Wardens, Vestry and Leadership Gathering 2012
SIGNS OF HOPE: Organic Stories from Mission Focused Congregations in Western Massachusetts
The Rev. Dr. Audrey Scanlan, Canon for Mission Collaboration, Diocese of Connecticut will be our plenary speaker.
Saturday, March 10, 2012 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
American International College in Springfield, MA
In this the sixteenth year of Bishop Scruton's consecration, our desire is to honor the Missional work we all have accomplished by the grace of God under his leadership. The principle we are following is this: congregations learn best from other congregations. There are rich stories among us!
Read the details about this year's Gathering here. Registration deadline is February 29.
$28,500 in 2012 Congregational Development Investments Available to Congregations
Application Deadline – March 15, 2012
Mission-Minded Lay and Clergy leaders are reminded to be bold and dream of an area of new mission development for 2012. If there is a new mission initiative you are planning for this year, this is the place to look for a diocesan co-investment.
In 2011, some of the projects funded involved youth ministry, a neighborhood Fiesta, adding a new worship service and Christian formation projects. Please note that $28,500 in 2012 grants is the remainder the Team will be allocating.
To learn more, click here. A reminder that the deadline for all Applications is March 15.
Bishop appoints Anderson Adjunct Member of Staff
The Bishop has appointed the Rev. Hannah Anderson as adjunct member of the Diocesan Staff as a Consultant for Creative and Innovative Ministry. She also serves as the Rector at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Pittsfield, MA. where she was called in 2005.
Read more about Hannah and her spiritual workshops on our Diocesan Staff page or at her own website.
5th Annual Confirmation Retreat Weekend
Join teens from around the diocese for games, food, learning and fun. Every year this event gets better and better; even the teens are talking about how much fun it is!!!
This year's Confirmation Retreat will be held Friday March 2nd at 7pm and overnight until Saturday March 3rd at 3pm at St. Francis Episcopal Church 70 Highland St. Holden, Ma. 01520.
The cost is $25/ person. Please plan on bringing at least one chaperone for your group and two if your group is larger. Chaperone cost is $20 and chaperones will be utilized in programming.
Please register with Jill Williams at jwilliams@diocesewma.org or at 413 531 3263. Registration information is number of attendees and any food concerns or allergies.
Registration deadline is February 24, 2012. For more information, click here.
2012 Audit Materials Available Online
The packet of materials for the audit of the 2011 parish financial records is now available and contains all the documents each parish needs to complete its work. Diocesan Finance Officer Steve Abdow noted that last year every congregation in our diocese completed an audit.
He said it is a point of great pride for our diocese that we do such an excellent job with the annual audits. An annual audit is required by canon and the Diocese has assured our state legislators of our goal of full financial transparency, with an annual audit being a cornerstone of that transparency.
The audit materials can be downloaded here.
Tornado Recovery Weekend #2
In a continuing effort to respond to the needs in the Springfield area following the June 1, 2011 tornado, the Cathedral will join with other local Episcopal churches is a “Recovery Weekend” on the long Presidents’ Day Weekend February 18- 20
The project begins on Friday evening, February 17, with a supper and program at St. Mark’s Church in East Longmeadow. Work projects – all of them indoors – will be held on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Volunteers are the hands, feet and face of Jesus in a time of need – and a true blessing and miracle to those who have suffered loss from the tornado.
Registration forms are available at the Christ Church Cathedral office (736- 2742), and please speak with one of the clergy with any questions.
Diocesan Archives Project
The process of creating a Diocesan Archive began last summer. The goal is to create as complete as possible record of meetings and materials that will help tell the story of the 110-year history of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts.
Click here to read more about the project and the story about how furnishings from the Diocesan Chapel on Worthington Street made their way to the BayState Medical Center Chapel in Springfield.
Bement Camp and Conference Center Sold
The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts is pleased to share the news that the real estate in Charlton and Spencer that was the location of the Bement Camp and Conference Center was sold on December 1, 2011 to Bement, LLC. The land was sold with the restriction that it cannot be used for gambling, lewdness or related uses.
A chronicle of the events can be found here. . The property had been on the market since February 2010.
Diocesan Council has directed that the net proceeds of the sale, after expenses related to the sale will be used to establish the Bement Future Fund, to provide opportunities for Christian formation for adults and youth in the Diocese.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Steve Abdow at Diocesan House. For more on the history of Bement and the sale process, click here..
Diocesan Giving Opportunities using PayPal
We know that in addition to the regular Eucharistic offerings you make at your local parish, from time to time you wish to make offerings to support the mission and ministry of the Diocese. Learn more here.