photo by Earl Trygar

Diocesan Pre-Convention Meetings
Diocesan Convention, October 10-11, Christ Church, Reading. Pre-Convention meetings have been set for Tuesday, September 30 (St. Alban's Sinking Spring), Thursday, October 2 (Epiphany Clarks Summit) and Tuesday, October 7 (St. Anne's Trexlertown). Each begins at 7:00 p.m.

Diocesan Convention Registration and Map of Reading Area
If you are a delegate, an alternate or intend to attend Diocesan Convention, Oct. 10-11 at Christ Church Reading, please register electronically here, where you will also find more information about this event. If you intend to stay overnight at the Convention hotel, the Sheraton Reading, delegates must make their own reservations. Call 877-354-1011 and mention that you are with the Convention of the Diocese of Bethlehem. Through the courtesy of David Feick of Christ Church, Reading, a map of Greater Reading that indicates parking, restaurants and the route from the Sheraton Hotel to Christ Church may be downloaded here.

Diocesan Convention: Sock it to 'em
Find more info about this year's Diocesan Convention outreach program, sponsored by the diocesan Episcopal Church Women, here.

Work While Elephants Fight
By Bishop Paul Marshall
What I did this summer was attend a three-week international conference of bishops and then come home to sit with my father while he died.

Neither of these events is close to being sorted through in my mind. Each will reverberate for a long time. In setting and tone, the two events were quite different. What they had in common was my having to be patient with a process I could barely influence, let alone control.

All one could do in either case was be present and receive whatever graces were available. Read it all here.

Statement of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on the Actions of the House of Bishops, Thursday, September 18, 2008
The House of Bishops worked carefully and prayerfully to consider the weighty matter of Bishop Duncan. The conversation was holy, acknowledging the pain of our deliberations as well as the gratitude many have felt over the years for their relationships with, and the ministry of, Robert Duncan. The House concluded, however, that his actions over recent months and years constitute “abandonment of the communion of this church” and that he should be deposed. Concern was expressed for the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in the face of leadership which has sought to remove itself from The Episcopal Church. In the days and months ahead, this Church will work to ensure appropriate pastoral care and provision for the members of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, so that mission and ministry in that part of Pennsylvania may continue in the name of Jesus Christ and in the tradition of the Episcopal Church.

Also available on EpiScope: http://episcopalchurch.typepad.com/episcope/

Neva Rae Fox
Program Officer, Public Affairs
The Episcopal Church
212-716-6080
Mobile: 917-478-5659

Episcopal Appalachian Ministries Begins Small Grants Program
Episcopal Appalachian Ministries (EAM) will use funds from the Appalachian Initiatives grant approved by the 2006 General Convention to make small grants for ministry in Appalachian communities. "We expect to be able to grant about $14,000 in 2008 and $24,000 in 2009," said EAM President, The Rt. Rev. Charles von Rosenberg of East Tennessee. Grants of $500 to $3,000 will be made to diocesan, parish, or community-based organizations in member dioceses which serve communities in the Appalachian region or urban Appalachian (migrant) communities outside the region. Appalachian Initiative Grants will be used as seed money for organizations to seize opportunities of a one-time nature. Grant criteria and application forms are available on-line at www.visit-eam.org. For information, contact interim coordinator Michael Maloney, interim coordinator, at 513.531.8799 or meamon@aol.com. Applications may be submitted at any time but applications received by October 10 will be considered at the October meeting of the allocations committee.

In Lebanon
St. Luke's 150th Anniversary
St. Luke’s Lebanon has been celebrating its 150th Anniversary over the past year. The final event will be on St. Luke's Day, October 19, with Bishop Jack Croneberger presiding and preaching at the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist, followed by a Homecoming Celebration Reception. Find info on St. Luke's history and a few photos here.

St. George's, Hellertown celebrates 100
On Sunday, November 9, St. George’s Hellertown will celebrate 100 years of worship, witness, and service. Bishop Paul Marshall will be the celebrant and preacher at the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist. Special music will be provided by the Brass Band from the First United Church of Christ of Hellertown. Clergy who formerly served the congregation have been invited to participate. After a social hour at the church, the festivities will continue with a banquet at The Meadows at 1:00 p.m. More here.

Weed & Seed Job Placements Top 250 Mark
[This story was posted on the website of the City of Allentown, 09/11/2008]
More than 250 Allentown residents have been placed in jobs thanks to the City of Allentown Weed & Seed employment counseling program. Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Weed & Seed Coordinator Phyllis Alexander, Weed & Seed Employment Counselor Cecilia Rodriguez, Grace Episcopal Church Rector Father Patrick Malloy, Parish Administrator Bob House and employment program client Yendira Rosario marked the occasion this morning at a news conference outside the church. Read more here.

Talbot Hall Grants
The Mission Statement of Talbot Hall is to provide spiritual, emotional, educational, cultural, physical and social opportunities for children who may not have experienced these blessings. This year the Fund will be awarding grants up to $5,000.00.

If your parish or diocesan organization has a program that meets the criteria of this statement, (instructions are found here), please fill out the grant application found here and return it to Diocesan House no later than October 15, 2008. Electronic applications are preferred. Just answer the questions on the application and email it to archdeacon@diobeth.org, and it shall be distributed it to the Talbot Hall Committee.

Parish Transition Guidelines
This document from Bishop Paul summarizes the policies and practices of the Diocese of Bethlehem from the time a priest first meets with him to discuss retirement or a new call through the settling and first year of the new priest. Read more and download the document here.

New IRS publication on churches & tax exemption
The Internal Revenue Service has issued a revised version of its publication, Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations. The 28-page multi-colored publication provides guidance on obtaining and keeping tax exempt status, employment taxes, unrelated business income taxes, employee business expenses, record keeping and filing requirements.

The IRS says that this is meant to be a quick reference to the current state of tax law and procedures as they relate to churches and religious organizations. They say it will be revised from time to time. Download it from here.

Voter Guide
From Father Daniel Gunn
Chair, Social Ministries Committee
Bishop Paul has asked the Social Ministries Committee to help the members of the Diocese inform themselves regarding the upcoming elections. To that end, I have looked extensively for a fair and accurate Voter Guide. The best I have found is at the ProCon website, www.procon.org.

Please take a moment to review the ProCon website, especially under the section for the 2008 Election. Perhaps you have others to share.

In the coming days you will receive from the Social Ministries Committee a Campaign Season Guide for Houses of Worship complete with a video explaining what we as the church can and cannot do regarding elections. I hope you will take the time to review that information.

On another note, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, it is advisable to put a disclaimer on emails with political content sent from a church email address. --Daniel Gunn


Upcoming Events
Sept. 28: Visitation of Bishop Paul to St. Alban's Sinking Spring
Sept. 28: Trinity Pottsville Concert Series, Fyve Woodwind Quintet, 4 p.m.
Sept. 28-30: Clergy Retreat at Jesuit Spiritual Center, Wernersville (Beginning 5:00 p.m., Sunday)
Sept. 30: Pre-Convention Meeting, St. Alban's Sinking Spring, 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 2: Pre-Convention Meeting, Epiphany Clarks Summit, 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 5: Visitation of Bishop Paul to St. James Drifton
Oct. 5: Visitation of Bishop Jack to St. Stephen's Whitehall
Oct. 5: Homecoming Centennial Celebration: St. Margaret’s Emmaus, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 7: Clergy Bible Study I, Cathedral Bethlehem, 9:30 a.m.
Oct. 7: Pre-Convention Meeting, St. Anne's Trexlertown, 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 8: Clergy Bible Study II, St Stephen's Whitehall, 2:00 p.m.
Oct. 10-11: Diocesan Convention, at Christ Church Reading
Oct. 14: Clergy Bible Study III, St Alban's Sinking Spring, 10:00 a.m.
Oct. 15: Archdeacon's visit to St. Paul's Troy, 6:00 p.m.
Oct. 16: Archdeacon's visit to Trinity and St. Phillip Lansford, 6:00 p.m.
Oct. 16: Clergy Bible Study VIII, Christ Church Towanda, 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 18: Bishop Jack at St Luke’s Scranton, Celebration of New Ministry with their rector, Father Peter D’Angio, 2:00 p.m.
Oct. 19: Visitation of Bishop Paul to St. Paul's Troy
Oct. 19: Visitation of Bishop Jack to St. Luke's Lebanon. Followed by 150th Anniversary Homecoming Reception
Oct. 21: Souper Day, New Bethany Ministries
Oct. 25: Visitation of Bishop Paul to the Peacemeal Community, Scranton
Oct. 26: Visitation of Bishop Paul to Good Shepherd/St. John's Milford

For the full Diocesan Calendar, download the latest one from the news blog here.

Education for Episcopal Health Ministry and Parish Nursing
October 5-10
Bishop Claggett Center
3035 Buckeystown Pike
Buckeystown, MD 21717
(Scholarships are available for members of parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem --contact Diana Marshall). “Education for Episcopal Health Ministry and Parish Nursing” is an intensive 5-day course that emphasizes Episcopal traditions in the theology of health and healing, liturgy, polity and prayer. Practical aspects of developing Health Ministry in a local congregation are addressed. Who are we as Episcopal Health Ministers? Why offer Health Ministry in the local congregation? What do Health Ministers/Parish Nurses do? How can we do it? Who should take it? The course is designed for the following:
* Anyone, clergy or lay, who wants to learn more about the function of health ministry in a faith congregation
* Clergy or lay persons who want to enrich an existing Health Ministry in an Episcopal congregation with more grounding in the Anglican tradition
* Health professionals who are beginning a Health Ministry in an Episcopal or other congregation
* Registered nurses who want to attend a course with the IPNRC approved curriculum and nursing CEUs to become Faith Community Nurses and to minister in an Episcopal or other congregation.

Tuition is $400. Room and Board for this course is $400 (double occupancy). Single rooms are an additional $100.
Please contact:
National Episcopal Health Ministries
6050 N. Meridian Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46208
317-253-1277 ext. 34

Tending the Holy Within II
October 17-18
From Friday, October 17 @ 5 p.m. to Saturday, October 18 @ 3:30 p.m. at Mary Immaculate Center, Northampton, PA. Sponsored by the Parish Nurse Coalition of the Greater Lehigh Valley--6 CEU's available. "The purpose of this retreat is to advance the knowledge of Parish Nurses, Health Ministers and those seeking spiritual growth in the areas of healthy behaviors, self-care and prayer in order to promote optimal or wholistic health to self and to our congregation members." Registration fee is $50 and the deadline is September 29, 2008. Scholarships are available for members of parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem. Contact Diana Marshall at d.marsh@rcn.com. For more information or a registration form contact Deb Gilbert, Coordinator of Parish Nursing, Sacred Heart Hospital at 610-776-5346 or dgilbert@shh.org.

Children's Sabbath Weekend
The National Observance of Children's Sabbath Weekend is October 17-19, 2008. Sponsored by the Chidren's Defense Fund, this annual, multi-faith holiday celebrates children as sacred gifts of God. Through worship, educational programs, and congregational activities, take this opportunity to affirm what your parish already does with and for children in your community! Lesson plans for all ages are available which you can use on a Sunday morning. A wealth of ideas including Episcopal Liturgies are included in the Children's Sabbaths Manual. Click here for more information and to download materials for your parish.


Phantom of the Opera
October 31
If you’re looking for a new and totally different way of celebrating Halloween this year (named from “All Hallows Eve” – the eve of All Saints’ Day), your friends at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 35 South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre have just the answer!

On Friday evening, October 31st at 7:30 p.m. St. Stephen’s will present the immortal classic silent movie, The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney! More info here.

J2A Mentor Training
November 7-8
A Diocesan J2A Mentor Training will be held on November 7-8, 2008 at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity. The session runs Friday 7-9pm through Saturday 9am - 4pm. This basic training for Rite 13, J2A and YAC mentors will be led by Gregg Morris of LeaderResources. Those interested in learning more about J2A are also welcome to attend. Snacks provided, please bring a bag lunch for Saturday. Register online, click here. For more information contact Anne Kitch

Creating a Culture of Peace
November 7-9
The Peace Commission of the Diocese of Bethlehem will host spiritually-grounded peacemaker training at Kirkridge Retreat Center, Bangor, PA, November 7-9 (Friday 9:00 a.m. to Sunday 2:00 p.m.) More info and flyers are here.

Happening #18
Happening is a once-in-a-lifetime Christian experience for youth, grades 9-12, Happening #18 will take place November 14-16 at Kirby House in Mountaintop (near Wilkes-Barre). This year's theme is What's Happening on the Big Screen: glimpses of faith in film, television and music. Download a poster here. Register here, where you will also find more information about this event.

Safeguarding God's Children
Frequently Asked Questions

Diocesan Policies

Supplemental Materials