February, 2014 • Volume 139, Issue No. 2

By Patrick Skutch

March 1, 2014.That’s when the Bishop Nominating

Committee will present the Diocese of MississippiStanding Committee with a slate of candidates, oneof whom will become the next bishop of this dio-cese (barring the exception of petition candidateswhich may or may not be placed in nomination —log on to www.dioms.org for complete informationabout the petition nominating process).

“But between now and then, a lot of effortcontinues behind the scenes to make certain thatslate reflects both the will of the people of the dio-cese and the will of the Holy Spirit,” Lee DavisThames, chair of the nominating committee, toldthose gathered at the 187 Annual Council of theDiocese of Mississippi.

“This has been a remarkable experience for me to work atthis very special task,” Thames said Feb. 1 in an address to councilin Natchez. “The nominating committee was given this task about ayear ago. The task becomes yours in May,” Thames said to the cler-gy and delegates gathered.

Thames reviewed the committee’s work during the past 12months, which started with a survey of members of the diocese.The committee also held July listening sessions in all seven convo-cations of the diocese before moving forward with nominationsand the interviewing of those who might be bishop. The commit-tee has narrowed the list to a group of semifinalists who will take

part in a retreat withthe committee in mid-February. The effort hasbeen both a labor oflove and an attempt tokeep the processfocused on the goal.

“[The committeehas] listened to you,through the survey andthe listening sessions,”

Thames said. “We have interviewed candidates and we have askedlots of questions — of the candidates, of their references and ofourselves — as we have worked our way through this process.

“We have honored the confidentiality of the candidates inorder to protect the integrity of the entire search. And above all,we have prayed fervently that we will be guided by and not deaf tothe guidance of the Holy Spirit,” said Thames.

The three-day discernment retreat will give members of thenominating committee the chance to meet the semifinalist candi-dates and their spouses to learn more about them one-on-one andas part of group discussions. Each candidate has been asked to

provide a 10-minute teaching session as part of the retreat.Informal time will also be part of these sessions.

“We are trying to do everything we can so that when we makea decision on our final slate of nominees, we will feel that we havedone everything in our power to make the best decision possible,”Thames said.

Following the discernment retreat, members of the BishopNominating Committee will gather to make its final decision. Thenominating committee will submit a final list of three-to-five nomi-nees to the diocese’s Standing Committee on March 1. The names,pictures and short biographies of those nominated by the commit-tee will be posted online shortly after the Standing Committeeaccepts the slate, according to Thames.

“It’s been a busy time; it will continue to be a busy time fromnow through March 1,” Thames said. “I can say on behalf of theentire committee it has been a privilege to serve. We appreciateyour entrusting this very special task to us and we also appreciateyour continued prayers as we complete our work.”

The Rev. Patrick Skutch is the rector of Christ Church/Bay St.Louis and a member of the Bishop’s Nominating Committee.

Gray’s final addressContinued on page 4

Bishop’s nominating to release nominees slate to standing committee

Lee Davis Thames, chair of the Bishop's NominatingCommittee, explained the details of the search processfor the bishop coadjutor at annual council.

By Scott Lenoir

In Natchez, Mississippi, the place where, in 1826, representatives of fourEpiscopal congregations met to give birth to the Diocese of Mississippi, BishopDuncan M. Gray, III, gave his final address to the 187th Annual Council. Gray’s

official retirement will take place after the crozier is passed to his successor in February of 2015. The bishop coadjutor election will beheld at St. Andrew’s Cathedral/Jackson on May3, 2014, and Gray will remain as the Ordinaryfor nine months.

In his address Gray noted that it is “in themidst of this ‘Bethlehem’ of the Diocese ofMississippi [that] we have gathered in a time oftransition to celebrate our common life togeth-er, to discern God’s mission for this church andto seek God’s wisdom as we make the neces-sary decisions of our church.”

Transition was the overarching theme ofthe address as the clergy and delegates elected

to the 187th Council will also select the bishop coadjutor on May 3rd in Jackson.Bishop Gray’s focus was not devoted to the past years of his episcopacy, but rather

on where the diocese is at this time, and how he sees the identity of the diocese asit moves to elect its next bishop “embracing God’s mission,” which was the coun-cil theme.

“It is not that the church has a particular mission,” said Gray, “but ratherGod’s mission, God’s purposes for this world, has been given to the church. Theonly real question is whether or not the church will join in — embrace — God’songoing redemptive work in this world. God calls, and we, as individuals or as thechurch, are invited to respond.”

Gray devoted time to describe the social and cultural backdrop in which ourtransitional moment of election occurs. He said that it is within “the shrill publicconversation” over widening economic gaps, intense conversations over sexuality,the frequency of natural disasters, and the rejection of the institutional church byspiritually hungry young adults that our conversation in the church now occurs.

The bishop said that he had visited 20 congregations regarding his process toallow for the celebration of a provisional blessing of same-sex relationships as heannounced at year’s council. So far only one congregation has been granted per-mission and four congregations, after going through the process, decided not torequest permission. One congregation was granted Delegated Episcopal PastoralOversight. This option allows another bishop to temporarily oversee a parish;however, Gray said that “the vast majority of our congregations have chosen athird option — to wait, to pray, and to choose to take no action at this point.”

The address then turned toward what the bishop has witnessed as strengthsand challenges of the diocese as it seeks to elect the next bishop.

Strengths and challenges highlighted in Gray’s final address

Bishop offers words of advice to diocese as election draws near

Bishop Gray, III, delivers last council address.

Jim Carrington/Photo

Jim Carrington/Photo

2 The Mississippi Episcopalian

OUR DIOCESE

Notes from around the diocese:St. Paul’s/Columbus is supporting the

Boys and Girls Club by providing celebrationparties and small awards for the First BookReading Program. First Book is a national,award-winning non-profit that provides free andlow-cost new books to kids in need and the edu-cators who serve them.

During the month of February, members ofSt. Peter’s/Oxford will supply needed itemssuch as personal hygiene products and writingsupplies for the comfort stations in the ICU wait-ing rooms at North Mississippi Baptist MemorialHospital. Many times family members are reluc-tant to leave the hospital to go shopping for nec-essary items forgotten in their haste to get to thehospital.

Mediator/Meridian is planning improve-ments in their facilities that include increasingthe parking area, renovating the choir loft, andreplacing an existing brick walkway.

Repairs to the rectory of St.Stephen’s/Indianola are almost complete.Carpet is scheduled to be installed, leaving onlyminor electrical and appliance repairs pending.

This suggestion for a new tradition this yearcomes to us from Trinity/Yazoo City: Fill aBlessing Jar! Find a container with a lid andencourage every family member to jot down onething they’re grateful for every day, perhapsusing different-colored paper slips for eachmember. Then once a week, sit down togetherand review the many ways that God is present inyour lives.

St. Paul’s/Corinth is supporting CrosswindMinistry with organizing a census of the home-less population in Corinth by contactingCrosswind when someone who might be home-less is discovered. They’re also collecting dona-tions of hygiene and comfort supplies packagedin zip-lock bags.

The basketball team at St. John’s/Laurelbegins its new season this month. Their firstmatch will be at Life Church.

St. Philip’s/Jackson is hosting their 4thAnnual Bob Rall Chili Contest on Wednesday,February 19th. Parishioners will determine thewinner while enjoying fun, food, and excite-ment. For more information, contact LeeSmithson at leesmithson@comcast.net.

Lou Remmers, a member of AllSaints’/Tupelo, will discuss his book,Reflections on Murky Water, at a potluck supperin the parish hall on Wednesday, February 26th.All proceeds from the book about his two toursof duty in Vietnam will go toward the construc-tion of the Vietnam Memorial Replica Wall atVeteran’s Park in Tupelo.

St. Columb’s/Ridgeland received a photocollage of the church named for St. Columba,the patron saint of St. Columb’s. The gift waspresented by the Rev. David Johnson, who hasmade several pilgrimages to the Isle of Iona, thebirthplace of St. Columb.

The EYC of St. Peter’s by-the-Lake/Brandon is offering a Parents’ Night Outfor Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14th.They’ll provide arts and crafts, age-appropriate

activities, and snacks in the parish hall. Proceedswill be used for the EYC’s summer trip toMissouri.

St. Pierre’s/Gautier is beginning a study intheir adult study group based on the Rev. HughEdsall’s book, Whole Christianity: A Book ofInstruction in the Teaching and Worship of theAnglican Communion as Contained in the 1979American Book of Common Prayer. The groupmeets in Bratton Hall at 9:00am every Sunday.

The Valentines Bridge Fundraiser at St.Peter’s/Oxford will take place on Monday,February 17th. Guests may play bridge, mahjongg, or whatever they like. Lunch will beserved, and everyone is welcome for lunch onlyas well. Everything donated by the guests willbenefit whatever charity they choose.

Ascension/Hattiesburg is preparing a newspace for adult education in preparation fortheir next inquirer’s class. In early Februarythey’ll be gathering together to refurbish a roomin Gray House to make it a friendly and comfort-able place for fellowship and learning.

The Sunday school rooms at St.John’s/Pascagoula are also undergoing afacelift. They are currently in the process ofbeing recarpeted, and there are plans to repaintin the near future.

St. John’s/Ocean Springs is offering aValentine’s Day workshop, Pilgrimage TowardLoving Self and Others, with Kaye Lindauer, sto-ryteller and Jungian scholar. The workshop isscheduled for Friday, February 14th, andSaturday, February 15th.

Volunteers from Grace/Canton recentlymet with others to discuss how to build a rela-tionship within the community. The consensuswas to provide programs to distribute packagesof beans and rice each month to all members inthe community who need food and to assist withthe cost of home energy bills.

St. Stephen’s/Columbia is making a book-let from the Episcopal Church Foundation,Faithful Stewards of Your Good Gifts, availablefor those seeking guidance related to end-of-lifedecisions. The booklet provides informationabout decisions that need to be made in advanceof being incapacitated, including medical direc-tives, will preparation, and funeral services.

Donations are being sought for the youthroom at Redeemer/Biloxi. Needed are sofas orcomfortable chairs, a television with HDMI con-nection, board games, magazines, and area rugs.

Quotes this month:The Rev. William Ndishabndi, All

Saints/Jackson: “As we anticipate the beginningof a new year, let’s take time to reflect on theyear that is ending, counting our blessings,acknowledging our failures, examining ourselvesand see where we have been, where we are andwhere the Lord wants us to be. In faith we lookforward to what God has in store for us, but wealso look back to what God has already done forus.”

The Rev. John Kellogg, Incarnation/WestPoint: “. . . as long as there are baptisms, aslong as we promise to be there for one another,as long as there is humble seeking and loads oflove, there will always [be] hope. The goodnews is that we are our best selves when wedepend upon each other. Baptism reminds us ofthis.”

The Rev. Ann Benton Fraser, St.Paul’s/Corinth: “. . . unity in the midst of con-flict or disagreement may be the most powerfulword the church can proclaim in our polarizedsociety.

The. Rev. Brian Ponder, St.Paul’s/Meridian: “I find it interesting that“green,” or “verdant,” has dual connotations—meaning both lush and not-yet-ripened—per-haps a metaphor for our life in the Church thatis intended to be ever-new and ever-establishing.The green seasons of our church life are for all—the well-seasoned and those new within ourmidst—and provide wonderful entry points forour work in God’s vineyard, to grow alongsideone another, to journey together.”

The Rev. Patrick Skutch, ChristChurch/Bay St. Louis: “In the Scriptures, dis-ruption seems to be one of the symptoms ofGod’s call . . . The disruptions in our own life . .. may be sign posts or the raw material throughwhich God’s call might emerge. Disruption doesnot necessarily mean calling, but call is almostalways disruptive.”

The Rev. Mary Berry, St.Matthew’s/Kosciusko: “I have always loved theNike slogan “Just Do It!” When we say we will‘try’ to do something or that we are ‘going to’ doit – that is a weak statement . . . The same is trueof our spirituality. If we haven’t gone to churchregularly but want to — don’t talk about it —just do it. The church is all of you — withoutyou there is no church and no spreading of theGospel and Christ’s love. You are the faithfulwho ‘Just Do It.’”

Continually published for 138 years in the Diocese of Mississippi

Official news organ of the Bishop and the Diocese of Mississippi118 N. Congress Street - P.O. Box 23107

Jackson, Mississippi 39225-3107

The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, IIINinth Bishop of Mississippi

The Rev. Scott LenoirEditor

The Mississippi Episcopalian (USPS 024755) is published monthly by the Episcopal Diocese ofMississippi, 118 N. Congress St., Jackson, MS 39201. Periodical postage paid at Jackson, MS.POSTMASTER: Send change of address to the Mississippi Episcopalian, P.O. Box 23107,Jackson, MS 39225-3107. In giving changes of address send the old address as well as thenew. We cannot be responsible for the return of manuscripts or photographs.

February 2014

ORDINARY CONCERNS

Dec. 21 – Visit with Edgar Glover, longtime employee of St. Andrew’s, and the diocesanoffice, who was in the hospital.

Last minute Christmas shopping, thenhome for the rest of the day.

Dec. 22 – No official responsibilities today.Attend early services at St. Andrew’s, then athome for the day.

Dec. 23 – Spend the morning at the officeattending to a few end-of-the-year matters.Return home in the afternoon.

Dec. 24 – Kathy and I assist in the feedingministry at St. Andrew’s in the early morning. Avery special moment for us each Tuesday.

I am the celebrant at the 5:00 p.m.Christmas Eve service at St. Andrew’s. Overflowcrowd requires that some are seated outside thenave.

Following the service, Kathy and I drive toGreenwood. We arrive in time to attend the10:30 p.m. Eucharist at the Church of theNativity.

Overnight in Greenwood.Dec. 25– Enjoy Christmas morning with

Peter, Giulianna, Joseph, and Francesca. Drive toOxford in the afternoon for a visit with Duncan,Amber, Harper, Sadie, and Miller. Overnight inOxford.

Dec. 26 – Return home to Oxford.Dec. 26-29 – Vacation time.Dec. 30 – Morning spent in office, then

home. The three oldest grandchildren arrive fora two-night stay.

Dec. 31 – A full day of activities with grand-children – Children’s Museum, arts and crafts,and an early New Year’s Eve party. Very specialday.

Jan. 1 – At home with grandchildren. In theafternoon, Kathy and I return them to respectiveparents in Greenwood and Oxford. Return homevery full, but very tired!

Jan. 2 – In office all day catching up on awide variety of matters. Afternoon appointmentwith seminarian Ms. Katie Bradshaw.

Jan. 3 – In office all day working on a num-ber of projects. Lunch with Judge JimmyRobertson, an old friend from Greenville andOxford.

Jan. 4 – Meet with newly reorganizedHIV/AIDS Task Force as they seek to be a helpfulpart of the church’s response to this dreadeddisease. Must excuse myself a little early to dealwith a pastoral matter.

Jan. 5 – Drive to Clinton for a visit to theChurch of the Creator. I meet with the vestrywho tell me they finished 2013 with a significantsurplus that will be applied toward a new educa-tion building whose construction is due to beginlater this year. Very exciting news.

Preach and celebrate at the parishEucharist, then enjoy a good meal and conversa-tion with the congregation afterwards.

Return home briefly, then drive to Terry formy visitation with the congregation of the GoodShepherd. Meet with the mission committeebefore the service, then preach and celebrate atthe Eucharist following. Good food and fellow-

ship follows. I spend an extended time in con-versation afterward on a variety of matters.

Jan. 6 – At home during the day. Beginwork on my Council address and sermon.Evening appointment with Mr. James Lueth.

Jan. 7 – Kathy and I work at the feedingministry at St. Andrew’s, then I go to the officefor staff meetings through the morning.

Afternoon appointment with Mr. ChuckBarlow, then drive to Hattiesburg where I have avisit with the Rev. Kathleen Potts. Evening ses-sion with the vestry of Trinity Church as theyreflect on their recently completed parish studyon the liturgy for the blessing of same-sex cou-ples.

Supper afterwards with the Rev. MarianFortner, then return home to Jackson late.

Jan. 8 – Spend the morning with theDiocesan Discernment Committee of theCommission on Ministry as they reflect on theirrecent conversations with a number of aspirantsfor holy orders.

Meet briefly with new Gray Center execu-tive director, Grae Dickson, then return toJackson.

Jan. 9 – Return to working on my addressto Council, but received a call from my fathersaying he has been in an automobile accident.He’s in good shape, but car is not. Much of theday spent sorting out insurance, etc.

Spend the remainder of the day working oncouncil plans.

Kathy and I celebrate her birthday with afestival of Disney movies. We are so chic and cut-ting-edge!

Jan. 10 – Spend time with my father at thedoctor’s office in the morning, and go to officefor the rest of the day.

Appointments during the day with Ms.Jennifer Southhall (seminarian), the Rev. DeaconSteve Owen, and the Rev. Dr. Ruth Black.

Drive to Gray Center for a Gray Centerboard meeting with the new executive director,Grae Dickson.

Jan. 11 – Morning appointment with theRev. David Knight. Later in the morning at St.Andrew’s Cathedral, I ordained two new voca-tional deacons – the Rev. Deacon Billy Waltonand the Rev. Deacon James DeDeaux. Billy willbe assigned to All Saints’ in Tupelo, while Jameswill be going to St. Thomas in Diamondhead.

Jan. 12 – Morning visitation to St. Peter’s-by-the-Lake. I preach, celebrate, and confirm six.This is my first visit to St. Peter’s since the arrivalof their new priest-in-charge, the Rev. CarolMead. Large congregation in attendance whostay afterwards for a great lunch.

Following lunch, I stop by St. Mark’s inJackson to visit briefly with the Rev. Dr. RichardMiddleton who will be retiring from St. Mark’s ina few weeks. The congregation has prepared asurprise luncheon for Richard, and I am delight-ed that I could be a part of this “thank you” to avery special man.

Drive to Natchez where I officiate at theordination to the priesthood of the Rev. C.J.Meaders at Trinity Church. A joy-filled servicethat weaves C.J.’s parish and school responsibili-

ties together in wonderful ways.Enjoy a lovely reception following the serv-

ice, then return to Jackson late.Jan. 13 – Day off.Jan. 14 – Staff meetings through the morn-

ing. Two conference calls in the afternoon. Laterin the day I have appointments with Mr. LesHegwood and Mr. James Lueth.

Jan. 15 – Spend the morning at homeworking on my address for Diocesan Council. Inthe afternoon I drive to Columbia for a visitationto St. Stephen’s.

Afternoon session with the vestry who tellme that they are in better financial shape thanthey have been for several years. Great news!

Later during the Eucharist I preach, cele-brate, confirm seven, and receive two in themidst of a much energized congregation.

Return home to Jackson and stop by hospi-tal to see Edgar Glover, sexton at St. Andrew’s.Kathy is staying with him through the night togive his family a break.

Jan. 16 – Spend much of the day with par-ticipants in our Fresh Start program. As I lookaround the room at the gifted persons who haverecently accepted calls to positions in this dio-cese, I am filled with great hope for the future ofthe church in Mississippi.

Later I have an annual consultation withthe Rev. Betsy Baumgarten. Late afternoonappointment with the Rev. Stanford Adams.

Jan. 17 – Spend the day at home workingon Council address and sermon. Brief hospitalvisit.

Jan. 18 – At home most of the day.Saddened to hear of the of the death of Mr.Edgar Glover, long time sexton of St. Andrew’sCathedral and anchor of the feeding and hospi-tality ministry to the homeless and destitute indowntown Jackson. “May he go from strength tostrength in the life of perfect service.”

Jan. 19 – Drive to Port Gibson for visitationto St. James’. I preach and celebrate theEucharist and enjoy the fellowship with the con-gregation in a brunch afterwards. The uniquerelationship this congregation has as it shares apriest/pastor with the Port Gibson UnitedMethodist Church is under review by both con-gregations. We will see where all this goes.

Drive to Raymond where I preach, cele-brate, and confirm two in the midst of a verylarge crowd. Rarely has this historic church withno running water seen this many folks at onetime.

Lovely dinner afterwards with the congrega-tion at the home of senior warden, Ms. IslaTullos.

Jan. 20 – Day off.Jan. 21 – Staff meetings through the morn-

ing. The rest of the day Canon Johnson and Ihave appointments with those aspirants whohave been in discernment about a vocation tothe ordained ministry. The decision as to who tosend to seminary and who I ask to defer for awhile is prayerfully made, but enormously diffi-cult nonetheless.

Jan. 22 – At home in the morning workingon Council matters afterward meeting with thetrustees of the diocese.

Following the Trustees meeting, I drive toMadison for a meeting with the vestry of theChapel of the Cross to talk about a change intheir interim clergy leadership.

Jan. 23 – Early in the morning I join withBishops Latino (Roman Catholic) and Swanson(United Methodist Church) in a breakfast withour respective state legislators. This annual eventis a wonderful time to thank our public servantsfor their faithful work and to communicate ourparticular legislative priorities for the comingsession.

Morning appointment with Mr. ChuckBarlow. Lunch with Bishops Latino andSwanson. This will be my last collegial gatheringwith Bishop Latino as we prepare to welcomehis successor, the Rev. Joseph Kopacz, in twoweeks. I will greatly miss the common ministrywe have shared and the friendship that hasundergirded it all.

Afternoon session with Canons Johnsonand McCormick and Chancellor Granville Tate totalk through a variety of Council matters.

Late afternoon appointment with the Rev.Van Bankston.

Jan. 24 – Morning at St. Andrew’sCathedral with visitation, funeral and intermentof Mr. Edgar Glover. I celebrate the Eucharistand find myself deeply moved by the witness ofredemption and service that was his life.

Afternoon at home with children andgrandchildren.

Jan. 25 – At home finishing my Counciladdress.

Jan. 26 – Drive to Indianola for visitation toSt. Stephen’s. Meet with the vestry before theservice to discuss their search for a priest-in-charge. At the Eucharist, I preach, baptize one,and celebrate within a congregation where Ihave long-term relationships (from childhood)with so many. Lunch afterwards provides a won-derful time for visiting and catching up with liveswoven together through the years.

Drive to Leland for a brief meeting with thevestry of St. John’s. These good folks are grow-ing this church in wonderful ways even withouta full-time priest. The Rev. David Langdon hasserved faithfully as long-term supply, but prays“fervently” that the bishop will send him clergyrelief.

I preach, celebrate, baptize two, and con-firm one as multitudes of young children underthe age of five scamper about joyfully. Dinnerfollows with old friends at St. John’s. Very spe-cial time here as well. Return home late toJackson after very full day.

Jan. 27 – Day off. Begin work on Councilsermon.

Jan. 28 – Snow and ice makes travel tooffice treacherous. I stay at home in the morn-ing, then join the faculty and planning team forthe Mississippi Conference on Music and Liturgyfor lunch.

After lunch, I’m able to make it to theoffice. Downtown Jackson is very still.

Jan. 29 – In office all day. Staff meetingover lunch to go over details and responsibilitiesfor Council. Until I became Bishop, I wasunaware of how much planning – locally and atthe diocesan office – was required for Council.

The Mississippi Episcopalian 3February 2014

The Bishop’s Journal

4 The Mississippi Episcopalian February 2014

OUR DIOCESEGray’s final addressContinued from page 1

By Carol Mead

“What was silent in the father speaks in the son, andoften I found in the son the unveiled secret of the father.” Apopular crime show used that quotation, attributed toNietzsche, to explain how a human father’s abuse led to horri-ble crimes by the son. As a Christian, though—a person whobelieves in the incarnation of God in human flesh—I use thosewords to understand what God the Father wants of us. WhenGod seems silent or when humans misappropriate the will ofGod, we can see the Father speaking clearly in the Son Jesus.

Each February 2nd, we mark the Presentation of ourLord Jesus Christ in the Temple. In that event, Simeon prayedwords now known in our tradition as the Nunc Dimittis. Thatprayer, seen as a prophecy of the redemption of the world byJesus, begins, “Lord, you now have set your servant free to goin peace as you have promised; for these eyes of mine haveseen the Savior. . . .”

In Jesus’s actions and words, our eyes have seen the Savior. We need no longer guess, as thepeople of ancient times did, at how God wants us to live our human lives. We see, through Jesus, thatGod wants us to love those considered by others to be unlovable or untouchable. We see, throughJesus, that God wants us to forgive even those who would wound us mortally. We see, through Jesus,that religious practice means nothing if we do not choose to love God and God’s people.

Because we have seen the Father God speaking clearly in the Son Jesus, we, too, are set free, asSimeon described. Through Jesus, we are freed from guessing at what God wants and from jumpingthrough religious hoops to earn God’s favor. We are freed from living a reactive life; we now know weare called to respond in love no matter what the other does to us.

Many people struggle to reconcile the image of God presented in much of the Old Testamentwith the loving God presented in Jesus Christ. God has not changed; it is only that our seeing God inthe flesh of Jesus clarified our knowledge of God: “The secret is unveiled.” Before Jesus, we saw trou-bles as the wrath of God and enlisted divine help in visiting retribution on those who hurt us. Then,in the fullness of time, we saw the perfect revelation of God in the human flesh and blood of Jesus,and that revelation distills our duty to God down to loving God and neighbor.

If we proclaim ourselves Christians and we live as Jesus did, others see “the unveiled secret of theFather.” They see a human being forgiving the most egregious of hurts, loving the most ostracizedamong us, and disregarding religious rules or texts which advocate anything other than love. OurChristian faith is an incarnational faith. Whatever Nietzsche and those quoting him may have seen inordinary fathers and sons, we Christians know that, in Jesus Christ, “What was silent in the fatherspeaks in the son.” In that revelation, the Lord now has set his servants free to go in peace as God haspromised. The Father’s secret has been unveiled, undeniably, in the Son.

The Rev. Carol Mead is priest-in-charge at St. Peter’s by-the-Lake/Brandon.

The Unveiled Secret

The Rev. Carol Mead

Strengths“I can tell you that some very good things are happening here. You will be bringing a new bishop

into a diocese where our youth program is doing remarkable work and raising up a generation of faith-ful persons and a remarkable number of young clergy to serve God’s people in Christ’s Church. I thinkthe average age of clergy has dropped eight years in a decade.

“Led by our youth ministries, this diocese has gone through a remarkable cultural shift thatthrough various training programs and mutual accountability we have become a safer church for allGod’s people. In the coming year, most of our prevention programs on sexual harassment and miscon-duct will be available online. No training program will eliminate human sin, but these programs dohelp eliminate those incubators in our cultural systems where sin was once nurtured,” said Gray.

He also spoke of the progress we have made in the last year in disaster preparedness and in theA.C. Marble School of Theological Formation. Bishop Gray remembered the Civil Rights anniversarieswe have marked in recent years.

Gray also noted that the newly elected bishop will be a part of the disappearing denominationaland cultural barriers as the diocese further lives into the full communion with the Lutheran church aswell as strengthening ties with the Methodist and Catholic dioceses in Mississippi.

Worldwide mission within the Anglican Communion continues its growth in Mississippi withactive ministries between our diocese and Uganda, Honduras, Panama, and South Sudan.

“You will be electing a bishop to serve a diocese that has gone through dramatic social and cultur-al changes and continues to work faithfully and intentionally at listening to one another,” said Gray.“This is very difficult work, but we stay at it, always returning to our common baptismal andEucharistic unity. While we still tend to see those with whom we disagree in single dimension andstereotyped terms, we keep working at it, and have lived into the culture wars somewhat more cre-atively than others have. Your new bishop will find a diocese where the nurturing of relationships hasbeen a core value for decades. That core value has stood us well in many difficult and challengingtimes.”

Bishop Gray reminded Council that it will elect a bishop to serve a diocese that is more financiallystable now than it was ten years ago. Part of this good news involves the All Saints’ School inVicksburg that was transformed into an AmeriCorps Center. The substantial debt of All Saints’ is rapidlydecreasing, according to Gray, and will, soon produce revenue.

Regarding Gray Center, the bishop said that two substantial bequests and good management haveled to the camp and conference center being “more financially stable than it has been in a decade.”

ChallengesBishop Gray said there are immediate challenges awaiting the new bishop. He cited the decreas-

ing ability of missions to have full-time priests. “The number of congregations who cannot afford full-time, seminary-trained clergy is increasing. Many factors, including increased costs associated with afull-time priest and declining membership in some smaller communities, have meant that during myepiscopacy six congregations have had to begin to live into new part-time or shared models of sacra-mental ministry.”

Another challenge Gray mentioned was the system of voluntary proportional giving that has slow-ly decreased. The Executive Committee formed a task force to study options for a dramatically differ-ent approach.

Gray concluded his address by referring to our baptismal covenant that binds us together as thebody of Christ and gave words of advice to clergy and delegates preparing to elect the 10th bishop ofthe Diocese of Mississippi.

“Be gentle with your new bishop,” said Gray. “You will call him/her into a ministry that is ulti-mately unknowable until one assumes its responsibilities. There are so many blessings along the way –I have tried to claim them and share them with you through the years – but the vocation is solitary andlonely as well.

“Be gentle. Open your hearts and homes to your new bishop and offer that physical, emotionaland spiritual hospitality that is such a charism for this church.

“Secondly, be gentle with one another. As the old and very true saying goes, we are, each one ofus, fighting battles that others can neither see nor understand. Within the church we need each tounderstand the fullness of God’s revelation in Christ since our own sight is so limited and partial. Ihave on my desk a sign that says, “Do not attribute to malice what can adequately be explained byignorance, incompetence, or stupidity.” It’s maybe a bit too cynical, but it does remind me that peopledo not act of malice nearly as much as I am inclined to believe.”

To read the entire text of Bishop Gray, III’s, address to the 187th Annual Council, log on towww.dioms.org.

The Rev. Scott Lenoir is the editor of the Mississippi Episcopalian.

“Your new bishop will find a diocese where the nurturing ofrelationships has been a core value for decades. That core valuehas stood us well in many difficult and challenging times.”

Raphiell Ashford, St. Mark's/Jackson, and Carrie Duncan, St. Alexis/Jackson, were announced asMississippi's newest seminarians. Congratulations to you both!

ELECTIONS

The Mississippi Episcopalian 5February 2014

Lee Davis Thames and the Rev. Luther Ott were elected to the Standing Committee.

The Rev. Carol Mead and the Rev. Paul Stephens were elected to the DisciplinaryBoard. Not pictured is Collier Graham.

Fred Page was re-elected astreasurer of the diocese.

Lynn Jenkins was elected as a diocesan trustee. Also the Rev.David Elliott, III, (not pictured) was elected to serve as a Sewaneetrustee.

Elected to term on the Executive Committee were the Rev. Stephen Kidd, Gloria Revies, Steve McNair,the Rev. Brian Ponder.

Picture are those elected to serve as deputies for General Convention that convenes in Salt Lake City in June of 2015.The order of the deputation is as follows: Clergy, 1) David Johnson, Deputation Chair, 2) Paul Stevens, 3) Edward O'Connor, 4) Elizabeth Wheatley-Jones; Lay, 1) Kathryn McCormick, 2) Anita George, 3) Ed Sission, 4) Margaret McLarty; Clergy Alternates 1) Betsy Baumgarten, 2)Margaret Ayres, 3) Ann Benton Fraser, 4) Beth Palmer;Lay Alternates 1) Lee Davis Thames, 2) Bobbie Marascalco, 3) Alice Perry, 4) Danny Meaders.

COUNCIL

6 The Mississippi Episcopalian February 2014

Head verger Mike Flannes helps acolytes prepare for worship at Annual Council.

New clergy to the diocese are the Rev. Stephen Kidd (St. Mark’s/Gulfport), the Rev. Dr. CharlesHawkins (St. John’s/Ocean Springs), the Rev. Jody Burnett (St. Andrew’s Cathedral), the Rev. JamieMcElroy (St.James’/Jackson), and the Rev. Ann McLemore (St. James’/Jackson).

Head Lay Leader Danny Meadors presents new Lay Worship leaders for commissioning by BishopGray, III at the council Evening Prayer service on Friday, January 31st.

Volunteers from Trinity Church/Natchez register incoming council attendees.

Jim Carrington/Photos

Youth led Noonday Prayers.

COUNCIL

The Mississippi Episcopalian 7February 2014

Jim Carrington/Photos

Left: Dr. Chip Leggett, standing on thechair, and members of the 2014Honduras Medical Mission participatedin a team-building exercise at a retreatpreparing them for their annual mis-sion. By the time you read this theteam will be ministering to Honduransat San Joaquin in the Santa BarbaraMountains. Scott Lenoir/Photo

Above: Like all parishes and missionsin the diocese, St. Paul’s/Woodvillehad its annual meeting in January.

The event included lunch and aphoto to remember the occasion.

Dorcas Brown/Photo

Kathy Gray helps organize the spouses’ luncheon every year at Annual Council. This year the groupdined at Elmscourt in Natchez.

Bishop Gray, III, and grandson Joseph enjoy a momentat Dunleath. Pete Poland inventories gifts for the new disaster trailer.

Council visitors, delegates, alternates, and clergy enjoyed a delicious supperand party at Dunleith on Sat. night of council in Natchez.

Bishop Gray blesses those gathered at the closing Eucharist in the NatchezConvention Center on Feb. 2.

Council acolytes “Bishop, if you want to keep the hat, you better leave by the back door.”

8 The Mississippi Episcopalian

RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY COUNCIL

Courtesy Resolution For Trinity Church, Natchez

Whereas, the 187th Council of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Mississippi has once againreturned to its roots alongside the banks of the mighty Mississippi in our Bethlehem – Natchez, MS;and

Whereas, according to the youthful and energetic St. Walton the harvest was plentiful and the laborerswere many reported to be greater than the average Sunday attendance at our host Trinity Church; and

Whereas, despite the challenges of ice and snow on the eve of our arrival we were greeted by hugsfrom cheerful souls donned in red aprons led by Susan Hudson and CJ Meadors showering all in atten-dance with hospitality and graciousness; and

Whereas, as we depart we are empowered by the Bishop’s call to Embrace God’s Mission during thistransitional moment as the diocese prepares to elect its 10th Bishop; and

Whereas, with gratitude to everyone who has made us all feel at home in the cradle of our Church; beit therefore,

Resolved, that we show our deep appreciation to the red apron volunteers and the clergy of TrinityChurch by rising to applaud their service.

Courtesy Resolution Commendingthe Work of the Nominating and Transition Committees

Resolved that the 187th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi commend the faithfulwork of the Nominating and Transition committees for this diocese. We acknowledge the significanttime commitment from these volunteers who are offering themselves for service to the people of thisdiocese. We strongly encourage every parish and mission to pray for the members of these committeesand the candidates for bishop in our weekly worship, and we encourage full participation and engage-ment in this process by all members of this diocese.

Let us all be open to the path that is choosing us and heed the call of our bishop to be gentle with oneanother.

Courtesy Resolution in Thanksgivingfor Gray Center Past, Present,

and FutureResolved that the 187th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi give thanks for the min-istry of Bill Horne in his 10 years of enthusiastic and faithful service as Executive Director of GrayCenter and for the financial acumen of Wallace Pope in helping us live into our stewardship of “thisold place.” We recognize that through these and former generations of leadership, we have stabilizedthe foundation upon which we continue building for the future, creating a place for children of God ofall ages. Joining with the new director, Grae Dickson, we lift up the development of a new, sharedvision and direction of Gray Center and encourage continued support of this vibrant, prayerful, andplayful heart of our diocese.

A Courtesy Resolution in Memory of Edgar Lee Glover, Jr.

Whereas, Edgar faithfully departed this life in January; and

Whereas, he served the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew for 27 years and the Diocesan office for 25years; and

Whereas, Edgar possessed a ministry of presence beyond his job title of Sexton that calmed and nur-tured all who were blessed to know him; and

Whereas, Edgar knew something about second chances. He served a Governor, a Cathedral, thisDiocese and personally served breakfast to the homeless with honor and distinction; and

Whereas, his commitment to all people was an incarnation of living into his baptism as a beloved childof God; be it therefore

Resolved, that the 187th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi now offer a time ofsilence in grateful thanksgiving for the life, ministry and witness of Edgar Glover and express to hisfamily our sympathy at his death and give a copy of this resolution to his family.

February 2014

Resolution on VoluntaryProportionate Giving in a Changing World

Resolved that the 187th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi challenge every parishand mission of the Diocese to make a prayerful study of our practices of Voluntary ProportionateGiving and to review Canon 28 Section 4 which states that “income shall be defined as plate offerings,pledges to the operating budget, and any other undesignated receipts from whatever source.” Weinvite this study to be conducted in a spirit of thanksgiving and generosity. We urge creative responsesaccording to our means and abilities. We are hopeful that through our faithful, combined stewardshipwe are daring to embrace our common mission and ministry as One Church in a changing world.

At Gray Centerthis Spring

March 8 Guided Day Apart: Anglican Rosary with Rev. Greg ProctorParticipants will learn about the Anglican method of praying the rosary and havethe opportunity to string their own beads and write their own prayer. 10am-3pm.$30. Drinks and supplies are provided.

March 28-29 Rebuilding after the Loss of a RelationshipThe loss of a central relationship through death, divorce or estrangement createscomplex needs. Somehow one has to push through, and usually that comes atthe expense of your own needs. This retreat is an opportunity to carve out timefor yourself to journey from the painful past towards a better future. With CaelinHanna Slevin, LPC. Cost is $115/$130 (double/single room).

April 4-5 ECW Retreat with Katerina Whiteley Author Katrina Whitley will bring a new reality to familiar Bible stories by performing monologues in costume, impersonating two women from the Bible.

For more information or to register for events, please go to graycenter.org or contact Caelin Slevin at caelin@graycenter.org or 601-397-4273

February 2014

TRANSITION

The Mississippi Episcopalian 9

A reflection on ordinationBy C.J. Meaders, III

On January 12, 2014, I experienced the culmination of six years of soul searching. On that day,Bishop Gray ordained me to the Sacred Order of Priests in Christ’s One Holy Catholic and ApostolicChurch. The love and support I received on that day from family, friends, and fellow clergy was over-whelming. I am so thankful for all who were able to attend as well as those who expressed regret inbeing unable to make the understandably difficult trek to Natchez on a Sunday evening.

What I have found in this spiritual journey toward priesthood is that just as the church can be“reformed,” so, too, can the soul. Many of you will recall a young man with his cap on backward,wearing a devilish grin that would suggest he knew more than you could ever know. That was definite-ly me, a kid so full of himself that he was almost completely blind to the needs and concerns of others.Though there was yet much in me to love, I made it difficult to love me because of my carefully con-structed ego.

Still, God has the uncanny ability to “humble those who exalt themselves,” to quote the Gospels.Through trials and tribulations, I eventually learned the extent to which pride is an insubstantial houseof cards. Yet, as my self-constructed sense of worth began crumbling around me, God had alreadybegun the rebuilding process. Eventually, I began to piece myself back together in community withothers. I began to love others in order to love myself. I began to understand that deep, South Africantruth that “I am because you are.”

In my journey toward priesthood God has shown me the gift that you are, and I believe that thegreatest gift I can share with you in return is the life of Jesus Christ through his Holy Sacraments. Thisis the essence of my call to the priesthood as best I can articulate it. So as I step into this new role ofmy life in the church, I want you to know that I am so very thankful for all of you. For it is you, thepeople of this diocese, the people of God, who have affirmed my call and made me a priest. Thankyou for supporting and loving me through my “reformation” and for helping me become who God cre-ated me to be.

The Rev. C.J. Meaders, III, is associate rector at Trinity Church/Natchez and the Chaplain at TrinityEpiscopal School.

By Raphiell Ashford

On Sunday, January 12th, afterten years of service and five daysbefore his 72nd birthday, the Rev.Richard T. Middleton, III, delivered hislast sermon as rector of St. Mark’s,Jackson. The service was attended by145 people; many of them invitedguests unbeknownst to the rector. Itwas later noted that he remarked,“Where did all of these people comefrom?” The vestry had been planningthe surprise service and reception forweeks, and it proved to be a challengeto keep the rector from finding out.In spite of his numerous attempts tounknowingly spoil the surprise, thevestry managed to keep everythingtop secret.

In his sermon, the rector talkedabout the baptism of Jesus by Johnand stated, “Baptism not only tells us who we are but whose we are. May we always remember thatJesus is our true source of strength and without him; all of our efforts are in vain.” He noted manythings that were accomplished at the parish during his tenure; noting that although a lot had beenaccomplished, there was still work to do, and he wished the parish well. He also thanked the parishand his wife, Brenda, for supporting him; and, stated that he and his wife intended to remain commit-ted to St. Mark’s and want to see it grow even more in the future.

He ended his sermon by noting that he was not the last of the Richard T. Middleton’s. His son,Richard IV, and grandson, Richard V, were in the congregation. He said, “I’m not encouraging or dis-couraging either of them from pursuing ordination; I only remind them that if they should hear Godcalling them, do not resist.”

Among those in the congregation were the Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, Jr. (who ordained theMiddleton to the diaconate), and the Rev. Canon David Johnson. Both the Bishop and Canon stoodwith the rector as Canon Johnson gave him his birthday blessing. Middleton joked that he wanted toremind everyone that this was his retirement and not his funeral.

After the service, Fr. Middleton posed for photos with clergy, family, and church organizations.The reception, held in the Keeling Center, was attended by an extra 25 people who were not able toattend the service. Everyone was treated to a meal comprised of many of the rector’s favorite foods.The rector was surprised by the arrival of the Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, III who stopped en route toNatchez. During the reception, the current and former wardens made statements, and several giftsfrom church organizations were presented. A beautiful framed art work was presented to the Rectorby the Warden on behalf of the congregation. The message in the artwork was from Romans 10:17,“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Raphiell Ashford is a communicant of St. Mark’s/Jackson, where he serves as organist/choirmaster and parish administrator. Ashford was accepted by the bishop as a postulant in January and willenter seminary in the fall.

Bishop Gray, III, stands with newly ordained deacons James Dedeaux, St. Thomas/Diamondhead(left of bishop), and Billy Walton, All Saints/Tupelo (right of bishop), at St. Andrew’sCathedral/Jackson on January 11, 2014.

The Rev. Richard Middleton stands with Bishop Gray, Jr.(right) and the Rev. Canon David Johnson (left) atMiddleton’s retirement commemoration.

The Rev. C.J. Meaders, III (center) stands with the bishop, clergy and acolytes after his ordination atTrinity Church/Natchez. Anne McDaniel/Photo

The Rev. Richard T. Middleton honored at retirement party

A date to remember: Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Deadline for The Mississippi Episcopalian

CAMPUS MINISTRY

10 The Mississippi Episcopalian

Reprinted with permission, Delta State Communications andMarketing.

In 2009, two Kenyan students came separately to Americawith a passion to earn a college degree. In a short matter of time, amutual friend at community college introduced the two, andthey’ve remained close ever since.

Their educational careers have led them both to Delta State,an institution they have quickly fallen in love with.

“It’s been a wonderful experience so far,” said Alice Koech, apre-nursing student. “The people are so welcoming and havehelped me so much to feel at home.”

Rosa Kamau, an aviation management major, shares many of

the same sentiments.“I’m very grateful for the support everyone has given us,”

said Kamau. “It helps my parents to know that everyone hasbeen making sure we’re comfortable here.”

Koech, a dedicated Christian, took the initiative to contactlocal churches before she moved to Cleveland. She sent numer-ous emails and letters and managed to make a connection withJondelyn Catlette, coordinator for the Canterbury CampusMinistry at the Calvary Episcopal Church.

From the moment Koech arrived at the bus stop inCleveland, Catlette, Priest Sylvia Czarnetzky and other membersof the church, have continued to help her with donations, giftcards, food, furniture and adjusting to life in her apartment.

“I just love watchinghow Alice has blossomedat school and in the Delta,”said Catlette. “She’s sooverwhelmed with grati-tude and has always beenextremely thankful. For usin the church, it’s beensuch a giving experience.

We are happy Rosa ishere now too, and we lookforward to watching thembloom at Delta State and inthe community.”

“With Koech having aone-semester upper handat Delta State, she’s alreadypaying it forward to Rosaas she helps her friend set-tle in.”

“So many people havehelped me and now I can turnaround and help Rosa,” saidKoech. “The support here is agreat example of the opportu-nities for international stu-dents. The Phi Theta Kappascholarship makes it possible

and all the support opens channels.“Words can not express how thankful I am to everyone — but

I can show this through my actions and by being a part of the com-munity.”

To learn more about the international experience at DeltaState, visit http://www.deltastate.edu/student-affairs/international-students.

By Judy Barnes

St. Alexis Episcopal Church in Jackson has scheduled the next event in its “Higher GroundsCoffeehouse” series. On Saturday, February 22, at 7 P.M. the public is invited to a cooking demonstra-tion by Troy Woodson, the chef at High Noon Cafe in Rainbow Whole Foods Coop in Fondren. Troy isa native of Charlottesville, Virginia, and has beencooking professionally for 20 years. He hasworked in diverse kitchens, including French,Jamaican and soul food. He focuses on comfortfood and low country southern cuisine—disheswith lots of flavor. Troy brings this flavor-packedstyle to every dish at High Noon Cafe, ensuringvegetarian and organic cuisine never tasted better.The program is free and open to everyone. Coffeeand refreshments will be served. St. Alexis is at650 E. South St. in downtown Jackson.

For information call 601.944.0415.

Judy Barnes is a communicant of St. Alexis/Jackson.

Kenyan students aided by Canterbury Campus Ministry and DSU

Higher Grounds Coffeehouseseries continues

Alice Koech and Rosa Kamau, both from Kenya, have found newopportunities through the ministry of Canterbury Campus Ministry,sponsored by Calvary/Cleveland, and Delta State University.

Delta State Communication and Marketing/Photo

February 2014

DIOCESAN CALENDAR

EVENTS

FEBRUARY• 9: Bishop Gray visits Grace Church, Canton — 10:00 a.m.

Bishop Gray visits St. Mary’s, Lexington — 5:00 p.m.• 11: Deans’ Meeting — Allin House — 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.• 12: Bishop Gray visits Trinity Episcopal School, Natchez • 14-16: A.C. Marble School for Theological Formation — Gray Center• 16: Bishop Gray visits Trinity, Natchez — 10:30 a.m.• 20-23: Cursillo #126 — Gray Center• 21-23: Senior DOY — Gray Center• 23: Bishop Gray at Nativity, Greenwood — 10:30 a.m.

Bishop Gray at Wesley Service, Clarksdale• 25: Fresh Start — Trinity, Hattiesburg — 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.• 26: Celebration of a New Ministry — St. Peter’s by-the-Lake, Brandon• 27: Fresh Start — All Saints’, Grenada — 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.• 28-Mar. 1: Lay Leadership Training Institute — Gray Center• 28-Mar. 2: Happening Staff Training

MARCH• 1: Standing Committee Meeting — Gray Center• 1 Standing Committee announces Nominees for Tenth Bishop of Mississippi• 2: Bishop Gray visits Holy Innocents, Como — 10:30 a.m.

Bishop Gray visits St. Stephen’s, Batesville — 4:00 p.m.• 3: Petition Process for Bishop Coadjutor nominees begins• 4 Deadline for The Mississippi Episcopalian• 5: Bishop Gray visits St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (Lower) — 8:00 a.m.

Bishop Gray visits St. Matthew’s, Forest — 6:00 p.m.• 6: Disciplinary Board Meeting — St. Andrew’s — 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.• 6: Deacons’ Council Meeting — Allin House — 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.• 7 Petition Process ends• 7-8: Coast Vestry Retreat• 7-9: A.C. Marble School for Theological Formation — Gray Center• 8: Guided Day Apart: The Anglican Rosary — Gray Center — 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.• 9: Bishop Gray visits Epiphany, Tunica — 11:00 a.m.• 9-11: Presbyter POC — Gray Center• 13: Executive Committee Meeting — St. Andrew’s — 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.• 15: Lay Leadership Conference — Gray Center• 16: Bishop Gray visits St. George’s, Clarksdale — 10:30 a.m.

Bishop Gray visits Holy Cross, Olive Branch — 6:00 p.m.• 21-23: Happening #79 — Holy Trinity, Hattiesburg• 28-29: Commission on Ministry — Gray Center• 28-30: Rebuilding When Your Relationship Ends — Gray Center• 29: Standing Committee Meeting — Gray Center — 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.• 30: Bishop Gray visits St. John’s, Aberdeen — 10:30 a.m.

APRIL• 1: Deadline for The Mississippi Episcopalian• 4: Junior DOY — Gray Center• 4-6: A.C. Marble School for Theological Formation — Gray Center• 6: Bishop Gray visits St. Columb’s, Ridgeland — 10:30 a.m.• 6-11: Walk Abouts throughout the Diocese• 11-12: Lay Leadership Training Institute — Gray Center• 18: Allin House closed for Good Friday• 21: Allin House closed for Easter• 24-26: Deacons’ Retreat — Gray Center• 27: Bishop Gray visits St. Paul’s, Hollandale — 10:30 a.m.

Bishop Gray visits St. Thomas’, Belzoni — 4:00 p.m.

February 2014 The Mississippi Episcopalian 11

Shirley Ann Heitzman, 93, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died February 1, 2013.Larry Wayne Seymour Sr., 64, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died February 18, 2013.William (Bill) Anderson Record, 65, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died February 25, 2013.Andrea Horton Pedigo, 70, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died July 13, 2013.Verna Irene Noel Peregoy, 89, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died July 30, 2013.Joyce B. Corley, 89, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died August 4, 2013.Julia Marie Guice, 85, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died August 5, 2013.Earl Ross Wildon, 91, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died August 7, 2013.Curtis Edgar Byrd, 77, communicant of Redeemer, Biloxi, died October 10, 2013.Joyce Shread Taylor, 94, communicant of St. Thomas, Diamondhead, died October, 24, 2013.Terry Draughn Sullivan, 79, communicant of Christ Church, Bay St. Louis, died January 11, 2014.Angie Herbert, 56, communicant of St. Philip’s, Jackson, died January 21, 2014.Deborah (Debbie) P. Roberts, 57, communicant of St. Matthew’s, Kosciusko, died January 25, 2014.Augustus Joseph Staub, III, 77, communicant of All Saints’, Tupelo, died January 26, 2014.Sherrye B. Webster, 59, communicant of Christ Church, Bay St. Louis, until Katrina, died inNashville.The Rev. Craig R.H. Gates, 67, retired priest, Sewanee, TN, died February 9, 2014.

FAITHFUL DEPARTED

By Elizabeth Bush

As many of you are aware, prayer is a mighty tool. We ask you to includethe staff and participants of Cursillo 126, who will gather together Feb 20-23,to your prayer list. Below is a list of staff members who have been preparingduring the last month for this weekend.

Cursillo 126 staff listRector: Cindy Thompson; Head Cha Cha: Fonda Devrow; Music Leader: Cecil Fox; Observing Rectors: Molly and Mike Chew; Observing Head Cha Cha:Jennet Lacey; Spiritual Directors: Mary Berry, Van Bankston, and Helen Tester; Staff: Terry Armstrong,Shannon Bell, Ann Homer Cook, Lori Douglas, Christy Dunaway, Marge Hinton, Philip Lawes, Webb Morgan, Eileen Moss, Ed Oliver, Manuel Oliveros, Suzie Pooley, Bob Provine, Evelyn Randolph,Ken Ruckstuhl, V.V. Sleman, and Greg Webb.

More information about Cursillo can be found on our web page, Cursillo.dioms.org. Our next Cursillo weekend will be September 18-21 at Gray Center.

Praying for Cursillo

EVENTS

12 The Mississippi Episcopalian

By Carolyn Vance Smith

“An Evening to Remember” is the title of aprogram that will take place at 7 P.M.Thursday, February 20, at Trinity EpiscopalChurch in Natchez.

“It is bound to be just that,” said WaltonJones, rector of Trinity.

“We are delighted to host Mississippi’sretired bishop, Duncan M. Gray, Jr., and hisbiographer, Araminta Stone Johnston,” Jonessaid. “They will present an interactive program,a conversation, which focuses on BishopGray’s keen interest in race relations.”

The evening will kick off the 25th annual,award-winning Natchez Literary and CinemaCelebration, February 20-23, which is using thetheme, “60 Years and Counting: Voices of theCivil Rights Movement.”

Also participating in the free program atTrinity Church are Bishop Duncan M. Gray, III,who will be moderator, and Jacqueline Dace ofthe Mississippi Department of Archives andHistory, who will present a short program

about the new Civil Rights Museum in Jackson.“Bishop Gray was at Ole

Miss in 1962 when JamesMeredith integrated the univer-sity,” Jones said. “He tried toquell the riot.” At the time, Graywas priest at St. Peter’s Churchin Oxford, where Johnston wasa parishioner.

Johnston, now a professorat the University of NorthCarolina, Greensboro, is authorof “And One Was a Priest: TheLife and Times of Duncan M.Gray, Jr.”

“Dr. Johnston shows agenuine caring and fondness for BishopGray in her book,” said John Evans, ownerof Lemuria Books in Jackson.” She worked

hard on the biography. It shows sincere aca-demic effort.”

Following the program willbe a reception at the church hon-oring both bishops, Johnston andDace. Copies of Johnston’s biogra-phy will be sold and signed at thattime.

In addition to Gray andJohnston, a Who’s Who of otherwell-known Southerners will dis-cuss Civil Rights voices during freeprograms at the NatchezConvention Center Feb. 21-22.

They include JamesMeredith, William F. Winter, David

G. Sansing, Thad Cochran, Kathryn Stockett,Tate Taylor, Clifton Taulbert, Greg Iles, WilliamR. Ferris, Charles Reagan Wilson, David L.

Jordan, Ed King, Jerry Mitchell, Stanley Nelson,Charles Bolton, Barbara Carpenter, John D.W.Guice, Gerald McRaney, Robert L. Jenkins andRobert Khayat.

For a full agenda and other informationabout the celebration, visitwww.colin.edu/nlcc, email NLCC@colin.edu orcall 866-296-NLCC.

The conference is sponsored by theCopiah-Lincoln Community College and theMississippi Department of Archives and Historywith support of the Natchez National HistoricalPark, the Mississippi Humanities Council, theCity of Natchez and the Adams County Boardof Supervisors.

Carolyn Vance Smith is a communicant of Trinity/Natchez.

February 2014

By Abram Jones

Camp Bratton-Green registration is open for the 2014 sum-mer season! We have one of the most exciting summers ever readyto go and all we are missing is you.

CBG will be holding its yearly sessions, including: an introduc-tory camp for campers in the 1st and 2nd grade; two weeks for mentallyand physically handicapped; two sessions for campers in the 3rd and 4th grade;two sessions for campers in 5th and 6th grade, two sessions for campers in the 7th, 8th, and 9thgrade, as well our two Pioneer sessions to Sewanee, TN, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

For 2014, we are offering three brand new sessions for a variety of ages and interests. The firstis our Civil Rights pioneer session in June. The campers will travel on a guided tour to several sites

in the state of Mississippi that were key to the Civil Rights Movement and discuss the historical sig-nificance of each place as well as its cultural relevance today.

The second new session is a senior high camp called “This Old Place.” The campers will joinwith the staff to work on several projects geared toward improving and restoring our beautifulCamp Bratton-Green while still enjoying a relaxed and memorable week filled with fun and fellow-ship.

The final new addition is a family camp for all ages. The participants will stay at the confer-ence center and will be able to enjoy as a family all that our 750 acres has to offer. Day care will beavailable and we will be offering adult programming as well.

Spaces for all of our sessions fill quickly so register today! Online applications can be found atgraycenter.org. For questions concerning our camping ministry or registration, please contact thecamp coordinator Abram Jones at 601-859-1517 or abram@graycenter.org. Looking forward togreat summer and seeing everyone at Camp Bratton-Green soon!

Abram Jones is the camp coordinator at Camp Bratton-Green.

Trinity/Natchez to host program featuring Bishop Gray, Jr. and biographer Araminta Stone Johnston

Jacqueline Dace

EYC members from three parishes in the Coast Convocation now use DeMiller Hall as a meeting place in Biloxi. DeMiller Hall is on the old siteof Redeemer/Biloxi on Highway 90. EYC members from St. John’s/Ocean Springs, Redeemer/Biloxi, and St. Mark’s/Gulfport began meeting inJanuary. The youth coordinator is Jamie Nash.

CBG registration is open now