew to Amsterdam and then directly on to Entebbe, Uganda where they will spend two nights. On December 19th, they will enter into the Sudan through Juba, and then on to Yambio in Southern Sudan on December 20th. Flights in and out of Juba/Yambio only happen twice a week, so there is a great deal of faith that the steps along the way will allow this to go as scheduled. From there they have a days ride by vehicle to reach the Bishop of the Diocese of Ezo, the Rt. Rev. John Zawo and his wife Nancy. There they will stay as guests of Bishop John. They have flights to return from Juba to Entebbe on December 28th. They will arrive back in Providence on December 29th.

Please keep Bishop wolf and Tom and Bishop John and his community in your prayers during this time.

Thank you to all who provided pictures of life at your parishes, they were wonderful with a wide assortment of people, events and buildings. They have been placed in a small photo album and will be a gift to Bishop John and Nancy. I am attaching a photo of Bishop John Zawo and his wife, Nancy.

A time and place has been set for a Sudan Debriefing that will be led by Bishop Wolf and Tom upon their return:

Sunday, January 18, 2009, 4:00pm
Church of the Epiphany, 1336 Pawtucket Avenue, Rumford, RI.

All are welcome to come and hear about their trip. A reminder of this event will be sent again after January 5th.

Clergy Association Meeting on Immigration at Central Falls

Six weeks ago, clergy and lay leaders in the diocese unaminously passed three resolutions at Convention dealing with immigration. As a founding member of our clergy association, I was thrilled that our diocese chose to support our immigrant communities, especially the congregations being led by Fr. Jose Roberts. One of those congregations, St. George's in Central Falls, has invited our clergy association to visit next Thursday, December 11th at 10:30 AM to learn more about what they are facing, as a community of faith and as individuals.
Come show your support for Fr. Jose and the community at St. George's, learn about what it feels like to be called 'illegal', listen to those who fear rounding the corner in broad daylight, and meet people who have lost relatives and friends to immigration raids. Afterwards, we'll take Fr. Jose and others to lunch at El Paisa, some of the best ethnic food in Rhode Island. Please let me know that you'll be there.

Welcome our new Communications Officer

Please join us in welcoming Ruth Meteer, our new Communications Officer.

Ruth comes to us from Massachusetts by way of Seattle, Washington. She studied Literature and a combination of Anthropology/Theology in her undergraduate work at UMass Boston and Oxford University. She won various poetry prizes in both places, and served as the Poetry Editor of “The Watermark” literary journal.

For the past 8 years Ruth has worked in a marketing/communications capacity within several fascinating disciplines, including Archaeology and the Music Industry. On personal time, she has been very involved with Young Adult Ministry at her home parishes, the Church of the Advent in Boston and St Paul’s in Seattle. Ruth likes to knit, plays 8 different musical instruments, collects antique garments, and is the proud mother of two cats named Romeo and Moses.

As Communications Officer, Ruth will have oversight of the new Diocesan website and serve as editor of RISEN, E-RISEN, and the Diocesan blog. She will also assist Diocesan programs and departments with their communications needs.

_____________________________________________________________
Mr. Tylan Creason
Canon for Program and Administration
Bishop's Chaplain
Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island