E-News from the Diocese of Louisiana

E-dolaDecember 3-10, 2008Volume 2, Issue 46

On Wednesday, November 19, Episcopal hosted a chapel service and dedication ceremony on the front lawn of the school’s campus to celebrate the planting of three live oak trees. Baton Rouge’s parish day schools - Trinity, St. James, and St. Luke’s - donated the live oaks to replace trees lost during Hurricane Gustav. The Rev. Mark Holland and Head

of School Linda Chauviere from St. James, the Rev. Ken Ritter and Head of School Kathy Davison of Trinity, and the Rev. Edward Glea-son and Head of School Amy Whit-ley of St. Luke’s were welcomed by Episcopal Head of School Kay Betts

and the Rev. Ralph Howe. Also join-ing in were students from the day schools, and EHS Middle and Lower schools who turned over dirt for the new trees.The three oaks serve as a mean-

ingful remembrance of the forty year relationship between Episcopal and the three day schools and a celebra-tion of their continued relationships in the future. As oak trees are symbols of strength and endurance, the trees symbolize and honor the strength and endurance of the bonds and missions of the Episcopal Diocese Schools in Baton Rouge. The project was an idea of Fr. Holland’s.

Day Schools Plant Trees at EHS, Honor Relationships

Students, faculty and clergy from Episcopal, St. James, St. Luke’s and Trinity gathered for the tree dedication service.

NATIONAL DOCC PROGRAM RETURNS TO TRINITY NOLA

On Sunday December 14th at 5 p.m., Mount Olivet in New Orleans will have their annual Advent Vespers in French with a festive reception afterwards.The church has held the service twice a year since 2003 – the celebration of

the Bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase. The French Consul to Louisiana, General Olivier Brochenin and his wife will be the honored guests.Albinas Prizgintas of Trinity Church, New Orleans, composed the setting

for the French texts of the Canticles. Mt. Olivet’s organist Virginia Olander of Loyola’ s Music Department has composed an original Advent anthem for the choir. If you’re interested in singing, rehearsals are December 7th and 14th at Mt. Olivet.

Mount Olivet Holds Vespers en Français

[photo by Charlotte Carnes]

By Merry Toups

As of December 1, 2008 DOCC (Disciples of Christ in Community) is operating out of Trinity New Or-leans. Canon William Barnwell, Na-tional DOCC Coordinator, is now working from Trinity and oversees DOCC as well as TLB (The Trans-forming Literature of the Bible).

DOCC began at Trinity Church New Orleans in the mid 1970s, and in 1989 moved to the School of Theol-ogy at the University of the South at Sewanee. In 2005, the Washington National Cathedral took over the administration of the program.

Canon Barnwell developed TLB as a follow-up course to DOCC. This course explores the great stories of the Bible in depth. Seventeen sessions explore the Hebrew Scrip-ture and nineteen the Christian Tes-tament. This course requires two to four hours of preparation each week by participants.

More than 30,000 people nation-ally have completed the course, which runs from 15 to 20 weeks. DOCC presenters and small group facilitators must undergo 18 hours of training. The next local training will be offered in March 2009 in Metairie.

If you would like information on how to offer DOCC or TLB cours-es at your church, or if you would like to offer a training workshop at your church, please contact Canon Barnwell at 504-862-0311, or Mer-ry Toups, DOCC Administrator at 504-866-0157 or merrparis@yahoo.com.

E-DoLA StaffBishop Charles E. JenkinsPublisher

The Rev’d Canon E. Mark StevensonCanon to the Ordinary

The Rev’d Canon Scott AlbergateCanon for Mission and Congregational Development

Rebecca Todd PitrePublications Coordinator

Kenn ElderWeb Coordinator

An End of Semeseter Celebration at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in New Orleans is this Sunday evening at 6 p.m.It will be a joint celebration of Ad-

vent Lessons & Carols put on by the 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. worshiping com-munities, as well as the congrega-tion of St. George’s.If you would like to hear some lovely

music and get to know some of our students, please consider joining us this Sunday. A musical prelude be-gins at about 5:50 p.m., and the ser-vice will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.

Around the Diocese

EXTRA! EXTRA!To have your news included in

ChurchWork or E-DoLA, please contact Rebecca Pitre at news@edola.org

or (225) 706-6634, ext. 114

On Saturday December 6th, an open house will be held to bid farewell to St. Paul’s Homecoming Center and Beacon of Hope. The recovery organizations are moving to a new facility in Gentilly, but will still be handling requests from Lakeview. Connie Uddo, director of the organizations, would like to extend an invitation

to “toast the holidays, celebrate our recovery and wish us well as we relocate to Gentilly”. Individuals who have found assistance from the Homecoming Center and Beacon of Hope will be asked to participate in video interviews.Connie adds “Bring a dish if you can, but don’t let that stop you if you

can’t.”

St. Paul’s Homecoming Center and Beacon of Hope move to Gentilly

Jericho Road Representatives To Participate In Green Building Charrette Facilitated By Global GreenJericho Road representatives will be participating in a Green building char-

rette on January 13, 2009 along with members of Global Green, the New Or-leans expert in energy efficient housing. Walker Wells, Global Green’s “Blue-print for Greening Affordable Housing” editor, will facilitate.The Green Charrette will involve an intense working session where partici-

pants will discuss the newest green design principles available for affordable housing developments. The charrette will help determine the most cost-effec-tive green strategies for building new houses and which sustainable features should be incorporated in these housing developments.JR Director of Operations and Communications Holly Heine said, “We are so

excited to have the opportunity to participate in this Green Charrette. Jericho Road is committed to building greener, more energy efficient homes, and this charrette will help us to produce a healthier and safer environment for our new homeowners.”

The first holiday without someone we love can be difficult and painful. Prep-arations and celebrations may seem to be a stark contrast to our own ener-gies and fluctuating emotions.

Hospice of Baton Rouge is sponsor-ing Grief and the Holidays, an educa-tional and interactive program related to grief’s impact on the holiday sea-son.

The program will be held at the Epis-copal Church of the Holy Communion in Plaquemine on Wednesday, De-cember 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Below are a few helpful tips for facing grief during the holidays:1. Set boundaries on your expecta-

tions and other’s expectations.

2. Have a meeting or discussion with family/friends about the holiday plans.

3. Rehearse how you will respond to difficult situations beforehand.

4. Observe the day in a way that has meaning for you.

5. Make the holiday an opportu-nity for healing. A day for renewal of your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

6. Be flexible.

Surviving Grief During the Holidays

Advent Festival of Lessons & Music at Holy Communion in

Plaquemine.

An Advent Eventat Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion . . .Come and join us for an evening of Advent Prayers and MusicThursday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m.58040 Court Street in Plaquemine.

Thursday, December 4th at 7 p.m.58040 Court Street

Several Set for Ordination

This Sunday, December 7th, Trinity Treasures is holding a Jewelry and

Tie Event from 9-12:30 (closed for the 10:30 service) in the foyer of Bishop

Polk Hall at Trinity New Orleans.

ALL cross necklaces and gorgeous Vineyard Vines ties are

30% off.

On Saturday, December 6th, Timo-thy Royce Heflin will be ordained priest by the Right Reverend Michael G. Smith, Bishop of North Dakota, at Trinity Church in Baton Rouge at 10 a.m.Peter Whittlesey Gray will be or-

dained priest by the Right Reverend Duncan M. Gray, Bishop of Missis-sippi, on Saturday, December 13th at 10 a.m. at St. Anna’s in New Or-leans.On December 27th, the following

people will be ordained Deacons at 10 a.m. at Christ Church Cathe-dral in New Orleans: Robert Wickliff Courtney II, Richard Johnston Clark Jr., Peggy King Scott, Sean Michael Hamilton Wallace (all transitional) and Alyce Lee Jefferson (vocation-al).Trinity, Baton Rouge52 Morning Glory AveBaton Rouge, LA 70808(225) 387-0396St. Anna’s1313 Esplanade AveNew Orleans, LA 70116(504) 947-2121Christ Church Cathedral2919 Saint Charles AveNew Orleans, LA 70115(504) 895-6602