Wednesday December 31, 2008

 by Mr. Andrew Kerr. Email: andrew@wyomingdiocese.org

Welcome to the first electronic issue of the Spirit of Wyoming, or eSpirit of Wyoming, as we are calling it. The eSpirit is designed as an easy way of communicating with each other in the Diocese of Wyoming: right to your inbox. Expect the eSpirit in your morning email about 3-4 times a month (or more if there is a special event). If it is too much, just opt out by unsubscribing (the bottom left column) and read archived issues at your leisure: www.wyomingdiocese.org/spirit or www.spiritofwyoming.org. It is easy to get your friends to register, as well. You can forward the eSpirit to them by using the "Forward to a Friend" box on the bottom left column. Or there is an opt-in box to subscribe on the front page of the Wyoming Diocese website: www.wyomingdiocese.org.

This is an exciting time for the Diocese. We are implementing a new website early in the new year that will provide access to great information, as well as, videos, podcasts, blogs and other new technologies designed to help keep the Diocese connected and informed. There is a new eLearning system in use at the Diocese that will soon be able to offer courses and seminars online, as well as provide online support to face-to-face workshops and meetings. A video-conference network is being planned, as well as better Internet access for churches. Mission projects locally, nationally and around the world will be facilitated and even worked on through the Internet, too. 2009 promises to be a great year of communication and connections.

The Diocese understands that not everyone has the access to Internet for many of the exciting new technologies we are going to employ. There is a plan to hold regional workshops on technology to help parishes use the new technologies effectively. Topics will include, email systems, open source technologies, podcasting, etc. There is also a plan to create a cadre of communication officers in every church to not only provide information to the Diocese to distribute, but to distribute hard-copies (printed) of the eSpirit (and electronic Diocese communiqué) to parishioners without access to the Internet. The Spirit of Wyoming has not been replaced with the eSpirit, either. The new Spirit of Wyoming is planned as a quarterly publication in more of a magazine format. Expect the new (printed) Spirit of Wyoming in the next few months!

Lastly, this is a time of great change in the Diocese. Not just with new communication technologies, but a bishop search, new employees, retiring employees, etc. Many of the new communication strategies we are trying may or may not work. Please be patient as we work out new systems, and if you have comments or suggestions, we really do welcome them. Even the format of the eSpirit is not carved in stone. If you have concerns or comments, please share them. This is an evolutionary process for all of us.

God’s Peace, -Andrew

To make comments on the eSpirit of Wyoming, please email info@wyomingdiocese.org. To contact Andrew directly, email: Andrew@wyomingdiocese.org or call: 1.307.265.5200

Visit our web site at www.wyomingdiocese.org.

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Bishop Bruce Caldwell sat down with Andrew Kerr for an interview about the Diocese and the changes happening around us. Click the following link to listen:

This link is posted in Diocese's account with MyPodcast http://wyomingdiocese.mypodcast.com/

Give it some time to load...it may take a few minutes. OR, click on one of the many podcast options, including sending the file directly to iTunes.

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Welcome to the Mustard Seed Mission

by the Rev. John Smylie. Email: jssmylie@yahoo.com

This is an exciting time for our churches. The Mustard Seed Mission website is online and accessable. It is designed to be a resource for you in your mustard seed mission work. We also hope that it will be a place that you will post/share your stories as they are being developed and lived out. Presently you will find the discernment brochure on this site as well as other pieces of information that we hope will prove helpful to you. A special liturgy is also available for your use, we invite you to use your own creativity with the liturgy, taking liberties with it’s design so it will work well in your own setting. We look forward to you reporting back on the progress you are making in your congregations. We will be strengthened by one another’s stories. Please visit the site at www.wyomingdiocese.org/mustardseedmission.

Members of the foundation board, the staff at our diocesan office, and our diocesan ministry developers are prepared to assist where needed. Please feel free to contact anyone of us as concerns or questions arise.

I believe that we all have faith as large as a mustard seed and my hunch is that the work of the Spirit is already acting on the faith that is within us. It is our desire that the Mustard Seed Mission be a blessing not only to our congregations but to the world and to our Lord. What a joy it is to share in this ministry as a diocese as we watch the hand of God at work among us.

Faithfully,

John Smylie
Foundation Board Member
 

The Rev. John S. Smylie is available to assist with any questions you may have concerning The Mustard Seed Mission. John as a member of the foundation board was the one who first presented the overall vision of The Mustard Seed Mission. Email him at jssmylie@yahoo.com or call St. Mark’s Church, Casper at 1.307.234.0831.

Link to Mustard Seed Mission Liturgy (PDF File: Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader www.adobe.com)

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By the Rev. Kay Rohde. Email: kay@wyomingdiocese.org

When the members of the All Saints Guild in Torrington applied for and received a small Wind and Wings grant last year, little did they know that a year later, they would find themselves more deeply involved with helping the babies and toddlers in Goshen County. The members of the guild had applied for and received a small Wind and Wings grant to provide funds to the Early Head Start program at the Torrington Learning Center (TLC) to help young parents stay in school and even go on to college. The funds paid for quality child care and cost of classes so that parents could get the credits they needed to complete high school and for several young persons, go on and begin college. Simple – easy, funds that could be given to a worthy cause.

To the surprise of the guild members, this was just the beginning – a seed planted and little did they know just how much the seed could grow and as it grew – so would they. They visited the Torrington Learning Center to meet the staff and learned that the 8 babies that were enrolled in the Early Childhood education program were the lucky ones. They had a waiting list of between 60 and 80 babies and toddlers under two, waiting for space in the program. Just giving more money for more babies was not a solution as the TLC did not have the space required to take care of more than 8 babies at a time. Guild members toured the existing facility and met some of the children.

The members of the guild asked the question “What would be needed to expand the existing space?” At that point the relationship between the TLC and the guild of All Saints became a partnership. They began to talk about how they could work together to build an addition to the TLC that would allow for up to 30 babies and toddlers to enter the program. The staff of the TLC would begin to put a building proposal together. In addition they would develop a marketing program that the members of All Saints would take out into the community to begin to share the story of the important work of the TLC with these very young children and their parents, many of whom are children themselves. They will be recruiting other churches and civic organizations to help in raising the funds needed for a new building.

In order to get the building project started, All Saints sponsored a raffle for a week in Cabo San Lucas. A member of the congregation donated their time share and $1,000 (to help with transportation). Proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets are designated to provide the start up funding for the initial planning costs – plans and drawings. When the design is complete, the TLC can begin raising funds for the construction.

The members of All Saints have become aware of the great need of teenage moms and their babies in their community, and have become involved at various levels. They will continue to assist in providing funds for child care and education for the parents, they will venture into the bigger project of fundraising for a new building and some of the members will get to know the little folks on a one to one basis as they volunteer to help rock babies at the center.
 

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by Mr. John Masters. Email: john@efwy.org

2009 Sargent Foundation for Episcopal Ministries Grants Announced

Casper, Wyoming – The Episcopal Foundation for Wyoming (EFWy) announced today that more than $550,000 has been awarded to support projects across the state. These EFWy administered Sargent Foundation for Episcopal Ministry grants are the result of the generosity and vision of the late Newell Sargent a well-known philanthropist and businessman from Worland, Wyo. President of Mr. Sargent’s foundation, Charles W. Smith of Casper reflected: “Newell was a true Christian who ministered: to the poor, the needy, the sick, and the afflicted; always tried to help others help themselves. Like the Biblical Abraham, Newell was blessed, but, more importantly, was a blessing to others."

John Masters, Executive Director of the Episcopal Foundation of Wyoming, noted that Mr. Sargent had given his foundation broad discretion in its funding policies which enabled the board of directors to approve a wide variety of applications. The 2009 grants total $114,420 to individual parishes and $440,000 to Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming programs supporting youth and local parishes statewide.

Powell to Install Small Elevator
St. John’s Episcopal Church in Powell has been awarded $35,000 to purchase and install a n elevator. This elevator will address accessibility issues at the church and enhance the congregation’s ability to support community-based activities such as weekly music performances during the Lenten season. The local church will supervise the project, lend skills of its parishioners, and contribute the remaining funds needed to complete the project.

Heating System Upgrade for Shoshone Mission at Ft. Washakie
The Shoshone Episcopal Mission will receive $6,795 to install a new furnace. The previous furnace was damaged by water. The mission serves the people of Ft. Washakie and the surrounding area.

Trinity Church, Lander to Remodel Community Meeting Space.
The Trinity Episcopal Church in Lander received an award of $12,125 to match its own commitment towards the remodeling costs of its community meeting space. Trinity church houses the Lander One-Stop center, an ecumenical program designed to help coordinate the delivery of social services within the community and also plays host to various community and church-sponsored meetings.

Historic Church in Atlantic City to Repair Bell Tower
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Atlantic City is a popular wedding site during the summer months and serves year-around as the meeting space for the residents of this small Wyoming community. The exterior siding of the bell tower, which acts to alert the community to any number of events, was suffering from exposure to the high-altitude sunlight and the extreme temperatures of the region. An award of $7500 will be used by the local community to repair and preserve the bell tower.

St. Andrew’s Church Basin To Make Restrooms Handicap Accessable
A Sargent award of $17,000 will be combined with local resources to enable St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Basin to renovate a restroom and make it handicap accessible. The church, approaching its 100th anniversary, is working hard to restore the church structure, making it an attractive and centrally located community meeting site.

Oregon Trail Church in Eden To Build Restroom
The small community of Eden will see the Oregon Trail Episcopal Church build a new restroom. The old log-style church has operated for many years without adequate lavatory facilities. The pre-built structure will be purchased with the $16,000 Sargent Grant and $5,000 of local funds and will be installed by local parishioners.

St. George’s Episcopal Church in Lusk To Improve Heating System and Kitchen Facilities
In Lusk, St. George’s Episcopal Church received an award of $20,000 which, combined with local resources of $15,000 will be used to perform a general facelift for the church’s kitchen and to replace the existing heating/cooling system. The church’s parish hall hosts various community organizations, including a Girl Scout troop, a local P.E.O chapter and Niobrara Community Education services enrichment classes. It also hosts blood drives, voting polls, and numerous youth activities.

Diocesan program Grants:
In addition, the Sargent Board awarded grants to the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming for operations of it Wind & Wings youth initiative, HR Camp, and Ministry Development programs totaling $440,000.

Sargent Board member and Episcopal Bishop of Wyoming, The Rt. Rev. Bruce E. Caldwell, noted that during the 8 years since Mr. Sargent’s death, gifts totaling over $6 million had been conferred from his Foundation as a clear testimony to his giving spirit which still permeates the state of Wyoming. “We believe these are precisely the type of projects that Mr. Sargent appreciated and supported given his lifetime support for so many similar works,” Bishop Caldwell noted.

The Sargent Foundation looks for strong local support and overall value to the church and the community in determining the most meritorious applications. In addition to Bishop Caldwell, Charles W. Smith of Casper and John E. Masters of Cheyenne administer the Sargent Foundation for Episcopal Ministries.

Applicants should contact John Masters at the Episcopal Foundation of Wyoming, 123 South Durbin, Casper, WY 82601, email: john@efwy.org or call: 307.265.5200 for additional information.
 

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by Mr. Pat Walsh. Email: pat@wyomingdiocese.org

Hank Raymond (HR) Camp is very excited to invite your group to join us in participating in winter activites at the camp as well as other around Wyoming. We offer cross country ski trips, weekend retreats, and snow shoe trips during December 2008 through March 2009. In December the camp did a program with the Casper Boy’s and Girl’s Club on Casper Mountain, and in January the camp is doing three snow shoe trips with St. Mark’s, Casper, Cheyenne Boy’s and Girl’s Club, and St. Luke’s- Buffalo.

For information visit our webpage at www.hrcampfoundation.org. Information and registration forms are available online. Contact Pat to get your church, school, or program out and enjoying the great outdoors this winter!
 

Photos from Casper Mountain Snowshoeing: Pat Walsh leading the group, Briefing before heading out, Middleschooler Catherine Kerr (first time on snowshoes) and Hank the Dog (no snowshoes needed)

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by the Rev. Kathy Robinson. Email: kathy@wyomingdiocese.org

Evangelism happens everyday and all around us...we just need to listen for the stories. This is a wonderful story about a ten year old boy and his story that came to me from his mother, Cheryl Duel. Cheryl is the senior warden in Hartville and the coordinator of the C.L.I.M.B. project in Wheatland.

From Cheryl: My ten year old son Brandon attended our annual convention again this year. He went for the first time with me last year to Jackson Hole and had a wonderful time with the other youth who were there. He is an easy going young man, makes friends easily, and is comfortable in almost any situation. So, I was not surprised when he readily agreed to participate in the World Café conversations, at different tables than I was seated. We had just been told about the Mustard Seed gift and all the tables had rather lively conversations about what they could do.

We finished this activity and Brandon came to find me. I asked how his experience was and he replied, “Mom, I am full of the evangelistic spirit. I had some great ideas and I am ready to do them when we get home.” I was pleasantly surprised by his enthusiasm, but wondered if he would follow through on his plans. He knows that not many of his friends are church goers and decided to do something about it. We came home from Rock Springs and he immediately began having conversations with his friends about their belief in God, if they had been baptized, and so forth. He found out quite a bit and we would visit about his talks when I got home from work. He made his plans entirely on his own, and surprised me when he implemented them. He had three friends spend the night for his birthday this last week on Saturday night. They watched movies and played video games, all the things young boys do, as well as stayed up late, so I really didn’t give it too much thought the next morning as I readied myself for church. It was a little after 8 and I was having a cup of coffee before heading out the door, when Brandon , who had just been awake a few minutes, roused all his buddies and said, “Come on guys, we don’t want to be late for church.” They all got up, got ready, and piled in the van to go. I was totally shocked. I really thought they would come up with some excuse not to go, but they all went willingly and cheerfully. They all sat in one pew in front of me, had their bulletins and got all their pages marked to begin. Brandon introduced them all at the beginning of the service and they participated with full hearts throughout the service. Afterward, at our coffee hour, they all told different members of the church that they would be back. I told them if they wanted to come, all they have to do is call and I will be glad to give them a ride.

His friends continue to come to church, one has been there on a weekly basis, the others about every other week, but they are coming and listening. Small steps to great rewards. Brandon was thrilled that his plan worked, and I marvel at his evangelistic spirit. Brandon’s efforts reminded me of our baptismal covenant, “ I will with God’s help”, because I know God was guiding Brandon every step of the way, and for that I am truly thankful.
 

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By the Rev. Canon Margaret Babcock. Email: margaret@wyomingdiocese.org
At the diocesan council meeting three weeks ago, representatives from around the state listed out the issues with which we need to deal as we continue to be God’s people in the wilderness of Wyoming: better communication, a balanced budget, better communication, more connection between congregations and between congregations and the diocesan office, better communication, more vitality in congregations, better communication, increased stability and sustainability (did I mention better communication?). Actually their comments echoed the feedback from our Regional meetings of the last year and are the issues which the 5 Point plan for Ministry Development in the Diocese is designed to address. (5-point Plan follows) But the importance of communication, which affects our ability to address any of these other issues (which hold us back from being fully the people of God), is the subject I want to address today.

I have two theories about communication I’d like to share with you. The first is a fact (gleaned solely from my personal experience and anecdotal research done extensively over my 28 years of trying to communicate with people in the Church): There is a direct correlation between the depth of relationship between two entities trying to communicate and the success of that communication. Think about this-I know that if I get a call from a close family member in the middle of the day, I will answer it no matter what meeting I am in. If the number is unlisted, or from someone I’m not as connected to, I’ll often let it go. Emails are also answered in order of relational priority. I get way too many to answer every listserv and forwarded note. What I’ve noticed about the Church is that we try to fix communication problems by putting out more and more information ….but , if my theory is correct, the primary problem is not the level of information but the level of attention given the information. And the solution to that problem is to increase the depth of relationship. But how to do that in our hectic lives with such far-flung church families? How do we deepen the relationships in the diocese so better communication is a reality and not just a pipe dream?

Well, that brings me to my second theory of communication, a theological supposition based on very little Old Testament scholarship and a lot of gut level identification with the poor Israelites wandering around in the wilderness (for 40 years!!!!!) before they got to the Promised Land: God calls us to carve out time and space and risk the chaos of wilderness to develop relationships that define us as God’s people and so help us communicate with God. I really don’t think the Israelites were lost all that time. I think they needed that long to learn to relate to God and to each other in a new and different way before they could inhabit the Promised Land. It wasn’t easy work becoming God’s people. They got hungry and grouchy a lot along the way. They had to learn new ways of organizing their communal life (remember Moses finally had to spread the leadership around!) right in the midst of the journey. But the fact is that God’s call was more about becoming community and listening to God than about arriving at the land of milk and honey.

So too with us….our journey in Shared Ministry is not a program that will come to an end (at least anytime soon!). It is instead a carving out of time and space and risking the chaos of going where we have never been before to discover who we are meant to be. We are well on the way in this journey, but (I suspect) looking longingly over our collective shoulder towards the fish and warm fires of Egypt. The call now is to recommit and reorganize for the next phase of the trip, the next level of relationship. And Apostolic Teams are just a way to do that redirecting and reorganizing for the continued Shared Ministry trip which is leading us into deeper relationship with each other and therefore (wait for it)…better communication!

How will Apostolic Teams accomplish this? Well, let me give you the “Who” and “What” of Apostolic Teams….and leave you with my hope that the “How” will be discovered together.

Who: In each one of our six regions Ministry Developers will be asking lay people (one or two from each congregation) who have a passion for ministry beyond the congregation to join the Apostolic Team. They will also invite every priest and deacon, as part of our ordination vows include promising to help with the ministry of the diocese. (This is an invitation, though, not a summons, and some will accept and others won’t.) I do expect all Ministry Developers and Regional Representatives to be part of this team, as it will support and extend their ministries. And all Associated Priests (a subject for the next news article) will also be expected to participate.

What: Each Apostolic Team will have three main purposes. First, to be a ministry of connection and communication in the diocese, helping to knit together all the various congregations and different ministries in which we are engaged. Second, to be a learning community, discovering new areas of and tools for ministry and mission. And finally, to share stories, gifts and talents for the development of the region and diocese.

The timeline for this emerging model of Shared Ministry includes having the initial gatherings of all six Apostolic Teams by February and then workshops with Bruce to explore how this extends the ministry of connection for which the Bishop is the icon. We will also explore the possibilities of long-distance meeting and learning at these workshops. The rest of the year will be one of discovery while the Apostolic teams meet at least once a month and work together to listen deeply to each other and God. And in January of 2010, the Apostolic Teams will take part in an evaluation of their new role. One of main things we will be interested in is whether such teams have, in fact, led to deeper relationships in the diocese as a whole and therefore to better communication…perhaps especially in the area of listening to God’s call for all of us to continue our journey as God’s people.

Link to Apostolic Teams Flowchart

Link to 5-Point Plan (PDF File: Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader www.adobe.com)
 

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Warm winter greetings from the folks at the Esterbrook Community Church!

By the Rev. Kirby and Beth Kudlak. Email: kirbyandbeth@yahoo.com

As we look back on our warm, summer nights sitting under the stars outside the church for our Saturday night movie nights, we wonder what our Wyoming winter will bring us this season. Two things we know for sure-snow and wind! The question remains, how much snow and how high will the drifts be that the wind whips into its interesting creations!

As we cut and split wood and get our vehicles and cabins ready for winter, we’re also preparing for our annual Chili Dinner and Carol Sing/Cookie Exchange and Candlelight Christmas Eve service. Our chili dinner and carol sing have become a community event started as an additional or alternative festivity for folks to enjoy during the holiday season that couldn’t attend our Candlelight Christmas Eve service. Our Carol Sing has evolved into a more spontaneous, less structured service than our traditional candlelight Christmas Eve service.

This year close to 50 people attended our Carol Sing/Cookie Exchange. We look forward to standing room only for our Candlelight Christmas Eve service which is indeed a step back in time to a truly simple, yet glorious evening celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the reason for the season!

Generally, after December, we find it difficult to get in to the church and stay warm. These are good reasons to meet in the warmth of the Kudlak home for Sunday services. With the help of 4 X 4 vehicles with snow blades, a trusty tractor with a snow blower and the occasional help from the neighbor’s skid steer, we keep the road plowed into our cabin where we meet at 11 am every Sunday morning during the winter months. As you might imagine, it is a much more relaxed format with prayer, a song or two, and a biblically centered video series. We’ve come to appreciate the more intimate aspects of “house church” during these cold winter months with often as many as 20 of us gathering on cold Sunday mornings. We end by having food and fellowship and folks going on their way. Yes, a potluck every Sunday, for it is often the only time we’ll see each other during the week.

There are now over 40 year round residents in Esterbrook. We tend to be a close knit group as we have to depend on each other through the year being 30 miles from the closest town. We have truly seen the church become an active part of people’s lives in this rural mountain village.

“Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us this place called Esterbrook. Keep us from taking your beautiful creation for granted and give us humility and faith to be diligent in doing Your work. May the grace you have shown us in the death of Your Son on the cross, shine through us to our friends, our neighbors, and those we encounter along the way. Amen.”
 

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Sent in by Ms. Karen Buckingham. Email: hbuckingham@bresnan.net

CHATTER FROM THE LOFT
by Patty Burke

His big brown eyes peeked over the top of the desk. A slightly used Teddy Bear was clutched in the crook of his plump left arm and his clinched right fist was held high.
“My brother wants to buy that toy,” the youngster’s proud sister announced. With that the little boy released the cherished coins from his hand and a broad smile filled his moon-shaped face. As the youngster, his mother and sister left, he looked back over his shoulder and shyly said, “Thank you.”

And that thank you, which is repeated often in the Choir Loft, needs to be shared with so many. We need to say thank you to our loyal customers, some who wait patiently for our doors to open. We need to show our appreciation to those who donate their goods to us so that we have good merchandise to offer to those customers and we need to say thank you to the Choir Loft staff, including those who work in the public eye and those who faithfully work behind the scenes. And we need to say thank you to the members of the St. Thomas Congregation who have warmly embraced “The Little Store That Could.”

The Choir Loft’s founder, the late Flossie Ogburn, with the assistance of her contemporaries Neva Camm and Blanche McNamara, had a vision more than 30 years ago about opening a store, which would offer quality used merchandise at affordable prices to the citizens of Rawlins. That faith-based vision has not been lost throughout these many years. It is mind boggling to think of the many people who have passed through the Choir Loft’s doors, either as customers or faithful workers. The Choir Loft has survived because of its mission to reach out to those in need.

Thinking back over the past year, we see the bustling crowd that looked for bargains on a hot summer’s day during out garage sale and the laughter we shared at some of our salesmanship skills. We hear the voices and see the warm smiles of the Job’s Daughters who helped sort clothes as a group project. We see the tears that we shared when one of our faithful volunteers died. We see the ways our lives have become entwined with those whom we serve. And we are reminded that God works in wondrous ways.

During the past several weeks the Choir Loft has undergone a face-lift. Walls have been scrubbed and painted, cobwebs have been swept from corners and shelves have been added to those walls. All of this has been done with faith in the proven past and with the belief that we are about to enter a new phase – a new calling if you would – of service. St. Thomas has been challenged increase its response to those in need. However if the congregation of St. Thomas decides to meet that challenge we feel that the Choir Loft could be the foundation. It has proven itself.

We invite you to come by and visit YOUR Choir Loft. Come see the changes and let us introduce to you some of the people who have enriched our lives.

Photograph: Choir Loft
 

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By Pamela Kandt. Email: PamelaGRW@aol.com

On Dec. 21, St. Mark's in Casper hosted its first-ever Community Christmas Dinner. Nearly 100 parish members contributed in some way to the event which fed more than 200 guests. Residents of various social service agencies, including the Central Wyoming Rescue Mission and Seton House, attended with roast-turkey-with-all-the-fixings dinner. The Oil City Slickers barbershop group provided the entertainment. Organizers hope to make the community dinner an annual holiday event.

Photograph: Rev. Carole Buckingham serving a table

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By Mr. Steve Christy. Email: schristy@rangeweb.net

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Sundance WY, in partnership with Bear Lodge High School, prepared an early Thanksgiving meal for students and congregation. Thirty people enjoyed a traditional menu, with the students helping make pies, peel potatoes and decorate the Parish Hall. Church members contributed foods that have been their family favorites. Participation with this alternative high school came about when inquiries for the Mustard Seed Project showed there were needs in the community that could be met immediately. This partnership will continue in December with a day of baking and decorating Christmas cookies, which will then go home with the kids .

Bear Lodge High School, located in Sundance, offers a nontraditional education for 20-25 students, in grades 8-12, from throughout Crook County.

Photograph: Cleo Roberts of Good Shepherd Church helps students from Bear Lodge High School prepare pumpkin pies from scratch.

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The Rev. John Smylie of St. Mark's, Casper, has recently been published in a new book: Sermons on the Gospel Readings, Series III, Cycle B. The book is a collection of sermons designed to assist congregations and preachers. Congregations can use the book as a stand-alone sermon to be read in church if a preacher is not available, or used as a starting point to assist preachers in their own sermons. John's contributions are the sermons for the Lenten season from Ash Wednesday to the end of the Easter season (this includes Holy Week and Easter).

The book can be ordered at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/9rehbz. Contact John at jssmylie@yahoo.com for more information.

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