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From the Rector Dear Friends, I hope you received my parish-wide letter of December 5, announcing that I have called the Rev. Tambria Lee to be our new Associate for Campus Ministry, effective February 1, 2004. The students, immersed in exams, as I write this, are very excited, as many of you have indicated you are as well. I want to say a word about the expanded notion of our campus ministry as we have been discussing it during this pro cess. Obviously ministry to and with the students is a primary part of campus ministry. These are the future leaders of the Church and of the world, and these formative years are very important ones in their faith journey. Providing a nourishing, challenging, guiding Christian community as they begin to look at serious questions from an adult perspective is vital work for us and for the whole Church. But we are to do more than provide a chaplaincy. Under the leadership of the Associate for Campus Ministry, we are to help provide a presence on campus, working not only with students, but also with faculty and staff. While respecting the parameters and limitations of a secular university, we are to help make real and accessible the spiritual dimension that suffuses all reality. Through our worship, our pastoral care, our service of others, and our willingness to engage significant issues, we are to let our light so shine that others may be engaged by God. The stained glass window to the right of the altar in our church is a constant reminder of our challenging opportunity. It depicts Paul addressing the men of Athens (Acts 17:16-34), an educated community who, among all the other representations of God, had an empty pedestal "to the unknown God" (to cover all their bases!). Paul declared to them that the unknown God was the one who had created the world and who had sent his Son, Jesus. Quoting their own poets, he taught that God is not far from us, for "In him we live and move and have our being," as we now pray in the well known collect. This scriptural story serves as an inspiration to us to proclaim the Gospel "on the campus" in ways that can be readily understood and responded to. I call on all those of us who have direct connection with the University, whether by employment or educational commitment, to be part of this corporate ministry. Make yourselves and your willingness to be involved known to Tammy. Let her know your thoughts about how we can do this together in creative, fruitful ways. I also invite all the rest of us to be as supportive as we can of our campus ministry efforts. Through your generous annual giving, through your warm and welcoming presence, through participation in specific programs, and through your faithful Christian witness in our worship and other ministries of this parish, we can all continue to fulfill this significant opportunity our parish has been given through our location and history. - Stephen Vestry Actions-November 18, 2003 At its November meeting, the vestry:
Associate for Campus Ministry-Job Description Job Summary Approved by the vestry, 16 October, 2003 The Associate for Campus Ministry (hereinafter designated Associate) reports to and will assist the rector in his responsibilities as pastor, priest, teacher, and administrator, sharing in the councils of this congregation and of the whole Church, in communion with the Bishop of North Carolina. By word and action, informed at all times by the Holy Scriptures, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons of the General Convention and of the Diocese of North Carolina, the Associate will proclaim the Gospel, love and serve Christ's people, nourish them, and strengthen them to glorify God in this life and in the life to come. Duties and Responsibilities The Associate will represent the rector and, as Episcopal Chaplain to the UNC community, will lead the parish in the work of campus and young adult ministry. Specifically, he/she will:
The Associate will work closely with, receive counsel from, and be supported by the University Ministry Committee, and act as an ex-officio consultant to the Johnson Intern Program, Social Ministry Committee, Cross-Ties, the Episcopal Youth Community, and with any other parish groups as negotiated with the rector. The Associate will participate in the UNC Campus Ministers' Association, the Diocesan Chaplains' Association, and other national associations, as may be deemed appropriate to the professional development of the Associate's ministry. The Associate will perform a limited schedule of duties as a parish priest, as negotiated with the rector. Interpersonal Relationships The Associate will have contact with all people in the parish including parishioners, staff, and volunteers and persons outside the parish, including UNC students, faculty and staff, campus, diocesan, and national church officials and other members of community, state, and world outreach organizations. Understandings and Expectations Times of Work and Leave The work of the Associate includes not only activities directed to the campus ministry and the parish but also work on behalf of the Diocese, the community, and the national Church. It is anticipated the Associate will observe a regularly scheduled workweek, that he/she will observe regular office hours, and that he/she may set aside one and one half days each week solely for personal and family use. The Associate will have the following periods of leave at full compensation:
The Call to Campus Ministry Tammy Lee Tammy Lee provided the following information for the rector and the search committee during the discernment process for the campus ministry clergy position. I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6 Paul beseeches his hearers to lead a life worthy of the calling to which they have been called. Indeed his statement is a clarion cry to discernment for every believer who seeks to serve Christ. As the Church, it also beckons us to search diligently where once many presumed only individuals should search. I find myself standing in a unique position, between promised lands as it were, with two different yet one community in mind-that one body and one spirit of campus and parish ministry. The structure of campus ministry at the Chapel of the Cross is unusual and, as staff and clergy in this place, we have shared investment in the work God has given us to do. While we have all held different positions, our investment in the whole cannot be separated by job description alone. I arrived at the Chapel of the Cross as a transitional deacon in late August of 1993 as certain as I ever have been about where God was asking me to serve. It has been a fruitful, challenging, sometimes painful ministry, but one filled with copious grace. I have had the opportunity to work with every age group from cradle to grave, each generation offering their own perspective on life with God. Prior to accepting the position here, friends and family made the assumption that, because I was going to Chapel Hill, I was going to work on the university campus. Given my love for the academy I suppose they thought that Chapel Hill was an obvious choice. I carefully explained even to the faculty at Seabury-Western that this was a parish ministry job. They always responded; "Oh but you would be so good as a university chaplain." In retrospect, I wonder if they thought I would be a disaster as parish priest; or perhaps they knew something that I did not. I have been very fulfilled by my work as a parish priest. This was a huge surprise to me since my original plan was to finish a Doctorate of Ministry and a Ph.D. in psychology and then teach in a seminary. I had examined the ultimate questions of condition and existence while working in Holocaust studies at Yale, going so far as to meet with Elie Wiesel and responding to his request for a graduate student to work in this area. I never expected to be here more than three years, having had no interest in the Benedictine vow of stability. I was going to honor my three year commitment to the Chapel of the Cross and be on my way rejoicing. God, however, kept redirecting my attention to the richness of the church and to the lessons to be learned, personally and professionally, about these very questions. Thankfully, I paid attention. I looked annually at other opportunities from Hawaii to Maine. Of late I still keep my ears and heart open if for no other reason than ten years in one place can often lead to complacency, laziness, and boredom. The Chapel of the Cross's size and identity mitigates against the tedium; but one can become, I think, too comfortable and lose the edge that risking new venues often keeps sharp. In these past ten years as I have thought and prayed about how I might use the gifts, talents, and limitations God has given and transformed in me, campus ministry has come to mind. I often confessed to colleagues the sin of coveting Stephen Stanley's job. In the course of my ministry, students have sought me out about personal and pastoral issues. Sometimes they had been in our youth program and moved on to college at UNC. Others I came to know through their volunteering in our youth program as EYC leaders. I also worked with them as post-graduates and in preparation for their marriages. I continue to marvel at that wonderful and sacred juncture of young adulthood-the deep desire of wanting to grow into the person God had called one to be and the need to make a difference in this world that is governed by the powers and principalities that the kingdom of heaven has battled with for years. Eighteen to twenty five was for me the most significant period of religious formation. I was fortunate enough to have at Florida State University the best chaplain one could imagine in a context almost identical to that of the Chapel of the Cross. He was the primary figure in my spiritual development, helping me bridge a gap between biblical literalism and intellectual inquiry. His presence was his gift; and when I think about how I burdened him with, shall we say, less-than-real concerns on a daily basis (like not having a date to the sorority formal or a C on a test) his steadfastness and encouragement enabled a growth that would not have otherwise been possible. He was the one that first suggested seminary when there was not a woman priest to be found. He was the one who pointed out to me after an encounter with Campus Crusade that, "Christ died to take away your sins not your mind." I continue contact with him after almost twenty five years. Each time the position of chaplain at FSU came open Bernie called to let me know about it. It was always a less than subtle hint but one I took seriously each time. Each time I felt God was asking me to continue at the Chapel of the Cross. Now, more than ever, I sense the call to abide with God at the Chapel of the Cross but to direct my energy and effort into developing a call that may have been present all along. I want to help students make the transition into a fuller stature in Christ. Knowing this community as I do will enable possibilities that might not otherwise happen. I believe in blurring the edges between University and Church, making the boundaries more fluid so that we might be challenged by the academy and the academy challenged by us. We have talked about how the demographics of the Chapel of the Cross have changed and that we are less of a university church now than twenty years ago. We have told ourselves that this is ok. I'm not sure it is ok. We are in a prime position to "go forth in the name of Christ," not to convert the campus but, to borrow a Quaker phrase, to "hold it in the light" so that those who are seeking God will be able to find their way to him. Later in the passage from Ephesians, Paul states that some "...would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, [is] joined and knit together…." I want to be a part of joining and knitting together. While it is the work of all God's people, for the university community who call themselves Episcopalians and Christians, whether student, faculty, or administrator, it is their ultimate mission and the Chapel of the Cross's responsibility. University Ministry Committee Michael McElreath, Committee Chair The University Ministry Committee is a group of parishioners and UNC students committed to supporting and enhancing connections between the parish and the university. The Chapel of the Cross has ministered to the campus and its denizens for nearly 200 years, and the UMC is the parish committee dedicated to the ongoing enterprise. I joined the committee about three years ago. We meet once a month to discuss ways to support campus ministry. In the past, the majority of our discussions have revolved around our well-established undergraduate group, the Episcopal Campus Ministry. ECM is a vibrant and active Christian community that supports its current members, the parish, and the wider world through many outreach and mission activities. Too often, I believe the parish takes for granted this group of energetic and creative Christians-we might look to them for ideas and support to invigorate the entire life of the parish. Beyond ECM, however, the UMC sees its role as serving the needs of the entire campus community. Many students-undergraduates and graduate students-attend services at the Chapel of the Cross. We need to figure out meaningful ways to support them in their spiritual life. It is wonderful that CrossTies, the main graduate-student-age fellowship group, has been more active in the last year, under the organization of Kat Tompkins. Bible study led by diocesan intern, Joel Weinberger, and targeted to adults in their 20s and 30s, is also available during the hour between the main Sunday services (all are welcome regardless of age, of course). The UMC would like to extend its outreach (and, by extension, the outreach of the parish and the Church) to the entire campus. We want to find ways to engage the spiritual lives of university staff and faculty as well as students. For example, the UMC is presently planning a program on faith and vocation for future, present, and former students who would like to find ways to integrate their faith and their work lives. We will ask members of the university community to help us figure out how they try to deal with such questions. Stephen Stanley began occasional lunchtime meetings to discuss the intersection of faith and vocation with medical personnel (students, residents, doctors, and nurses) at UNC hospitals in the last year, and we hope to sponsor similar forums in the future. Finally, the UMC has also had discussions in the past year about broadening its vision to include the campus and the community. Part of this vision entails a willingness to speak out on matters of importance to the University community, particularly when they intersect with questions of faith. Look for us to do more of that in the future. bgarren@email.unc.edu Members of the UMC: Elizabeth Bluhm Bob Chase Jean DeSaix Ollie Inglis Mary Olive Jones Mary Brenda Joyner Michael McElreath Brian Smith Michael Stafford Don Stedman Sarah Taylor Kevin Trapani Pat Van Culin Bill Yeager Episcopal Campus Ministry Ben Garren, Student Director for Communications Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM) is a spiritual community that comes together once a week for prayer, discussion, and a shared meal. Most weeks involve a worship service with a themed topic, for instance the freshmen hosted a "Just War" themed evening wherein we prayed for peace and discussed the nature of war in Christian terms. We also bring in guest speakers, two examples from last semester's ranks include a nutritionist and a Zionist movement scholar. Each hour-long program is followed by fellowship over a shared meal cooked by members of the group. Throughout the year we have specific retreats within the community. One of the all-time favorites is the Labor Day beach retreat to Emerald Isle. The weekend is about group formation, worship, and chill-time. We also hold a fall retreat where we go for an evening to Camp New Hope. We have a barbeque, sing songs, say evening prayer, and this year had Joel Weinberger come and lead us in a discussion on the Lord's Prayer. Intermixed with the official meetings are various unofficial get-togethers. There is an ECM men's dinner most Wednesdays. We hold random movie nights in the campus center. Also family groups, sub-groups within ECM, have their own functions that can be anything from sharing a Vermonster from Ben and Jerry's to a formal retreat. ECM also strives to do service within the community. Our members take an active part in the special service for people with developmental disabilities held at the Chapel of the Cross, the prison ministry, Mission 5000, and others. ECMers also are active lay Eucharistic ministers and acolytes at the Sunday services. This year has been different in one major way. We sent our chaplain of many years out to the wilds of Roanoke, Virginia, at the beginning of the semester. Running without a chaplain has been a difficult yet, in many ways, rewarding experience that we are glad to see coming to an end as we joyously bring Tammy into our midst. One of the rewards has been the full realization of a change that happened many years ago. This change was in the roll of the "CAs" or Chaplains Assistants. This role is not as much one of assistants but as leaders, with the chaplain as a learned guide in this process, something along the lines of Tolkein's Gandalf in The Hobbit. The realization of this came about at an ECM meeting where we were discussing the nature of ECM, the chaplaincy, and the CAs. We asked if any one had a better name for the CAs. Now, in the midst of our discussion we had defined ECM as flock, the chaplain as the shepherd, and so someone called out, "sheep dog!" for the CAs. Now at the time no one took us seriously but the name grew on us. Knowing, however, that introducing ourselves as sheep dogs might not be appropriate, we shortened it to the initials S.D. and realized that could equally stand for Student Director. Thus the leaders of ECM are now the SDs, which means either student director or sheep dog depending on our mood and the lunar cycle. I hope the above gives you a better picture of what ECM is and how it all fits together. Feel free to e-mail me at bgarren@email.unc.edu if you want to learn more or become more involved. ECM Alumni Caroline Alexander Williams, UNC-ECM Class of 2002 I have been asked to write about life post-ECM and how my time at the Chapel of the Cross Episcopal Campus Ministry affects my life today. It is impossible to explain the impact that ECM had on me - my best friends, my passion for service, a spiritual community, and even my husband came from ECM! The Chapel of the Cross gives students an incredible gift during our time in Chapel Hill - a home away from home in the campus center, an intergenerational family in the parish, fellowship with other students, endless opportunities to serve God's people, a variety of welcoming worship services, and a spiritual base for our time at Carolina. We took this love and faith with us as we graduated and went out into the world to love and serve. We all owe you a million thanks for supporting us through ECM and have faith that the Chapel of the Cross and the Rev. Tammy Lee will continue this gift of love to the University. Here are a few stories from alumni all over the country about how ECM continues to affect them today. Lela Urquhart, Class of 2002 I'm in graduate school in archaeology at Stanford. I have been going to church at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Palo Alto and it is awesome! ECM helped me to refocus my devotion to my faith and to realize just how important it is. This has become apparent especially in the context of graduate school where I am working constantly and sometimes feel like my life is too focused on the most immediate problem (which is usually how many pages I need to read before class tomorrow). Lauren Morley, Class of 2002 I have spent the year and a half following graduation from UNC in the Master's of Social Work program at the University of Michigan. Having been an active member of ECM for all four years of my undergraduate career, it was definitely hard to make the transition to a new place and begin the search for a new spiritual community. I have found that it is just not the same--our ECM group was composed of my closest friends and it is very hard to find a group that is as supportive and loving as the one I had been a part of. Luckily, I have been fortunate enough to have another former ECMer, Lawren Townsend, here at the University of Michigan with me (she's getting her Master's in public health), so it has been great to have that spiritual friend here! Courtney McCarthy, Class of 2002 I am in Atlanta working as a consultant for IBM. I really like Atlanta, so much so that I just bought a townhouse! The biggest impact ECM had on me was reinforcing the importance of helping others. No matter how busy things were at school, ECMers always made time to lend a helping hand. I brought this lesson with me to Atlanta and have been tutoring a learning disabled second grader at a local elementary school twice a week. Kim Lagemann, Class of 2003 I'm still in Chapel Hill, working as a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UNC Hospitals and attending the new Episcopal Church of the Advocate. ECM grew my faith, led me to be baptized and confirmed, and was a huge social support for me throughout college. I'm still very close with many ECM alumni and will be marrying former ECMer Sam Laurent next fall. Lucy Melvin, Class of 2002 So much of our time in ECM was about showing God's love through service to others and the community. After graduation, I knew that I wanted to be involved in this on a larger scale, so I went to Washington, DC. Here I spend my days as a public policy associate with Girls, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides programs and after-school care for girls nationwide. Our mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Through our lobbying and advocacy, I have the opportunity to promote girls' educational equality, eradicate violence against them, and promote their right to live healthy lives. I know that the principles of social justice and equality that motivate me in my work every day were strengthened by the love and fellowship that I found in ECM. Jeff Williams, Class of 2001 The Episcopal Church has always been a strong influence in my life, and the Episcopal Campus Ministry at the Chapel of the Cross was no exception. Some of my best friends are former ECMers - even my wife! We have enjoyed keeping in touch and continue to discuss the impact that ECM has on our lives. Look how many of us are learning more about our world and serving others! Currently I am in my second year of medical school at UNC. When the tests and homework get difficult, I am motivated by our call as Christians to serve others and to love our neighbors - two ideals that ECM nurtures in everyone who walks through the campus center doors. FreshLook committee Kevin Trapani, Committee Chair In June of 2003, the rector and the vestry charged an ad hoc committee, called "FreshLook," to assess the Episcopal Campus Ministry at UNC and the Chapel of the Cross and to reach conclusions and recommendations, if needed, by September. The FreshLook Committee represented a broad sampling of the parish as well as a group of folks with extensive Episcopal Campus Ministry experience, and Bill Morley, Priest Associate at the Chapel of the Cross, facilitated several of our meetings. The committee members were Anne Altaffer, Bob Chase, David Dill, Ben Garren, Mary Brenda Joyner, Mary Agnes Rawlings, Sarah Taylor, and Jeff Williams. The chairperson was Kevin Trapani. We met six times as a group during the summer, and we: Interviewed all members of the Chapel of the Cross clergy Surveyed and interviewed current and past ECM leaders and participants Met with the Chaplain, Stephen Stanley Met with the Chairperson of the University Ministry Committee, Michael McElreath Met with the UNC Faculty Advisor to the ECM, Jean DeSaix Met and shared initial conclusions with the University Ministry Committee Met and shared initial conclusions with the current ECM leadership group (five Chaplain's Assistants) Sought opinions from a wide range of other adults who have been engaged in ECM activities over the years. What follows are our conclusions, as ratified by the committee, the University Ministry Committee, and the vestry.
The findings also required us to recommend three additional vestry actions, two of which were agreed to at the November meeting: Task: a group comprised of parishioners and current ECM participants to put ECM's "best practice" protocols into a formal document. Jean DeSaix is leading this effort, which will be concluded by year-end. Task: a group of parishioners, clergy, and current ECM leadership to design and implement a sustainable leadership development program for ECM participants by the beginning of the second semester of this academic year. This group is led by Kevin Trapani. Task: a group of parishioners to assess overall Chapel of the Cross campus and young adult ministries and recommend changes, if needed, to improve them, particularly in the areas of Christian leadership development and spiritual renewal. The vestry chose to delay this initiative until the new chaplain is in place and to integrate it more effectively with the Parish Long Range Planning process. Episcopal Campus Ministries, focused on undergraduates at UNC, has been a central and impactful ministry of the Chapel of the Cross for decades. The recommendations above will make our proud heritage sustainable and, in keeping with the long-standing desire of the University Ministry Committee and the vestry, will help to expand the presence of the Christian message on the UNC campus across other university communities: faculty, administration, and graduate students. The FreshLook Committee thanks the vestry and the rector for this assignment and all the participants for their caring and candor. We are honored to have had the opportunity to plan a role in the continuation of this important ministry. Campus Ministry-A Broad View Boone Turchi Given its proximity to the campus, the Chapel of the Cross has had an intimate relationship with the University of North Carolina since the nineteenth century. In recent decades that relationship has included a specific ministry to the University usually embodied in a chaplain. Earlier, the chaplain was wholly funded by the Diocese of North Carolina, but in the late 1970s the chaplain became a full-time member of the parish staff, with the Diocese's contributing one-half of the position's cost. The 'Chapel of the Cross model' for university ministry has enjoyed some success over the past two decades and others in the diocese have looked to it as a template for campus ministry in other locations. Bishop Curry's emphasis on renewing the diocese as a missionary diocese led the Mission Strategy Commission to consider the role of campus ministry in the overall missionary endeavor. We found that role to be potentially very important along a number of dimensions:
For all these reasons, I expect that campus ministry will be an
integral part of the Diocese of North Carolina's mission strategy,
and I predict that the Chapel of the Cross's ministry to UNC will
be a major contributor to that Ministry to Young Adults Watson A. Bowes, Jr., Johnson Intern Program Board Chair The news about the 2003 Annual Convention of the Episcopal Church was dominated by the controversy over the selection of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, as Bishop in the Diocese of New Hampshire. This overshadowed an important and impressive presence of young adults (ages 18-30) at the convention, who drew attention to the relative lack of interest by the Episcopal Church in this age group. Their witness was so effective that Resolution A065 was passed recommending that dioceses and congregations explore and develop "new internships and leadership development programs for 18-30 year-old members of our church." Furthermore, $333,333 was assigned in the budget to implement the resolution and support young adults' participation in these programs. The 2003 general convention was not the first evidence that there is a crisis of sorts in ministry to young adults in the Episcopal Church. In 1995 a nationwide study of college freshmen by researchers from UCLA found that young adults were leaving the Episcopal Church in higher percentages than in any other Christian denomination. The problem is reflected in the demographics of the Episcopal Church: the average age of Episcopalians is about 55, while the average age of all people in the country is 34. Also, young adults are visibly absent from many aspects of church leadership, particularly among the clergy. In 1998, of over 17,000 Episcopal clergy just over 400 were under the age of 40. The National Church has recognized the importance of ministry to young adults, and is responding through its office of Young Adult and Higher Education Ministries. Bishops Curry and Gloster recognize the importance of ministry to young adults in our diocese and acknowledge how few programs there are that address this need. Funding of campus ministry has declined in the diocese over the past 30 years, as it has throughout the Episcopal Church, wherein 200 full-time campus ministries have been closed or significantly reduced. This comes at a time when a survey of 3,680 students at 46 colleges and universities found that three quarters of the students polled stated that religion was helpful to them and that spiritual beliefs helped develop their identity. Over sixty percent of the students said that their professors never encouraged discussion of religious or spiritual issues. At the Chapel of the Cross support for young adults includes campus ministry that has long been a high priority. For years one of the clergy, partially funded by the diocese, has served as chaplain to students on the UNC campus. Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM) grew and thrived under Stephen Stanley's direction, and parish commitment to continued innovative ECM leadership was expressed in the rector's recent letter announcing Tammy Lee's appointment as the new campus minister. CrossTies is an organization of graduate students and young working adults, ages 21-35, single and married, who meet weekly for potluck dinners, Christian education, fellowship, and mutual enrichment. Several years ago students in ECM drew attention to the lack of ministry to young adults after college graduation. This, in part, led to the development and funding of the Johnson Intern Program, which is currently the only formal program in our Diocese for vocational discernment and spiritual formation for young adults. With its location on the campus, the Chapel of the Cross is daily in the midst of young adults and has, therefore, a unique opportunity to provide for their spiritual needs. It is an opportunity we should not neglect. In 1998, of over 17,000 Episcopal clergy just over 400 were under the age of 40. The National Church has recognized the importance of ministry to young adults, and is responding through its office of Young Adult and Higher Education Ministries. Christian Education Offerings Pre-Epiphany Intergenerational Church School, January 4 The Social Ministry Committee will lead four-year-olds through adults in a pre-Epiphany learning event. Highlighted this year will be our prison ministry with the Orange County Correctional Facility in Hillsborough, Freedom House, the InterFaith Council food pantry and kitchen, and Student Help Action Coalition. The event will begin in the chapel at 10:20. Christian Ethics Series Continues "Most Christian ethicists have some awareness of the history of their discipline. Most lay Christians have little sense of this history, yet they may well have a keen intuition of what Christian faith requires when it comes to moral decisions." John & Denise Lardner Carmody from Christian Ethics The Adult Education series continues on the 1st Monday of each month, January through April. These forums are addressing contemporary areas of ethical inquiry. Guest presenters are professors at The Divinity School of Duke University. January 5: Dr. Stanley Hauerwas on war and peace with particular emphasis on just war theory, 7:30 p.m. in the chapel February 2 : Kate Blanchard on issues of economic justice, (note: this presentation will be from 6:30 - 8:00, rescheduled due to our Candlemas Service at 8:00), simple soup supper at 5:30 p.m.; please register in the parish office so we'll know how much soup to prepare. March 1: Laura Yordy on environmental ethics, 7:30 p.m. in the chapel April 5: Harmon Smith on issues of medical ethics, 7:30 p.m. in the chapel Adult Inquirers' Class, Monday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 If you are interested in confirmation or simply want to know more about the Episcopal Church, please join this series of classes. Stephen Elkins-Williams and other staff members will be addressing the following topics: January 12 - Scripture January 19 - Anglican Spirituality January 26 - Church History February 2 (at 6:30) - Church History (part two) February 9 - Anglican Polity February 16 - Moral Decision Making February 23 - The Vestry. Parents' Gathering Two Sundays each month during the regular Church School time, education is offered on topics of interest to parents. Coordinated by Gretchen Jordan, the classes will meet on January 18 & 25 and February 15 & 29 in the campus center. The topic for January is Christian Formation: Family and Church in Partnership. Renovare Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, popular authors and speakers, will lead this conference at the Chapel Hill Bible Church on February 20-21. Sponsored by several area churches, this conference will explore the Church's historic role in personal and corporate spiritual formation. Brochures and registration forms are available in the parish dining room. Lent Ash Wednesday is February 25. Information about educational offerings during Lent will be in the February Cross Roads, upcoming issues of Crossings, and on the parish Website. ABC Sale-Mark Your Calendar The Chapel of the Cross Annual Attic, Basement, and Closet Sale will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2004. The sale raises funds for worth community organizations and is a great opportunity for fellowship within our parish community. You can help make this sale a success by being a donor, a buyer, and/or a volunteer. New items (like Christmas gifts that don't fit, are the wrong color, etc.) generate the best prices, so let that gift you received 'keep on giving' by donating it to the ABC Sale. Sale Chairs this year are Betsy Elkins-Williams and Katherine Dauchert. If you have questions, need more information, or would like to volunteer, please call one of them. Campus Y Students Act on Convictions Michele Lynn The following article is reprinted with permission from the Herald Sun. Campus Y Director Virginia Carson is a parishioner of the Chapel of the Cross and served on the recent committee to advise the rector on a new Associate for Campus Ministry. CHAPEL HILL -- In 1859, a unique student organization was founded at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-an organization that has become an integral part of the campus and the surrounding community. This organization has evolved into what is now the Campus Y, whose mission is "the pursuit of social justice through the cultivation of pluralism." From teaching literacy to freed slaves after the Civil War to responding to the needs of the increasing number of Hispanic immigrants today, the Campus Y has consistently been at the forefront of contemporary social issues. The Campus Y channels the volunteer efforts of its 900 undergraduate members through 20 student-run committees that focus on social issues including animal and environmental protection, hunger, homelessness and literacy. Clients of the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service have long been the beneficiaries of Y student volunteers' commitment and passion. Campus Y Director Virginia Carson said that she thinks students have been involved with the IFC since its inception. "Students were involved in the tutoring program set up by IFC and with IFC's Family Connections program," said Carson. "Our volunteers are involved in so many things: helping at Homestart, doing literacy work at the shelter, serving meals in the kitchen, just to name a few. Every year, we do a canned food drive for the food pantry." Charlie Odom, a sophomore who serves as the organization's co-treasurer, was recently elected to the IFC Board of Directors. Odom credits the Y with helping him understand community needs. "The Y has opened my eyes to some of the problems in the world and how to take the initiative to address wrongs and injustices," said Odom. "I've learned to not be afraid to stand up for things I believe in and how to be a leader." When Carson became the director of the Campus Y three years ago, it was a homecoming of sorts. A Carolina alumna, class of 1971, Carson was an active member of the Y throughout her undergraduate years. "I remember the Y as being the first place where anybody wanted to hear what I had to say," she said. "I hope that is still the case-that students who feel that they have something to offer can do that here and that they know that we listen to them and take them seriously." Meredith Flowe, a senior who is the Campus Y's co-president, agreed with Carson's assessment. "One thing that attracts students to the organization is that we are student-led and student-run," she said. "We have wonderful advisory support, but it's the students who keep things going." Flowe said that the Y has been instrumental in her career plans to work in the modern anti-slavery movement. "My involvement with the Y has deepened my commitment to service. It's been the catalyst for seeing that service is something I want to do with my career and not something I want to do on the side." "The Y attracts an amazing group of people who are really aware and really concerned about social issues," Flowe added. "When you walk into the Y, you're bound to learn something." The profiles in this series are provided by the Inter-Faith Council. URL for this article: http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-409223.html . God and Country Series Helps Students of All Ages Explore Their Faith Frank McBride For the third time in two years, some Chapel of the Cross students are participating in a program from the God and Country series. The God and Country series offers first through 12th grade Protestants an opportunity to explore their faith through Bible study, discussions, prayer, and activities. The four programs are designed for specific age groups and offer increasing levels of challenge and depth. Although this series tends to be popular with scouting groups, it is available to all Protestant boys and girls. The God and Me program is designed for first, second, and third graders. It addresses some of the core tenets of our faith, including God as our creator, God's gift of Jesus, the power of prayer, and Christian service. The program requires four group discussion/activity sessions as well as home activities and study. The God and Family program, which is currently under way at Chapel of the Cross, is designed for fourth and fifth graders. This program focuses on components of the strong Christian family such as a spiritual foundation, spiritual heritage, unique gifts of family members, rules and guidelines, and the ability to thrive in difficult times. This program requires six group discussion/activity sessions as well as home activities and study. God and Church is designed for middle school children. While the programs for younger students are non-denominational, this program introduces students to the history, structure, and objectives of the Episcopal Church. The first part of the program focuses on the life and work of Jesus, while the second part focuses on the ministry of our church. In addition to study and discussion, students spend 20 hours on service projects. God and Life is the high school level program and is patterned after the life of St. Paul. Students study and reflect upon St. Paul's ministry and then apply these lessons to a series of significant service projects. All four of these programs offer our children an excellent opportunity to build upon what they are already learning through our Christian education offerings. These programs have received strong reviews from the students and their parents. As a counselor, I have enjoyed seeing the rapid spiritual growth of the participants. Hopefully, many of our students will participate in future (and perhaps, all four) God and Country programs. While these programs require pastoral oversight, lay counselors typically run the sessions. Because the students take such an active role in these programs, and because the programs come with detailed materials, the counselor's role is primarily to facilitate. In the future, availability of these programs will be based on student interest and adult volunteers. If you have a child who might be interested in these programs, or if you would be interested in serving as a counselor, please feel free to e-mail me at StratAdvan@aol.com. You can also find more information about the God and Country series at http://www.praypub.org. Caring for God's Creation: Putting Words Into Action Linda Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chair In the November issue of Cross Roads, the Environmental Stewardship Committee described how each of us can take better care of God's creation by using less energy. Our small acts do matter - for when we reduce our use of energy, we reduce the amount that must be generated. That in turn helps to protect the quality of our air and water and promotes climate stability. Now we want to extend our individual stewardship efforts to the entire parish and we invite your participation. On February 14, 2004, members of the Environmental Stewardship Committee will meet at the church at 9:00 a.m. to conduct an energy audit of the parish. We will have already determined our current electricity and gas use by researching historic parish records. In a typical audit, the first step is to collect fundamental information to determine how we are currently doing - often called a "baseline." Once this information is collected and analyzed, we will be able to make recommendations on where energy savings can be made by replacing equipment, or operating the parish in a different manner. We then compare our progress in making savings by comparing with the baseline. There are several reasons for conducting this audit, not the least of which is to conserve energy and protect our planet. Energy conservation also saves money; we anticipate being able to save enough money to pay for any improvements needed to make those energy savings a reality. But once the improvements are paid for, they become the gift that keeps on giving … to the parish. Funds previously needed to pay for electricity and gas can be used for other needs of the parish. We are seeking volunteers to help us conduct this energy audit on February 14. By coming to the church that day, you will be able to donate one to two hours of your time and help with a variety of tasks that will include:
Each task is an important part of the overall picture that will be developed. It will enable us to create our 'energy profile', that is, to illustrate precisely where energy is used in our parish. We plan to present our findings to the vestry with recommendations on how we can be more efficient consumers of energy - which ultimately means using less energy. And using less energy translates into better stewardship both of God's creation and of parish resources. If you would like to volunteer to help with this audit, please contact Linda or Alan Rimer by e-mail at lbrimer@bellsouth.net. Please join us and help the Chapel of the Cross be a leader here in Chapel Hill by demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship. |