September 2024

Around the Diocese

Wakefield Town Administrator, Dino Scala (center), with the StJB team, who served almost 300 meatball subs at Wakefield’s 250th Birthday celebration on Aug. 31.

St. John the Baptist Raises Significant Funds to Benefit Children's Charities

The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist in Sanbornville has announced that their primary outreach program, the annual EpiscoGolf Raffle for Children’s Charities, raised $11,720 this year—a slight increase from last year’s $11,600. This year’s efforts were dedicated to a former EpiscoGolf chair and special StJB parishioner, Loretta Campbell, who passed away last spring.

Since 1995, 100 percent of the proceeds—to date almost $131,000—have gone to help local kids in need through local charities, including End 68-hours of Hunger (Milton), Secret Santa (Wakefield), Families in Transition (Rochester), School’s Out (Ossipee), Wakefield Food Pantry’s FIT, Homeless Center Strafford County (Home for Now; Rochester), ChiPs, Catie’s Closet, and CASA of NH.

One of St John’s younger parishioners, Coraline W, pulled the winning StJB EpiscoGolf 2024 raffle ticket at StJB's Aug. 21 community BBQ.

New Book Documents St. James Keene's Historic Needlepoint Collection

In the 1970s, the Anglican religious needlework tradition, turned to the production of needlepoint kneelers and cushions, which reflect their societies' struggle to honor the old while embracing the new. The collection at St. James Episcopal Church in Keene rivals the best of these collections. The recent dispersal of the collection inspired parishioner Ann Carlson to write: "The Needlepoint of St. James: Fifty Years of Greater Glory" (ABCarlson Publishing, July 2024, $36.99), which tells the story of how this collection has contributed to the life of the community, then and in the ensuing 50 years. Read more here.

Through the end of 2024, Carlson is offering a special discount for readers of The Vine at her print cost ($22/copy), which can be accessed by ordering the book here or via the QR code.

In The News

St. Matthew's Goffstown Helps Pay For Student Lunches

An effort by St. Matthew's in Goffstown to reimburse the school district for unpaid student lunch bills became a news story after the district's business administrator refused to accept the gift. According to InDepthNH.org, Rector Jason Wells spoke to the administrator, saying "parishioners wanted to pay off all outstanding student lunch debt at the end of the calendar year, then estimated to be between $3,000 and $5,000." Instead, the administrator opted to file lawsuits against the families with outstanding lunch debt in small claims court, which prompted an outcry from Goffstown residents.

By the time NHPR picked up and expanded on the story, the administrator had reversed course, opting to "work collaboratively" with St. Matthew's to cover the expenses. The piece examines the larger issues of child hunger, including that "New Hampshire is an outlier when it comes to school lunch assistance. Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts have universal free lunch."

James McKim Writes Essay on Civil & LGBTQ+ Rights for New Hampshire Magazine

Longtime parishioner of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Goffstown, James McKim, has written an essay that was published in the July edition of New Hampshire Magazine. McKim's essay, "The Interconnected Struggle for Civil & LGBTQ+ Rights in New Hampshire" outlines the unique challenges of both marginalized communities. McKim has served as Chairman of the Episcopal Church’s Executive Council on Anti-Racism since his 2017 appointment by the Presiding Bishop. Read his article here.

Diocesan Convention

Diocesan-Wide Forum on Reparations

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 6 p.m. on Zoom

All are invited

At the diocesan convention in 2023, the convention approved RESOLUTION #4: BECOMING BELOVED COMMUNITY: A PLAN FOR REPARATIONS to hire a coordinator to work towards a definition, framework and plan for reparations to be presented to the diocesan convention in 2024 in the form of a resolution. This forum, co-hosted by the Reparations Task Force and Bishop Rob, is open to all who would like to learn more about the task force's work this year, the resolution that will be presented to convention, and the plan for reparations that is being proposed for further action in the coming years. (Note: all 2024 resolutions are available here.)

This forum will feature a presentation by the task force and reflections from the bishop, with an opportunity for participants to ask questions. It will last 60-90 minutes, depending on the number of attendees and questions.

To attend the forum, you must register in advance here to receive a link to the Zoom meeting. Feel free to share the registration link in church publications or with friends, however please do not share the link to the Zoom meeting.

Diocesan Committee Display Space

Reserve by Monday, Sept. 30

Display space is available at convention for diocesan-wide commissions and committees. Displays must be set up at 7:30 am for the coffee hour from 7:45 am to 8:45 am in the parish hall, and must be removed by the start of worship at 9 a.m.

To reserve space for your committee, please send the following information to Kathy Traynor by Monday, Sept. 30:

Your Name
Your email address
Name of your committee/commission as you want it to appear on a sign
If you are not the committee chair, please copy the chair on your email request.

Plan on having about 3 x 3 feet of display space. Table hosts do not need to register for convention, unless you plan to stay for lunch, in which case you must request the registration link before Sept. 30. We are unable to accept same-day registrations.

See the 2024 Diocesan Convention web pages for more information.

Upcoming Events

"A Case for Love "To Be Released on Streaming Platforms

"A Case for Love," a feature-length documentary inspired by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s message of love, will be released Oct. 1 on all cable, satellite, and digital platforms where films can be rented or purchased. The film includes interviews with Curry and other public figures. Well-timed for this election season, “A Case for Love” also features individual stories on the importance of acting out of love for one another instead of indifference, hate, and ignorance. Learn more about the film—and its accompanying free materials for Christian formation classes—by visiting the website.

Province 1 Conversations with Noted Speakers

The Province 1 Christian Formation Network is hosting a series of online monthly “Conversations with Noted Speakers” on Zoom. While hosted by the Episcopal churches of New England, everyone is welcome to join these sessions. Please contact Linnae Peterson with questions.

Houses of Worship and Faith Communities Emergency Preparedness Seminars

Together with the NH Department of Safety and CISA, the Department of Homeland Security is offering several free emergency preparedness seminars across New Hampshire this fall. Dates and locations are as follows (each link is a downloadable flyer):

Manchester, Oct. 1

Laconia, Oct. 19

Indigenous Peoples Justice Network Book Groups

The Province 1 Indigenous Peoples Justice network is holding two book groups this fall.

"Healing Haunted Histories: A Settler Discipleship of Decolonization"

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Healing Haunted Histories explores how the history of genocide against Indigenous peoples continues today in racist and inequitable practices and policies. Join authors Elaine Enns and Ched Myers for this online discussion. Register here.

"Massacre on the Merrimack: Hannah Duston's Captivity and Revenge in Colonial America"

Wednesday, Nov. 13, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Massacre on the Merrimack tells the story of a kidnapped young mother, Hannah Dunston exacting her revenge on her captors. The story attempts to unravel whether Dunston was a warrior avenging the deaths of her infant child and other fellow settlers or an inspiration for Native American genocide. Register here.

Music That Makes Community One-Day Workshop

Saturday, Oct. 5, 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

St. Andrew's, New London

This one-day workshop will explore the riches of paperless singing. Lovers of song, directors of music and leaders of worship are encouraged to attend to learn how to build community, improve congregational singing, and just have fun! The $40 fee (payable on the day) includes lunch, materials, and free childcare. Seminarians, students and small congregations may pay a reduced fee of $25 per person. Download this flyer or share this registration link with your church.

Spirit Chats

Tuesdays, Oct. 15, 22, 29, and Nov. 5,12, 7 p.m.

On Zoom

Deepen your connection with God and fellow companions this Autumn through Spirit Chats, an exciting opportunity for small group faith sharing. Have you ever experienced a “God-incident” in your life and wanted to share it but weren’t sure where or with whom? Perhaps this has so spilled over into your daily life, you want to talk about it with others but find it difficult to find the setting. If you feel God has been moving in your life, and you want to hear from others how God is moving in theirs, the Evangelism Task Force—a joint project of the Episcopal dioceses of Maine and New Hampshire—has an opportunity and an invitation for you to share your story during Spirit Chats.

Register here to receive the Zoom link. Reach out with questions to the Rev. Alanna Van Antwerpen or the Rev. Tim Higgins.

If you've ever been curious about expanding your outdoor skill set, or are looking to deepen the wilderness practices you already love, this is a day program for you. Facilitated by Episcopal women, come and spend the day learning how to forage for wild mushrooms, build a fire, cook with coals, navigate, use a recurve bow, and so much more. Spend the day connecting with creation, one another, and learning, together, valuable skills in an environment of cooperation and Christian community.

"Becoming An Episcopal Outdoorswoman" is being coordinated by NH Episcopalian and environmental educator Linden Rayton, along with Canon Tina Pickering, the Rev. Louise Howlett, the Rev. Spencer Hatcher, Sarah Loy, and the Rev. Kate Harmon Siberine.

*This program is designed for female-identifying participants who are 18 and up.

Price: $60 Location: Barbara C. Harris Conference Center