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The Oregon Trail Evangan edietion of lEpisciopal stLife The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon JUNE 2009 Convention welcomes Bp. Rivera COVE--A happy, larger-than- expected crowd of about 275 Episcopalians welcomed The Rt. Rev. Bavi Edna “Nedi” Rivera with unanimous lay and clergy votes May 23 to be Provisional Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Oregon. Rivera will be working in the dio- cese about one-third time, under an arrangement with the neighboring Diocese of Olympia, where she is suffragan bishop. She is one of four provisional bishops in The Episcopal Church. The others are Bishop Jerry Lamb, in the Diocese of San Joaquin; Bishop John Buchanan in the Diocese of Quincy, and Bishop Ted Gulick, in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Members of Diocesan Standing Committee presented Rivera with The Rt. Rev. Nedi Rivera, new Provisional Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon, and newly ordained deacons the symbols of office, including the Kay and Bob Totten dance to the joyous hymn Siya Hamba --We are marching in the light of God Photo by Terry Joakimides diocesan crozier; a pectoral cross made by Bob and Aloha Despain; a Presiding Bishop Katharine Diocesan seal, and a tippet that was Jefferts Schori’s schedule in presented to Bishop Rustin Kimsey Bend on Tuesday, June 9: at his consecration in 1980. 10:30 am retreats at Trinity Committee member Amy for diocesan clergy and Martinez, charged with presenting the keys, drew a roar of laughter spouses, followed by Holy when she admitted they could not Eucharist and lunch; 4 pm be located “at this time.” EDEO-only gathering at the In her homily, the bishop said the Boys & Girls Club across from first priority is getting to know her Trinity; 5 pm public Evening new flock “because we are nothing Prayer service; 6 pm public Q if we are not together.” She promised, “God will be with & A session. us.” In this issue: nTalking with Bishop Nedi Rivera 2 n The Despains are Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu preached and celebrated at St. Paul’s, sending 1,000 pocket crosses to The Dalles in May. Story, more photographs on page 5. Photo by Jeanie Senior General Convention 3 n Convention photos, Desmond Tutu visit 4, 5 nSeminarian Michelle Meech on pew aero- bics 6 n Around EDEO 7 nAscension School update, Trinity Bend’s Rite 13 kids 8 St. Paul’s, The Dalles, blesses Seeing Eye puppy Falco as he heads off for a new mission. More on page 7 PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com The Oregon Trail Evangelist Bishop sees “amazing opportunity” Vol. 3, No. 3, JUNE 2009 The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern udice as to what should and should- Joaquin from 1968 to 1989. Jeanie Senior, editor Oregon’s newly-affirmed provisional n’t happen in the next couple of Rivera, 63, grew up in Visalia, 541-386-2091 or 503-936-8835 bishop thinks the diocese is facing a years.” Calif., the oldest of three daughters; [email protected] new frontier. The diocese has some beautiful her middle sister is a therapist and “We’re moving into a new place in buildings “and I hope we treat them the youngest is a California Appeals a part of the world where people well and honor our heritage and all Court justice. don’t even have the foggiest idea that,” she said. During her childhood, Rivera The Episcopal Diocese of what church is, what it should be “But the real chafed because church rules didn’t Eastern Oregon, founded as the about,” said The Rt. Rev.. Nedi treasures are allow girls to be acolytes. Missionary District of Oregon in Rivera. the people of “I really had a sense God was invit- 1907, became a diocese in 1970. “We’ve got, in the Pacific God--how will ing me in,” she said. “I never imag- It includes all of Oregon east of Northwest, a second and third gener- they be served ined that I could be a priest--until the the Cascade Mountains as well as ation of people who have never set and how will church started really talking about it; Klickitat County, Washington— foot in a church, whose parents did- they serve in a once it was clear that the church was some 69,000 square miles. There n’t and grandparents didn’t. So how way that makes someday going to do this, then I are 22 parishes and more than do we be church in that kind of cul- Christ known.” went to seminary.” ture? How do we do evangelism in As a woman She graduated from the Church 2,600 Episcopalians in the dio- that kind of culture, how do we do who is a priest Divinity School of the Pacific in cese. ministry in that kind of culture?” and a bishop, Bishop Nedi Rivera 1976 and was ordained to the priest- She added, “The opportunity is Rivera is familiar with new frontiers. hood in May, 1979, not quite three The Rt. Rev. Nedi Rivera, amazing for us, and I think we’re on When she was consecrated in years after a vote at the 1976 General Provisional Bishop the frontlines of this, we’re just the January 2005 as the first Bishop Convention moved The Episcopal first wave. The rest of Province 8 is Suffragan in the Diocese of Olympia, Church to acceptance of women PO Box 1548 going to follow us, and then the rest she also became the first Hispanic priests. 601 Union Street of the church will follow Province 8.” woman bishop in the worldwide Her father was opposed to the ordi- The Dalles, OR 97058 Among the other questions facing Anglican Communion. nation of women priests. “We agreed this diocese, she said, are “who we She is a third generation priest, and to disagree, there was never a break are called to be together, and how are a second generation bishop: her in our friendship or our relationship 541-298-4477 we going to do that? father, the late Victor Manuel Rivera, at all,” Rivera said. Fax: 541-298-4477 “Ireally do come here with no prej- was Bishop of the Diocese of San And by the time she was elected bishop, he had changed his mind. www.episdioeo.org “He was one of my ordaining bish- [email protected] ops, it was wonderful. He and my DDiioocceessaann CCaalleennddarar mom put my cope on me after the The Episcopal Church, organ- service--his cope.” Both her parents ized in 1789, is a community of died later that year. June 5-6 Diocesan Council, Trinity, Bend 2.5 million members in 114 dio- Rivera’s husband, The Rev. Robert June 9 Bp Rivera will be in Bend ceses in North American and June 9 Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori visit to EDEO, B. Moore, also is an Episcopal priest. Bend Now retired, he has what she calls “a abroad. June 10-11 Bp Rivera, Canon Kiefer at church conference, Sacramento dream job”-- he works for the Seattle June 12 Bp Rivera at St. Barnabas, Bonanza and St.Luke’s, Lakeview Mariners, leading tours of Safeco The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts June 13 Bp Rivera at St. Andrew’s, Burns Field. Schori, Presiding Bishop June 14 Bp Rivera will celebrate at St. Albans, Redmond The couple have four children: his June 30-Jul 1 Diocesan Commission on Ministry, The Dalles, Bp daughter Cristin, lives in the Bay Rivera will attend Episcopal Church Center Area, and the rest live in the East, 815 Second Ave. July 2 Bp Rivera meeting with Lutheran Synod representatives, The including her daughter Mary, hus- New York, NY 10017 Dalles; at All Saints, Heppner in evening. band Jack and their 6 1/2 year-old July 3 Bp Rivera will be in central Oregon daughter Katherine; his sons Rob, July 5 Bp Rivera will celebrate at 8:30 am and 10:15 services at The Anglican Communion is a Transfiguration, Sisters wife Sarah and their children Oliver, July 3 Diocesan office closed for Independence Day holiday 3 and Lily, 1; and Jonathan, wife global community of 70 million July 8-17 General Convention, Anaheim, Calif. Jessica and 1-year-old twins, Elliot Anglicans in 37 member July 30-August 2 Adult Ed Camp, Ascension School and Zachary. provinces around the world. August 2 Ascension School board meeting, Cove “I really do feel my first year is August 13-15 Art Festival/Cherry Fair, Ascension School about just getting to know who peo- The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. August 21-22 Diocesan Council, Diocesan Office, The Dalles ple are, what their questions are,” Rowan Williams, Archbishop of said Rivera, who said by late May Canterbury that she had visited perhaps half of Diocesan Cycle of Prayer the diocese’s 22 parishes.” She posed another question: “when London, England SE1 7JU June 7 For All Saints Episcopal, Hope Lutheran, Heppner June 14 For St. John’s, Hermiston we say we’ve got a congregation June 21 For Church of the Redeemer, Pendleton somewhere, is that something that is Episcopal Life ISSN 1050-0057 June 28 For all campers attending youth camps at Ascension School primarily for the folks who are there, USPS# 177-940 is published or is there something that’s supposed July 5 For the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church monthly by the Domestic and July 12 For all who serve on diocesan commissions, committees and to be transformative in the communi- boards. ty?” Foreign Missionary Society, Inc. July 19 For the Northwest Convocation As her parish visits accumulate, the 815 Second Ave, New York, NY July 26 For St.