Growing Our

Welcome

Cross CurrentMagazine

Summer/Fall 2009Quarterly Magazine

Vol. 2 No. 1

The Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel, 3rd Bishop of East Carolina

The Rt. Rev. Santosh MarrayBishop Assisting

The Rev. Canon Matthew StockardCanon to the Ordinary

The Rev. Canon C. PhilipCraig, Sr. Canon for Education and Training

Ms. Keri DixonEditor and Communications Officer

Contributing WritersMr. & Mrs. Bill and Betty CochranMrs. Sandy BriggmanMr. Michael BurkeMs. Keri DixonMrs. Jo Anne KildayMs. Casey LudlumMr. Peter MakuckMrs. Nancy MansfieldMs. Hsar Eh SayThe Rev. Canon Matthew StockardMr. Matt Tessnear

Publication of

P.O. Box 1336Kinston NC, 28503http://www.diocese-eastcarolina.orgp:(252) 522-0885f:(252) 523-5272

Cross Current Magazine

Contents

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Image by Keri D

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{SNAP SHOT}

General Convention

Mrs. Joan Geiszler-Ludlum walks out with hundreds of people from the Sunday service during General Convention.

General Convention, which took place from July 8-17 in Anaheim, California, held Eucharist every day for over 1,000 people. Mrs. Geiszler-Ludlum, Mrs. Susan Holmes, Mrs. Anne Daniel, and Ms. Casey Ludlum all participated in Eucharist by volunteering as Chalice Bearers.

Even with communion being given to over 1,000 people, the service still lasted less than an hour and a half each day.

More on General Convention on page 14.

Greetings in the name of the Lord! This has been a very eventful year for The Episcopal Church. Thank you for your prayers and support during the 76th General Convention, both for me as your bishop and for all members of our diocesan Deputation and Episcopal Churchwomen Triennial delegation. I am much encouraged by the actions of General Convention. As a whole, we are a church that is active and healthy. This issue of our diocesan magazine focuses on “Growing Our Welcome.” As a healthy diocese, I see this growth in many ways. We are a church that worships together, and a church that reaches out into the community. Growing our welcome not only means bringing in more people

to the church. It means growing as individuals in our faith, and it means reaching out to others and doing our part to live as Christians. There are so many examples in this Diocese that I see when I think about our ministry of hospitality. I see the Farmworkers Ministry working to better the lives of the workers in the fields. I see the many different activities of the Episcopal Church Women who have helped raise money to rebuild homes in devastated areas. I think of the Millennium Development Goals Committee who are working towards eradicating hunger, poverty, and diseases around the world. I think of our blossoming companion diocese relationship with the Dominican Republic, and many other examples. Please enjoy this magazine which I hope will inform, encourage and -- from time to time -- entertain you.

Bishop Daniel during the Diocesan Convention

Greetings from Bishop Daniel

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Keri Dixonways to go green...think about

Green Hopes

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizeNs caN chaNge the world. iNdeed, it's the oNly thiNg that ever has."~Margaret Mead

The people of this diocese are doing the many small things that will help change the world from the grass roots up. Parishes all throughout the diocese are making change.

St. Francis Episcopal Church in Goldsboro is worth noting for the work they are doing to go green. Their “Bag Project” has helped reduce the amount of plastic shopping bags they consume by replacing them with reusable cloth bags. “We started ‘The Bag Project’ last fall when we wanted to find some way to address the goal of maintaining a sustainable environment and protecting our natural resources,” said Harriet Pegram, Outreach Chair for St. Francis, Goldsboro. “We are a small group [about 6] and this was the result of a lot of brainstorming.”

Along with passing out reusable bags to other parishes in the Diocese, members of St. Francis have also been successful in raising awareness for green efforts in Wayne County by distributing bags to county commissioners. Their efforts have been successful because now community groups in their area have expressed interest in their project as well.

St. Francis, Goldsboro has presentations available to educate people about the use of plastic products. These educational presentations, and more are available online for viewing at http://www.stfrancisgoldsboro.org/thebagproject.asp.

The Diocesan House and its staff are also doing their part in the “Green Movement.” The newest addition to this ongoing project is the renovated kitchen. The focus has been moved from using plastic cups and plates to utilizing the new energy and water efficient dish washer and reusable dishes. And when plastic is needed, the Diocesan House now offers plastic cups made from corn, and paper cups made from post-consumer recycled material.

Over the past few years, there has been a push for more reusable bags. Some areas have even started putting bans and taxes on companies that use plastic bags as their primary packing. These programs have helped cut down on pollution and oil consumption. China, which has banned plastic bags altogether, will save 37 million barrels of oil each year.

From Plastic to Cloth

Engine Power vs Man Power

From Trash to Recycle

Since gas prices skyrocketed last summer, people have really worked to cut back on using cars as a main form of transportation. Cities, like Paris, have even started a bike rental program that allows people to rent a bike for a very low cost to commute to and from work instead of clogging the roads with cars.

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Places, like the Diocesan House in Kinston, are using multiple trash containers so that aluminum and plastic can be sorted out for recycling. In the United States, the rate of people who recycle has doubled in 10 years, and over half of the paper used in the United States is being recycled every year. s

The Rev. Canon Matthew Stockardyour health...think about

The flu season is coming, and some believe it may arrive a bit earlier and be more intense than it has been in recent years. Many people are worried about how to prepare because of concerns regarding a current seasonal influenza H1N1, sometimes inaccurately called Swine Flu. The current H1N1 virus has been identified all over the world. It is a new virus among the human population, causes serious illness-particularly in the very young and very old- and can easily be transmitted from person to person. It is genetically novel in some ways, incorporating genetic information from some human seasonal influenzas, as well as an avian and a swine influenza. Its certainly a ‘new model’ flu virus - and since we have not met this particular strain before, more people than normal may be affected by the virus.

While many media reports have highlighted the numbers of patients reported seriously ill or dead with this virus, what they have left out in their reporting are the numbers of patients who become seriously ill or die from the seasonal flu each year. The numbers so far, for the current H1N1 virus, are about half of what is experienced every year with seasonal influenza.

In recent years, seasonal flu viruses have frequently assumed epidemic proportions. Caution is reasonable, but, as one virologist has noted ‘Pandemics happen.’ Some H1N1 virus epidemics have caused considerable, widespread severe illness. In 1918, a strain arose and was transmitted extensively throughout military bases in North Carolina and elsewhere in the US. We have experienced severe flu nearly every decade. The advice given in 1918 is still important today. Following some safety and health rules will help keep everyone safer during this flu season, especially at church.

To stay healthy and to help prevent the spread of disease, please remember to follow these simple steps:

Use a tissue. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into your elbow- not your hands. If you feel sick, stay home- don’t go to work, school, or church. Wash your hands and be careful not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

This summer, the pandemic’s potential in England drew comments and cautions from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. While much conversation has raged regarding what to do in the parish church, those same simple steps remain

most important: wash hands, cover noses and mouths when sneezing or coughing, when you feel ill - stay home.

One interesting concern involves the practice of intinction, of individuals dipping a wafer or bread into wine rather than drinking from the chalice. Some persons believe that this practice is beneficial in controlling disease and that we all should consider intinction of this sort as a regular practice. The answer is, no, you should not. If one’s hands are dirty, once one has handled the bread, viruses on the hand may be spread to the bread, and thus into the wine. Instead, it is safer to sip from a clean silver chalice (a ceramic or glass chalice is not as effective a germ-killer). The chalice should be thoroughly washed before and after use, and dried with a clean towel. And if you are taking care of sick person or are otherwise concerned that you may be carrying the virus, it is also perfectly appropriate to simply receive the bread alone.

Before we worry too much about this flu season, it is important to know the facts and act responsibly. Besides, if the chalice was a source of much disease - you’d probably see that in your priest first - and we’re a pretty healthy lot!

The flu and church

Cover Your Mouth

By The Rev. Canon Matthew Stockard

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A cross-section of a flu virus

Who said church is just a place you visit on Sunday?

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church is more than a place Keri Dixon...feature

There are countless times in the history of the spoken language where words have changed form. The verb “viking” became a noun to describe a group of people. “Google” went from being the name of a company to being the active verb of looking something up. The noun “task” became a verb for getting things done. And now, Church has become a verb. My first experience with this new way of thinking came in the form of a commercial from the United Methodist Church. The ad showed people helping in the community and called it “Church.” I remember the first time I saw this, I thought, “Now that’s an idea.” And I have been thinking about it ever since. The commercials are an attempt by the United Methodist Church to “move the denomination into transformative and collaborative action.”

I think that, although the United Methodists have coined the term in their new marketing campaign, the Episcopalians have been practicing this idea for decades-- at least. Church is not just that building you visit on Sundays. With The Episcopal Church, it has always been something in which you participate. Even on Sundays, sitting with the crowds, looking up at the altar, you participate with church. You say the Nicene Creed, lay readers give the readings for the week, youth participate as acolytes, and others help seat people and take up collection.

But more than that, Church has become what you do to help and interact with others. To see what The Episcopal Church is doing, all you have to do is pick up the newsletters that parishes send out monthly. In the past few months, I have read things like “Come play golf with the Rector,”(Holy Trinity, Hertford) and “Our EYC will be serving people in poverty

stricken areas in the mountains of North Carolina.” (St. Paul’s, Edenton) Better than that, I have seen programs that tie in kayaking with church. (St. Francis by the Sea, Southern Shores)

Just recently I read the following line in a church newsletter about a book club that is organized by the parish. “Any and all not necessarily [parish] members nor ever Episcopalians are invited and welcome.” (Peace Church, New Bern) Ah. Now there is something I don’t think the United Methodists have grasped in their marketing campaign. Church is not just about doing something, it’s about making sure that in doing it, we are welcoming everyone into our home that we call The Episcopal Church. And by acting as a verb, we are reaching out and welcoming everyone in.

There are some unique ways that The Episcopal Church and the parishes in this diocese do this too. I recently attended a Sunday Eucharist with the Church of the Advent in Williamston where the service was held in a nearby campground as opposed to the parish. By doing this, the church was opening itself up-- reaching out-- to people outside the doors. They were doing something that would help bring others in. They were verbing their welcome by taking the first step forward.

This is the message that the Church needs to put out. Yes, church is a verb. And it is a verb that, if used right, will mean “We would like to welcome you here with us.”

The youth are some of the best examples of this too. They are always eager to participate in events where they can volunteer their time and energy to let others know they care in the name of the Lord. The youth most often show that by doing things, they were welcoming everyone into the Church.

The New Verb

By Keri Dixon

I was recently given the chance to see one of these youth groups in action.

By the time I pulled up to a small trailer that sat on the outskirts of Jacksonville, NC, the work had almost been finished. The ramp was almost complete, missing only the handrails along the side. The youth that were working were excited, but since the work was mostly done, many were standing around discussing various important issues like, who had had the best summer, and who had to do the dishes that night.

This group of youth had come to Eastern Carolina to take part in the Towel Ministry Camp in Swansboro. Here in East Carolina, it is the “Beach Towel Ministry.” These youth, 37 in total, gathered from places like Alabama, Tennessee and Western North Carolina to help out families in need along the North Carolina coast. They worked for one week building ramps, painting houses, repairing roofs, and uncluttering cluttered homes. The youth lived in the church where they would have breakfast, pack lunch, leave for their day of work, come back late in the afternoon for some rest, and then eat at 6 o’clock at night. After eating came a program where the youth had a chance to talk about “where they saw God in their day.” Kim Corbin, a past participant of the Beach Towel Ministry, said, “I think that each student and adult saw God through a different set of eyes by the end of the week.”

“The Towel Ministry is a youth-oriented ministry specializing in home repairs that consist of teams of youth

and experienced adults from all over the southeast reaching out to those who need assistance in our community-- especially the elderly, disabled, and those struggling economically. These youth and adults also develop relationships with the homeowners throughout the week.

They give them hope, friendship, and a sense

of worth,” explained Beach Towel Ministry Coordinator, Carol Eaton. The ministry, started over 20 years ago in Western North Carolina by Deacon Cris Greer, is a way for young people to put the Gospel into practical application in a “hands-on” ministry.

The youth who attend these camps are eager to lend a helping hand while learning about a new place. Not only do the youth come out to help rebuild and refurbish homes, but they happily sleep on the basement floor, take out the trash, clean up their dishes, make their lunches, and clean the bathrooms. (The counselors at Beach Towel Week were especially impressed by the youth’s bathroom cleaning skills.)

“The most important aspect of Towel Ministry is the care, love, and respect these young people have for the families they are serving,” says Carol Eaton.

This love and care given to the families in need is indeed the most important part of the process. That love and care helped more than just the physical safety of the families who where helped, it helped the families spiritually. It helped people to remember they were loved, and it even inspired others to become more active. In one instance that I heard, it brought a lady back to Church after years of not attending.

By lending a helping hand, people in the Episcopal Church have opened their arms and allowed action to speak the important words for them. By being an active verb, Church has become a way of thinking and a new way of welcoming every person home.

Click image to watch the Towel Ministry in action!

Youth work together to complete a ramp for a woman in a wheel chair.

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Ker

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onKeri Dixonreaching out to the community...feature

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All Saints’, Southern Shores participated in a program called “Room in the Inn” on the northern Outer Banks. The program offers a warm place to sleep, meals, and friendly faces for up to 12 guests in need nightly. The program was founded by Claiborne Yarbrough of St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea in Nags Head. Participating churches sign up to host the program for a week. St. Andrew’s and All Saints’, the two Episcopal churches on the northern banks, have enthusiastically supported the program. Flyers were posted at various places, community support organizations were informed, but the best advertisement was word-of-mouth. Guests are screened, transported to the church, and must follow certain rules such as no drugs, alcohol, fighting or swearing. Bedding is also brought to the host churches.

Most of the guests were employed, but temporarily had no home. The guests received meals and a warm place to sleep

What can 87 members of All Saints’ Church in Southern Shores accomplish? They can bridge barriers, theirs and others.

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from the church. Are these the essentials? More essential, the All Saints’ members provided conversation, smiling faces, and the hospitality that a guest would expect when staying at a room in the inn. The guests participated in the church’s Game Night, having fun with adults and children alike, and sang with the choir on rehearsal night.

When our guests arrived nightly, they would get their living quarters squared away before joining the hosts. After prayers, they served themselves dinner, buffet style, ate, then usually headed to their ‘bedrooms’ to settle down for a good night’s sleep. Up early the next day, they ate their breakfast and were picked up by 6:30 AM. Different church members served dinners and breakfasts, made lunches, stayed to visit, and slept overnight. One even drove one of the guests to work every morning.

Guest George liked to help to cook breakfast, Mike ate serving after serving of Shepherd’s Pie, another would check out the deserts first, saying that an appetizer of sweets is the best.

The Rev Thomas Wilson, “Father Tom”, rector at All Saints’, learned about the program at the Outer Banks Ministerial Association and had experienced similar programs at other churches. Tom Secules, a former Senior Warden, was asked to organize the All Saints’ week. His only real problem was that too many members volunteered!

Father Tom sees the program as an opportunity to reduce the anxiety that the homeless might have about how others view them and reduce the anxiety that the church members might have about being around homeless people. He wanted All Saints’ to act as hosts and not look at the guests as objects in need. He saw that putting people together would bridge barriers. In practicing radical hospitality, perhaps those that provide the hospitality benefited the most.

Would All Saints’ host the “Room at the Inn” program again? You bet!

More barriers to bridge, ours and others. s

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Sandy Briggmanhelping out...feature

Bridging Barriers

By Sandy Briggman

“During an impromptu sharing time, a young child came to the front of the group of 65 kids and over 30 adults and said his mom was in prison and his uncle was in prison and his dad would soon be going to prison. He didn’t know where or with whom he would be living when he returned from Camp Hope. What devastation to be in this position and what courage to tell this in the whole group! He was hugged and loved all week and hopefully this helped him get through the next week knowing that no one could separate him from God’s love.”

An annual event held at Kanuga’s Camp Bob, Camp Hope gives children of incarcerated parents a week of wonderful fun and fellowship. Terry Brubaker, who recounted the above experience, was new to Camp Hope this year, one of 10 volunteers, half of whom are members of Christ Church, New Bern. Fellow parishioner Jane Merritt organized Camp Hope four years ago as part of her ongoing prison ministry and

is its driving force, recruiting campers and volunteers and raising funds to underwrite the considerable costs.

“I thought I would grow spiritually, (but) I didn’t have any idea how wonderful

this experience would really be!’ Terry said. Jane Peele, another first-time volunteer who teaches dance in New Bern elementary schools said “Since I work with at-risk students

on a day to day basis, I knew I should expect tough situations for these young people. However, my interaction on a day-to-day basis is within the safety of ‘student-teacher’ interactions. Camp

allowed me the opportunity to interact with the campers in a much more personal level. We ate, slept, played, and worshipped together in community.”

Campers, aged 7 through 13 years, come from across North Carolina. The week they spend at Camp Hope is centered on having a wonderful time in a safe, Christian environment, lead by a staff of dedicated, professional counselors. Sports, nature study, arts and crafts are offered in abundance along with three squares a day in the camp dining hall. But each day begins with a prayer and praise called “Morning Shine” and ends with devotions.

“Statistics show that at least 70 percent of children with incarcerate parents will end up in prisons themselves," Terry Brubaker notes. “If we can reduce that by even one percent we have done what God is calling us to do. All we have to do is love our neighbors as ourselves.”

“The entire experience was life-changing for me,” Jane Peele adds. “These young men and women are my heroes. Their lives and hardships have not crushed God’s spirit in each of them. I was continually reminded of the power of our Lord.”

“I want to continue to work with these children and the ministry that operates to help them and their families,” Terry says. She has taken the lead in holding a “Camp Hope Reunion” this fall for campers in eastern North Carolina and is looking for other ways to say in touch throughout the year.

Then there’s Camp Hope 2010. “I want to go back!’ Jane Peele says. “I am so grateful to have had this experience.” Chances are the campers and volunteers would add: “AMEN!”

Youth and volunteers alike enjoy Camp Hope

Children of incarcerated parents gather for a week of camp.

Finding Hope

By Nancy Mansfield

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Nancy Mansfieldin search of hope...community

In March Jo Anne Kilday took a trip with Ginger Jacocks to South Africa where they were guests of Giger’s niece (and her family) who live outside Johannesburg. They drove many miles in “the bush” and were able to observe daily life throughout the area rather than be restricted to the typical tourist view; they saw scenery so beautiful it was almost unbelievable. These are Jo Anne’s tales...

“Of course, no visit to South Africa would be complete without a trip to Kruger National Park to spot wild animals. With the help of Ginger’s niece, along with her husband and 3 ½ year old son, we observed during three days in “the bush” the “Big Five,” plus many more animals and birds, large and small.”

“Next stop, Zambia to visit Victoria Falls. Besides enjoying the beautiful vistas associated with the falls and the wild animals that roamed freely, we visited the Simonga Village – an isolated place with a population of 500 people of which about 130 were orphans due to AIDS. There was no electricity or running water, and the kitchens consisted of open fire pits under thatched roofs (no walls). Colorful blooming flowers in well kept beds surrounded huts with dirt floors and clothe-covered doorways. A school where the students share the room with goats, a clinic, several churches, vegetable gardens, and chickens were a part of the village. Great efforts to dispel myths concerning AIDS were evident throughout. Happy children and adults, alike, presented positive attitudes and displayed much hope for the future.”

Africa’s Many Sides

These are just a few elephants from a herd of about 150.

The Simonga Village kitchen.

Taken in the Samonga Village, this is a 3rd grade class.

A typical home in the Simonga Village.

Images by Jo Anne Kilday

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adventures in Africa Jo Anne Kilday...community

“My lasting impressions are of a South Africa that is a democracy but has a great gap between the “haves” and “have nots” – but the “have nots” do have hope. The leaders of the villages and townships believe strongly that education is the way out. The children in their uniforms walking miles to school are startling but uplifting. It is difficult to understand why a country with such abundant natural resources has such a problem with a lack of easy access to clean water and a lack of electricity for so many. During this trip I viewed scenery so beautiful it was almost unbelievable and I experienced emotions ranging from great joy to anger, compassion to disgust, and hope to despair.”

“Cape Town is a beautiful, modern, international seaport; however, on the outskirts of the city you will find the townships. We took a tour of Langa Township adjacent to the international airport. I was taken aback by the whole township experience but I was most stunned by the apartment we visited where three families shared a 12’x10’ room. I did find hope among the children and teenagers that had become involved in programs offered by the township community center. New apartments were being built, though very slowly, offering hope to families. When I asked about problems associated with drugs, the young tour guide who lives in the township said it was a major problem and that’s why it was so important to get the teens involved in the community center.”

“During three days in Natal-Zulu, we visited several battlefields from the Zulu-Anglo and the Zulu-Afrikaner Wars that provided a better understanding of the local history and culture. We drove many dirt roads (and poorly paved roads) among numerous Zulu villages, witnessing children walking miles in their school uniforms between the school house and the village, and ladies dressed in vibrant colored dresses carrying bright umbrellas while they walked long distances to political rallies.”

This township is located just outside a very affluent area, Knysna, near the Indian Ocean.

Name: Hsar Eh SaySchool: New Bern High SchoolEthnicity: KarenFrom the Painter: “My piece of art is a picture of a Karen village in Burma. The mountain in the foreground is a famous mountain for us, Kwel Ka Baw, and it holds special significance for my people. The Burmese army came to a nearby village, killing animals and forcing the villagers to flee. They lost their livestock and the Burmese army burned their agriculture and rice paddies. As the Burmese army advanced from this village, we were forced to flee and head to Thailand. I will always hold my homeland’s scenery in my heart.”

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a view of home Hsar Eh Say...community

From the Galleries

This painting was created by Hsar Eh Say for a World Refugee Day project.

(Reprinted courtesy of Matt Tessnear, Journalist, New Bern Sun Journal New Bern, NC.)

Saw Gay Eh traded fear for freedom when he moved from Thailand to New Bern in 2004. He says he’s thankful for the freedom but wants Americans to help him become a better citizen. Eh, who is 53, grew up in Rangoon, a city in the eastern part of the Karen state of Burma. Burma was a democratic country until the military took control when Eh was 7. He said the military accused ethnic groups of being rebels. He said many men were killed and women were raped in the early 1970’s.

“The people suppressed, and the people were oppressed,” he said. “So, we went to the refugee camps along the Thailand-Burma border. There were nine camps there.” He escaped the killing in Thailand, but he said he and his wife, Naw Beh Bay, still lived in fear in Thailand because there were there illegally. They had no privacy and worried that the government would catch them. Eh said that Thai immigration officials arrested many of the Burmese refugees and took them to jail for up to 45 days. Eh and Bay’s three children – Mar Ner, Ta Ler Bwe and Gay Nay Htoo were born in Thailand.

In 1997, Eh applied to the United Nations to move to the United States. He smiles when he says his wish for freedom was granted in 2004. He flew from New York to Charlotte to New Bern. “When we arrived here, we came legally and with no fear.” Eh said. “If we don’t break the law -- no problem; but, in Burma and Thailand, if you don’t break the law, you’re still living in many

fears.”

Susan Husson and Interfaith Refugee Ministry started working with Eh’s family as soon as they arrived in the United States. Interfaith, based in New Bern, is an affiliate of Episcopal Migrations Ministries, a national resettlement agency that contracts with the U.S. government to help find homes, jobs and health care for refugees.

Rosemary Stark of New Bern established Interfaith Refugee Ministry in 1992 in her home. “The organization has now helped settle more than 1,000 refugees in Eastern North Carolina. The numbers we serve are dictated by global events,” said Husson, Interfaith executive director. “Refugees unfortunately come when something terrible happens, like in Burma. Until 1999, our largest case load was from Bosnia because of tragedy there.” Husson said Interfaith has helped more than 400 refugees, many from Burma by way of Thailand refugee camps in the last two years. “They are like a bridge to allow us to come here,” Eh said.

Interfaith introduced Eh to the Employment Security Commission. Since 2004, he’s had jobs at Moen and Carolina Technical Plastics. His middle son, Ta Ler Bwe, is a senior at New Bern High, where he is an officer in the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program. Interfaith helped Bwe who is 19, get into the school system. He wants to go to Craven Community College and N.C. State University when he graduates. Naw Beh Bay said New Bern area churches have taken care of the family’s material needs the last four years. She said she now attends Temple Baptist where more than 100 people attend a

Burmese-language service on Sunday nights. “The churches are the first place that you can share with when you get here,” Bay Said. “We really thank the government and the churches for being so good to us. It’s an easy first month because we enjoy the freedom so much. But, it’s culture shock after that.”

Because the refugees were not legal residents in Thailand, they could not work there. Bay said it is difficult to go from doing nothing to being expected to be a productive citizen. She said she hopes New Bern area business owners understand that refugees want to work. “It’s just hard to get jobs” she said. “The language barrier is often so tough.” Husson said Interfaith always needs help from the public to settle refugees. First Baptist Church downtown and Rhems United Methodist on U.S. 17 have held programs in recent months to help Burmese refugees learn English. Husson said at least two people a day call to say they have furniture and other items to donate for the refugees. Some of that furniture fills Eh and Bay’s F Street house. The house, which has wood floors, a living room full of cushioned chairs and flowers blooming on the front porch, looks like many American homes. Bay says that’s what her family wants, because they can never return to Burma. “Soon after we landed in New York, we were free, not like in Burma.” Eh added with a laugh, “We need people to help teach us the way to stay that way and be good citizens.” s

a new place Matt Tessnear...community

New Life in New Bern

This article was contributed by the Interfaith Refugee Ministry. It originally ran in January in The Sun Journal: written by Matt Tessnear.

Burmese refugees find freedom in Eastern Carolina.

General Convention

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experiencing the excitement Casey Ludlum...general convention

While the term geek is frequently used as a somewhat derogatory remark, being a church geek is something that I actually pride myself in. I have grown up in Wilmington, NC and there attend Church of the Servant. I am a cradle Episcopalian and have been active in the church on not only a parish level, but a diocesan, provincial, and national level. My experience of being an alternate deputy to the 76th General Convention in Anaheim, California this past July was something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Some of the highlights for me were getting to see the national church that I love so much work on its legislation and business, volunteering in the exhibit hall, and getting to see and hear many different opinions on The Episcopal Church.

While the legislation sessions are the part of conventions that most other people dread, it is one of the most exciting for me. I love reading and hearing about all the proposed legislation that the House of Deputies had to vote on. This legislation is the hard work of committees, commissions, agencies, boards, bishops, dioceses, and deputies on items that they wish to add to, take away, or otherwise change

about the way The Episcopal Church functions. This is fascinating to me mostly because while what gets passed or defeated at General Convention does not affect the Sunday-Sunday church going experience of those in our pews, it does affect the Church and the way it operates on a national level.

The booth that I spent the most time in at the exhibit hall was the Episcopal Campus Ministry booth. Having recently graduated from North Carolina State University, I felt really at home in this booth because I felt I could offer my experience to others who weren’t as familiar with campus ministry programs. This booth was quite the talk of Convention, mainly because it was decorated as a college dorm room! It was the genius idea of the booth’s staff member to decorate it as such to grab people’s attention. And it did precisely that. Most people walked by, stopped for a moment trying to understand why there was a bed in this booth, noticed what the booth was for, and then said “Oh, I get it, it’s supposed to be a dorm room, that’s really neat!”

I also enjoyed getting to worship with everyone at convention every day.

It was a wonderful reminder that we were not only there for business, but for prayer and worship also. We are first and foremost a church after all. In our daily worship we were able to experience different kinds of music, different services, and many different languages ranging from Spanish and French, to Hawaiian and Dakotan. We also got to hear a song that was written by our diocese’s own Jamey Graves. In addition to attending the services I also got the opportunity to participate in a few as a chalice bearer, something that I really enjoyed, for I was able to see more faces of the convention.

I was also very privileged to be at General Convention at such a young age. I was part of only 2% that was a deputy or alternate that was under the age of 25 and only 3% that was under the age of 30. To be part of such a small percentage is quite empowering, and the fact that the 125th East Carolina Diocesan Convention was confident enough in me to have voted me even as an alternate brings a smile to my face. I thank everyone for giving me that opportunity, and for giving this church geek her time at the big dance!

From July 8th until July 17th, bishops, delegates, guests and members of The Episcopal Church gathered in Anaheim, California. They were there for the 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, which takes place once very three years. Delegates and bishops debated, worshipped, and worked together to help form the direction for the Church for the next three years.

From the Church NerdBy Casey Ludlum

Click Image to watch a review from General Convention!

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At our diocesan convention in 2008, I was elected to serve as a Clergy Deputy to the General Convention 2009. I was to further discover that I would be the Chair of the Deputation. As Chair of the Deputation, I convened our deputies several times throughout the year preceding Convention. We set expectations for ourselves as deputies and became colleagues. Thus began a year and a half of work, study, and prayer to serve as deputies. The General Convention is the governing body of The Episcopal Church. This bicameral body consists of The House of Deputies and The House of Bishops. Each day is long- from early in the morning until late into the evening and night. Through it all, we prayed, sang, celebrated Holy Eucharist daily, listened, read, spoke, and legislated.

With hundreds (perhaps thousands of votes), we addressed over 400 separate pieces of legislation, ranging from canon law to social justice to

courtesy resolutions. Both Houses of the Convention must concur on each resolution before it can be passed. Sometimes, I felt like a tennis match was taking place as the Bishops or Deputies rejected resolutions that the other House had approved. Once rejected the resolution is defeated. We voted most often by voice. If the voice vote was unclear, we voted electronically with a remote control-like device. As a test vote, President Anderson asked, “Is the temperature of this room comfortable? Press one if you are comfortable; press two if you are too cold.” We had a hearty laugh as the vote was displayed on the screens. Half of us (me) were comfortable, and half were freezing. Throughout convention, the voting continued-- often with similar results to our test vote! Half and half outcomes for simple majority voting or close votes on 2/3’s majority. This decision making process may work well for Congress or the State General Assembly, but I am not convinced that it works well for the Church. Inherently, the voting process creates winners and losers on most all actions. This division, even on trite issues and certainly on weighty issues, is not healthy for the Body to my estimation. Throughout Convention, I felt that a better way of governance might be emerging in The Episcopal Church— simpler, smaller, and less divisive. I do not know how this decision making might work or what it might look like, but I will certainly be praying for it to emerge and create a new way forward.

There were excellent Episcopalians at the General Convention, and the governance by creating winners and losers with our voting certainly does demonstrate our mutual love and respect in Christ. One day in The House of Deputies, the Interfaith and Inter-denominational observers were introduced to us, representing over fifty different traditions! After the introductions, a priest, a rabbi, and an

imam were introduced. They were dressed in their traditional garb for worship. First the rabbi, then the imam, and then the priest chanted the blessing of Aaron:

“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:The LORD make his face shine upon thee,and be gracious unto thee:The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee,and give thee peace.” Numbers 6:23-27

Each chanted in their tradition in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. As each cantor’s final note began to fade, the next would take up the blessing, echoing it throughout the House. The pitches matched perfectly. As the priest finished, all three began chanting the blessing together. The chanted Arabic, English, and Hebrew swirled together through the air of the House. As the final note drifted away, prayerful and Spirit-filled silence descended on this room of a thousand people, quieting and calming this room of debate and fervor. I truly felt blessed in that moment.

I hope that there are priests, deacons, and laity who are considering their call to serve as a deputy. Reading, writing, email, travel, prayer, phone calls, sitting, listening, speaking, and more. Is this you in Indianapolis in summer of 2012?

I would be happy to discuss my experience at The General Convention with you personally. Give me a call to set up a time… with food if possible!

Images by Keri D

ixonThe Ven. Sonny Brownethe inside scoop...general convention

The welcome side outside of the Convention Hall.

People stand to discuss topics in the House of Deputies.

Votes, Songs, and Excellent EpiscopaliansBy Ven. Sonny Browne

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New Bishop Assisting The Diocese of East Carolina to welcome Bishop Santosh Marray as Bishop Assisting for the diocese

Images by Keri D

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Keri Dixonthe Bishop Assisting...in the news

The Right Reverend Clifton Daniel 3rd, Bishop of East Carolina, recently announced that the Executive Council of the Diocese of East Carolina authorized funds for a Bishop assisting in the Diocese of East Carolina, the position to begin in October of this year. Former Bishop of Seychelles Santosh K. Marray will become an assisting bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina beginning in October. Bishop Marray was born in Guyana in the West Indies. He has served as a priest in the Diocese of Guyana, Diocese of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands and the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. In his pastoral ministry, Bishop Marray has served in a variety of parochial settings and has considerable experience in rural, multi-station parishes. The Diocese of East Carolina welcomed Bishop Marray as a guest last year to the Diocesan

Convention where he preached Evensong. Bishop Marray was elected third Bishop of Seychelles, Province of the Indian Ocean, and was consecrated on April 5, 2005. He served during a time of restoration for that diocese, and prepared it for the election of a successor who would serve a long term episcopate. Bishop Marray demitted office officially as Bishop of Seychelles on December 31, 2008. He has the distinction of being the first West Indian of East Indian ancestry to be elected and consecrated bishop in the Anglican Communion. Marray has also served in several leadership roles in the Anglican Communion at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Marray has been married for thirty two years. His wife Nalini is a school teacher and they have two grown children, Ingram and Amanda. Bishop Marray will initially be licensed as a Bishop assisting in the Diocese of East Carolina. During

the period in which he is licensed, Bishop Daniel - in conjunction with the Standing Committee, Diocesan Convention, the Presiding Bishop and the House of Bishops - will engage the process, described in the Canons of The Episcopal Church, towards formalizing Bishop Marray's position as Assistant Bishop. Bishop Daniel has stated that he is pleased by the addition of Bishop Marray to diocesan staff and is thankful for the wisdom and experience he brings to the mission and ministry of the diocese. Bishop Daniel is also pleased that with the presence of Bishop Marray, each congregation of the diocese will have an annual service of Confirmation and pastoral visitation from a bishop of this diocese.

The Rt. Rev. Santosh Marray visited the Diocese of East Carolina in January 2009 for the Diocesan’s 126th Convention.

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More About Our New Assisting BishopLearn a little more about Bishop Santosh Marray.

Keri Dixonthe Bishop Assisting...in the news

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Where in the world has Bishop Marray lived?

1. Guyana- Bishop Marray was born in Guyana and there ordained to priesthood.

2. Bahamas- For many years, Bishop Marray served as an assistant priest, rector, teacher and chaplain in many different settings.

3. Seychelles- From 2005 until 2008 Bishop Marray served as the Bishop of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

4. Florida- Bishop Marray served as rector in Flordia in the early 2000’s, and lived there until joining the Diocese of East Carolina.

The Rt. Rev. Santosh Marray was born September 29, 1957 in Guyana, South America. At age 20, he responded to the call of holy orders and proceeded to Codrington Theological College and the University of the West Indies, Barbados. He graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology. After being ordained to priesthood on November 8, 1981, Bishop Marray

served in Guyana and the Bahamas in a variety of roles. During his early years in the priesthood, he served as Curate, Rector, Priest-in-Charge, Assistant Priest, Vicar, and Chaplain at many different locations. In his ministry, Bishop Marray has a wide experience with many parochial settings. He has ministered, nurtured, inspired and counseled thousands of people, and through the love of teaching,

has used his gifts to instruct many in faith. During Bishop Marray’s visit to the Diocese of East Carolina last year, many had the privilege to hear his Evensong Sermon. Then listed as the “Sometimes Bishop of the Seychelles,”, it took about five minutes at the beginning of his sermon to clarify what is role in the Seychelles was. His sense of humor and passion for the Church were expressed about midway through the lengthy address when he looked at his watch and said, “I know you are hungry, but I’ve got to preach!” The congregation was neither impatient nor disappointed when he continued for another 15 minutes. He has been described by others as one who “has never been deterred by paucity of resources or difficult situations.” “This is much like home to me. The farms and land remind me a lot of where I grew up,” Bishop Marray said of moving to this diocese. He will be moving here from Jacksonville, Fl. Hobbies for Bishop Marray include reading, sports, watching documentaries, exercise and sharing quality time with the family.

Bishop Marray preaching Evensong during the 126th Diocesan Convention.

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Burke/ Cochranthoughts from the diocese...from the diocese

christmas iN afghaNistaN

By Bill and Betty Cochran

On the rear wall of Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in Washington is a little-noticed framed list of 100 names of men and women from Saint Peter’s Parish who served in World War II. Two have Gold Stars by their names; they were killed in action. Since WWII we have had parishioners, friends, family members, and others from Beaufort County and the Diocese who have served and died in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other dangerous places. As a parish outreach program, the Vestry of Saint Peter’s, Washington has approved a plan this year to sponsor Christmas for a company of approximately 225-250 Camp Lejeune

Marines who will deploy to Afghanistan in late October. They have been in combat training recently in California. Bishop Daniel, bishop for this diocese, has pointed out that there are more military installations in the Diocese of East Carolina than in any other diocese. The group is the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines which consists of five companies of 1,300 Marines known as Warlords. Echo, Fox, and Golf are the line companies, backed up by a weapons company, and headquarters and support company. We have been in contact with the Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force and the Act. Div. Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Division. Both are very appreciative that Saint Peter’s is considering this. General Osterman wrote: “Knowing that all of us are held in your thoughts and prayers especially during times of deployment in a combat zone is beyond measure.”

The Family Readiness Officer has suggested that the gifts be distributed throughout the battalion to those Marines who have little, if any, family support. We will need to send about 50 gift boxes, in a post office large flat rate box which holds up to 20 pounds. Cost of shipping is $11.95 per box or $597.50 total (for postage). Gifts for five Marines in each box are estimated to cost about $50 or about $2,500 for 50 boxes. Each box will be packed with items such as moist wipes, protein snack bars, playing cards, powdered Crystal Lite, soap, deodorant, board games, pre-paid phone cards, and even soccer balls, footballs, and the like. As a parish, we look forward to reaching out to the Marines in this company. We look forward to knowing we can help make a difference in a few lives and help remind the troops of the presence of the Spirit in their lives.

Is America a Christian Nation? By Michael Burke

Is America a Christian Nation? As an historian I find this a fascinating if unanswerable question. (The best questions usually are!) As a Christian, however, I don't find the question very helpful because I don't know what it means. Does what present or past leaders have said define what we are? Partisan historians can marshal a collection of quotations for whatever answer you want. Do opinions make it so? Polls offer more data than we can handle but what is the right question? Perhaps the better, if more challenging, question to ask is just what is a Christian nation? What would it look like? Would it have distinct characteristics immediately apparent to others? Or does the phrase “Christian nation” simply describe a nation in which a majority claim to be Christians? I want to think the question is about more than numbers. At its most basic, Christianity is a faith so profound that it cannot help

but inspire action, even a way of life. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us we live out our love for him by what we do for the least of his family. The Beatitudes describe a set of values that seem to fly in the face of conventional wisdom. In the Lord's Prayer we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” As if our job is to help make our own world better reflect the Kingdom of God described in so many parables. Personally I like the refrain from the hymn, We Are One in the Spirit: “And they'll know we are Christians by our love.” Would other nations recognize us as Christians by our love? Do we recognize ourselves this way? It is often easy to confuse being a fan (The home team? Your Alma Mater? Facebook?) with being the real thing. Fans talk the talk, fly the flags, and flaunt their fealty—but they don't walk the walk or do the heavy lifting. Being a fan is fine as long as you don't confuse yourself with the star players. In the same way there are Christian “fans” who flaunt their devotion in public to show what side they are on, and “players” whose faith has redefined their life. In both sports and religion all players are also

fans but not all fans are players. If we want to think of ourselves as a Christian nation, however, we must be more than just fans. When Jesus told us to love our neighbor he didn't suggest it was an obligation we could fulfill with a bumper sticker. But displaying a bumper sticker on the way to the food pantry is not a bad idea. Few Christians as individuals have the opportunity to make such an impact on the suffering of others that the world will immediately sit up and take notice. However, if citizens of an entire nation or community are living lives filled with love and caring for those less fortunate maybe the results should be readily observable. In other words, if we truly want of think of ourselves as a Christian society, not just as fans of Christianity, we should see some evidence. Less sickness. Less hunger. Less suffering. Less poverty in the midst of affluence. Less retribution, more forgiveness. Maybe the very notion of an entire nation or society being Christian is impossible. But if America or anyone else truly becomes a Christian nation we'll know it.

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Poetry by the Sea

St. Francis by the Sea’s poetry reading coming soon.

Peter Makuckthoughts from the diocese...from the diocese

Critic Jonathan Holden has said: “Peter Makuck’s poems are as beautiful and well-made as the best poems of his contemporaries. What sets them apart from and above virtually all of them, however, is their ethos, their attentiveness to the world outside the self and their capacity to love: people, creatures, landscape. Makuck’s poetry shows us not only how to see but how to live.”

Peter Makuck will be reading his poetry at St. Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church in Salter Path, North Carolina, at 5:30 p.m. on Friday October 30. Following the reading, there will be a wine-and-cheese reception and a book signing.

Makuck has published eight volumes of poetry. Among them are Where We Live (1982), The Sunken Lightship (1990), Against Distance (1998) and Off-Season in the Promised Land (2005)—published by BOA Editions. Pilgrims, released by Ampersand Press, won the Zoe Kincaid Brockman Award for the best book of poems by a North Carolinian in 1989. He also has three other chapbooks, the most recent being Back Roads, published by

Independent Press. Long Lens: New & Selected Poems will be published in early 2010. In recognition of his poetry and the reading of his poetry, Makuck won the prestigious Charity Randall Citation from the International Poetry Forum in Pittsburgh.

As a prose writer, Makuck has two collections of short stories. The latest, Costly Habits, was nominated for a Pen/Faulkner award. He also received honorable mention three times in Best American Short Stories, had a story selected as one of The Best of the Southern Review and has had several stories anthologized. His personal essay on guns, “The Trouble With Smitty,” was listed in The Best Essays of 2000.

Makuck’s essays and reviews, stories and poems have appeared in Poetry, The Hudson Review, The Yale Review, The Nation, The Southern Review, The Georgia Review, The American Scholar, The Gettysburg Review, The Sewanee Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, among others. He also contributes reviews to the Raleigh News & Observer.

Born and raised in New London, CT, Peter Makuck attended l'Université Laval in Quebec, received his B.A. from St. Francis College in Biddeford, Maine, and has a Ph.D. in American literature from Kent State University. In 1974-75, he was a Fulbright Exchange Professor at Université de Savoie, in Chambéry, France. From 1976 until his retirement in 2006, he was editor of Tar River Poetry and Distinguished Professor of American literature at East Carolina University. Most recently, he held the Lee Smith Chair in Creative Writing at N.C. State University.

Makuck has been a lecturer/discussion

leader in the "Poets in Person" series sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. In November, he will conduct a workshop at the North Carolina Writers’ Network, and in early December, he will deliver the Taylor-Aiken lecture on the poetry of Donald Hall at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN.

Writer Brendan Galvin, among others, has praised Makuck’s poetry for its accessibility as well as its quality: “Like the work of fine painters, they are so open to the presence of what is, so intent on letting things reveal themselves, that we feel in reading [or hearing] them we have arrived for the first time in that place where the material and spiritual flow into each other.”

Peter Makuck’s reading at St. Francis by the Sea is free of charge, and all are welcome to attend. Proceeds from book sales will go to the church.

Author Peter Makuck by the Atlantic Ocean.

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The Episcopal Diocese of East CarolinaP.O. Box 1336Kinston NC 28503

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If you would like to submit articles for publication in the Cross Current Magazine, please vist the “Submission

Guidelines” page on the website at:www.diocese-eastcarolina.org/submissionguidelines

what’s goiNg oN iN the diocese?Anti Racism WorkshopOctober 17, 20098:30 AM until 4:00 PMSt. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Southport, NCLearn more about an issue that still haunts the U.S. and obtain certification. Cost is $10 to attend, lunch and beverages will be provided. For more information, or to register, please go to the website at: www.diocese-eastcarolina.org/antiracismregistration

New Beginnings #43 for YouthOctober 17-18, 2009Trinity Center, Salter Path, NCLet your middle school age child join with other youth to learn and grow spiritually. For more information, contact Kim Willis from St. Paul’s, Edenton at:stpaulsyouth@embarqmail.com

Christ Church, Elizabeth City’s Lobster FestOctober 23, 2009Christ Church, Elizabeth City, NCCome and enjoy fresh Maine lobster boiled or in a meal. Order deadline is October 19, 2009. For ordering information or to learn more about the proceeds of the Fest, visit Christ Church’s website at: www.christchurch-ecity.org/

St. Timothy’s, Greenville’s Lobster FairOctober 24, 2009St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Greenville, NCEnjoy fresh lobster, a silent auction, holiday bazaar, art camp, bake sale and much more. Deadline for ordering lobster is October 16. For more information or to order your lobster, visit St. Timothy’s website at: http://www.st-tim.org/events/lobster_fair.php.

LARC EastLutherans, Anglicans and Roman CatholicsNovember 3-4, 2009Trinity Center, Salter Path, NCJoin on a conference for all interested in the faith journey for all of our churchs. Deadline for registration is October 22, 2009. For more information, contact The Rev. Gene Carpenter at gcarpenter@ststephenschurch.com.