Episcopal Diocese of Albany - Priests and Deacons Update

Business Office: 68 South Swan Street - Albany, NY 12210 - (518) 465-4737
Christ the King Spiritual Life Center: 575 Burton Road - Greenwich, NY 12834 - (518) 692-9550

St Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr
December 29th, 2006

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This is the last business day of 2006. The offices reopen Jan 2nd. That same day I'll open the 2007 proceedings of the State Senate with prayer and join them as they meet with the Members of the Assembly for the new Governor's address to the joint Session of the Legislature. Bishop Bill leaves that day for Camp Allen for the 2nd Windsor Bishops' meeting.

Christmas Eve morning Carol and I drove over to Cobleskill for the Advent Mass (see more below). Bishop Bill celebrated at St Mary's, Lake Luzerne.

Christmas Eve afternoon Bp Bill celebrated the Children's Liturgy at the Cathedral and I celebrated the Midnight Mass. Since it was also my last, it gave me the opportunity to thank Dean Vang and Lay Provost Doris Bedell for their hard work. Landlocked urban buildings have a tough time in this era and Fr Vang has done a fine job building up the cathedral. Carol and I came home and sat and visited till 3 a.m.

We were particularly pleased to welcome a number of Sisters of the Community of Saint Mary for Midnight Mass. Several of the Sisters leave next month for Malawi where their new community is thriving. Thank you to the American nuns who took this initiative and now are fostering the religious life half a world away.

Christmas Day was filled with kids and grandkids. Thank you Lord.

Thank you to all the parishes who have completed their 2006 assessments. You give evidence to the notion of being One Body, One Church. We are a Diocese made up of very ordinary people who sacrifice for Christ and His kingdom. Your support of the initiatives of and through the diocese impact thousands of lives. Thank you. The diocesan books can receive any assessment checks that arrive by January 5th to be credited toward fulfilling 2006. You can check by calling Joan Ecker at 518-465-4737 x 206.

In your charity please pray for Canon Bill Hio, who just returned from a brief stay at Saint Clare's, Schenectady. Also for Canon Robert Eggenschiller who was injured in an auto accident in Florida, and has had to have subsequent brain surgery. For Father Fred Leach who is home from Samaritan Hospital, following a severe fall before Christmas. For the Very Rev'd Dr Geri Bissell-Thompson who has begun a round of chemo therapy after surgery. And for the Venerable Barbara Hanstine who will have an ultrasound next week and a biopsy the following week.

The Diocesan Holiday Schedule for 2007 for the Diocesan Offices and Christ the King will include: New Year's, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Diocesan Offices will be closed. Christ the King offices will be closed also, except for those involved in ministry.

The Utica Observer Dispatch did a Christmas feature on Father Tom Trees and his parish (St Augustine, Ilion) and household. Attractive series of pictures and obviously a positive image. Click on http://www.uticaod.com/.

Bishop Ball at the Noon Mass today, feast of St Thomas Becket, wondered aloud how come the week following Christmas is filled with violent commemorations (St Stephen, 1st martyr; the Holy Innocents, infant martyrs of Bethlehem, and Thomas Becket, slain on the wishes of Henry II) ? He answered his own question, "because Christ was born into a sinful world." Jesus alone can deliver us from a destructive world.

One of the Psalms appointed for Evening Prayer for the feast of the Holy Innocents, Psalm 19, has two verses that leap from the pages:

Although they have no words or language,
and their voices are not heard,
Their sound has gone out into all lands,
and their message to the ends of the world. (3 & 4).

Sins against the powerless cry out for justice. Sins against children are prime examples. From the murderous edict of Pharaoh against the Hebrew children, to Herod's ordering their killing in Bethlehem, to the forced abortions of the Nazis and present Community China, to those of our own land there is the silent cry for justice and an end.

We can be easily seduced by the culture, and wind up discussing what the law permits rather than what God wills. Let each of our missionary outposts evidence that love of Christ for the powerless, the pre-born, the infirm, the unwanted, the chronically ill, the addicted, the forlorn.

Lord, make our churches places of compassion and love and life.

Ground for the Adult Lodge construction project at Christ the King Spiritual Life Center will be broken next week. This will provide modern accommodations for retreats, conferences, guests, visitors and ministry participants. Your generosity has made this possible. Any end-of-year gifts can be sent to Canon Mathew Baker, Christ the King SLC, 475 Burton Road, Greenwich, NY 12834.

Canonical Exams for ordination will be held Jan 4, 5, 8 and 9 at Christ the King.

Saturday, Jan 6, Bishop Bill will be ordaining the Rev'd Ginny Ogden, at St Stephen's, Delmar at 11 a.m. Vesting clergy should arrive by 10:30. Color is white for Epiphany.

Soaking Prayer will be offered at the Healing Oratory at Christ the King from 10 - Noon, Saturday, Jan 6. No appointment necessary.

Sunday Jan 7 Bishop Bill will be at St David's, East Greenbush; I'll be at St John's, Ogdensburg where I was ordained priest 35 years ago last month.

The Standing Committee meets Monday, Jan 8, for Mass at 11:30 followed by lunch and Meeting.

Eucharistic Holy Hour, Thursday, Jan 11, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Note the change of day (2nd Thursday) and time beginning this month. In the Chapel of the Healing Center.

Jan 14 Bishop Bill will be at Grace and Holy Innocents, Albany; I'll be at Christ Church, Morristown.

Jan 21 I'll be back to Christ Church, Schenectady for my final visitation.

Jan 21 from 2 - 5pm will be the Open House for the new Infirmary of the Holy Child Jesus adjoining Beaver Cross at the SLC. The Evening Service will be offered at 4:30 pm.

The Parish Leadership Conferences for 2007 will give Bishop Dave and me, as well as MaryEllen and Carol, the opportunity to draw our ministry to an end with you. These mid-Winter Conferences have brought some of the great leaders of the Church into our Diocese, have strengthened our leaders and our parishes. We're both grateful to Bishop Bill for inviting us to do this. We look forward to seeing our fellow Disciples this January.

The North Country PLC will be at Trinity Postsdam, Saturday, Jan 13 from 10 - 2pm. Lunch included.

The next three PLC's will fill our final weekend: (Eats included with each)
-Friday, Jan 26, at Christ the King from 5:30 - 9pm
-Saturday, Jan 27 from 10 - 2pm
-Sunday, Jan 28 at Christ Church, Cooperstown 3 - 7pm.

January 1 is the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, a principal feast. Isn't it amazing that God invites us to a first-name basis, something we'd never have with the President or the Queen. It is in that Name we are saved. It is through that Name we come to the Father. It is by that Name we are empowered for the kingdom by the Holy Spirit.

THANK YOU JESUS, that you invite us to know you personally; to experience your personally; to witness to you personally: may your Name grace our lips at every moment of our lives, and may your holy Name, O Jesus, be the final word upon our lips at the end. Amen.

With every wish for a holy New Year.

In Christ,
+ Dan

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