Seek the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

Volume 2, Number 1 May/June 2009

Waters of Hope: Bicycling the Diocese

from Parish to Parish, from Missouri to Lui

making disciples
On May 25th, after a 7:00 a.m. breakfast, Bishop Wayne Smith
will celebrate Eucharist and send riders off from Church of the
Transfiguration, Lake St. Louis, with a “blessing of the bikes.”
The ride concludes Sunday, May 31st, at Christ Church Cathedral,
after 650 miles on a course that passes 18 parishes.
Each host parish has a slightly different schedule, but many
will welcome the riders in with a brief victory lap around the church
grounds, often including the children of the parish. Calvary Colum-
bia has organized a trike-a-thon and wishing well. Christ Church-
Cape Girardeau, far off the route, is sponsoring several riders from
the SEMO riding club. Grace-Jefferson City J2A has been very
involved this year, from bake sales at the downtown Summer Sol-
stice festival to hosting the riders’ supper. Like many other parishes,
Grace is sponsoring riders and including Lui stories in newsletters,
adult forums, and Sunday bulletins.
Christ Church-Rolla’s efforts included a Lenten devotion of
forgoing bottled water, and making a small donation for each bottle
not consumed. The people of Christ Church have rallied around
this effort; Deacon Susan Bartlett reports their parish has already
reached “over half one deep water well, and we’re not finished!”

Auspicious Beginnings: A Brief History

Even before he went to Lui as a missioner, the Rev. Joe Cham-
bers was thinking about ways to raise funds and awareness to pro-
vide clean water to our sisters and brothers in developing countries.
In 2006, pals Chambers and the Rev. Mitch Smith were training
for an Ironman triathlon, and came up with the idea for a diocese
wide bike ride to raise money for water projects in the companion
dioceses of Swaziland (Iowa) and Lui (Missouri). Smith, rector at
Trinity Episcopal Church in Waterloo, Iowa, and son of Canon and
Mrs. Dan Smith, set the fundraising bar high with last year’s Water
of Hope through Iowa—the ride raised $65,000, one third of which
went to Lui, and paid for the seventh deep water well we’ve drilled
there. Now it is Missouri’s turn.
Diana Price, Don Johnson, Deacon Susan Bartlett, and Junior Warden
“Bud” Beechner Inaugurating Christ Church-Rolla’s Lenten Project
The Parishes of the
Diocese Prepare Many Ways to Participate and Support
Overnight host parishes and Join your parish team, or if you’ve nothing yet organized, con-
parishes sponsoring aid stations have sider riding a stage or cheering on the riders along the way. Rider
been busy with the logistics of lodg- fees are $350 for the entire ride or $60 per day. Detailed route maps
ing, food and hydration, in addition will soon be available on both the Waters of Hope and diocesan
to their own fund raising efforts. websites.
Even parishes not on the route are Consider a contribution. At the Waters of Hope website anyone
participating; St. Timothy’s in Creve can print out a sheet of paper that folds into a small donation box.
Couer is organizing a children’s event These boxes can be seen around homes and places of employment;
during the ride. they are a clever way to keep the effort visible. Space precludes
Transfiguration plans a supper on including the photo of the box that has been gracing the diocesan
Sunday evening, followed by Evening office lunch table.
Prayer. Transfiguration’s Vicar, the The riders will be using the text message application Twitter
The Rev. Joe Chambers, The Rev. Mitch Smith, Rev. Jason Samuel says church’s loca- to send messages and mobile pictures from along the route. More
on a blustery day riding Waters of Hope ‘08 tion up on a bluff makes it an ideal details about this, as well as the actual posts will be available online.
vantage point to watch the send-off diocesemo.org/woh
on Monday morning.

Calendar The Christian Voice in We are the Diocese of Missouri

page 2 the Public Square page 4 page 6
Camp Phoenix
Prayer Quilt Ministry Swimming in Baptismal page 7
page 3
Waters Episcopal City Mission
page 5 page 8
 The Life of the Diocese
Our Shared Celebration and Work Together
Fri, May 1
• DIT meeting
• St. Luke's Hospital Coffeetalks
• Youth Event at City Museum
Sat, May 2 -- Sun, May 3
Flower Festival, Christ Church
Cathedral, Bishop Greg Rickel
Sat, May 2
8:00 AM 2nd Annual Water for
Sudan Walkathon, St. Martin's
Episcopal Church
11:00 AM Flower Festival Eucha-
rist, Christ Church Cathedral
7:30 PM Flower Festival Con
cert, Collegium Vocale at Christ
Church Cathedral
Sun, May 3
5:00 PM Flower Festival Even-
song, Christ Church Cathedral
Choir with the Choir of First
Congregational Church
Tue, May 5 Fresh Start
Thu, May 7
• Clergy Conversations with the
Bishop South
Sat, May 9
9:00 AM Safeguarding God’s
Children workshop, Trinity-
CWE
10:00 AM ECW Speaker’s Series:
Debbie Smith on Lui, Sudan
Sun, May 10
• Bishop's Visitation, St Paul's-
Sikeston
Seek, the Newsletter of the
Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
is published six times a year.
Thu, May 14
• Design Team meeting
• Christian Ed Leaders meeting
Sat, May 16
• Missioners leave for Lui
Sun, May 17 -Tue, May 19
2009 Diocesan Discernment
conference
Sun, May 17
• Bishop's Visitation, St Peter's-
Ladue
8:00 PM Compline, Trinity-Cen
tral West End (St Louis)
Tue, May 19
6:30 PM Third Tuesday Tech ses-
sions. Blogger or Tumblr: Set up
your blog tonight. Bonus topic:
widgets with widgetbox.
Sun, May 24
5:00 PM Evensong, Christ
Church Cathedral with the
Choir of Second Presbyterian
Mon, May 25
• Waters of Hope First day:
Transfiguration-Lake St Louis
to Trinity-Hannibal
Tue, May 26
• Standing Committee
• Waters of Hope. Second day:
Trinity-Hannibal to Trinity-
Kirksville
Wed, May 27
• Waters of Hope. Third day:
Trinity-Kirksville to Columbia:
Calvary, Hope, MU Campus
Ministry
Thu, May 28
• Waters of Hope. Fourth day:
Columbia via St Matt's-Mexico,
St Alban's-Fulton, to Grace-
Jefferson City
Fri, May 29 Tue, Jun 23
• Waters of Hope. Fifth day: • Standing Committee
Grace-Jeff City via Trinity-St Thu, Jun 25
James to Christ Church-Rolla • Conversations with the Bishop
Sat, May 30
• Waters of Hope. Sixth day: Fri, Jul 3
Christ Church-Rolla to St • Offices of the Bishop Closed for
Francis-Eureka July 4th
Sun, May 31 Sat, Jul 4
• Bishop's Visitation,Transfigura- • Dismantling Racism
tion-Lake St Louis
• Waters of Hope. Seventh day: Wed, Jul 8 -- Thu, Jul 16
St Francis-Eureka to Christ • The 76th General Convention
Church Cathedral of the Episcopal Church, The
7:00 PM Evensong, St John's-
46th Triennial Meeting, Epis
Tower Grove (St Louis) copal Church Women, Anaheim,
CA
Fri, Jun 5
• St. Luke's Hospital Coffeetalks Wed, Jul 8
• Task Force for the Hungry
Sat, Jun 6
• Diocesan Council Fri, Jul 17
• DIT
Mon, Jun 08
• Deadline for Submitting Sun, Jul 19
Abstracts for Community • Bishop's Visitation, Grace-
Ministries Grant Kirkwood
8:00 PM Compline, Trinity-
Thu, Jun 11 Central West End (St Louis)
• Design Team meeting Tue, Jul 21
6:30 PM Third Tuesday Tech
Tue, Jun 16
sessions. Photo sharing and
6:30 PM Third Tuesday Tech
shopping: Flickr, Picasa, Splash
sessions. No excuses: build your
up, Piknik, the Gimp, Aviary,
website tonight; weebly, word-
Skitch.
press.
Thu, Jul 23
Fri, Jun 19
• Conversations with the Bishop
• Summer Solstice Festival to
benefit Episcopal City Mission Sun, Jul 26
• Bishop's Visitation, Holy Cross-
Sat, Jun 20
10:00 AM ECW Speaker’s Series: Poplar Bluff
The Rev. Michael Randolph
on Therapy Dogs This calendar lists some of
our upcoming events and
Sun, Jun 21
8:00 PM Compline, Trinity- work together.
Central West End (St Louis) For the complete calendar,
please visit online:
diocesemo.org/calendar

The Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith
Tenth Bishop of Missouri
Executive Editor: Bishop Wayne Smith
Editor: Beth Felice
Editorial Board: Ms. Jodie Kuhn Allen,
Glendale; Ms. Martha Baker, St. Louis;
the Rev. Joe Chambers, Columbia; the
Rev. Ralph McMichael, Canon for Min-
istry Formation, Diocese; the Rev. Bob
Towner, Cape Girardeau; the Rev. Dan
Smith, Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese.
NEW VENTURES IN COMMUNITY MINISTRIES GRANTS
The Diocesan Outreach Endowment Fund was established as a result of the generosity of Missouri
Episcopalians through pledges to the Making All Things New capital campaign. Its purpose is to chal-
lenge congregations to make a difference where they are and to improve the quality of life in and with
their communities, to identify pressing social needs and to design strategies to meet those needs.
These grants are meant to be used as start-up funds to develop new projects. These projects are to be
doable, manageable, replicable and sustainable by congregations.
Grant awards will range from a minimum of $ 5,000.00 to a maximum of $15,000.00. The one-
year grant will start as of January 1, 2010. A project may be supported for a second year following
submission of another grant proposal. Agencies, Task Forces, and other Diocesan Committees are also
encouraged to submit an abstract.

Vol. 2, No. 1, May/June 2009

Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Offices of the Bishop
1210 Locust St, 3rd floor
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
314-231-1220
For subscription information
about all diocesan publications,
visit us online:
diocesemo.org/subscribe
Submissions by post:
attention Beth Felice,
or by email to bfelice@diocesemo.org
Deadline for submitting abstracts to the Committee is Monday, June 8, 2009. Complete informa-
tion available online at the diocesan website, diocesemo.org.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN ANNOUNCE NEW SPEAKER SERIES
One of our oldest church organizations, ECW is open to all women of the Episcopal Church
throughout the United States. ECW is offering a special speaker series as a service to the women
of this diocese. On each date the format is the same, ECW Board meeting at 9 a.m. (board meet-
ings are open to all, voting is for members only, occasionally executive session might close a por-
tion of the meeting), 10 a.m. Speaker, 11 a.m. Reception. Please mark your calendars and join us.
Saturday, May 9, 2009, St. Timothy’s-Creve Coeur, Speaker: Debbie Smith on Sudan
Saturday, June 20, 2009, St. Barnabas’-Florissant, Speaker: The Rev. Michael Randolph on Therapy Dogs
Saturday, August 8, 2009, St. Michael and St. George, Speakers: Karen Birr, Peg Cooper, Carolyn Daniels and
Cheryl Ward with a Report from Triennial
Saturday, November 14, 2009, Grace-Kirkwood, Speaker: The Rev. Irene Jones

2 Seek May/June 2009 The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Making Disciples • Building Congregations • For the Life of the World
 Prayer Quilt Ministry
“ Intentional Prayer, Outward
Symbols of Inward Grace
The Idea
A member of Christ Church Cathedral’s pastoral care team
came to a meeting with the idea, “We could do this here.” The
team member had a recent surgery and awoke in the recovery
room to find a quilt coworkers had made. The story continued
with details of how much it meant while recovering, and how
much warmth and comfort radiated from it. And now the prayer
quilt hangs on the bedroom wall, so that each morning it is the
first thing to greet waking eyes.
Todd Eller, fellow pastoral care team member recounts, “Af-
ter this story we all just looked at one another and said, ‘We need
to do this.’”
A Pillow in Iraq
Some of the women on the care team sewed; Emily sewed,
but Todd had never done anything like this. He has hilarious first
time stories about his first time in a sewing class, or a fabric store.
The care team’s first quilt made was for Dana Travis, cathedral
parishioner serving in Iraq. Todd picked out the fabrics for this
his first project, and recalls his first time in a fabric store. “I felt
helpless. The saleswoman asked me what I was learning to sew
and I explained what my our team was doing. She kept smiling as
she cut the fabric and folded it. Then she looked at me and asked
if had to be sewn before it was prayed over. I said no, and she just
stood there, put her hands on top of the fabric and closed her
eyes, then gave the fabric over to me.”
“Have you seen Dana,” said Todd gesturing over six feet, “and
have you seen the size of our quilts?” Most are lap quilts, not ex-
actly a blanket to fit over a soldier. And maybe a bit warm for Iraq
but Dana reported he folded it up and used it as a pillow.
Todd Eller, Cathedral Prayer Quilt Ministry
The Legacy
Todd’s sister Toni died five years ago after a long struggle
with cancer. When his little sister heard Todd was working on this
ministry project, she sent him Toni’s old sewing machine. Even
though Todd now has a state-of-the-art quilting machine, he
makes sure that every quilt he works on has several squares sewn
on Toni’s old machine. “This is a ministry I wish I’d been involved
in when she was so sick with cancer. I saw her struggle to find
a little bit of comfort anywhere. It is a gift to be able to use her
machine and put a few stitches in each quilt I sew with prayers for
and from Toni.”
”
for the life of the world
Reports keep coming back to the team about what these
quilts mean. A common exclamation is, “We’d forgotten about
the size of our large and loving faith family.” The physical and
spiritual warmth and comfort the quilts provide are “a reminder
of all the people that love you and pray for you 24 hours a day.”
Not Just About Sickness
The team has made quilts for people leaving St. Louis, send-
ing them off to their new city with prayers. Quilts are made to
welcome and the team is currently working on one for the cathe-
dral’s new provost, Fr. Mike Kinman.
Last year the team sent a quilt to Lambeth with Bishop
Smith, who told them he kept it over the foot of his bed the
entire time he was there. In addition, the team included a little
journal of all the prayers sent for him and for all the bishops.
Bishop Smith said, “They truly have become treasures because all
of your hands have been on them.” The Bishop keeps his quilt in
his office, on the chair next to his desk.
Cathedral Chapter tells the story of a member, a very private
person who’d received a difficult diagnosis. It was at a time of
some of heightened tensions in their meeting life, and this mem-
ber walked in one night, laid the quilt out on the table before
them and said, “This is what is right with this place. Let’s keep
this in mind as we go through this
meeting together.”
Knotted Prayers
One feature of the quilts is that
at the juncture of each square a string
of yarn is sewn in and the congrega-
tion and clergy are invited to tie in
their prayers by adding knots to the
yarn strings. “It it is very symbolic;
each knot represents a prayer that was
specifically prayed for the recipient,”
said Emily Lehr, “I like that.” Parish-
ioner Gary Johnson suggested an idea
that the team includes on each quilt; all
the yarn threads go through the front
of the quilt and are tied there, except
one. There is one string of yarn that is
tied in back. “It ties this ministry, and
it means a lot to us when we all tie that Emily Lehr, Cathedral Prayer Quilt Ministry
one yarn, and send it off with our prayers.”
Enough, By God’s Grace
“We have this idea that we’ll get ahead of ourselves and have
four or five quilts upstairs and ready, but we never quite get there.
We get a bit finished then we get an email,” Emily said. “We had
two almost done and that week found out who they were for, and
they went out the door.” One of the team’s fears is they don’t have
a formal request process. Sometimes they approach people they
know are going through difficult times. Not everyone is inter-
ested. Sometimes they receive a phone call or note. “If the request
needs to find us, it somehow does.”
As a Lenten discipline, each Sunday morning the team
invited parishioners to participate in their ministry. “We have
people who are part of this ministry who never sew,” said Emily.
“People that are official pinners, yarn through the quilt tie-ers,
people who iron, and of course, everyone can pray.”
Cut by hands, arranged and sewn, laying squares on top of
one another, with each action covered with prayers. “Some ask
what kind of prayers, and sometimes it is just a conversation
with God, sometimes from the Book of Common Prayer,” said
Todd. “When we are finished with a quilt, we all gather to tie our
prayers in and say Compline before sending it off into the world.”
Not all of the quilts are great works of art, not all the seams
are straight, but the prayers have become the important aspect.
Team member Debbie Nelson Linck often counsels the group to
remember “no quilt is perfect for only God is.” Emily added, “We
hang onto that.”
Seek May/June 2009 DioceseMo.org 3
 The Christian Voice in the
for the life of the world
Public Square
At the ordination of a bishop, this
question is put to the candidate:
Will you be merciful to all, show compassion
to the poor and strangers, and defend those
who have no helper?
Answer: I will, for the sake of Christ Jesus.
(BCP, 518)

Both the question and the answer help me frame responses to is-
sues in the public arena, a complicated but necessary part of a bishop’s
ministry. I want you to know the principles that I consider, as I dis-
cern whether and how to speak out on any given matter.

• Whatever I have to say must give an opportunity to witness

to my faith in Jesus. This is the most important filter I have
Photo credit: Jonathan Jones, ©2009
for deciding whether to write a letter or to attend a rally or do
some such thing: Will I do this because I think Jesus would have me do so, and can I say clearly how
that is the case? Praying about this helps me sort through whether my action will be faithful, rather
than merely (and politically) the “correct” conservative or liberal response.

• A healthy skepticism about the Church’s relation to Caesar informs my decision. Even the best of
Caesars do not have all the solutions to society’s ills, and sometimes are not at all our friends; read
Revelation 13. And yet Caesar has many resources, including the ability to keep good order and the
power of the purse—and Caesar is in fact capable of being “the servant of God,” as Paul writes; read
Romans 13. Holding these two scriptural insights in tension, neither embracing the ruling authority
entirely nor rejecting it out of hand, helps me decide.

• A classical Anglican approach, as exemplified in the writings of Archbishop William Temple, would
have us deal with issues and not electoral politics. An extreme instance of this approach is in the public
life of John Henry Hobart, who never voted again after becoming Bishop of New York in1811! Well, I
do vote, but I know that electoral and partisan politics have no place in what a bishop says in the pub-
lic arena. So I cannot endorse candidates or political parties. At the same time, there are issues that beg
for a response. Referenda, since they are specifically about issues, remain fair game.

• I do look to the longer tradition of Christian belief for insights and I will often consult pertinent
resolutions of the Lambeth Conferences, the Anglican Consultative Council, the General Convention
of the Episcopal Church, and our own Diocesan Convention. Some of these resolutions provide great
resources to shape a faithful public voice. The good ones are theological in content and direction as
well as readable. More than a few, however, are negligible as points of reference, or have not stood the
test of time. And I always remember the fallibility of such bodies. For even General Councils of the
Church can err, and have erred “even in things pertaining unto God.” (Articles of Religion, 21) His-
tory is too good a teacher on matters of claimed inerrancy of every sort. In line with this history, I
expect disagreement, large or small, quiet or loud, in response to whatever I might say. For even in my
attempts to act and speak faithfully, I very well might get it wrong.

• I am thus judicious in what I have to say. I pick and choose, and do not express an opinion about
every issue before us. And I believe that timing does matter.

So, I will not have something to say about everything there is in the public sphere. I hope to use this tool
sparingly but faithfully. And in doing so, I hope to serve the people of this Diocese—and the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
The Rt. Rev. Wayne Smith
Tenth Bishop of Missouri

Recently, Bishop Smith shared a pastoral letter with the diocese, joining with Christian, Muslim,
and Jewish clergy in urging support for a thoughtful, prayerful, and compassionate state budget,
especially in regards to prioritizing services for “the least of us,” our children, our physically chal-
lenged, our unemployed, and other marginalized members of society.
In his coverage in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, religion editor Tim Townsed wrote,
“After the hourlong rally, Imam Muhamed Hasic of the Islamic Community Center in St.
Louis said such grass-roots efforts based on interfaith organization were important “because
hundreds of thousands in this state deserve to be treated better and this is where that help
can begin.”
Bishop George Wayne Smith, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, agreed, saying it
was up to “the faithful to care for the least of these.”
“Personally, I can do nothing other than that, and I will be asking Episcopalians in the pews
to do the same,” he said.
More information can be found on our website, diocesemo.org, search “compassionate budget.”

4 Seek May/June 2009 The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

Swimming in the Baptismal Waters
Canon Ralph McMichael

episcopal school for ministry

“ The proper baptismal question
is not what we can do, but what
can be done with and through us?
Our rallying cry is not ‘Yes We
Can’ but ‘all things are possible
in Christ Jesus.’
”
After someone is baptized, either an infant or Growing into Christ is becoming who we were
adult, a towel is used to dry the water off of their skin. baptized to be and to do: our identity is bound to
Unfortunately, this drying off can serve as a metaphor him, and our actions overflow from his. Baptism is
for the person’s life after the font. We can walk away living into the revelation of who we really are and is
from baptism and leave it behind. It is an event of never a personal project of fulfillment. We are bap-
our past rather than a dynamic of the present. Bap- tized into the hidden-ness of Christ so that we might
tism is a reality we are to grow into. There is baptis- share in his revelation. The proper baptismal question
mal infancy, adolescence, and adulthood. It is birth is not what we can do, but what can be done with and
into a life that is fulfilled in the resurrection. Baptism through us? Our rallying cry is not ‘Yes We Can’ but
is not something done, and then we are done with it. ‘all things are possible in Christ Jesus.’
We are to learn how to swim in the baptismal waters.
We learn to swim in the baptismal waters by con-
Growing into baptismal maturity means grow- stant prayer, reading Scripture with open minds and
ing into the life of Christ and not just into certain hearts, sacrificial lives of charity, sacramental fidelity,
(often self-chosen) mandates for appropriate action. and the silence that waits on God’s word. We learn to
Baptism is not one more manifesto for good and just swim from those among us who are mature in Christ,
human behavior; it is the ever-present bidding to die who reveal Christ. We are not called to dry ourselves
with Christ so that we might live in him. Baptism is off and go our way. Dripping with the waters and oil
the sacrificial dwelling within the Body of Christ. of baptism, “marked as Christ’s own forever,” we ha-
bitually offer ourselves for the sake of the revelation
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things of him who is the way, the truth, and the life.
that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right
hand of God. Set your minds on things that are The Rev. Ralph McMichael is Canon for Ministry For-
above, not on things that are on the earth, for you mation in the Diocese of Missouri. Dr. McMichael also
have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. serves as Dean of the Episcopal School for Ministry.
When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also
will be revealed with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

The Episcopal School for Ministry invites you to a special one day workshop:

Come, Spend the Day in the Desert, Praying with our Desert Mothers and Fathers
Instructor: the Rev. Rod Wiltse
Saturday, June 13, 2009, Class sessions: 9-11am; 1-3pm
Beginning in the third century, Christians went into the desert to be confronted by God,
to seek salvation. These desert monks left a body of writings to which Christians have
returned repeatedly. The desert is a place not confined by geography. It is an experi-
ence of the arid and the lonely waiting for the water and the companionship that only
God provides in Jesus, who went into the desert to encounter his baptismal identity.
Come and spend a day learning the ways of the desert, the wisdom these desert fathers
and mothers would convey to us.
7:30 am Morning Prayer
8:00 am Breakfast
9:00-11:00 am The Story of the Journey to the Desert; meet Anthony and others
of the Mothers and Fathers and the gifts they have given to us.
11:15 am The Holy Eucharist
12:00 Noon Lunch
1:00-3:00 pm Return to the desert
Fee: $25.00 includes lunch
Registration: Contact Cory Hoehn, choehn@diocesemo.org, or 314-231-1220 ext.1383

Making Disciples • Building Congregations • For the Life of the World Seek May/June 2009 DioceseMo.org 5
we are the diocese of missouri
Trinity-St. James
On April 8th, Trinity-St James celebrated
Passover with a Seder. The Seder was led by Steve
Levy, the husband of Trinity’s Deacon, the Rev.
Schelly Reid-Levy. Mr. Levy explained everything
as the Seder progressed, and all agreed it was an
enjoyable as well as educational evening. Trinity’s
Vicar, the Rev. Steve Barber said, “It was a first
for our congregation, but something that I had
wanted to do for a long time. There are already
plans afoot for next year, so it was a hit.” Pictured
in Trinity’s parish hall in the parsonage are (l. to
r.) Mr. Levy, Vicar Barber, surrounded by Trinity
parishioners and the Seder plates.

Grace-Jeff City
From an effort coordinated by Marc Smith,
president of the Missouri Hospital Association and
parishioner at Grace Episcopal Church in Jefferson
City, Missouri’s hospitals contributed 123 boxes of
medical supplies and equipment for Lui Hospital
in Southern Sudan. In addition, the Washington
University School of Medicine faculty donated
more than 580 medical, surgical and basic science
textbooks for the hospital’s library. Pictured are
members of Grace Church and medical school staff
who worked at the MHA offices on April 18 to pack
the shipment.

May Mission Trip to Lui, Sudan

“We thought you had forgotten us, but now you have come.”
The next mission to Lui leaves St. Louis May 16th.
Four missioners will make the trip, returning June 4th.
The team will put on three conferences requested by Lui
Diocese’s Bishop Bullen: one for clergy on contemporary
society and English language, one on HIV/AIDS, and one
on adult education with a focus on Moru literacy and Eng-
lish communication. Also on the agenda are trips around
the Diocese of Lui to greet as many of our Moru friends as
possible and see the UTO-funded grinding mill in Kediba
and the new wells that should be completed by mission
time.
Our missioners this trip are: Jim Hinrichs, from St.
Timothy’s Creve Coeur, a doctor specializing in infectious
diseases, with a practice including many HIV/AIDS pa-
tients, and a public health professor at SLU; Susan Nay-
lor, from Emmanuel Webster Groves, archdeacon for the
diocese and Emmanuel’s deacon and parish nurse; Mary
Seager, from Christ Church Cathedral, reading specialist
at Forest Park Community College and former commu-
nity organizer in the slums of Venezuela; Debbie Smith,
from St. Timothy’s Creve Coeur and the bishop’s wife,
GED Coordinator at Parkway Area Adult Education.
The Internet has been broken in Lui for several
months, but we hope to have it back up before the mission
so we can blog and twitter from Lui. Find all communica-
tions links online. diocesemo.org/lui
The relationship between the dioceses of Missouri and
Lui started in 2003, while the civil war was still on, and
the constant refrain of the Morus we met then was “We
thought you had forgotten us, but now you have come.”
Over the years the relationship has grown through
visits in both directions, through photos and emails, and
through prayer for each other. Many Missourians who
have not been able to go to Lui feel profoundly connected
to the Moru people through news of Lui and presentations
by missioners, through visits from the bishop and other
6 Seek May/June 2009 The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Moru clergy, and especially through time with Stephen
Dokolo, who was with us for two years while he studied at
Eden Seminary.
In our years of relationship, we have been called on
to offer relief, and we still send money for clean water
and for crisis intervention. Members of the diocese have
sent almost $1000 so far this year to provide relief for the
IDPs (internally displaced persons) in Lui Diocese because
of the LRA’s incursions into nearby Mundri Diocese last
winter. Bike rides and walks around the diocese have raised
thousands of dollars for well drilling. We’ve also been
agents of development, helping facilitate grants for Lui for
projects such as the grinding mill and the chicken house.
These days, with the war over and things looking up
in Lui, our funding goals have broadened to include help-
ing Bishop Bullen raise funds for an office and a vehicle for
the diocese. Lui needs our help with these projects so that
development funds from the government of Southern Su-
dan come into Lui; the office will provide space for NGOs
and government agents to meet, and for the com-
munity to congregate for trainings and meetings.
The vehicle will get the Mothers Union workers
around the diocese and will help people from Lui
be heard in civic affairs as Southern Sudan recov-
ers from decades of civil war.
—Debra Smith
Lui Mission team leader
We continue to need your partnership, your
prayers, your contributions; our focus is building the
relationship between the Diocese of Missouri and the
Diocese of Lui. When we send financial help, we are
helping brothers and sisters that we love. You can
donate online to an unrestricted Lui fund, or you can
include the program you’d like to support on the memo
line of your check mailed to the Offices of the Diocese
of Missouri, 1210 Locust, St Louis, 63103. The next
mission after the May trip is tentatively planned for
November 2009.
Camp Phoenix: Building Lifelong
Friendships is more than a tag line
If you’ve somehow managed to miss all the “Got Camp”
posters around the diocese—News Flash! Campers around
Missouri are counting down the days until the next Camp
Phoenix commences on the 26th of July. Camp Phoenix is
one of the ministries of the Diocese of Missouri, and is an
American Camp Association accredited camp in Dubois
(near Nashville), Illinois, for youth ages 8 - 15.
Beginning in 2005, Camp Phoenix’s enrollment quickly
peaked to near its maximum of 96 campers, with 76% of the
campers returning from year to year.
Camp Phoenix has been designed as a traditional, sum-
mer, residential camp with a daily spiritual component. One
such fondly remembered program was “The Church Year
in a Week,” an intensive exploration of the liturgical year at
break neck speed. All programs are designed to learn more
about God, Jesus, and our work in the world as Christians.
A member of diocesan clergy
serves as spiritual director, and
is assisted by the camp director,
additional clergy, and trained
professional staff and volun-
teers.
Charlie Caspari, director
emeritus, reports, “Evaluations
of program activities by the
campers show that horseback
riding and aquatic activities
(swimming, the Iceberg, and
boating) are favorites, while
hiking in 90-100 degree tem-
peratures ranks lower on the
list. Our program for older
campers has been expanded in
the last two years to include
more adventure and challenge
such as a horseback ride to a
remote location for camping
Making Disciples • Building Congregations • For the Life of the World
making disciples
“ourCamp Phoenix allows
child to talk with other
kids his age about being an
Episcopalian and what that
means in today’s world
”
out over night, or climbing and rappelling.”
Summer 2008 brought new staff members and a
renewed excitement to camp. Enrollment continued to
grow. The budget continued to be balanced and programs
expanded, and accreditation was renewed by the ACA.
Camp fees for 2009 have been kept at their low rate;
registering before May 15 the fee is $285, and after is
$350. Scholarship help is available through many parishes
and Camp Phoenix itself. “The cost should not stand in
the way of any child participating,” added camp director
Robert Daniels.
“What we like about Camp Phoenix, is that it fos-
ters a sense of independence in a Christian environment.
Camp Phoenix allows our child to talk with other kids his
age about being an Episcopalian and what that means in
today’s world. It shows him that it is ‘cool’ to go to Church
and have a relationship with God,” said Kerri Robertson.
The Robertson family are parishioners at Church of the
Transfiguration in Lake St. Louis.
Building lasting friendships is not just a tag line. Many
parents share anecdotes of their children writing, calling,
meeting up with
fellow summer
campers, some-
times spontane-
ously at scouting or
intramural events.
“There is such a
groundswell of
activity in the Epis-
copal church, these
days,” said Bill
Robertson.
A month ago
a special postcard arrived in the mail at the Robertson
home, a photocard of last year’s campers and staff sent by
a counselor, “and it still has a place of honor on the night
table.” Kerri added her child is eagerly anticipating camp
in July and re-connecting with friends who don’t live in
the area or attend the Transfiguration. “From a parent’s
perspective,” added Bill, “watching your children develop
these meaningful relationship is pretty rewarding.”
Camp Phoenix 2009 runs from Sunday afternoon, July
26 to Saturday morning, August 1.
Detailed information about the camp with special
sections for campers and parents, registration details and
forms, and volunteer opportunities can be found on the
diocesan website. diocesemo.org/campphoenix
Seek May/June 2009 DioceseMo.org 7
 Seek the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
we are the diocese of missouri
1210 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103

The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

Celebrates 55 Years of ECM
Summer Solstice 2009
Episcopal City Mission is celebrating fifty-five years of service in
the St. Louis area juvenile detention centers this year. Our legacy
of providing care to the community dates back 115 years to a
member of Christ Church Cathedral, Charles Holmes. Mr. Hol-
mes along with other volunteers ministered to the poor through-
out the city.

Today, the Chaplains of ECM provide hope and healing to over

3,500 young people each year in our juvenile detention centers.
We are a unique organization because we are in the court system
but not part of the system and the children recognize this differ-
ence immediately when they talk to the Chaplains.

ECM is continuously looking for innovative ways to deliver the

powerful message of a forgiving God to the youth. Recently, we
increased the number of Hip Hop chapel services where the chil-
dren hear of the possibilities of a new direction for their lives.
—Mary Kay Digby Hip Hop Artist Gerald Peoples, above. Below, the crowd begins to
Executive Director, ECM gather for the 2008 Summer Solstice Festival.

Summer Solstice Festival

Friday, June 19, 2009,
on the lawn of Emmanuel Episcopal Church-Webster Groves.
6 to 9:30 p.m.
ECM celebrates the beginning of summer each year with a
fun-filled outdoor picnic for the entire family. For just $15 for
adults ($5 for children 5-12), enjoy bratwurst and slaw, dessert,
beer, wine, and lemonade. Our entertainment this year will
be provided by the “The House of Bishops” band and you’ll
be able to bid on some fabulous auction items including an
afternoon sailing trip to Carlyle Lake or a portrait sitting at
Strauss Peyton. There is a children’s area with face painting
and games. Tickets can be purchased by calling the ECM of-
fice 314-436-3545. Please plan to join us and help raise needed
funds for the ECM programs in the juvenile detention centers.

8 Seek May/June 2009 DioceseMo.org