June 6-12, 2023 | View Itinerary (subject to change)

Register now for our 2023 Civil Rights Pilgrimage! On this Racial Reconciliation Pilgrimage, we will journey to sites that help us bear witness to truths in the national history of the United States, including the role that churches played in various kinds of division of God’s people into categories set over or against one another. We will have daily prayer, reflection, conversation, and journaling opportunities to explore our monuments and roads. The Pilgrimage requires completing the Sacred Ground program, and is open to those 21 and older. Learn more about this pilgrimage on our webpage, register now, or check out our FAQ sheet.

A reminder for deacons that our next Conversation for Deacons will be at 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 21 via Zoom. As usual, this time for prayer, Bible study, and mutual support and conversation is an invitation for deacons but not an obligation.

Look for an agenda and a Zoom link via email by Friday, January 20. Get in touch with Archdeacon Betsy Bennett at [email protected] if you don’t receive the agenda and Zoom link by that evening.

All women are invited to join us for our 2023 Women's Ministries Spring Retreat! Our guest speaker is Becca Stevens, Thistle Farms Founder and President. She was Ordained by the Episcopal Church in 1991, and has served at St. Augustine’s Chapel in Nashville as Chaplain since 1995. Her awards include CNN Hero, White House Champion of Change, and Humanitarian of the Year by the Small Business Council of America. The cost of this year's retreat is $200 per person and includes your room and all meals. Learn more or register now. A limited number of scholarships are available. Contact Cindy Dennis for more information.

On November 1, 2022, Steve DeHart, a deacon in the Diocese of Montana, shared with the small churches of Province VI about a process of listening to people across his diocese about vitality and life in the small church. To continue this conversation, Province VI has asked Steve and his colleagues to facilitate a series of four workshops diving deeper into the listening process, how Montana will use the information, and explore how such a process might be adapted and used in other places. The four one hour-long workshops will take place over Zoom and will include time for questions and dialogue. Learn more or click here to register now.

2023 EfM Event Registration Open

What does the General Convention resolution about Prayerbook revisions mean to clergy, liturgical planners, and interested people in the pew? Come find out at the third annual Zoom EfM Event! Learn more from our flyer, and read about the resolution in an ENS article here. All are welcome - EfM Graduates, Mentors, Students, and interested individuals. This event is free, but we suggest a donation of $25 to The Benedictine Way. Click here to register now. If you have questions about this event or EfM, contact Sandra Squires.

Apply Now for the 2023-24 Service Year

Young adults who are passionate about service and want to explore their prayer life and spirituality are invited to apply to The Benedictine Service Corps or for a summer internship at The Benedictine Way! Members of the Benedictine Service Corps live and pray with the monastic community in North Omaha, working in the community’s three urban gardens and running their food pantry. Click here to learn more and apply to the Benedictine Service Corps, or here to learn more about an internship. Have other questions about young adult ministries at The Benedictine Way? Email Br. James Dowd at [email protected].

Service of Worship, Awareness, and Intercession at St. Luke's, Kearney

St. Luke’s Episcopal church will hold a Service of Worship, Awareness, and Intercession for those caught up in Human Trafficking tomorrow, January 21st at 7 pm CT. The church is located at 2304 2nd Avenue, Kearney, NE. January is Human Trafficking Month. Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. The coercion can be subtle or overt, physical or psychological. If you or someone you know needs help the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1(888)373-7888 or Text “BeFree” 233733.

Pilgrimage (formerly called mission) trips to the Dominican Republic will start up again in 2023! There are three trips planned for 2023. Two adult trips and one youth trip. Mark your calendars now for the confirmed dates:

Pilgrimage leaders are Fr. John Schaefer and Fr. Tom Jones. Both have extensive experience leading youth and adult trips to the Dominican Republic. Information on costs, locations, registration and what to expect will come in the new year. In the meantime, contact Fr. John Schaefer, Partners in Pilgrimage Coordinator, if you have other questions, wish to be on the contact list, or to express a desire to go on a trip.

Small churches are a big part of our diocese and they can be great places to grow in faith. We know that small churches with a supply or part-time priest find it hard to offer adult faith formation on their own, so we’re coming together for faith, growth, and fellowship. Both Small and Great is for people in small churches (attendance of 20 or less) who want to grow great in faith and discipleship.

For more information about formation with "Both Small and Great," visit our webpage or contact Fr. Steve Meysing at 308-532-0515 or [email protected].

EfM Book Club | Meeting Rescheduled

Our book club choice is Always a Guest: Speaking of Faith Far From Home, by Barbara Brown Taylor. This book is a collection of sermons that the author has given as a visiting preacher. This collection will inspire Taylor’s fans and preachers alike as she explores faith in all its beauty and complexity. As you read it, choose your three favorite sermons, and we will share why each chose those sermons at our meeting. This is a particularly great read for those who have been guest preachers, and we would love for you to join us in discussion. Purchase the book here.

This book club meeting will now be held February 15 at 3pm and 7pm CT. Click here to join the Zoom meeting.

Questions about EfM Book Club? Contact Sandra Squires at [email protected].

EfM is a 4-year program designed to teach Old Testament, New Testament, church history, and theology as well as theological reflection. There is also an emphasis on building community.

If you are saying, “Why don’t I start EfM?” you have options. EfM groups in DioNeb recruit periodically during the year and will offer both in-person and online groups. Your parish or a nearby parish may also be able to build a group of 6 or more. Become inspired, and contact me. I will put you in contact with an EfM mentor. You may also learn more on our webpage.

Sandra Squires, [email protected]

EfM Coordinator, Diocese of Nebraska

2023 Winter Talk Conference Jan. 21-23 on Zoom

The Winter Talk is an annual conference that highlights Indigenous and Native American traditions and contributions within the church. The event will be hosted by the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. Attendance is by invitation only, and those wishing to view the livestream may register here. Updates about the conference may be found here.

Is your church looking for a new feeding ministry? Do you already have a "Little Free Pantry" but wish you had more resources to assist you in this ministry? Consider joining Nebraska's Little Free Pantry Network (led by Civic Nebraska), or check out Little Free Pantry resources here. Little pantries are meaningful ministries that make a difference in our communities.

The Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund has expanded their program and can now help more homeowners in need. The Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund (NHAF) provides relief to pandemic-impacted homeowners that have experienced a COVID-19 related financial hardship that began or continued after January 21, 2020. Learn more here or at NebraskaHAF.com.

From Saturday, January 28 through Sunday, February 5, Grace Episcopal Church in Chadron will host the community of The Benedictine Way for a 9-day monastic residency! “While here, we want to share the peace and joy of our contemplative way of life with the people of Chadron and the entire panhandle,” says Br. James Dowd. The Benedictine Way will spend their time in Chadron leading prayer, holding special services, and connecting with students at Chadron State University. At Grace Church (450 Bordeaux St), the community will lead the daily monastic prayer schedule, open to the public. Their schedule is:

6:00 AM - Vigils/Centering Prayer

8:00 AM - Lauds and Holy Eucharist

12:10 PM - Mid-day Prayer/Centering Prayer

5:30 PM - Vespers

8:00 PM - Compline

6:00 AM - Vigils/Centering Prayer

8:00 AM - Lauds

10:30 AM - Holy Eucharist

5:30 PM - Vespers (Jan. 29 only)

Sabbath Day - No Public Offices

In addition to their regular prayer schedule, the community will host a variety of other events at Grace Church throughout the week:

Finally, the community will spend time at Chadron State to share with students their opportunities for young adults. The Benedictine Way will host the following student events:

Want to learn more about The Benedictine Way? Visit their website, or email Br. James Dowd at [email protected].

Have a story about a ministry in DioNeb that you'd like to share?

Email Abby Z. Ybay at [email protected] to include it in the next Ministry Memo!