THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF ALABAMA January/February 2016 • Vol. 101, No. 1 Photo by Donovan Marks, C. 2015 Washington National Cathedral 2 • THE ALABAMA EPISCOPALIAN Around Our Diocese Time to apply for ECW Scholarships By: Pat Clanton ECW Scholarship Chairman very year the Alabama ECW Scholarship Commit- than one previous ECW scholarship. Each recipient of tee accepts applications for the College Scholarship this scholarship program can receive no more than $400. EProgram and the Women of the Well Program. To apply for this scholarship an applicant must complete The College Scholarship Program is open to any the application form and follow the instructions provided communicant in the diocese who meets the eligibility on the website. An application for this scholarship may be requirements based on need, church involvement, and submitted at any time. merit. The Women of the Well Scholarships is available to Additional information on the scholarship program is women, both lay and clergy, seeking spiritual refreshment. available online at: . Information on the application pro- The deadline for applications for the College Scholarship cess is available at: http://www.alabamaecw.org/#!/c1xu8. Program is April 30, 2016. Women of the Well applications These scholarships are made possible by generous do- may be submitted at any time. nors who have a passion for the education of our mem- Applicants for a college scholarship must be in good bers. If you or your parish would like to make a donation standing with the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of to the education of a young person in our diocesan family, Alabama; accepted or enrolled in an academic institution please consider making a gift to the ECW College Schol- of college rank; pursuing professional certification or a arship Fund. Contributions may be sent: ECW, Diocese degree from an accredited institution; able to show finan- of Alabama, 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham 35203- cial need; and a recipient of no more than one previous 2611. Please note on your check ECW College Scholar- ECW scholarship. Last year, the committee awarded 11 ship Fund. scholarships representing nine parishes. cant of good standing with the Episcopal Church in the Questions should be directed to: Pat Clanton To be eligible for a Women of the Well Scholarship, an Diocese of Alabama; accepted or enrolled in a spiritual or Email [email protected] applicant may be lay or clergy and must be a communi- religious program or lecture; and a recipient of no more Cell (205)-559-4769 2016 United Thank Offering grant applications now available pplications are now being accepted for 2016 United Thank Offering (UTO) grants. The United Thank Of- The focus for the 2016 grants is Mark Five of the Anglican Marks of Mis- fering will accept: Asion: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the • grant applications for start- earth. up costs of a new ministry. “The United Thank Offering is continuing its tradition of thankfulness by awarding grants for 2016,” said Sandra K. Squires, Ed.D., United Thank Offering Board President. • one grant application per diocese within The Episcopal Church; Established by United Thank Offering, a ministry of The Episcopal Church to • one additional application for a companion grant from a diocese of The Episcopal promote thankfulness and mission in the whole Church, the purpose of the grants is Church may be submitted. This relationship may be formed with an aided diocese to provide start-up money for a new project that focuses on the Fifth Mark of Mission. from The Episcopal Church or with a diocese from The Anglican Communion. The The funds are not permitted for the continuation of ongoing ministries. sponsoring bishop with jurisdiction will be responsible for the accounting of the grant. The deadline for submitting an application is 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, March 4. For more information about guidelines and applications, contact Bea Strong, Dioc- Known worldwide as UTO, the United Thank Offering grants are awarded for proj- esan Coordinator for United Thank Offering, [email protected]. ects that address human needs and help alleviate poverty, both domestically and interna- The application forms, detailed guidelines, and a list of both eligible and not eligible tionally in The Episcopal Church. projects is available at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/uto-grants THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH 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. in 1789. Bishop Archbishop of Canterbury The Rt. Rev. John McKee Sloan Presiding Bishop The Most Rev. Justin Welby Assistant Bishop The Most Rev. Michael Curry Lambeth Palace, London The Rt. Rev. Santosh K. Marray Episcopal Church Center England SE17JU Carpenter House 815 Second Avenue 521 North 20th Street New York, NY 10017 Birmingham, AL 35203 212/867-8400 205/715-2060 The Alabama Episcopalian is published 6 times per year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and Novem- The Alabama Episcopalian ber/December) by the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Previous names for this publication include The Diocese of Alabama (1892), The Church Record Dave Drachlis, Editor (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. Denise Servant, Circulation Secretary ON THE COVER All editorial submissions should be sent to Dave Drachlis at [email protected]. The deadline for each issue is the first day of the Volume 101, Number 1 month of publication. Students and residents of Crochu, Haiti welcome diocesan delega- January/February 2016 USPS 070-910 All address corrections or additions should be sent to Denise Servant at [email protected] or Carpenter House, 521 North 20th Street, tion to St. Alban’s Church. Destroyed during the 2008 hurri- ISSN 1041-3316 Birmingham, AL 35203–2682. cane season the church was rebuilt with support from the Diocese of Alabama. Photo by Dave Drachlis POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections to Denise Servant, Circulation Secretary, The Alabama Episcopalian, 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203–2682. January/February 2016 From Bishop Sloan THE ALABAMA EPISCOPALIAN • 3 Without a Trace of Vehemence how fortunate we all are to have this incredible dioc- there often is, a great deal of sound and fury being ex- esan staff serving our Lord in their various roles in the pressed by some people who agree vehemently, and by Diocese. All of them do incredible work and get along others who don’t, just as vehemently. So you might get while they’re doing it, which is a real blessing. I’m the impression that if you’re not vehement, you’ve got especially grateful for Santosh Marray, Rob Morpeth nothing to say. But maybe, I’m hoping, two or three and Sarah Sartain, and to my assistant Judy Hall, for not of you might hear me say, quite un-vehemently: “The just “holding the fort” but for continuing the work of Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not the Church. overcome it.” Darkness did not overcome the Light at the Crucifixion, did not overcome it in century after century of heresy and schism, has not overcome it in the struggles of The Episcopal Church, and will not “The light shines in the darkness, overcome it ever, so long as faithful people like you and the darkness and the darkness and me offer ourselves into the love and service of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, and hope and pray did not overcome it.” to do the right thing in the Name of Christ. The statement from the Primates’ Meeting is not a surprise; it’s a reaction to actions taken by our General The First Sunday after Christmas we read one of Convention in June of 2015. I think we did the right my favorite passages in the Bible, from John’s Prologue: thing by making a way for parishes to offer same sex “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Hello, friends He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without t’s been a while since my last column for The him not one thing came into being. What has Alabama Episcopalian – I’ve been off on a come into being in him was life, and the life three-month sabbatical from mid-August was the light of all people. The light shines I in the darkness, and the darkness did not to mid-November. I missed making my rounds overcome it.” As the writer of this Gospel from parish to parish and seeing all of you, but tells the story of the Incarnation, there’s no mention of shepherds or the babe laid in I really enjoyed having some time to regroup swaddling cloths – for John it’s the story of and rest, and having some time with the girl of the Word of God taking flesh to dwell among my dreams who has put up with a lot from me us as the life of the world and the light of God in all of us. for a long, long time. I also did some reading One of the striking things for me about The primates of the Anglican Communion meet at Canterbury Cathedral in England this passage is that John does not assure us and writing, which was therapeutic as well.