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News
Retreat-Chapter 2009
Our 26th Year
| We gathered at Trinity
Church, Seattle |
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For the second year were offer the
hospitality of Father Paul Collins
and the people of Trinity during our time in Seattle.
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Above: St. Margaret's Chapel, Trinity, Seattle.
Right: Ascension Window, Trinity, Seattle |
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| Renewals of Professed Membership
Scott Benhase and Bob Gallagher renewed the
Promise during the Mass on Friday -- My promise is to seek the
presence of Jesus Christ in the people, things and circumstances of my
life through stability, obedience and conversion of life. The promise is taken every three
years. The tradition of the
Order is that along with the second time of making the Promise there is
a life long intention. |
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Ascension Press
Michelle Heyne, a
Companion of the Order, was appointed managing editor.
Michelle will be responsible for seeing that these functions are
performed
-editing
-promotion
-harassing writers to get work done
-anything else she can think of
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What Members have been up to
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Father Scott Benhase is the rector of
Saint Alban's Church, Washington, D.C.
Scott was elected as the 6th Presiding
Officer of the Order in 2008. Scott was also the second Presiding
Officer.
Scott is part of the training team for
the Church Development Institute in the Diocese of Washington
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Bishop Greg Rickel has been
settling into his new work as Bishop of Olympia.
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Father Lowelll Grisham is rector
of Saint Paul's Church,
Fayetteville, AR. The parish has established a Servant Leadership
School. Lowell is continuing to write a bi-weekly newspaper column on the
intersection of faith and culture.
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Father Jeremy Bond is
enjoying retirement after 42 years in parish ministry.
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Royster Hedgepeth's
consulting work focuses on developing healthy organizations thorough
board development, strategic planning, and increasing fundraising
capacity. He is currently active as a board member helping revitalize
the Amherst Survival Center and is developing a model for mutual
ministry review. |
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Father Robert Gallagher
continues with his
consulting and training. His book, Fill All
Things,: The Dynamics of Spirituality in the Parish Church has been completed and
is available from Ascension Press. |
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Companions: Michelle Heyne joined us for the initial social
time before leaving for Boston on a work related trip. Michelle continues
her work as a compliance officer in a financial advice firm and as
an intern with the Church Development Institute. Bryan Carr was with us for worship, mutual
spiritual guidance and part of chapter. |
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Michelle Heyne |
Bryan Carr |
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Being a Companion means:
- You come with an interest in joining the
Order. There's no decision to be made at this point by you or us. Just
let us know if at any point you decide the circumstances of your life
allow you to enter the formal discernment process. Being a Companion is
not a permanent form of relationship (as it was earlier in OA history.)
-You're welcome to attend the yearly
gathering.
-You will shape your spiritual discipline
in a way that is congruent with the Rule (it's on the web site in the
documents section).
-The participation might have some limits
on it. For example, if there was an issue that needed to be discussed by
members only. Or we may want to say that your participation in Mutual
Spiritual Guidance was just as this year (offer comments and feedback)
or if you are in a consulting or parish leadership position we might
invite you to do your own sharing.
-The assumption is that you will make
intentional progress toward Professed Membership during the next three
years. That can be extended as` needed. The issue is seeing some
movement. Doing the Church Development Institute is one example; coming
to another annual gathering might be a second.
-You will make an annual gift of $100 to
the Order.
-You may wear the medal of the order; if
you agree to be a Companion on will be sent to you.
-Pay your own travel and room costs to the
annual retreat; meals would be paid for by the Order
The process of becoming a Companion is to
participate in a couple of days of retreat/chapter, receive an
invitation from the Order, and respond to that invitation.
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| Ascension Press Decisions
Books and CD's in the works -- two books on
spiritual practices by Michelle Heyne and Bob Gallagher, a
handbook for prayer by Lowell Grisham, and The Hope of Glory: Congregational
Options by Bob Gallagher, and a book applying spiritual life
frameworks to three large parishes by Scott Benhase, Greg Rickel, Lowell
Grisham, and Bob Gallagher. |
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2010 Common Life Gathering
Retreat/Chapter May 2 - 7
We will meet at
St. Hilda's House in New York City
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| News about our
Companions Bryan Carr and Amanda Klein were married
at Trinity, Seattle on August 2, 2009. Bob Gallagher officiated. The picture
below includes Gabriel, Amanda's son.
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| Michelle Heyne preached her first homily
on the Feast of Thomas Becket 2008 in St. Margaret's Chapel, Trinity,
Seattle. From her homily --
We are all products of our own era. We live in
this age, with all of its attendant cultural, religious, intellectual,
and environmental limitations. We are called to try to discern the will
of God and to take seriously the temporal and eternal consequences of
our actions, but I don’t believe we are called to get it right for ever
and all time. We are called to step up to the plate, to recognize what
is needed today, for these people, in this place and this time. ...
We do our jobs, we take care of our families, we
hang out with our friends, we try to do the right thing in the places we
find ourselves. Sometimes doing the right thing is painful and
frightening. Sometimes, it’s hard to know what the right thing is. It is
easy and natural to become overwhelmed by competing duties, by our need
to do everything correctly, by our anxiety that not everyone will like
us or approve of us. Thomas, by virtue of his ordinariness, by virtue
of his courage in the face of changing truth, helps us remember to focus
on today, this place, these people, exactly where we find ourselves,
knowing that God has brought the kingdom of heaven among us and given us
the faith and hope to proclaim it. |
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