ECUNET/QUEST MEETINGS IN PROVINCE II

ALBANY QUEST
Last fall at our Diocesan Convention, Martha Ainsworth gave a presentation on Quest and the benefits it can have in linking various parts of this large, rural diocese. The communications committee also set up a bank of computers in one of the side chapels and gave hands-on demonstrations of how Quest works. I had already begun the meeting ALBANY QUEST and a short term meeting called ALBANY GREETINGS. We received messages from all over the world! Since then we have used ALBANY QUEST to post events, openings, and points of view. The recent call for a bishop coadjutor has sparked a lively conversation. One hope is that the recently elected members of the Profile and Search Committee for the Election of a Bishop Coadjutor will join Quest and do much of their business in a private meeting. ALBANY QUEST is dedicated to foster the church's presence in cyberspace and not just "safely" immured behind stones.-- from the Rev. James Brooks-McDonald.

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NJ CHAT
NJ CHAT was formed to be a place for all friends and/or members of the Diocese of New Jersey to share their ideas and concerns and simply to keep in touch with one another. Information about the diocese and our Diocesan Convention as well as general discussion and prayer concerns make up most of our posts. As diocesan participation in Quest grows we anticipate NJ CHAT will evolve into several more specific meetings. But for now, NJ CHAT is the place to be! -- from the Rev. Roger Hamilton.

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NEW YORK CONVERSATION
Created in the fall of 1995, the meeting NEW YORK CONVERSATION is a gathering area for members of the Episcopal Diocese of New York with discussion, general dialogue, announcements, support, professional concerns, and more! Join this meeting in order to receive notes and participate.

To date we have approximately 200 lurkers and 5-10 regular participants. It is a convenient place for friends and members of our diocese to share news, information, and ideas on happenings in the DNY. It is a valuable way for Anita Lemonis, director of communications of the Diocese of New York, to disseminate news from the diocesan offices and the bishops' offices quickly and inexpensively. For example, when the bishop has a statement to make on current issues, or when there are special events or celebrations happening around the diocese, or when there is a death notice or a news release, Anita is able to post the news on NEW YORK CONVERSATION and readers have access to this information, almost instantly.-- from Anita Lemonis.

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NEWARK DIOCESAN NEWS and NEWARK
These are the names of the two meetings for the Diocese of Newark. NEWARK DIOCESAN NEWS is used primarily to post the text from each issue of the diocesan newspaper, The VOICE , although from time to time other "news" is posted there. The meeting NEWARK is used for "chat" about the diocese; everything from letting people know about someone's death to reflections on diocesan or parish events to general discussion.-- from Dale Gruner, editor, The VOICE .

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ROCHESTER CHAT
ROCHESTER CHAT has been on-line since mid-fall 1995, and exists to facilitate communication among our various parishes. Features include periodic calendar updates from the Rev. Nancy Roosevelt, Canon to the Ordinary. The Quest route is the one common access open to parishes in the largely rural, southern end of the Diocese of Rochester. The Ecunet 800 number is a common denominator, linking those with no local telephone access to AOL, other commercial services, or local Internet servers.

Rochester's venture into the cyber-world will take a quantum leap with the completion of a Diocesan House local network, and consequent increased use of Ecunet/Quest for diocesan communication. Other links are emerging as possible: an Internet Web site and the announcement of AT and T's entry into the server field (with AOL tagging onto that). Heaven knows what next week! The challenge to Ecunet will be to grow and change rapidly to take advantage of these new elements, or to wind up on a seldom-traveled, side road.-- from the Rev. Dick Comegys.

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EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF WNY
The Episcopal Diocese of Western New York is a diverse and busy place. There are many city and suburban churches as well as many rural churches. The need for up-to-date communication, affordable communication, and inclusive communication led us to open an area on Quest. The meeting EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF WNY allows all of the laity and clergy of the Diocese of Western New York to "talk" to one another and, if need be, send each other documents, letters, invoices, reports, etc. We are growing daily in the use of this medium. We stumbled at first but now are at the walking stage. All people are welcome to join us in this meeting.-- from the Rev. Chip Elliott .

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EVANGELISM IN PROVINCE 2
EVANGELISM IN PROVINCE 2 is a Quest meeting intended to be a forum of initiatives and insights about doing evangelism in the congregations and dioceses of the Second Province. Information posted might answer questions such as : What is bringing new people to your church? What have you learned others should avoid? What are resources or conference experiences which would help others grow in evangelism skills? All are welcome to join this meeting and participate in the discussion.--from the Rev. John Rollins.

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PROVINCE II MEETINGS
SECOND PROVINCE NEWS is the place for announcements of coming events and programs. It is a meeting to share what is happening in parishes and dioceses and to encourage participation and feedback. The Province II newsletter, The Grapevine, can be found here.The newsletter is published three times a year: winter, spring, and fall. The fall 1995 issue of The Grapevine can be found in notes numbers 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. The winter 1996 issue can be found in notes numbers 24, 25, and 26.

The meeting SECOND PROVINCE is for official information from the Provincial Council and the Synod. Questions for the council or information for Synod can also be directed to this meeting.

SECOND PROVINCE CHAT is a meeting for informal conversation and the exchange of greetings. It is a place to debate the issues of the day and to make inquiries of other Episcopalians.-- from the Rev. Stephen Lane, secretary of Province II.

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GRAPEVINE ON THE INTERNET

The Grapevine can be accessed by Web browsers at:

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PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE I

Proposed by Michael F. Rehill
Chancellor of the Diocese of Newark and Province II

RESOLVED that Section 4 of Ordinance I of the Ordinances of Province II be amended to read as follows:

Section 4. Quorums.
A quorum for the transaction of business of the Provincial Synod meeting in joint session shall consist of at least one Bishop or Deputy from each of a majority of the Dioceses. A quorum for the transaction of business in the House of Bishops, when acting separately, shall consist of at least one Bishop from each of a majority of the Dioceses, except that a quorum need not be present for the purpose of convening prior to a joint session of the Synod. A quorum for the transaction of business in the House of Deputies, when acting separately, shall consist of at least one Deputy from each of a majority of the Dioceses.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION: On occasion, conflicting schedules have made it difficult to maintain a quorum in the House of Bishops throughout the meeting of the Provincial Synod. Since the business of the Synod is undertaken jointly, it is suggested that the quorum necessary to transact business jointly be amended to eliminate the requirement of a quorum in each House. The new language is underlined.

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AROUND THE PROVINCE

The Rev. Roland Cooper, deacon-in-charge of the Church of the Good Shepherd on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation in Irving, New York, was ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, September 2, 1995. He will be vicar of Good Shepherd where he has served as deacon during the past two years.

This is the first time in the history of the Church of the Good Shepherd that a Native American and member of the Seneca Nation has served Good Shepherd as a priest. According to Bishop Bowman, "They have in reality raised up one of their own, and it is already beginning to show the fruits of the Spirit in the revitalization of ministry that has taken place during the time that Roland has served as Deacon."

Rev. Cooper has been ordained under a special provision of canon law known as the "local priest canon." Under the terms of this canon, a culturally and ethnically distinctive congregation can raise up from within the community someone to be trained to be the sacramentalist. Because of this special canon, Roland Cooper will be limited to providing sacramental ministry only at Good Shepherd unless he has the specific permission of the bishop for a specific occasion elsewhere. The other provision of the canon is that the congregation is responsible for its total ministry. Roland will be the volunteer priest among others who will be the volunteer teachers, volunteer administrators, volunteer visitors, etc. As a priest he will be nonstipendiary and will continue to work at his secular employment.

Rev. Cooper is the grandson of Virginia Snow, who is active in the Diocese of Western New York and a recognized leader of Native American concerns regionally.

(Information from the newspaper of the Diocese of Western New York,Churchfacts , the Rev. Donald B. Hill, editor.)

Representing Province II at the consecration of Catherine Roskam as suffragan bishop of the Diocese of New York on January 25, 1996 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine were President Audrey King and Vice President the Rt. Rev. G. P. Mellick Belshaw. Both were privileged to process with others representing the great diversity of ministries celebrating Bishop Roskam's consecration.

Catherine Lynch (NJ) is the new assistant treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, with primary responsibility for church investments. Anthony Perfetti (LI) has been appointed controller, with primary responsibility for general accounting.
On Monday night, January 8, 1996, a subtle fire slowly destroyed the historic Angligan Church, St. Paul's, of Frederiksted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands. The Rev. Hoskins Huggins said, "It's a total loss; only the walls remain standing."

The fire gutted the lovely old church. One of the parishioners of St. Paul's described what happened. A huge flamboyand tree had been leaning against an electric wire and little by little wore it out. Some people saw sparks late Sunday but did not tell anybody. The fire started slowly while no one was in the church and eventually devoured the structure. The roof collapsed and destroyed everything except for the sacrament in its tabernacle.

The church has been in existence for 184 years. It was constructed with coral, the practice in those days, according to St. Croix historian William Cissel. The walls, the only structure remaining, are 2 1/2 to 3 feet thick.

The congregation is now in need of everything, including prayer books, hymnals, vessels, vestments, a piano, and all liturgical needs. Fortunately, the parish hall and church offices were in a separate building and were saved.

The Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief has received contributions for the needs of the islands that were affected by the hurricanes and will continue to help the parishioners as the needs are presented.

(This information is from an article written by Katerina K. Whitley, editor of Lifeline of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief, 815 Second Ave., New York, NY, 10017, tel: 1-800-334-7626.)

In May 1995, LaDonna M. Wind, Province IV Evnagelism Partner, led a second conference on evangelism in the Diocese of Haiti.The first conference, in May 1994, was for clergy. The second conference was for laity and was attended by seventy-six people from all over the diocese. Province II provided part of the financial support for this conference.

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COMING EVENTS

May 9-11
Province II Synod will be held at the Airport Holiday Inn, Rochester, New York. The theme of the Synod is "Full Speed Ahead -- The Life of the Church Continues." Speakers will include Dr. Pamela Chinnis, President of the House of Deputies; Mr. Stephen C. Duggan, the church's new treasurer; and others. Workshops will be offered on ecumenical discussions, Quest International, and the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation ministries network. There will be elections for Province II officers and a Province II lay representative to Executive Council. Contact: the Rev. Stephen Lane, 120 E. Main St., Palmyra, NY 14522. (See" Synod Elections and Program" .)

May 11
Province II Episcopal Asian Youth and Young Adult Fellowship will meet. The Fellowship will meet regularly the second Saturday of each month for praise and worship, Bible study, prayer, sharing, planning for future events, and various fun group activities. For more information and exact location and time of this meeting, contact: Vivian Lam, tel: 212-995-1172 or William Kwan, tel: 718-461-9154.

June 23-29

The Finger Lakes Conference will be held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, New York. The program consists of a general lecturer, interesting courses, and fun and fellowship. The general lecturer will be the Rev. Robert Farrar Capon, author, lecturer, and Episcopal priest. For registration information, contact: the Rev. Diana Purcell-Chapman, P.O. Box 492, Wellsville, NY 14895, tel: 814-228-3482. (See"Finger Lakes Conference".)

July 25-27
The Province II evangelism conference will be held at the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York. The conference will be led by the Rev. Canon Linda Strohmier, Evangelism Coordinator at the Episcopal Church Center. The topic will be exploring new paradigms in evangelism. Contact: the Rev. John Rollins, 400 Ramapo Ave., Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.

July 30-August 4
Episcopal Youth Event will be held at Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana and is for young people who have completed grades 9-12 by spring 1996 and have not attended college. With the outpouring of God's Spirit, the purpose of the event is "to live as an accepting and loving community centered on music, worship, artistic expression, and fun; and to provide an opportunity to make real our visions through the experiencing of our dreams." Persons not in school but who are within the age range of high school students should contact the Youth Ministries Office at the national church center, tel: 1-800-334-7626. All young people need to attend EYE with an adult diocesan sponsor. Each diocese now has 15 slots -- 12 young people and 3 adults. All participants need to be resident for the entire conference. The cost of the EYE is $220.00 per person, excluding travel. Contact your diocesan youth coordinator or Sandra Wiley, tel: 718-337-6884.

August 5-10
The 23rd annual Asiamerica Ministries Consultation will be held at the Kauai Coconut Beach Hotel, Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii. The theme for this year's consultation is "Intergenerational Relationships and Multicultural Ministries," particularly as they are related to the Asiamerican communities. These relationships will be studied and dealt with in ways designed to help Asiamerican congregations work with each other more effectively, grow in size, empower their members, and better understand both their family dynamic and their relationships to the American church.

The program is designed to provide models and tools for the delegates to take home to their congregations to assist them in dealing with the intergenerational and cross-cultural issues which are part of their daily life in the church and the world. For the first time, part of the individual ethnic convocations' time will be devoted to applying the general program to the particular needs and patterns of each ethnic convocation.

Each Asiamerican congregation is asked to send at least three persons-- one clergy, one lay, one youth. For more information contact: the Rev. Winston Cheng, Asiamerica Ministries Officer, 812 Second Ave., New York, NY 10017, tel: 1-800-334-7626.

August 11
The annual Asiamerica Youth Conference will be held immediately after the Asiamerica Ministries Consultation in Hawaii. For more information contact: the Rev. Winston Cheng, Asiamerica Ministries Officer, 812 Second Ave., New York, NY 10017, tel: 1-800-334-7626.

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Some time ago, I assured Peter Ng at Mission Graphics that this issue of The Grapevine would probably be twelve pages. Not so. There is just too much going on in Province II. Even with a sixteen page issue, there are two articles I have had to hold for the autumn issue.

This coming Synod will be a very busy but interesting time. There will be distinguished speakers and stimulating workshops as outlined in Steve Lane's article on the front page. Audrey King gives an excellent overview of the place and authority of a province in the structure of the church in "Structure and Work of the Province". She writes about changes in the relationship between the province and national church in her article "Partnerships, Finances, and Ministry."

In her articles in each issue of The Grapevine , Audrey has kept us up-to-date on the issues that affect ministry in the dioceses, province, and national church, and the changing organization of the national church.

There will be a change in the leadership of the province with the election of new provincial officers.It has been a great pleasure to work with Audrey. I have learned a great deal about the church from her. She had given extensively of her many talents, time, and energy to the province. Thank you, Audrey.

Enjoy the Florida sunshine in the winter and quiet times at the lake in the summer.I know that you will continue your many ministries in the church. Don't be surprised if I call you sometime for an article for The Grapevine . After all, it was your good idea that got this publication off the ground.

Jane Savage, editor

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