Current Bishop's Notebook Page 2002 click here to go to: Archived Bishop's Notebook Pages + Topical Index   The Bishop's Notebook Friday, 26 July 2002 Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) Laramie, Wyoming Hello from the high plains and this historic town, home to the University of Wyoming! This meeting is convened every three years in different places around the country where nearly 2000 persons gather from all over the country to worship, have fellowship, and study how to grow a vital ministry to, through, and by young people in the Episcopal Church. The program began with an opening jam session which nearly brought down the house. Quite a gathering. They invited all bishops present--about twenty--up on the stage where we all tried to look like we could keep rhythm to the songs. Later Bishop Mark Mac Donald of Alaska gave a terrific sermon keying on the theme, of what was in the “Gospel zone.” There is great faith and energy here. After the service Alyssa Andrews (daughter of Chaplain Carl and Lynne Andrews) greeted me. In part, it was at the Andrews Family suggestion that we are trying to activate our support of this ministry. Alyssa is attending with the Diocese of Virginia. We have a number of young persons from military families here with their local, off-post/base parishes. Part of my reason in attending was to investigate whether we could also send a delegation from chapels. I have started to count the places at this conference where young people from the military are in attendance, so far there are 21, numbering nearly 160 young church persons! How many more could we get together who don’t have a local parish as sponsors? In CONUS? Overseas? This age group is our future and we are wise to keep that in mind. This nearly weeklong event is filled with fascinating workshops and study groups. I led one yesterday on “Children with Parents in Prison.” A sobering and unfortunately easy talk to give since there are 700,000 parents who are separated from their kids in this way. It was already intended to be unsettling because it was accompanied by the art presentation of Pepon Osorio, who had set up twin movie screens creating a “conversation” between a father in jail and his adolescent son. But as it turned out (and not surprising) some of the attendees had family members in prison. Last night I heard a talk on “Rising From The Ashes” given by the youth of the Diocese of Long Island. Their testimonies were spare and strangely fresh for an event now 9 months old. And no wonder, for while we adults have been rushing around doing “important” work after the crisis, finding some resolution and context for the tragedy, this age group has absorbed the trauma like a sponge, and with little outlet. Because of new program emphases at home to grow the Church, include young people, and with a ministry to the military in the ranks dominated by this age group, I thought it was prudent and planful to be at this summer occasion. That was the logical side, but I’m learning so much more.       +gep The Bishop's Notebook 19 July 2002 Visit to Guam Saint Andrews Church roof Saint Andrews congregation This entry is dedicated to the fine people on Guam though it will be some time before anyone on that island will see it c onsidering that electricity will be out for another 4-5 weeks because of Typhoon Cha'taan. In the local dialect "Cha'taan" means "rainy." And it sure was. At gusts of up to 120 mph this was the surprise storm of the season. Ambling across the Western Pacific it was not considered important with only 75 mph winds but it's a big, warm, ocean. Just the kind of atmosphere which spawns great blows. Up at Andersen AFB even CH Mike and Becky Williams were without power. Further down the island, and no more than 100 meters from the Philippine Sea, St. Andrew's Church lost part of its roof. It was an odd sight to behold of calamity and bounty: the tinroof crumbled like squeezed aluminum foil amidst downed bananas, breadfruit, mangoes and citrus fruits. Fr. Manny Querido, pastor of St. Andrew's, took it in stride reminiscing about "Paca", the famed typhoon of 1997, and the severe damage it had done. "We'll just put it (the roof) back on", he said. In calmer times-three or four days before the arrival of Cha'taan-my trip noted some nostalgia and gratitude. Mark Fish who had served for nearly twenty years on the St. John's School Board, and for much of that time as its president, was retiring. One cannot conceive of St. John's School without Mark Fish, his presence and interest was felt in every inch of the operation. Bishop Packard and Mark Fish At a luncheon composed of those members of the Board who weren't away for the mid-summer break I tried to express our gratitude to Mark through the gift of a bas relief engraving of the lion of St. Mark. Mark Fish has been a lion for the cause of this school. At that time I announced the creation of the "Mark Fish Scholarship Fund" in his honor. This seemed to be fitting given his well-known advocacy in this area of the life of St. John's School. Saint John's School and Church Saint John's School website   Jane Harter Our School will have a challenging year after the exit of the Reverend Ned Sherrill as Vicar-Headmaster. Ned is remembered as especially dedicated to church-school relations and his continuing message of how this school with its 40 year history is part of a larger worldwide community of Anglican affiliated schools. Some might say that his departure brings both St. John's Church and School into an uncertain interim period. But anxiety does not have to characterize this time. It can be a period when successes are highlighted and when shortcomings are shored up. In brief it can be a rich, honest time, dedicated to new hope and plans for the future. In that spirit I have asked Ms. Jane Harter to be the Interim Headmistress of St. John's for one year while we proceed with the search for our next head-of-school. Jane's background is perfectly matched for this time. References to her exceptional experience with private schools can be found both on this website ( )and that of the School ( ). I'm asking everyone in the Episcopal community, and from the greater St. John's School family, to give Jane a hearty welcome. Bishop Packard and Liz Day Liz Day, a faithful servant went into emeritus status after nearly ten years as the Bishop's Deputy. her indomitable presence and itness even pre-dates the Episcopal Church in Micronesia (ECIM) Council. Recently I sat with her at a St. Andrew's Church supper and enjoyed her recollections of when St. Andrew's was two congregations and how Bishop Hart had combined them. Liz arrived on Guam more than thirty years ago with husband, then in the Air Force, raised her children and decided to stay. Through all that time and all the usual connections, challenges and celebrations of a growing family Liz has been a stalwart and faithful member of the Guam Episcopal community. We deeply respect her contributions to the health of the Body of Christ and her well-tempered, wise spirit. For all that and more I have asked her remain as an emeritus member of ECIM. The enthusiasm for mission on Guam goes at a fast pace. Notable is the building of St. Michael's' Church and the eucharistic community on Saipan. The latter was visited both by our new missioner, the Rev. Dale Carr and our equally new Associate for Micronesia, the Rev. Gerry Blackburn on this last trip. The Rev. Tony Gomowad 's vision for these places has been the leadership factor for all. With all this activity and mostly because of the typhoon the remainder of the Far East itinerary-visits to Rick Oberhiede and Vic McInnis in Japan and Gerry Bebber and Gene Zeilfelder in Korea--had to be postponed. But we'll be back in the October!       +gep     Fr. Tony Gomowad (left), Fr. Gerry Blackburn (right) and the Saipan community   (from left to right) Fr. Dale Carr, Fr. Manny Querido, Bishop Packard and Fr. Tony Gomowad in front of the new Saint Michael's Church The Micronesia Clericus meeting (from left to right) Fr. Gerry Blackburn, Fr. Manny Querido, Bishop Packard, Fr. Tony Gomowad and Chaplain Mike Williams   12 June 2002 Prison Ministry 'Dangerous' Conferees Told at 7th Meeting By Val Hymes Note: Rt. Rev. George E. Packard, suffragan to Armed Forces, Healthcare and Prison Ministry, was unable to attend the conference due to scheduling conflicts. . Brook Packard, his wife, led music for Saturday's Eucharist. She was accompanied by a pick-up band of delegates. "Prison ministry is a very dangerous profession," said psychotherapist Dr. Margaret Kornfeld, conference chaplain. "Working in a toxic environment is stressful." The author of Cultivating Wholeness and president of the American Pastoral Counseling Association, Dr. Kornfeld said "The prison system is reinforcing violence in this country and is part of the violence itself. Until we establish a network of care to enter those walls, we have no chance of breaking the system." The delegates attending the Seventh National Prison Ministry Conference June 6-9 in Indianapolis were warned about "burning out" and becoming ineffective ministers. They were urged to connect with others and themselves, to lead a balanced life and to deal with addictions that often include "busyness." Restorative Justice Heals Restorative justice that involves the victim, offender and the community, said author Harmon Wray, consultant to the Episcopal Church and other denominations, is the only way to change a "retributive" system designed to punish the offender and deprive victims of restitution and reconciliation. "Prosecutors consider you a bad victim if you don't want revenge," he said. When the mental hospitals were closed, said Chaplain Willie Crespo of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, "We stopped rehabilitating and shuffled people with mental diseases into prisons." Chaplain Crespo uses a "rolling altar" to reach the floors of the 10-story high-rise Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego, CA. He makes a quick-change transformation of the small chapel for the Muslim and Jewish services with icons and art. But he could not do it all without volunteer chaplain and lay ministers. "They are invaluable," he said. Presiding Bishop to Visit Death Row The Rev. Jackie Means, director of prison ministry for the national church, said Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold plans to visit a death row next year. He has been given five sites to work into his schedule. "We must get the bishops - the leaders - to lead, so the followers can follow," she said. "I don't understand the silence. The silence is killing people." She said she hopes to hear from bishops when someone is about to be executed, or when there is debate about mandatory minimum sentences, the privatization of prisons or a death penalty moratorium. Congress Rarely Reads E-Mail An analyst for the church's Government Relations Office in Washington DC warned that members of Congress rarely read e-mail or form letters and that petitions are ineffective. "The best way to get their attention," said John B. Johnson IV, "is to fax a hand-written or typed letter because postal mail is delayed for months by the anthrax scare. He urged support for S191 - Abolishing the Death Penalty; S233 - Death Penalty Moratorium, and S486, HR912 - The Innocence Protection Act dealing with inmates' rights to DNA testing and other protections against wrongful convictions. "You have an enormous amount of credibility with the leadership," he told the delegates. "Use it." Pakistani Chaplain and Blind Teacher Those attending included the Rev. Douglas Jerome who teaches Education for Ministry (EFM) inside a prison and his Seeing Eye dog, Brogan, who quickly became the conference mascot. Another delegate, the Rev. Nadeem Sadiq, is chaplain in a Pakistan prison that holds 3,000 inmates. Only 100 are Christians. He was shot in the leg by the Taliban before he brought his family to this country. He plans to return to his home although he has been accused of trying to convert Muslims by giving them a small piece of soap or medicine. Some of the delegates have children or neighbors in prison. Some just feel called to the often grim ministry. Others are committed chaplains who walk daily into death row. Inmates Want In Programs at an Ohio prison have reduced recidivism, hostility and tension and have led inmates to send their resumes to the warden begging to be transferred there. "Kairos has literally transformed the culture in the institution," said Christine Money, dynamic warden of the Marion, Oh., Men's Correctional Facility. She has introduced dozens of new programs. One, Kairos Horizon Communities, builds year-long interfaith communities and leaders inside the facility. Community, state, and federal officials and volunteers bring in programs including anger management, family relations, computer skills and mentoring. Kairos Outside for women relatives of inmates and Kairos Torch for youthful offenders are also changing the institution, she said. Other programs include Godparents --- one-on-one weekly visitors, Promise Keepers, Passage, a youth mentoring system, a Silent Choir of 50 men who sign with music, Ministry of Theatre, Prisoner to Prisoner Daily devotionals written by inmates for inmates, parenting programs for fathers to read and record books for their children, Prison News Network with 20 television shows a week produced by inmates and Lifeline for computer literacy. "We create an environment where people can step up and grow," said Warden Money. "God is welcome." Val Hymes is coordinator of the Prison Ministry Task Force, Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. valhymes@aol.com The Bishop's Notebook 5 June 2002 Boniface, Archbishop of Mainz, Missionary to Germany and Martyr Whether watching a ball game in Kansas City or enjoying a "Humor in Life" presentation with Al Staggs at the East Conference, getting together as a chaplain family makes all the difference. My wife Brook noticed that even when Carol Crumley had brought our recent retreat gathering at the College of Preachers to yet another time of intimacy that we entered it willingly, with relish, and "talked shop!" I think that says the means we use to connect and bond is our work and that carried inside that are all the small anecdotes and personal stories which can yield more intimacy and sharing. Currently we are testing different scenarios to include Guard, Reserves, and Prison Chaplains. Many are missing the gatherings we hold and they have a lot to share with us.     +gep   Baseball Heaven!!!     Marshall Scott, Gianni Martin, Joe Vieira (left to right), enjoy their skybox front row seats (and dinner) during their meeting with Bishop Packard, May 10th. The Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 9 to 0!       --return to The Office of the Bishop Suffragan for Armed Services, Healthcare, and Prison Ministries Home Page