The Good News From the Office of the Bishop The Rt. Rev. Mark LaHime, 8th Bishop of Alaska Lent 2013 Episcopal Diocese of Alaska, 1205 Denali Way, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 ~ www.episcopalak.org ~ [email protected] Lent 2013 I pray that as you read this edion of the “Good News” you are enjoying a meaningful Lenten Season. Please keep in mind that the season of Lent is not intended to be a period of penitent fear and anxious brooding under the scruny of an angry God such that it seems the only purpose you can find in observing Lent is to “get it right by Easter or get sent to Hell.” Although that is the message o en “preached” in many churches, there is nothing especially orthodox about this theological perspecve of God as divine punisher for sin. In fact, one might argue that this perspecve draws into queson the uncondional mercy and love of God who alone can make in us new and contrite hearts. It is God’s love, freely given and unearned, that sets us free not only for the hope of a place in heaven, but to serve God’s mission of jusce and peace on earth. Lent is a season for leng go of the fears and bonds that hold us back from receiving God’s love to be transformed in our hearts and in our lives for the service of God’s jusce and peace. Hymn 145 from the Hymnal 1982, words by Percy Dearmer, which is found in the “Lent” secon of the hymnal, sounds this Lenten Theme: “Now quit your care and anxious fear and worry; for schemes are vain and freng brings no gain. Lent calls to prayer, to trust and dedicaon; God brings new beauty nigh; reply, reply, reply with love to love most high. “To bow the head in sack -cloth and in ashes, or rend the soul, such grief is not Lent’s goal; but to be led to where God’s glory flashes, his beauty to come near. Make clear, make clear make clear where truth and light appear.” “For is not this the fast that I have chosen? (The prophet spoke) To shaer every yoke, of wickedness the grievous bands to loosen, oppression put to flight, to fight, to fight, to fight ll every wrong’s set right. “ Five Marks of Mission Between 1984 and 1990 the Anglican Consultave Council, one of the four “instruments of Communion” of the Anglican Communion (The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth Conferences, and the Primates Meengs being the other 3), developed the Five Marks of Mission as memorable “checklist” for mission acvity. The Episcopal Church General Convenon in 2012 adopted the Five Marks of Mission as a structure for develop- ing budget priories for The Episcopal Church. The Five Marks of Mission may also be a tool for parishes to use as a way to measure their own mission work and to develop strategic plans to facilitate parish growth and priories. The Five Marks of mission are: ~ To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom ~ To teach, bapze and nurture new believers ~ To respond to human need by loving service ~ To seek to transform unjust structures of society ~ To strive to safeguard the integrity of creaon and sustain and renew the life of the earth I encourage congregaons and their leaders to spend some me working with the Five Marks of Mission. A simple exercise would be to informally ask which of these marks is your parish or community addressing and in what way(s)? Which do you see as opportunies for growth? Which are you not meeng or working on and why? What are the steps or strategies you would take to grow in one or all of these Marks? If you were to use these Marks as a way to measure your budget priories, which, if any, does your congregaon have as a budget priority? And don’t worry, this is not a test. Not every congregaon will be able to clearly connect with all five, but cer- tain I would expect every congregaon to be able idenfy how they express some. Accept the “Challenge:” Please join me in the discipline of reading the enre Bible in a year. The Bible Challenge has been designed to help individuals, groups, parishes, and even Dioceses to engage the joy of reading the enre Bible together in a year. I will begin the Bible Challenge on Palm Sunday (I selected this date because of the ming of this newsleer). You can find the Bible Challenge resources on the web: hp://thecenterforbiblicalstudies.org/ So come on, read the Bible with your bishop...I dare you. The following is copied from the Episcopal Church webpage: The Bible Challenge The Episcopal Church takes reading the Bible very seriously. Approximately 70% of the Book of Common Pray- er comes directly from the Bible, and Episcopalians read more Holy Scripture in Sunday worship than almost any other denominaon in Chrisanity. The Bible Challenge, sponsored by the Center for Biblical Studies, helps individuals and parishes set goals to read the enre Bible, to receive its comfort, strength, wisdom, and guidance, and to gain a deeper understanding of how God has worked, and connues to work. Approved Translaons of the Bible The Episcopal Church has authorized the use of the following translaons of the Bible: King James or Authorized Version (the historic Bible of The Episcopal Church) English Revision (1881) American Revision (1901) Revised Standard Version (1952) Jerusalem Bible (1966) New English Bible with the Apocrypha (1970) Good News Bible / Today's English Version (1976) New American Bible (1970) Revised Standard Version, an Ecumenical Edion (1973) New Internaonal Version (1978) New Jerusalem Bible (1987) Revised English Bible (1989) New Revised Standard Version (1990) (Copied from the Episcopal Church Webpage: www. episcopalchurch.org/page/bible) Denali2013 I am grateful for your on -going prayers and support for my mission to climb Denali this June 7 as part of the Centennial Celebraon of the first ascent. Our work and preparaon connues and my training is in full swing. I am commied to this project not only to honor the memory of Hudson Stuck, Walter Harper, Robert Tatum, John Fredson, Esaias George, and Harry Karstens, but because our partnership with FindingLife will enable us to share the story of the first ascent as well as a message of healing and hope to people throughout the world. For me, that healing message has several points: 1. In 2009 the Episcopal Church General Convenon passed a resoluon officially repudiang the Doctrine of Discovery, naming it for the evil it is and the evil visited upon indigenous peoples throughout history as a result. The Doctrine of Discovery broadly describes the several Church warrants issued by Popes to sancon the claiming of “new” lands for “Chrisan Monarchs.” These warrants authorized explorers to conquer, destroy, and dispossess from the land the indigenous peoples they encountered. In many cases, this led to wholesale genocide of nave people; however, some of the effects of the Doctrine of Discovery were and are much more subtle. For instance, the claiming and naming of Mt. McKinley without regard for the fact that the mountain had been called Denali for thousands of years, is an ex- ample of the Doctrine of Discovery at work. Hudson Stuck described this atude as “ruthless arro- gance” that “contemptuously ignores nave names,” and nave place within the land. The name Denali should be restored , or beer, it should be accepted by all as the proper name for the mountain. I intend to make this point on the climb. 2. Walter Harper is an extraordinary role model for youth. This climb will provide opportunity to tell his story, to share it with youth in Alaska as well as the world, and to use his example to inspire youth to greatness. 3. We need to take seriously our responsibility to be good stewards of the earth. I am hopeful that this climb will provide a plaorm to speak to the Fi h Mark of Mission: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creaon and sustain and renew the life of the earth. 4. My parcipaon in this climb affords an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate Holy Communion, our great sacrament of healing and reconciliaon, from the summit of Denali. I understand that it was Hudson Stuck’s plan to celebrate Holy Communion on the summit 100 years ago, but that did not hap- pen. I will carry with me the communion kit that Stuck took along with him 100 years ago and, hopeful- ly, use it to celebrate the Eucharist. With the technology available through our partnership with FindLife, this liturgy will be broadcast via the web and available so that people throughout Alaska and the world will be able to parcipate. Depending on how the schedule comes together, it may be possi- ble for parishes to gather in churches throughout our Diocese and “concelebrate” with a local priest. In his book, Ascent of Denali, Hudson Stuck speaks of the need for “generous champions” to aid the work of healing and reconciliaon. In the spirit of Stuck’s passion for the mission of Christ, I invite you to be a gener- ous champion of this celebraon and the ministry goals that movate me to make this climb. We need finan- cial support as well as prayer support. You may learn more about the climb and make a contribuon by vis- ing the Diocese of Alaska website: episcopalak.org or denali2013.org. Thank you. I would also welcome individuals who might have appropriate mountaineering equipment to lend.