AlleluiaFund 2014

2014

A Message from the Bishop . . . . . . . . 1

Stirrings of the Spirit . . . . . . . . 2

Outreach and Social Justice . . . . . . . . 5

Earth Stewards . . . . . . . . . 7

Cathedral Chapter . . . . . . . . . 10

Global Reconciliation . . . . . . . . 11

Rock Point Summer Camp . . . . . . . . 12

Rock Point . . . . . . . . . 14

Alleluia! Open . . . . . . . . . 17

Ministry 2013 2014

Rock Point $ 10,000 $ 10,000

Rock Point Summer Camp $ 20,000 $ 20,000

Earth Stewards $ 2,500 $ 2,500

Cathedral Chapter $ 2,500 $ 2,500

Stirrings of the Spirit $ 10,000 $ 15,000

Outreach and Social Justice $ 5,000 $ 7,320

Global Reconciliation $ 5,000 $ 7,320

Youth Ministry $ 5,000

Youth EYE Ministry $ 1,000

Formation Ministries with Children, Youth and Adults

$ 8,500

Table of Contents

Ana Hernandez leads singing at Stirrings of the Spirit Convention 2013

On the Cover (clockwise from top left):

Eagle Bay, Lake Champlain; Cathedral Church

of St. Paul, Burlington; Camp Agape’s hands of

love; Community garden in Vergennes; Rock

Point Outdoor Chapel; Rock Point Senior High

campers at Burlington Food Shelf; Local public

school in El Pital, El Salvador; and Gathering at

the font in St. James, Arlington.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Alleluia! Christ is Risen Indeed! And because of the generosity of over 300 people, Christ is being known through our deeds all over the Green Mountain State. Our 2013 goal of $65,000 was exceed by almost $10,000 in donations! The enthusiasm and excitement for funding and supporting existing ministries as well as funding new initiatives is demonstrated in the success of the Alleluiafund.

In the following pages you will find more information about the history of these ministries, the work that these generous donations helped accomplish in 2013, and something about the hopes and dreams for the future. The gifts we received allowed the Rock Point Board to install a new guardrail around Sunset Cliff. Syrian refugees and Sudanese immigrants were supported through the work of local congregations with funds from Global Reconciliation. The Stirrings of the Spirit leadership team‘s “Liturgy+Lab” continues to stir innovation in worship and new forms of being church. Earth Stewards are busily at work on a joint initiative with the Diocese of New Hampshire to have a liturgical earth stewardship event in June. The Cathedral Chapter renovated St. Francis’ chapel as part of the Cathedral’s ministry of hospitality. Both Vermont Interfaith Action and Upper Valley Interfaith Project received monetary support from Outreach and Social Justice. Rock Point Summer Camp had an additional $300+ per camper thanks to the generous response to this appeal. This year we hope to expand our support of ministries of formation to children, youth and adults through grants from the Alleluiafund.

Your generosity is the key to continued growth and expansion of these ministries and consequently, growth of the Episcopal Church in Vermont in vital service and ministry to the world and to our communities. Every dollar of every donation goes directly to the support of ministry.

If you are a golfer or a friend of the sport, please consider joining the fun at the Alleluia! Open on September 13, 2014, at the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, VT. Play a round of golf, become an event sponsor, or better still – do both! Last year the tournament was not only great fun but raised over $8,000 for the Alleluiafund.

I hope you enjoy reading about our expanding ministries in these pages and that as a result you will give generously to the Alleluiafund. May 2014 be filled with the blessings of Easter and the power of the Resurrection.

Blessings in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Thomas C. ElyBishop of Vermont

Telephone 802.863.3431 | In Vermont 800.286.3437 | Fax 808.860.1562 | www.diovermont.org

The Episcopal Church in VermontTogether in Christ...growing locally, serving globally

Five Rock Point RoadBurlington, VT 05408-2735

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Stirrings of the Spirit

In Vermont, the Episcopal Church has embarked on a three-year initiative to discern where God’s Spirit is calling us through exploring new understandings

and expressions of what it means to follow Jesus in a rapidly changing world. We call this initiative Stirrings of the Spirit. Stirrings is about creating exciting and innovative models of church, of “trying on” new ways of being and, as followers of Jesus, focusing on both the established church as we know it and the communities beyond our doors:

n Strengthened formation of lay leadership;

n New expressions of clergy partnership;

n Experimentations and innovations within liturgy;

n Exploration of the church’s role in neighborhoods and communities;

n Enhanced understandings of what mission, discipleship, and baptismal ministry look like for Vermont Episcopalians in the 21st century.

Growing out of the desire and efforts of lay and clergy leaders

in Vermont to “try on” new things, the Stirrings initiative began to take shape as diocesan leaders sought other voices for conversations. We invited into our gatherings people who were already doing innovative and risky ministry and mission initiatives. This intentional importing of people and ideas helped to spark local leaders with similar or other innovative ideas.

In the first year of the Stirrings initiative, new forms of liturgies have been “tried on” and reflected upon. Partnerships have been

forged between non-profit groups and congregations wanting to transform communities, more than just serving a need. Interdenominational and ecumenical partnerships are being explored and built. New ministry projects and missional initiatives will soon be given support from Stirrings grants using diocesan funds.

In this “New Advent” or “New Pentecost” happening in our Church and the societies in which we find ourselves, Stirrings of the Spirit calls us to grant greater freedom in particular areas in our Church in Vermont, areas which challenge us in worship, in ways to invite and support new spiritual communities to form, and in ways that we minister outside of our doors.

Throughout 2014, the Stirrings of the Spirit leadership team will focus our efforts on cultivating the spiritual health and depth of our congregations while we also encourage experimentation in new ventures of mission and ministry that extend beyond the walls and doors of our churches.

In this work to which we believe God is calling us, we are moving between chaos and order. Things are messy and unclear at times. There are tensions between the ways we have done things for many years—and love! —and new ways into which we are being invited. There are failures and things left undone. And there is also joy and satisfaction. As leaders, whether local or church-wide, we must hold all these and be willing to stand in the midst. The Spirit is stirring!

...to discern where God’s Spirit is calling us...

Sacred space created with art at liturgy+lab, Brattleboro

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The Spirit is Stirring

Connecting Outside the Box

We are a tiny but bold band at St. Mark’s/St. Luke’s, Fair Haven. We have both “lake dwellers” present in the summer months

and “snowbirds,” who go south for the winter.

When it came time for the 2014 Annual Meeting we used Skype video conferencing to connect with our families in Florida and South Carolina. Facetime connected another member using her iPhone and that of the Priest-in-Partnership. Everyone was able to hear, see, contribute, and vote.

We don’t have church internet access, so for the Annual Meeting, we met at a parishioner’s home,

Expanded Menu

Saint John’s Episcopal Church of Randolph is revising the menu. In the last six months, the theme of expansion is broadening our tastes and

increasing our “culinary” skills! We have begun by structuring a pattern or developing a rhythm, a “flavor of the week” if you will, which speaks to the diversity within our parish.

Recognizing that “trying on” works both ways, not just in one direction, we offer a variety of “dining experiences” ranging from comfort food to hot and spicy. And the pastor is learning that we can’t add too many spices all at once! At God’s Table, we are rotating the “menu.” Here is the lineup:n 1st Sundays - serves up Rite I straight from the

“cookbook”n 2nd Sundays - “free” (spices

optional)n 3rd Sundays - adds a

“healing” side dish to the main course

n 4th Sundays - a “Youth focus”; fun and flavorful “like dessert” as one youth put it. Involves youth in

broke bread at a house Eucharist and a delicious brunch, then happily connected as a parish family for the meeting. As Alan Roxburgh in Missional has said,

“The Church will discover its life at the table, where bread is broken and stories are told.” We hope we are doing that.

A vestry couple connected easily to the first digital vestry meeting a week later. A week after that, our Priest-in-Partnership, despite being sidelined with bronchitis and unable to travel, participated from New York in a parish meeting that included

Susan Ohlidal, a member of the diocesan Ministry Support Team. We may be a small congregation but we are bold and innovative in how we stay connected.

the “cooking” to the maximum extent they are willing to get in the kitchen. Up-to-date recipes strive to speak inter-generationally.

n 5th Sundays - An R&D test kitchen, developing leadership in lay-led liturgical and preaching ministries.

Expanding the menu means “trying on” new tastes in music, worship, reflection/homiletics. Taste our newer additions of Evening Prayer, Morning Prayer, or mid-week Holy Eucharist. Expanding the menu means skill development and new opportunities for Eucharistic Ministers, pastoral caregivers, healing ministry, formation/education, and fellowship. Upcoming at the SJ’s restaurant? Five Fellowship

Fridays in Lent. The off-site location at the Rectory will be the place of gathering for a hearty meal of breaking-bread, soup and salad (and probably dessert!). We will draw on the tasty resource “Love Life” offered by the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE).

Come taste and see!Lent at Saint John’s

St. Luke’s, Fair Haven, Vermont

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The Spirit is Stirring

What’s “Stirring” at St. Michael’s, Brattleboro

Over the next few years, our hope at St. Michael’s is to offer programs that help build bridges between St. Michael’s Church and the

wider community of Southern Vermont.

n St. Michael’s Choir School is for kid’s ages 6-1 and offers free instruction on the basics of singing — posture and breathing, tone quality, intonation and notation basics for pitch and rhythm. The school is open to all, regardless of religious affiliation.

n “Winged Productions” organizes events that aim to explore life’s important

Choir School flyer

questions: What matters in life? What is the meaning of love? How and why should we serve one another? What happens after

death? In what ways are biology and spirituality connected? Through musical performances, theatrical productions, visual art, workshops and lectures, Winged Productions delves into these fundamental questions with curiosity, humor, and thoughtful perspective!

n “Dinner Eucharist” will be offered once this winter and spring.

Consecration circle at the Eucharist table, liturgy+lab, Montpelier

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Outreach and Social Justice

In 2009 Burlington’s Fletcher Allen Health Care Center opened a new satellite campus for outpatient services. It was carved out of an old

farm with the Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondacks to the west. Copious parking lots surround each of the buildings. But there was no provision for public transportation which had a disproportionate impact on the elderly patients.

Vermont Interfaith Action, long supported by the Diocese and individual congregations, went to work on this issue. After more than a year of negotiations with the hospital and the Chittenden County Transportation leadership, a public transportation Center was a reality.

Improving the lives of our vulnerable citizens often requires systemic change, and systemic change requires grassroots organizing in a wide geographic area. Both Vermont Interfaith Action, grounded in congregations in Washington and Chittenden counties, and Upper Valley Interfaith Project, grounded in congregations in both Vermont and New Hampshire, do this. Both seek to improve the lives of those in their communities and conduct extensive “listening campaigns” to develop priorities and a plan of action. And, both ground their work in values of their faith.

Over the past few months, UVIP has conducted round table discussions involving over 200 seniors and their caregivers. After one house

meeting a senior shared her reaction by saying, “at long last we’re talking about this” and then burst into tears. These discussions are beginning to shape UVIP’s thinking on, “Where can we work together to make a difference in our community on things important to our seniors and their wellbeing?”

Early reviews show the following clusters of concerns by seniors:

Aging in Place — How can I stay in my home more easily and for longer?

Planning — How can I do a better job of planning for my later years?

Transportation — When I can no longer drive, how can I get rides not only to the necessary medical and shopping destinations but also to the fun stuff like my book group or a play?

Elder Facility Selection — How can I make a more informed decision about whether to go into a living facility and choose the right facility?

Community Nursing — How might we make the benefits of nurse outreach to seniors in their homes available to more seniors, especially in less affluent communities?

United Valley Interfaith Project’s Aging with Dignity Campaign After one house

meeting a senior shared her reaction by saying, “at long last we’re talking about this” and then burst into tears.

United Valley Interfaith Project’s Aging with Dignity Campaign

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Camp Agape

Camp Agape Vermont was founded eight years ago by a team of men, including the Rev. Con Quinby of the Cathedral Church of St Paul,

who were involved in the Kairos ministry at the correctional facility in Dannemora, New York. They were dismayed that their prison worship group included a grandfather, his son, and grandson, all imprisoned. They discovered that statistically, the child of an incarcerated parent has a 75% risk of being incarcerated someday as well. They prayed and brainstormed for a way to break the generational cycle of incarceration, and Camp Agape was born. An ecumenical endeavor among Episcopal, United Methodist, and United Church of Christ congregations in Vermont, Camp Agape is held each summer for one to two weeks within Covenant Hills Christian Camp in Cabot, Vermont. Sixty to eighty children, who have

experienced a parent’s incarceration, receive a free week of residential summer camp each summer. The sole guiding mission of the camp is to offer the

children an experience of agape, the kind of love God has for us; freely given, generous, unconditional, no-strings-attached love. Some of the children have now attended camp for eight summers. Now in their mid-teens, they can articulate how important this consistent thread of supportive love has been to them as they decide who they will be in the world. The success of each summer relies on all the faithful volunteers, many from Episcopal

congregations, who show up and make camp a fun, safe and loving experience. Camp Agape is supported by generous contributions of funds from individuals (40%), congregations (40%), and grants (20%), and is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers.

Camp Agape’s hands of love

Vermont Interfaith Action

Vermont Interfaith Action has also listened and formed strong foundational relationships within the community. They are well-

positioned to present their stories, their research, and their voice for effective action to those holding the power of their communities. The issues in which action has been organized are far-ranging:

n Health Care Access n Affordable Housing Opportunities n Safe Neighborhoods n State Budget and Economic Security

n School Improvement n Youth Developmentn Immigration Reform n Neighborhood Revitalizationn Civic Participation n Energy Efficiency/Rural Heating Issues

VIA’s goal over the next year is to plant seeds of encouragement for faith-based community organizing in congregations outside of Chittenden and Washington counties.

Outreach and Social Justice take many forms: Sunday food collections for local food pantries, public transportation for health

care, stopping to help a stranded driver, emptying our pockets into the Salvation Army Christmas buckets, preparing a community meal.

The Alleluiafund provides increased support to social outreach in all its forms.

Outreach and Social Justice

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In a time when time had no meaning, God looked upon his earthly creation and saw that all was not as it should be. Where is the care that was

covenanted between God and humanity? The people were stripping the Earth of her resources, with no thought to preserving the balance and life God had created. Indeed, the people seemed to have forgotten their place in God’s order.

Spirit went forth, breathed over the people, and entered the hearts of God’s beloved children and spoke to them. And it came to pass that Spirit settled upon the people of the Episcopal Church in Vermont and spread her message.

“Fear not, brother,” spoke Spirit into the heart and mind of the bishop, “for the time has come to remember humanity’s covenant to be stewards of the earth. I am with you, and you shall be guided by me.” And the bishop was stirred to action. He spoke before the gathered Diocesan Convention in 2008 and resolved that a Committee on the Environment should be formed. Spirit moved in the hearts of many others as well. “See the mountains,” whispered Spirit. “See how they embrace you as a loving Nana enfolds her grandlings to her bosom? Mark the lake whose waters gleam like a silver dagger that pierces your heart with the will to protect it. Listen to the divine soughing of the wind in the trees. All of this belongs to God,” breathed Spirit, “and you are but tenants and caretakers. Remember that God charged you to care for and protect Creation. You are stewards of the Earth.” And so it came to pass that in the year of our Lord 2009, the name of the Committee became the Earth Stewards Committee.

Earth Stewards

Part One: GenesisThe land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants. Throughout the land that you hold, you shall provide for the redemption of the land. Leviticus 25:23-24

And Spirit continued to move among the people, encouraging and stirring their hearts. The Earth Stewards Committee created a plan to document the carbon footprint, for the committee wanted to benchmark changes that would be made. Spirit assured them that progress would be made in faith communities. As a starting point for renewal, the next Diocesan Convention resolved that all parishes would take an energy audit and develop a plan to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint.

Spirit looked upon this effort and saw that it was good. She whispered in another sweet heart and encouraged this heart to tell out abroad of the good works being done in the Episcopal Church in Vermont. “See what love the people have for their Lord by the care they have for his divine creation,” whispered Spirit. This sweet heart heeded the words of Spirit and nominated the Earth Stewards Committee for an award given by the New England office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Spirit rejoiced with the people on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day when the Earth Stewards Committee journeyed to Boston to receive the award.

Spirit was pleased. As time passed, the Committee developed; new Stewards emerged, goals changed, and new projects arose. Through it all, Spirit

continues to whisper as the Episcopal Church in Vermont grows into the stewards of creation that each of us was created to be. And it is good.

... “for the time has come to remember humanity’s covenant to be stewards of the earth.”

We are stewards of Vermont’s Green Mountains

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Part Two: Alleluia! Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 1 Peter 4:10

In 2013, the Alleluiafund allocated $2,500 to the Earth Stewards Committee. But as important as the financial support is, it is your trust and

faith in the Committee’s work to stimulate good stewardship practices in caring for God’s creation

that gives strength and meaning to what the Earth Stewards Committee does. We make suggestions, but you make them happen. We can resolve, but you are the executors. In fact, although we are a committee,

YOU are Earth Stewards. Because of your interest and your support of this Committee’s work, the Earth Stewards Committee is able to offer resources to help congregations make more caring decisions. We develop ideas for including the care of our earthly home into our liturgy and worship.

Nearly a decade ago, Bishop Ely and the Environmental Ministry Team (precursor to the Earth Stewards Committee [ESC]) provided the impetus for the establishment of Vermont Interfaith Power and Light (VTIPL). VTIPL exists to help faith communities in Vermont as they address climate issues and grow into their efforts as faithful stewards of Creation. In November of 2013, VTIPL held their annual climate conference that guided people of faith in both philosophical and practical approaches to climate change. At least two members of the Earth Stewards Committee serve VTIPL as an officer or board member, and the ESC supported the conference with a $400 contribution. How can more people be moved from concern to action? Diocesan gatherings now emphasize 3Rs 4 3Cs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle for Committed Creation Care. A new resource, Rethinking Coffee Hour, discusses the Coffee Hour as an environmental ministry as well as a hospitality ministry. The goals specify minimizing waste and emphasize healthful eating and

using fair trade practices. We realize responsible stewardship won’t look the same from parish to parish, but we believe that with this resource, each parish will be better equipped for well-informed decision making.

In addition to offering helpful resources to congregations, the Earth Stewards Committee is dedicated to finding ways to bring Earth Stewardship into our liturgy and worship. The final $1,000 of the $2,500 allocation to the Earth Stewards Committee

from the Alleluiafund will support a very exciting liturgical festival dedicated to this cause. The four-day festival, called Pilgrimage for Earth: From Loss to Hope, will take place from Thursday, June 26, through Sunday, June 29, 2014. Developed in the style of the Paschal Triduum, the liturgy will begin with a lament for the trauma and losses Earth has sustained due to the carelessness of humankind and work its way toward the hope of the promise of Resurrection. The festival will include many chances for prayer and worship, occasions for environmental immersion, like hiking, kayaking, and other learning

...YOU are Earth Stewards.

Installing energy-efficient windows at

Trinity Church Rutland

Sr. Laurian Seeber, an Earth Steward, attends the Vermont Interfaith Power and

Light 2013 Fall Conference

Earth Stewards

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Part Three: Revelation Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 1 Corinthians 4:1

What is God asking us to do as stewards of creation and all the mystery of the universe? How are we accountable?

How can we be stewards of something we know so little about? The Earth Stewards Committee helps each congregation address these questions in a local context. The Committee’s mission is not to plan and arrange projects for others to adopt or execute. Instead, it is to encourage every congregation and person to explore an identity as steward of the Earth, to help each person listen for and respond to Spirit’s whispering in their own life and context. The development of an Earth Steward is a progression much like Christian discipleship: One becomes aware and at first simply follows; then one listens,

observes, and learns; finally, one shares with others and becomes the teacher. Our role as a committee is to foster and facilitate that kind of discipleship. You can aid us in this by letting us know what would be most helpful to the development of Earth Stewards in your congregations: What are the specific challenges to earth stewardship in your context? Do you and your congregations need more educational opportunities? What additional resources (liturgical, informational, and practical) might the Earth Stewards Committee provide? How can we help your community to hear and respond to the Spirit’s urging? And how best can we support God’s stewards throughout the Diocese in their own, unique endeavors?

You can contact the Earth Stewards Committee through the diocesan website, by contacting the diocesan office or by speaking with any one of the Committee members:

The Rev. Norman MacLeod, St. James, WoodstockThe Rev. Beth Hilgartner, Good Shepherd, BarreThe Rev. Angela Emerson, Diocesan Ministry

Support TeamThe Rev. Dr. Regina Christianson, Calvary, UnderhillThe Rev. Laurian Seeber, St. Dunstan, WaitsfieldWendy Grace, Trinity, RutlandBob Wertz, St. Thomas & Grace, BrandonRon Garvey, VTIPL Susan Gratz, Trinity, SwantonFrances Huessy, St. James, Essex Junction

Cathedral sustainable policies promotion

opportunities. The festival is being developed by the Rev. Norman MacLeod of St. James, Woodstock (chair of the Earth Stewards), and the Rev. Steven Blackmer, an Episcopal priest and founder of the multi-faith Church of the Woods in Canterbury, New Hampshire, which seeks to

New Earth Stewards Committee logo banner

serve those who find God in nature. The Liturgy Festival will span venues within the dioceses of Vermont and New Hampshire and will invite participants from all over New England. All in all, the weekend will be a unique demonstration of connecting the Word of God to our responsibilities as Earth Stewards.

Earth Stewards

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n Cathedral Staff and their role as resources to the wider Diocese and beyond, especially in the areas of music and liturgy, spiritual direction, and diaconal formation.

The Alleluiafund contributions from the 2013 appeal helped to fund the preservation of diocesan archival information including the consecration of Bishops McLeod and Ely and refurbish and renovate St. Francis Chapel.

In every way, we as the Cathedral Chapter joyfully affirm and celebrate that St. Paul’s is your Cathedral and our Cathedral. Knowing Christ and making Christ known through these creative, exciting, innovative, spirit-filled, and inclusive Cathedral ministries is our joyful mission, to which we invite the love, support, prayers and participation of all.

The mission of the Cathedral Chapter is to support, encourage, and lift up the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in its many ministries, near

and far. The Chapter strives to share the message of vitality, creativity, openness and welcome that is St. Paul’s unique character both in the Episcopal Church in Vermont and in the wider world.

One of our first priorities will be to welcome, encourage and support the Rev. Jeanne Finan, who has been called to be the Dean and Rector of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. Jeanne is a well respected preacher, teacher and writer, as well a compassionate pastor. She

is a creative and imaginative thinker who is optimistic, hopeful and excited about the future. She brings excellent administrative skills, strong leadership skills and is not afraid of change. 2014 promises to be an exciting year.

Currently, there are a number of central ministries to which we offer our prayers, support, invitation, and resources. These include:

n Innovative and inclusive liturgies;

n Christian Meditation;

n A large and vibrant music ministry of all ages;

n Cathedral Arts which offers musical programming and exhibition of visual arts;

n Hospitality to many diocesan gatherings;

n The Hopkins Bookshop;

n Jubilee Ministry, St. Paul’s being the only recognized Jubilee Center in the Diocese of Vermont, based in part on its long and wide breadth of urban and social justice ministries;

Cathedral Chapter

The Chapter strives to share the message of vitality, creativity, openness and welcome that is St. Paul’s unique character...

Fabric art by Jeanelle McCall in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul

Taizé Service at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul

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Global Reconciliation

In 2006, the Diocesan Council passed a resolution establishing the Global Reconciliation Committee to initially to distribute 0.07% of the diocesan

budget to projects dedicated to the Millennium Development Goals. Since then, half a dozen congregations have regularly applied for grants to:n NetsforLife,n Episcopal Relief and Development,n Foundation Cristosal,n CHABHA (Children Affected by HIV/AIDS),n Diocese of Jerusalem as it reconstructed the

Al Ahli Arab (Anglican) Hospital in Gaza,n A hospital in Tanzania,n Two different organizations working in

Sudan, andn Pure Water for the World working in Haiti.

Grants also responded to disasters in El Salvador and Haiti.

When a congregation decides to raise money for global outreach, it may have an outreach committee who applies for grant

money or it may involve more people. Saint Mark’s, Newport, and Saint Barnabas’, Norwich, have annually engaged the entire congregation to participate in educational activities. Saint James’, Essex Junction, has held dinners to support work in Sudan.

Examples from 2013 included:

Foundation Cristosal 2013 grants will go to congregations of the Episcopal Anglican Church of El Salvador to help with self-

sustainability, and with education and programs that relate to the Millennium Development Goals.

International Rescue Committee grants were made through Saint Barnabas’, Norwich,

for support to Syrian refugees within Syria and border cities in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The IRC operates medical centers, schools, and other emergency programs.

Mother’s Union of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Akobo, South Sudan The grant made to Christ Church Montpelier’s Sudan Communion prayer group helped to buy a laptop computer, solar panel and battery pack for videos. This equipment allows the women to share videos on healthy practices in childbirth and infant and child care.

The Global Reconciliation Committee welcomes applications for continued partnership with international organizations working to improve

and change the lives of people around the world. Information on the Millennium Development Goals is at http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/. Information on the Global Reconciliation Committee can be found at http://diovermont.org/Table/Global-Outreach/.

Your contribution to the Alleluiafund will enable the Global Reconciliation Committee to continue to award grants to Vermont congregations as they partner to make difference in the world.

The Global Reconciliation Committee welcomes applications for continued partnership with international organizations working to improve the lives of people around the world.

A refugee camp for Syrians


Rock Point Summer Camp

Rock Point Summer Camp (Conferences) began in the Vermont Episcopal Institute building in 1931.

Four dormitory style cabins were added in the early 1970s. After the Institute building was destroyed by

fire on Easter Eve, 1979, the construction of the Bishop Booth Conference Center began and was completed in September 1980. 1979 and 1980 summer camps were hosted by Rock Point School. Thanks to great teamwork and collaboration, camps continued unabated despite disaster.

The focus of summer camp has always been the Holy Rhythm of Christian Community: worship, study, recreation, good food, and fellowship. Campers have a full schedule of activities each day including a morning program which focuses on the theme for the week. Recreation such as swimming, canoeing, hiking, sports and outdoor games take advantage of Rock Points offerings. There is also a “craft cabin” which is used for the “Episco Disco,” interest groups, indoor recreation, and a place to get out of the rain!

Daily worship is offered in a variety of settings and traditions. Holy Eucharist is celebrated almost every day and in addition to daily Morning Prayer there is Evening Prayer and Compline. Recently, the Senior High Camp added an outreach component where campers get involved with a project in the local Burlington community.

Rock Point Camp has a paid director, assistant director, camp nurse, camp cook, and counselors but its success depends upon volunteers to help with activities throughout the day including volunteer chaplains to help with worship.

Many camp traditions such as group photos, scraper for the meals, work groups, mail call, skit night, cookout, banquet, and camp songs have been passed down from camp to

camp for almost all of the 83 years. Other traditions have come and gone and new traditions are formed each year. But the Holy Rhythm of Rock Point with its worship, study and friendships made has lasted through the decades.

...the focus of summer camp has always been the Holy Rhythm of Christian Community...

Firepit fun

Rock Point Summer Camp 2013 was a tale of two summers.

The first summer began on June 18 with counselor training. A few high school students helped to prepare the camp and joined us for worship at St. Andrews in Colchester. Each had a role in the service. More high school students joined us for a trip to the Burlington Food Shelf to serve dinner. A new volunteer, the Rev. Paul Habersang of Christ Church in Montpelier, led the youth in a wonderful discussion based on the DVD “I Am.” And the rain came….

Day Camp I opened with six campers — two were new! Our theme for the week was “God’s Blue Earth: Celebrating the Sacred Gift of Water.” And it continued to rain … but, when the sun peeked out we headed for the beach.

On the 4th of July the fire alarms at BBCC went off! Water in the basement forced us to cancel the rest

of Day Camp! By the next morning the water had risen 6-8’! The fire department turned off all power and shut down the three main buildings of BBCC. We had to cancel the Elementary Camp which was scheduled to begin on July 7. The counselors and staff spent that week giving the “craft cabin” a face lift. It would be “camp central” for the “second summer” of 2013 camp!

Making a mosaic


The Spirit Moves in Our Youth

The second summer began on July 14 as we welcomed 18 Intermediate Campers. Once again, in the face of disaster, Rock Point

School jumped in to help by providing lunch and dinner. Others stepped up to help. Bonnie Fournier and family provided us with a water cooler, and Holy Trinity, Swanton, bought us some new picnic tables. Rock Point School lent us two other picnic tables

and the Udell family gave us a refrigerator. Often after dinner we stopped and played sports in the fields near the school. One warm evening we watched a movie in the Diocesan Office. The good news was that it had stopped raining and we spent most of the week outdoors in the sunshine.

Junior High Camp found the kids exploring their story and God’s Story. They created a beautiful mosaic cross that now resides in the chapel in the Kerr Building of the BBCC. Bonnie Fournier, our camp cook, came from Swanton to make our dinner so that we only walked to the school for lunch. You could often find us in the evenings gathered around a campfire making s’mores, singing songs and doing Compline.

Day Camp II had five new campers. They had a great time learning some of the Rock Point Summer Camp traditions like 4-square. The weather for Day Camp II was beautiful and the campers got to enjoy canoeing

New picnic tables

A lot of changes were made to our schedule but we came together as a community and WE DID IT! out of Eagle Bay and swimming at Fred’s Beach which

borders North Beach.

A lot of changes were made to our schedule but we came together as a community and WE DID IT!!

The staff ended their “tale of two summers” by helping with the Diocesan Family Fun Day on August 4 at Rock Point.

Rock Point Summer Camp continues to be about the community that is built, the

friendships that are made and memories that are cherished! Spread the word and send your children and youth to Rock Point Summer Camp! And we would love to welcome YOU as a volunteer!

Visioning for the Future1. Create more opportunities for more children

to come to camp through scholarship aid.

2. Develop a plan for publicizing camp in the Diocese and greater Burlington area.

3. Add a garden on site as we continue to develop ways to use the resources found on Rock Point for teaching Care of Creation.

Day Camp II learning 4-Square

Rock Point Summer Camp continues to be about the community that is built, the friendships that are made and memories that are cherished!


Rock Point — A Sacred Place

The southeast elevation of the Vermont Episcopal Institute building

Much of the property’s historical significance lies in its association with John Henry Hopkins, the first Episcopal bishop

of Vermont and seventh Presiding Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America. Born in Dublin in 1792, Hopkins came to Philadelphia when he was nine. He worked as a book illustrator, iron master and lawyer before taking holy orders. In 1832 Hopkins became the first bishop of the Diocese of Vermont, bringing a firm commitment to education and strong aesthetic sensibility as well as his gifts as a spiritual leader.

The Hopkins family lived at Rock Point for over 40 years, molding the landscape to the shape it still retains. Father and sons both influenced the property’s development. Bishop Hopkins, driven by two distinct passions, one for creating schools, the other for Gothic architecture, left his imprint in the educational use of Rock Point and in the building he designed to house the Vermont Episcopal Institute.

This represented the culmination of Hopkins’ architectural ideas and was recognized as one of the finest Gothic Revival buildings in the East. The boys tilled the soil, cut trees, dug stumps and cleared paths to make the property not just habitable, but a natural haven located in what has become Vermont’s largest urban area.

All of his gifts expressed themselves in the shaping of Rock Point. The Hopkins family moved to the property after financial difficulties forced the bishop to close his first school. Soon after the school closed, the bishop’s sons wandered to woodlots north of Burlington where they found a landscape of varied terrain and unparalleled vistas. Caught by the magic of the place, the boys urged their father to obtain the property and build a home there.


Rock Point - A Sacred Place. Our Sanctuary by the Water

Holy Trinity Trail, looking through bluff edge cedars north over Eagle Bay

The Hopkins family lived at Rock Point for over 40 years, molding the landscape to the shape it still retains.

Our Sanctuary by the Water

Summary of Historic & Cultural Resources

John Henry Hopkins’ vision continues to shape our use of this landscape. Like all his predecessors, the current bishop resides on the property. The

Diocese supports Bishop Hopkins’ educational ideals through the Rock Point School and the Rock Point Summer Conferences. In addition, the Bishop Booth Conference Center provides meeting space for diocesan and community groups. In many ways, Rock Point embodies the history

of the Episcopal Church in Vermont, and continues to be integral to the educational, administrative and spiritual role of the Diocese through the following activities and facilities:

Bishop’s House (1895): Designed by the Boston firm of Clipson Sturges for Arthur C. A. Hall, third bishop of Vermont, this Tudor revival brick structure has been the home of subsequent bishops. The house retains unique architectural features, including the oak-paneled library and oratory.

Rock Point Summer Conferences (1930): The Rock Point Summer Conferences have provided generations of children a chance to experience a unique environment. Centered at the Institute Building until the 1979 fire, the Summer Conferences now occupy decaying cabins, as well as the Bishop Booth Conference Center.

Bishop Booth Conference Center (1981): In addition to housing for the Summer Conferences, the Bishop Booth Conference Center (BBCC)

hosts retreats and other meetings for diocesan, parish and community groups. Designed by Burlington architect Colin Lindberg, BBCC was built to replace the Institute building.

Diocesan Offices (1960): In the 1960’s the Diocesan Offices moved from the Bishop’s house to their current location in the brick building just past the school. The office building has recently been renovated and the roof has been replaced.

Outdoor Chapel: The outdoor chapel, built in the early 1900s, offers a serene setting for religious gatherings and ceremonies. This forested cloister, with its rich marble platform, native stone altar and granite cross, provides a peaceful location for religious activities and summer weddings.

Farmhouse: This vernacular frame house is one of the oldest buildings on the property. It currently serves as the home of the Rock Point property manager.

The south-facing elevation of the Bishop’s house

Rock Point outdoor chapel Altar


In many ways, Rock Point embodies the history of the Episcopal Church in Vermont...

Rock Point — A Sacred Place

Current Support for Rock Point from the DioceseHow it Works

The Rock Point Board was established in 1997 by Bishop McLeod. Canon 29, adopted by Diocesan Convention, gives the Board the

authority to help manage and care for the property on behalf of the Diocese and the Trustees who hold the deed. Before then, the Bishops with their staffs were chiefly responsible for the property. The Rock Point School and The Bishop Booth Conference Center (BBCC) use the larger property, but are not financially responsible for its upkeep.

Present parish and diocesan support for ministries of Rock Point:

Presently, the costs of caring for the property are paid for as follows: income from trust funds (20%), from the diocesan budget (61%), from

a contribution from the BBCC (10%), and from the Alleluia Fund (9%). From time to time the Bishop supports projects from funds at his disposal. The Diocesan budget portion pays for the Property Manager.

The Rock Point Board budget totals $112,000. This covers operating costs that include care of the 130 acres, the paths, the road, the infrastructure, the Bishop’s and Property Manager’s houses, the Diocesan Center, and larger capital improvements at the Bishop Booth Conference Center and the cabins housing the Rock Point Summer Camp.

A small portion of our budget goes towards capital improvements or physical maintenance (21%), our most critical need. Fully funding these projects will require a capital campaign in the coming years. In the meantime, our goal is to build momentum by tackling pressing maintenance needs, implementing our land use plan, and revitalizing our vision for Rock Point.

Until two years ago, $10,000 for capital repairs was included in the Diocesan budget. In the last two years that $10,000 has come from Alleluiafund gifts.

The view from Sunset Cliff

Thanks to the Alleluiafundn We have repaired the railing at Sunset Cliff,

allowing pilgrims to the Outdoor Chapel and the Cliff beyond to view safely the broad sweep of the lake.

n Made a much-needed upgrade to the fire suppression system at BBCC, after water filled the BBCC basement. The Church Insurance Company covered a new electrical system and furnace.

n Removed several trees and pruned others that line the main road through the property. Some of these trees had sustained damage from weather; others had reached the end of their natural lives.

Looking Ahead n We will begin the long-overdue replacement

and repair of BBCC’s roofs, starting with Kerr Hall. The estimates for this work total about $35,000.

n We will repave the BBCC parking lot, home not only to visiting vehicles, but a sacred space for four-square and basketball.

n Thanks to a bequest from Dr. Louise Raynor, we will move ahead with making the Bishop’s House more energy-efficient. This marks the first step in a larger plan to retrofit all Rock Point buildings for energy efficiency.

The Alleluiafund goal for Rock Point Property is $10,000. However, if you would like to make an extra gift toward the roof, you can earmark your contribution for the Rock Point Property. If we exceed our $10,000 goal, we will use those funds to help with other projects.


Golf TournamentAlleluia! Open

The Alleluia! Open Golf Tournament of The Episcopal Church in Vermont is an exciting opportunity to support the Alleluiafund. In 2012, the Alleluia! Open was established by the Diocesan Council as an opportunity to gather Episcopalians and friends for a friendly game of golf. We will hold our third annual tournament September 13, 2014, at the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, Vermont. The shotgun start at 11:00am offers golfers a great course to play and competition for prizes and awards throughout the day. Concluding with a Celebration BBQ, participants and friends come together for food and raffle prizes capping off a great day. Sponsoring this event is also a great opportunity to support the Alleluiafund ministries. Sponsorship opportunities are listed at the bottom of this page, as well the cost of the event. And remember, you need not be a golfer to offer a sponsorship, just one who enjoys the game. All sponsors are invited to the Celebration BBQ. Please join us for a day on the course to support The Episcopal Church in Vermont.

$125 per player, $500 per foursomePar Sponsor – sponsor a hole on the course for $200

Birdie Sponsor – sponsor a hole and the captain plays free for $750 Alleluia Sponsor – sponsor the tournament, a hole and the team plays free for $1500

For more information or to register, please contact the Rev. Rick Swanson at 802-253-7578.


I shout with joy “ALLELUIA!” to growing the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Vermont through my contribution to the Alleluiafund. You can count on my support in 2014 in the amount of $ .

To contribute on-line, please go to www.dioceseofvermont.org.

Checks should be made payable to Alleluiafund and mailed to 5 Rock Point Road, Burlington, VT 05408.

If you wish to designate all or a portion of your gift to one of the identified ministries, please indicate here:

Name Address

City State Zip

Congregation Email Date

The Episcopal Church in Vermont

Champlain overthrust from the north

Documents

AlleluiaFund 2014