Spring Edition, 2014 - Church of the Holy Family

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION OF THE ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC COMMUNION
Your Synod 2014
delegates
“in the saddle”
—NOT THAT THEY’RE LONE COWPOKES.
THEY’RE HERE TO LISTEN.
Bonnie Fraser and Dale Lewis led a very informative initial gathering of
the region’s delegates to the HOL and HOP on March 29. Delegates from
COB provided breakfast.
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
1
Contents
Regional Synod delegates gather, 1
From the desk of the Regional Vicar, 2- 3
Directory of Communities, 3-5
Shadowlands Benefit, 4
CHF Garage Sale, 4
COB Spaghetti Supper, 4
CHF Wine, Poetry & Conversation, 4
Suicide Prevention video, 5
Dialogue With Death, 6
Prayers From the Heart, 6-7
COB 10th Anniversary, 7
Compassionate Listening & Speaking, 7
Roy Bourgeois in Boulder, 8
Boulder Community 2nd Anniversary, 8
News from MoM, 8
Letters and Photos of the Region, 9-10
Lenten & Holy Week Schedules, 11
Co-Editors
Sally Allen
SallyJAllen53@gmail.com
Fr. Michael Nicosia
nicosia410@yahoo.com
“Father” Teri
FROM THE DESK OF THE REGIONAL VICAR
The question I get asked most is "Why
Father?" And my answer is quite
lengthy. I had to pray and to play to get
to this naming for myself. I am glad for
it to be a conversation starter.
A conversation about not only how do
we name ourselves, or our priesthood,
but how do we name our image
of God.
I have always been fascinated by
women who wear men's clothes to do
something that has traditionally been
reserved for men: Joan of Arc, Thecla,
Mulan, Matilda of Tuscany, St. Pelagia,
Marina the Monk, and (probably
fictional) Pope Joan. Now, I am a
woman, who is a mother, who people
call Father, who wears what are
traditionally men's clothes to do a job
that has traditionally been reserved for
men only, and those clothes happen to
be dresses and robes and the job
centers on serving food at a table.
Clearly, God has a wonderful sense
of humor.
My name "Father Teri" really started
with my children though. I have three
children. I am very close to my kids.
In 2009, a month before my ordination
to the priesthood, my kids came to me
and said, "Mom. We support your call
to the priesthood. We believe you are
a priest. We believe in your ministry,
and we support you. But Mom, we
want to be the only people who call
you Mother."
Agreed.
But I turned the question back on them
and said, "Well, what should people
call me for a title?"
They spent time on the question and
came back to me and said, "Father."
Their reasoning was that the only way
people would know that I was a priest,
was to use the title Father, and they
felt it was important that people know
that I am a priest—a priest, called by
God, supported by my faith
community.
For me, I don't think all the women
priests should use this title. It seems
appropriate for me, at this time. It
means something deeply to me, and
the ministry that I am living into, and
not just because of my children's
request of me.
For instance, there are some who say
that I can't have this role at all, that I
cannot be an ordained Catholic woman
priest. Part of how that human notion
became part of the Catholic psyche is
that the role of priesthood was
encapsulated in masculine language,
in particular, the title of Father. And
so, I claim it all. I claim the role, and I
claim the name and title connected to
that role.
Isn't it interesting, that when I was a
deacon people called me Deacon Teri
—all masculine in language. Nobody
ever suggested calling me deaconess
Teri. When I was ordained into the
priesthood, I was ordained a priest.
Again, masculine language. Nobody
suggested I be ordained a priestess.
But when I claimed the masculine title
of Father Teri, then people asked
questions. Could that be because the
most common name for God in our
religious history is also Father, and we
as a people of God in general have
struggled to see the image of God in
women? Certainly not you nor I. Or at
least, hopefully not now. But in our
religious past of 2000 years of history,
some women have struggled to see the
image of God in themselves, and that
struggle was magnified by our general
name of God as Father, and the men
who stood as priest at altar and the
women who were denied their call to
stand as priest at altar.
I have had women tell me after seeing
me preside for the first time, the huge
shift they see in themselves as they
begin to glimpse the Divine that →
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
2
lives in them by seeing a woman as
priest at Table. So, on behalf of all
women, not only those who are called
to the diaconate or the priesthood, but
all women, all women created in the
love and image of God, the God who
has most often been called Father, I
claim the name of Father Teri.
Likewise, there are people who say the
ECC is not Catholic, that we cannot
claim the name Catholic with a big "C".
They will tell us that we are heretics,
schismatics, or some kind of
Protestants. But we name ourselves.
And we have named ourselves
Catholic. With a big "C". So, what does
that name mean to us? What does it
mean to who we are? To who we are
becoming? To our experience of God?
We are each baptized in Christ as
priest, prophet, and king. How do we
each live in that image? And what is
our name? We ask our Confirmation
youth this question, but as we grow I
think we should continually be asking
ourselves: What is our name in God?
We are all made in the image of God.
As it says in Genesis Chapter 1, "In the
image of God, God created them; male
and female God created them." We all
are made in God's image and I believe
we all have the potential to be the best
of what is masculine while being the
best of what is feminine, and I think in
my case I want to name that and strive
to live into that beautiful image of God
both/and in which I was created.
And while being a mother is the most
profound experience of God that I have
had, I also know that not all women are
called to be mothers. Not all women
are mothering. For those of us who are
mothers, that is not the totality of who
we are. By choosing the name of
Father, I want us to remember that
there are many ways that women
contribute to church and to building
God's reign in our world. For some of
us, that way is mothering. But for
many it is not. Think of Mary of
Magdala, who was not a mother
according to our Scripture, but a
disciple of Jesus. Over time, because
she didn't connect to the acceptable
archetype of mother in our church
world, she was relegated to the
alternative church archetype for
women of seductress. It is only in
modern times that she is redeemed,
neither mother nor seductress but
disciple, apostle, teacher, and leader.
I wonder what Mary of Magdala would
have named herself.
ECC—Rocky
Mountain Region
CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Fr. Scott Jenkins, Pastor
Mass: 10:00 am Sundays
16738 E. Iliff Avenue
Aurora CO 80013
Lisa Nemmers, Administrator
(303) 369-9000
lisa@holyfamilyco.org
www.churchofholyfamily.org
Yes, I want us as the ECC to value
mothering… and fathering, and
sistering and brothering, and friending
and strangering, and discipling, and allloving.
Our faith community needs Mary of
Magdala as much as we need Peter.
We need a witness to the
transfiguration and a witness to the
resurrection. And both of these
witnesses live in us. Again, the best of
what is feminine and the best of what
is masculine. In each of us. In our
faith. In our tradition.
So. Do I ever correct anyone? I do ask
them not to call me Mother Teri. I do
not insist that anyone call me Father.
I am Teri. I am Mom and Mother.
I am Father Teri. For the time being I
am Vicar Teri. I am Ms. Harroun.
I am Therese Marie Shackelford
Harroun. God calls me by all of these
names, and many more. But this I
know, I am Teri and I am made in the
image of God.
CHURCH OF THE BELOVED
Mother Kae Madden, Pastor
Mass: 5:00 pm Saturdays
10500 Grant Drive
Northglenn CO 80233
Mother Kae 303-426-5464;
MotherKae@churchofthebelovedecc.org
Fr. Paul 720-254-2083
Fr. Len 303-776-1460
www.churchofthebeloved-ecc.org
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
3
Holy Family’s
Annual Garage Sale
Shadowlands
8TH ANNUAL SPRING THEATER EVENT
THURSDAY, APRIL 24TH AT 6PM
Join us at the Denver Center for the
Performing Arts, Grand Seawell
Ballroom and Space Theater, to
support transformation among the
poor through Mile High Ministries
Joshua Station and Justice and Mercy
Legal Aid Clinic (JAMLAC).
A story about love, faith and doubt in
the face of terminal illness, the award
winning play, Shadowlands, chronicles
the life and struggles of author C. S.
Lewis and his wife, Joy Davidman.
Music provided by The Royal Aces, The
Spoken Word, Aynide Russell and
Joshua Station Teens.
$40 TICKETS ON SALE NOW
(group
discounts
available)
at
www.milehighmin.org/spring-theaterevent.
📝
Deadline
FOR SUBMISSIONS TO
THE SUMMER EDITION OF
THE JOURNEY SHARED
July 1
SallyJAllen53@gmail.com
MAY 2-4, 2014
AT THE MILE HIGH FLEA MARKET
PLEASE BRING ALL ITEMS, BIG AND
SMALL to the church and we will take it
from there. REMEMBER to ask your
friends and family for donations. We
have Donation letters for your taxes.
(All jewelry should be given to Cathy
Schmidt. We made $1000 from Gold
and Silver last year.) If you see
someone closing up a garage sale, ask
them if you can have the items, and
give them a Donation letter for their
taxes from Holy Family. Please call Jane
Kucharski at 303-741-1115 if you have
questions or need to have large items
picked up.
First Annual COB
Spaghetti Dinner
Fundraiser
SUNDAY, MAY 18
The ladies of Church of the Beloved will
be holding a spaghetti dinner to raise
funds for ministry expenses and
activities for the social justice
committee. With three seatings, at
1:30pm, 3:00pm, or 4:30pm, dinner
includes spaghetti with meatballs,
salad, breadstick, beverage and ice
cream. TICKETS can be purchased
through any COB member, or from
Bev Yantorno at (303) 881-2192 or
BeverlyYantorno@gmail.com.
An Evening of Wine,
Poetry & Conversation
SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 FROM 6-8:30PM
Church of the Holy Family is hosting a
wonderful evening of poetry. Come
enjoy the ambience and hospitality,
and be in a meaningful space of dialog
and appreciation. Bring your favorite
poetry to share; this may be some you
have written or from one of your
favorite poets. This is a fun venue, so
invite friends. Childcare is provided.
PAX CHRISTI ECC CHURCH
Fr. Stan Manickam, Pastor
Mass: 4:30 pm Saturdays
6th Avenue United Church of Christ
3250 Sixth Avenue
Denver CO 80206
Fr. Stan 720-323-2099;
Stan.Manickam@comcast.net
Fr. Michael Nicosia, Associate Pastor
720-218-1081;
nicosia410@yahoo.com
Sue Kaessner, Administrator
sue.kaessner@paxchristi-ecc.org
www.paxchristi-ecc.org
LIGHT OF CHRIST
ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY
Fr. Don Rickard, Pastor
Fr. Teri Harroun, Assoc. Pastor
Masses: 5:00 pm Saturdays,
11:45 am Sundays
and 9:00 am Wednesdays
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
1000 W. 15th Avenue
Longmont CO 80501
303-772-3785;
churchoffice@lightofchristecc.org
www.lightofchristecc.org
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
4
“Ears Wide Open?”
A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE
The following letter came to my desk.
Share the referenced video freely.
Dear Father Nicosia:
My name is Terrie Johnson, and I am
employed as the senior editor at a
nationally
recognized
advertising
agency in Kansas City. I’m also a
published author, an awarded public
speaker, and I write a daily blog that
has a large readership base. Those
things describe what I do, but they do
not tell you who I am. I’m a daughter, a
sister, a mother, a grandmother and a
friend. I am all of those. And I am gay.
Having been raised in a conservative
faith in Tennessee, I spent my life living
in hiding and hating myself because of
my sexual orientation. I was on the
verge of committing suicide because I
felt as though I could no longer live
with the lie, but was interrupted within
minutes of attempting to carry out my
plan. I eventually came out to a friend
and then told my adult children and
extended family. Many friends and a
few family members chose to sever ties
with me following my admission, all of
my speaking engagements in Christian
venues
booked
through
2015
cancelled, and the church where I had
been an actively involved member for
more than 20 years told me I was no
longer welcome there. But for the first
time in my life, I am being honest with
God, with myself and with those who
matter most to me.
Following the overwhelming response
to my coming out blog post in 2013, I
teamed up with a young award-
winning filmmaker to create the short
3-minute video “Ears Wide Open?” as a
Public Service Announcement for the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
The
exclusively
nonprofit
film,
produced by Evincery Films, delivers a
poignant message of love and
acceptance. It is currently featured in
multiple online venues (including the
Matthew Shepard Foundation website,
MatthewsPlace.com), has been promoted by well-known columnists in
The New York Times and The Miami
Herald, is being shown in community
youth centers and churches across the
country, shared by people such as an
executive producer of It Gets Better
and a board member of the NOH8
campaign and organizations such as
The Gay Dad Project, is part of a special
presentation for several Midwestern
universities and is posted in the
Favorite Videos section of the NSPL’s
YouTube channel. We’ve received
thousands of messages from people
who have been touched by the video
and the hope that it offers.
The purpose of my note is to request
your help in spreading the message by
sharing the video. That’s all, just share
the video ... our sole motivation in
creating it is to reach out to others who
are struggling.
Together, we can
spread the word that life is worth living
and that it’s okay to be who you are.
At the end of the day, if the video
reaches just one person and causes
them to choose to live and to
understand that it really does get
better … well … that’s what I would call
an awesome day indeed.
Thank you for being a voice for change
and for giving consideration to helping
us reach those who are hurting.
Together, we CAN make a difference.
Terrie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu
re=player_detailpage&v=4BjpS2YdR0s
http://vimeo.com/60904536
MARY OF MAGDALA COMMUNITY
Fr. Jim DeMuth, Pastoral Director
Mass: 5:00 pm Sundays
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
1208 W. Elizabeth Street
Fort Collins CO 80521
970-217-3009
marymagdalafc@gmail.com
http://marymagdalafc.org
Also check out our friends of the
COMMUNITY IN BOULDER
Mass: 1:30 pm
every third Sunday
Community United Church of Christ
2650 Table Mesa Drive
Boulder CO 80305
Mother Sheila Dierks
303-449-4302
books@wovenword.com
For more information about the
ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC
COMMUNION, visit
http://ecumenical-catholiccommunion.org
http://www.terriedjohnson.com/
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
5
Dialogue With Death
PREPARING SO LOVED ONES DO NOT HAVE
TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, READINESS SO
OUR TRUE WISHES ARE HONORED AND
CLARITY SO THERE IS NO CONFUSION AT THE
END OF OUR DAYS...
Dialogue with Death, facilitated by
end-of-life professionals, is a safe and
sacred space for conversations about
death with the purpose of increasing
awareness about the end of life
journey. These dialogues are offered
each quarter to embrace the transition
that each season promises. Come join
us in this transition that each season
promises. Come join us in this
important conversation!
Saturdays from 9:30 to 11:00am
at Church of the Holy Family:
June 21— Summer Solstice
September 20— Autumn Equinox
December 20— Winter Solstice
RSVP to ensure enough goodies are
available to: 303-946-6175 or
sacredspacecolorado@gmail.com
Offered freely. Donations greatly
appreciated. ($10—$20)
Facilitators:
Spiritual Care Coordinators
Kathleen Gorman, MDiv
Becky Rouse, MDiv
Kathleen Jess, MDiv
CNA Taryn Archer;
Social Workers Leigh Castanos, MSW,
and Nora Helmus, LCSW
Prayers
from the Heart
When you think of prayer, you might
envision someone kneeling or folding
their hands together with bowed head,
or whispering the Our Father. At Light
of Christ, members of the Prayer Shawl
Ministry pray with knitting needles and
crochet hooks, weaving their prayers
into cozy, colorful prayer shawls.
Barb Olander, chair of LOC Prayer
Shawl Ministry catches up on her
knitting.
Noreen Goss and Barb Olander during a
knitting session at LOC.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry at Light of
Christ has been in existence since 2007,
when
members
of
Bethlehem
Lutheran’s Prayer Shawl Ministry
invited Light of Christ members to join
them. Since then, LOC women have
created and given more than 220
shawls to members of Light of Christ
and the general community in times of
celebration and joy, and to those in
need of comfort and solace.
Started in 1998 by two women from
Hartford, Conn., the knitting of prayer
shawls has spread across the globe as a
means of extending peace and caring
to others.
“I was deeply moved by the comfort I
received when a prayer shawl was
given to me after my brother died in
2002,” says Barb Olander from LOC. “I
knew this was a ministry I had to know
more about and hoped one in which I
could become involved.” Now, Barb is
the chairperson of the prayer shawl
ministry at LOC. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
While prayer shawls are a major focus,
members of the Prayer Shawl Ministry
also knit and crochet baby hats, dolls
called Peace Pals. The group also works
with women4women-knitting4peace
in Denver to create scarves that are
sent to women and children living in
areas of conflict around the world. The
prayers and blessings of the knitters
are woven into each and every shawl
and scarf, blanket and doll.
This past summer, teens and adults
from LOC on a mission trip to Pine
Ridge Indian Reservation in South
Dakota, delivered blankets, scarves and
Peace Pal dolls to the people of Pine
Ridge. According to teen Keira Hook,
“The children loved the dolls. The
Peace Pals truly lived up to their namethey promoted friendly relations
between us and the children, and
allowed us to start conversations with
the parents as well. They enriched our
trip to Pine Ridge, and will hopefully
enrich and bring joy to the children
that received them.” →
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
6
Summer, a child at Pine Ridge, receives
a doll.
There is a space in the LOC office
where compact bags containing a
prayer shawl and a prayer card sit
ready to be taken to hospital visits to
comfort the sick or celebrate the birth
of a baby. “When we knit a shawl or
blanket, we’re also knitting our
community together, stitch by stitch
and prayer by prayer.” Barb Olander
said. “When you’re wrapped in a
community’s prayers for you in the
form of a soft, comforting prayer shawl
– there’s just nothing like it.”
Noreen Goss and Linda Christon from
LOC Prayer Shawl Ministry check out
the latest shawls.
Church of
the Beloved
10th Anniversary
Last November, twelve families from
Light of Christ who had been severely
impacted by the September floods
were visited by members of the
pastoral staff who created a home
blessing for each family and provided
each with a prayer shawl. Hats and
scarves were also distributed locally to
H.O.P.E. and OUR Center in Longmont.
Compassionate
Listening and
Speaking Workshop
On March 7th and 8th, a community of
twenty three participants gathered at
Church of the Beloved to explore and
practice the five core practices of
Compassionate Listening: 1) Cultivating
Compassion, 2) Developing the Fair
Witness, 3) Respecting self and others,
4) Listening with the heart, and 5)
Speaking with the heart. Learning to
listen without comment is a cultivated
discipline.
Kaleia San Miguel giving a doll to
Summer. Haleakala Harroun from LOC
is also in the background.
The girls ready to give out the Peace
Pal dolls last June at Pine Ridge. From
left to right: Keira Hook,Maya Demers,
Kaleia San Miguel, Haleakala Harroun.
for supporting us generously with their
hospitality. One of our long time
members said it best: “I am so grateful
for the gift of the Church of the
Beloved. I celebrate every person and
movement that called us into being
and sustains us day by day. Alleluia!”
(photo on page 10)
Church of the Beloved celebrated its
10th Anniversary in February. A full
community gathered for Mass with
Pastor Mother Kae, Father Len
Schreiner, and Father Paul Burson. It
was an opportunity to remember our
history, where we came from, who we
are now, and what our goals are for the
future with the emphasis on inclusivity.
The celebration of Mass was followed
by a cake reception.
We are grateful to Church of the Holy
Family for supporting us as a mission
until we could stand on our own and to
the Northglenn United Church of Christ
Participants practiced formulating and
asking clarifying questions that
deepened
and illuminated
the
storyteller's inquiry into his or her own
experience. We engaged in an exercise
to identify one's own values and
essence in order to recognize that
often we re-act or enter conflict when
another does not share our deeply
held values. We laughed and cried
together. The work was simultaneously exhilarating and exhausting.
Who knew that listening deeply could
be so taxing?
At the conclusion of our time together,
participants decided that we would like
to form an ongoing learning
community to learn more and practice
and expand our compassion. The
majority of the participants who
completed this introductory workshop
will continue to meet bi-monthly. Julia
Halaby is our skilled and gifted guide,
certified by Compassionate Listening.
To learn more about Compassionate
Listening, go to
www.compassionatelistening.org.
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
7
A Prophet
in Our Own Land
BY MOTHER SHEILA DIERKS
An amazing moment: a prophet shows
up on your doorstep. What do you
do? How do you welcome, and what
do you use the gifts the prophet brings
in a backpack of experience?
ordination of women. Roy was
defrocked by the Maryknoll order for
speaking his truth to justice. Roy now
lives on a small pension, still across
from the gates of Ft Benning where the
School has been renamed Western
Hemisphere Institute for Security
Cooperation.
Humor, sincerity, intensity: he invited
us to join him in the walk to justice in
Central America, in our religious
orders, in our parish lives.
Now Roy is over 70, but has not lost his
vision of a world of peace and justice
for everyone. He is a small man with a
great smile, hoarse from his days of
story-telling and prophetic wisdom.
We were fortunate, indeed, to be open
to the gospel of this pilgrim.
Boulder Community
in Discernment
Celebrates Year 2
Roy Bourgeois, priest, friend of God,
frequent flyer, frequent protestor, jail
bird, and powerful voice for the
ordination of women, came calling at
the Community in Discernment,
Boulder, on March 16.
An overflowing crowd of the curious,
the committed and the Call To Action
folks filled the chairs to hear Roy tell
his story. He is no longer a young man,
a young soldier, then Maryknoll priest
in Central America, then militant
against the School of the Americas
death-teachers. He has spent some
time in prison for trespassing on the
property of the School, carrying the
tape recorded words of Bishop Oscar
Romero, and a loud speaker.
He spoke of his often painful journey
with poor people south of the border,
of his wonderful yet difficult time with
the Maryknoll fathers as he began to
understand the justice of calling for the
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
April marks the completion of their 2nd
year of celebration.
Mthr. Sheila
sends congratulations to all who have
prayed, listened, planned, joined
together for the last two years. This
has been the work and the play of
people as they have discerned what it
means to be faithful.
Community member, Katie Lacz, was
the homilist for their anniversary Mass
on April 6. (photos on page 10)
Mary of Magdala
NEWS IN BRIEF
The youth of Mary of Magdala has
recently begun participating as
liturgical ministers reading the
scriptures and participating in the
music ministry for the parish. We’re
proud of our youth and their spiritfilled participation. (photos page 9)
The Leadership Council will be holding
its third Retreat after Easter. Details to
be announced.
The Annual Meeting for members of
Mary of Magdala will be held May 4,
2014, after the liturgy at St. Paul’s.
The Adult Education Committee is
forming and the Chairperson is Rosean
Amaral.
Mary of Magdala will be joining the
Fort Collins Interfaith Council and
Joyce Trujillo will be attending and
representing Mary of Magdala along
with Fr. Jim DeMuth.
Time, Talent, and Treasurer Survey has
been conducted and a follow-up will be
held Sunday, April 6th after the 5:00PM
Liturgy.
Social Justice Committee held its first
meeting and a survey was conducted
to help the committee determine the
path to be followed in the coming year.
The Second Sunday of each month, the
Social Committee hosts a Pizza and
Conversation gathering for Mary of
Magdala members and anyone
interested in exploring our faith
community.
SYNOD NEWS
Delegates to the synod for the House
of Laity are Becky Orsi and Art Bavosa.
Delegates for the House of Pastors are
Fr. Jim DeMuth and Bill Smith. Art
Bavosa and Becky Orsi presented ECC
Goverance 101 to interested people in
the parish and also explained the roles
of the delegates for the Synod.
NEW PARISH PHONE
Mary of Magadala now has a dedicated
telephone number: 970-217-3009.
THANK YOU!
The Mary of Magdala community
would like to thank the Rocky
Mountain Regional Council members
for their support and direction. We
would also like to wish everyone a
blessed and Happy Easter.
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
8
About Bishops
BY FATHER MICHAEL NICOSIA
“Bishops” is the topic at hand. We are
prayerfully preparing for our up-coming
Synod and the election of our next
Presiding Bishop. The Rocky Mountain
Region continues to discern about
calling a local bishop forward. The
Diocese of Florida recently published a
letter to the Communion about their
concerns that some have weakened
the Episcopal leg of the ECC’s “threelegged stool.”
The experience of some who have been
burned by bishops in the past has
colored much of our conversation.
So, too, have the cherished traditions of
our Catholic heritage. At the recent
regional Synod Delegate meeting,
I shared about the need for a shift in
our understanding of any bishop’s
authority
and
role
within
the community — a shift from the
hierarchical to the sacramental. “The
authority of a bishop isn’t based on his
or her office; it is never an autonomous
authority, but is always empowered by
his/her role and function in relationship
with our synodal model of being
church.”
Letters and Photos
of the Region
THIS SPACE IN FUTURE ISSUES IS YOURS!
If you’d like to give witness to how you
came to the ECC, share a concern or
thanksgiving about a particular facet of
our common life, or suggest ways we
can grow as a region, submit a letter to
our editors.
We edit and/or trim
letters as little as possible, but we
reserve the right to do so as necessary.
Have a photo of a significant event in
the life of our community? Send a little
write-up along with it.
Bishops edify the community by
sacramentally making present Christ
Our Head and carrying on His mission.
Through their ministry of shepherding,
the core of our faith is preserved.
Through their ministry of listening to
and empowering the gifts within the
body, they help us to clarify the will of
God and cooperate with the Spirit.
Through their ministry of the laying on
of hands, Christ’s healing graces are
channeled and His Great Commission
continues. Through their ministry of
leading the community in prayer and
focusing its ministries, the unity of
Christ’s body is enfleshed and the Good
News comes to life.
Mary of Magdala youth
Justin Lamers and Carlos Orsi
lectors
The communities of Light of Christ and
Bethlehem Lutheran celebrated a joyful
St. Patrick’s Day on Saturday evening,
March 15. There was great music,
outstanding food and fellowship, and
there was a wee bit of good cheer.
Extra cheer was found in the fact that
the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Silent
Auction raised approximately $4500
towards the mission trip in August 2014
to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in
South Dakota.
The Lenten Soup Supper on March 26,
was both well-attended and widelyenjoyed as folks from Light of Christ
and Bethlehem Lutheran shared a meal
and stirring conversation in the
Fellowship Hall before entering the
Sanctuary together for a prayerful
Vespers service. The Lenten Soup
Suppers have been a great opportunity
for both congregations to meet and
enjoy a simple Lenten meal and service
each Wednesday during Lent.
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
9
Boulder Community in Discernment
2nd Anniversary Mass and Reception
Lenten Wednesday Prayer Services
at Pax Christi
Church of the Beloved’s
10th Anniversary Mass
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
10
Lenten &
Holy Week
Schedules
FROM NORTH TO SOUTH
Mary of Magdala
Ft. Collins
Palm Sunday
5pm Sunday, April13
Mass of the Lord's Supper
5:30pm Holy Thursday, April 17
Good Friday Services
at 12pm and 7pm, April 18
in conjunction with St. Paul's
Episcopal Community
Easter Vigil
5pm Holy Saturday, April 19
with the Children's Choir directed
by Denise Mayer
No Eucharistic Celebration on
Easter Sunday.
Light of Christ
Longmont
Palm Sunday
5pm Saturday, April 12;
10:15am Sunday, April 13, joint
service with Bethlehem Lutheran
Holy Thursday
7pm April 17, joint service with
Bethlehem Lutheran
Good Friday
7pm April 18, joint service with
Bethlehem Lutheran
Easter Vigil
8pm Saturday, April 19, joint
service with Bethlehem Lutheran
Easter Sunday Mass
Noon Sunday, April 20
Church of the Beloved
Northglenn
Palm Sunday –
Procession of Palms
5pm Saturday, April 12
Holy Thursday –
Celebration of the Eucharist
& Washing of Feet
6:30pm, April 17
followed by Tenebrae at 8pm
Good Friday of the Lord's Passion –
Veneration of the Cross
6:30pm, April 18th
Easter Vigil –
Proclamation of Salvation History
& the Lighting of the New Fire
9pm Saturday, April 19
Easter Sunday – Mass
8am Sunday, April 20
Pax Christi
Denver
Vigil Mass for Passion Sunday
4:30pm Saturday, April12
Fr. Stan preaching and presiding
Mass of the Lord's Supper
7pm Holy Thursday, April 17
Fr. Stan preaching and
concelebrating with Fr. Michael
(followed by a celebration potluck
supper at a member’s home TBA)
Memorial of the Lord’s Passion
7pm Good Friday, April 18
Deacon Candidate Denise
preaching and presiding
The Great Easter Vigil
8pm Holy Saturday, April 19
Fr. Michael preaching and
concelebrating with Fr. Stan
Church of the Holy Family
Aurora
Reconciliation Service
Wednesday, April 9
7pm service of reconciliation and
healing with Mother Kathleen Jess
Palm Sunday
10am Sunday, April 13
Celebrant, Fr. Scott and readings
lead by Deacon David Dunn
Holy Thursday
7pm Thursday, April 17
Celebrant, Fr. Scott
and homilist, Deacon Mike
Good Friday
Friday, April 18
Noon – Stations of the Cross with
Mother Kathleen Jess
7pm – Good Friday services with
Mother Kathleen Jess
Easter Vigil
5pm Saturday, April 19
Celebrant, Fr. Scott
and homilist, Deacon David Dunn
Easter Sunday
10am Sunday, April 20
Easter Brunch following Mass
The Journey Shared—Spring 2014—
11