The Alabama EPISCOPALIAN 4 (%%0)3#/0!,$)/#%3%/&!,!"!-!s-!9*5.%s6/, ./ Diocese Holds First Acolyte Festival ÓÊUÊ/ iÊ>L>>Ê «ÃV«>> ÀÕ`Ê"ÕÀÊ ViÃi The Alabama Episcopalian May/June 2014 / >Ê9ÕÊ À> After more a decade- gathering information and-a-half as editor of and photos from people the Episcopal Diocese around our diocese and of Alabama’s newspaper, telling ‘our’ stories in the March/April issue of creative ways. Many The Alabama Episcopalian thanks to art directors was Norma McKittrick’s Becky Denny, Scott Bishop Marray with acolytes from around the diocese at our first last as its editor. Fuller, and Miles Parsons Acolyte Festival. See “First Diocesan Acolyte Festival is Grand Norma was hired in collaborating with me Success” on page 6. Cover photo by William Blackerby to the diocesan staff in in presenting the words IN THIS ISSUE 1997 by then Bishop and images in inviting, Coadjutor Henry inspiring ways.” While our diocese will continue to endorse a Parsley, and has faith- She recalls the sup- residential seminary education as the norm for training fully chronicled the life port of the Rev. Ken priests, the Commission on Ministry is in the process and ministries of our Fields, outgoing edi- of developing an alternative way, a school for min- diocese for more than tor, who mentored her istry that will train non-stipendiary and bi-vocational 16 years -- first as editor through her first issue as priests, vocational deacons and lay people who want to of The Apostle and more editor, which was pub- further their training in ministry. Please see page 10 for recently as editor of The lished in January 1998. details. Alabama Episcopalian. And she remembers More than 400 Episcopalians from our diocese She managed the transi- working with the late gathered at Regions Field in Birmingham for an eve- tion from the monthly Rev. Emmet Gribbin, ning of food, fun, and baseball. Please see “Episcopal 8.5- by 11-inch, two also a former editor, who Day at Regions Field” on page 8. color Apostle, to the loved to take photos. “I Summer is here and for those who are going to full-color, tabloid-sized, always had a delightful be away from church some, our Lifelong Christian bimonthly Episcopalian time with him at dioc- Formation Coordinator Kathy Graham offers some fun in 2009. esan conventions, ordina- ways to “take it with you” on page 15. During her tenure, she collaborated with Bishops tions, and other gatherings.” On a once-barren field in our companion Diocese Parsley, Robert Miller, Onell Soto, Marc Andrus, Kee “We are all so grateful for Norma’s skillful and of Haiti, now stands the permanent home of the Sloan and Santosh Marray -- and the other clergy, staff patient offering of her gifts in the service of this part Lespwa Timoun nutrition and medical clinic. After and people of the diocese -- to tell the church’s story. of God’s Church. She has helped us tell the story more than seven years in the making the clinic opened Prior to becoming the editor of The Apostle, of God’s people in the Diocese of Alabama, and we in January thanks in no small measure to the work and Norma worked on the editorial staffs of Southern are very grateful to her not just for the duration of generosity of the people of the Diocese of Alabama. Living and Cooking Light magazines and as editor in her ministry but especially for the quality of it,” said Please see “Lespwa Timoun – An Oasis of Hope chief of Crane Hill Publishers. Bishop Sloan. in a Desert of Despair” on page 18. Of her time as a member of the diocesan staff, The diocese is in the process of realigning its com- Five seminary graduates from our diocese are be- Norma said, “I appreciate the opportunity I have munications program and staff. In the interim, the ing ordained to the transitional diaconate in May and had to share my professional expertise in producing Rev. Deacon Dave Drachlis, diocesan communications June, as several of our clergy retire or accept new calls. The Apostle and later The Alabama Episcopalian. Much coordinator, will gather articles for the Episcopalian, Please see all of the clergy news on page 20. more than putting together the pages of a newspaper, the website, and other diocesan media. The new garden at Camp McDowell provides an serving as the editor has been a personal ministry of easily accessible sacred space for meditation, reflection and celebration. Read about the dedication of “Pop’s Garden” in memory of the Rev. Milt Glor, a long-time priest in our diocese, on page 21. Also keep up with the latest Bethany at Camp McDowell developments in THE EPISCOPA L C HURCH the four-page center section of this month’s issue. In the Diocese of Alabama In the United States The Anglican Communion About 34,000 baptized members in 92 parishes A community of about An 80-million-member and worshiping communities and 8 college 2.4 million members in 119 dioceses worldwide community of campus ministries. Established in 1830. in the Americas and abroad. Established 38 provinces. The Alabama Episcopalian in 1789. Bishop Archbishop of Canterbury The Alabama Episcopalian is published six times The Rt. Rev. John McKee Sloan Presiding Bishop The Most Rev. Justin Welby a year (January/February, March/April, May/June, Assistant Bishop The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori Lambeth Palace, London The Rt. Rev. Santosh K. Marray Episcopal Church Center England SE17JU July/August, September/October, and November/ Carpenter House 815 Second Avenue 521 North 20th Street New York, NY 10017 December). For the most current news about recent Birmingham, AL 35203 212/867-8400 and upcoming events, please visit our diocesan Web 205/715-2060 The Alabama Episcopalian is published 6 times per year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and site, www.dioala.org. The Alabama Episcopalian November/December) by the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Previous names for this publication include The Diocese of Alabama (1892), The Church Dave Drachlis, Editor Please send stories and photographs (color, if Record (1893–1922), The Alabama Churchman (1923–1987), The Apostle (1988–1997 and 1999–2009), and The Alabama Apostle (1998). Periodicals rate Miles G. Parsons, Art Director postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama. available) for The Alabama Episcopalian to Editor Denise Servant, Circulation Secretary All editorial submissions should be sent to Editor Norma McKittrick at [email protected] or 2156 Kent Way, Birmingham, AL 35226. The Dave Drachlis at [email protected] or Volume 99, Number 3 deadline for each issue is the 1st of the month prior to publication. May/June 2014 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203- USPS 070-910 All address corrections or additions should be sent to Denise Servant at [email protected] or Carpenter House, 521 North 20th Street, 2682. The submission deadline for each issue is the ISSN 1041-3316 Birmingham, AL 35203–2682. 1st of the month prior to publication. POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections to Denise Servant, Circulation Secretary, The Alabama Episcopalian, 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203–2682. / Ê Ê *- "* ÊUÊ9É1 ÊÓä£{ ÀÊ Ã «Ê-> / iÊ>L>>Ê «ÃV«>>ÊUÊÎÊ º,ÃiÊ`ii`» Holy Church really reduced our celebration of the erful today as it was two thousand years ago. Without love of God in Jesus Christ into something we have to the Resurrection, the Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth endure, like filing our taxes, or a trip to the dentist? would have been just one more story of another Jew- In truth, I suspect that most of us don’t have this ish preacher put to death by the Roman authorities, a attitude, but we’re church people, or we wouldn’t be story long ago forgotten; without the Resurrection, the reading this column, or writing it. When you ask eleven remaining disciples would have just kept running people who don’t go to church why they don’t, the an- and hiding, and the wisdom they’d learned from his swer is very often that it’s boring. The churches that are life and teaching would have been scattered with them. attracting large crowds seem to be relying on a mixture of message and entertainment, often a little heavy on the entertainment. What will work in one place is not The story is told of an American tourist who was necessarily the best idea for another excited to be in one of the large cathedrals in England. She was marveling at the architecture, and the windows, place, but all of us need to know that and the beauty of it all, when she saw one of the sex- tons who’d come into the nave to do his job. She said, it’s no longer sufficient to do things with great enthusiasm, “Do you work here?” He said, “Yes, mum.” She said, “Aren’t you just thrilled to come the way we imagine they’ve always to work here every day?” He looked up and patiently been done. replied, “One doesn’t thrill for thirty years, mum.” Now we’re two thousand years into being God’s Church. Many of us go to church pretty regularly; Without the Resurrection, we would be lost in our some of us have for years and years. Of course we’re own sinfulness. But he is risen indeed, and we are of- Hello, friends not in it for the thrills, but … I just have to think that fered forgiveness, and redemption, and grace, and hope Recently I heard a remarkable song on the radio if we really believe what we say we believe – that the even beyond death – Alleluia! by Lyle Lovett called “Church.” It’s about a preacher Lord God of Creation consented to be born as a human Now it’s our turn to tell our Lord’s story: the who wouldn’t stop preaching, so that the congregation at Bethlehem, so that those who believe can know the remarkable astounding story of God and humanity, the became concerned they were going to miss lunch.