From the Priest–in–Charge:

During the past month and a half I have been involved in the genesis of a community initiative which is trying to determine if Blair needs and would support a Christian Youth Center – a positive atmosphere for High School students to hang out that is fun, exciting and Christ-Centered.

This initiative is just in the explorative stage, trying to discern if the center would be a coffeehouse atmosphere, and if it would have music, computers, video games, pool and air hockey games, and how it would be funded and overseen.

In June a sponsoring committee was formed that will present this vision to the Blair community and discern whether a 501(c)3 would need to be formed in order to become a non-profit organization, and I was elected to the Committee’s Board. Being a community effort it was desired that there would not be a sponsoring congregation, but hopefully it would be endorsed by area churches. The vestry of St. Mary’s was the first to do so at our last meeting.

St. Mary’s has had a wonderful history of providing a place for the youth to go to dance or just congregate and so I would hope that we would continue to see this as an important ministry that through our interest, efforts and prayers we could provide for the community.

Peace, Love & Joy, Mark+

St. Mary’s now has our own web site which can be found at www.stmarysblair.com. It is just in the formative stages and will be redesigned and updated as time allows. The Messenger is being posted there along with the ministry schedule. Please visit it often and if anyone has any suggestions for additions or changes please give your input to the parish office.

With thanks to the coordination of Pat Steinke and Nicole Cloudt this year’s Vacation Bible School should be full of games and fun. We will be having several youth events which will include a visit to the Amazing Pizza Factory and a Family Fun evening at Nicole and Jason Cloudt’s acreage. Details are still be arranged at this moment so stay tuned for further information or call the parish office for details.

A special thanks to all who helped out at the Gateway to the West parade last month. We handed out over 8 dozen bottles of water compliments of St. Mary’s. We hope that this will be a start of a new ministry during these events. Thanks to Matt Wolff who allowed us to use his store front and to Kathy Frahm who handed out the most bottles!

Thanks also to Bruce and Linda Will who hosted our first Mary’s Table evening dinner gathering. There was a great turn out and all had a great time. July’s Mary’s Table will be held in conjunction with the Vacation Bible Schools Fun Day at the Cloudt’s place.

Finally – a special thanks to Jason Cloudt who brought his grill and cooked our brats for our Pentecost Picnic. Again a good time was had by all!

Our wonderful music director Clare Cowing and Fr. Mark are going to make a list of St. Mary’s favorite hymns which will be used to chose music for Sunday services and will be looking at the music that is in our supplementary (Oklahoma Red) hymnal. If you would like to add a song to this list please submit them on the slips of paper that will be made available or leave a message with the office.

8 Happy Birthday!

July 4 Brandon Hutchson

5 Happy Anniversary 89

Bill S., Jaime S., Gordon, Gina, Betty R., Veda Mae, Jenny, Thelma, Mary J., Sue A., Gaye M., Tracy O., Jack, Joanne, Fritz, Wilma, Bob and Ellen Snow, Bishop Joe Burnett, Fr. Daniel Kuot and his ministry to the Sudan.

Pastoral Care

Fr. Mark’s office hours will generally be from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, but he may also be found in the office at other times. If pastoral care is needed at anytime, please call Fr. Mark in the office 426-2057, on his cell phone 706-1846 or at home 597-0736.

Correction

In June we reported that Fr. Lyle Mays would be remarrying soon. We meant to say former rector Lyle Martin. (Lyle Mays is one of Fr. Mark’s favorite jazz pianists.) Congrats again Lyle!

The 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church concluded its nine day triennial gathering in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday evening, June 21. This convention was historic, in that the Bishops elected-and the Deputies endorsed the election of-the first female Presiding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop of Nevada. Jefferts Schori has promised to focus on mission in her nine year tenure as Presiding Bishop.

Indeed, by far the overarching theme and work of the entire convention focused on global mission and reconciliation. Resolutions calling for the funding and implementation at all levels of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) received wide support. Deputies and bishops also addressed issues of violence and poverty in areas of the world under oppression or torn by war and internal violence. Far reaching steps in domestic mission and evangelism, including supporting leadership training and raising funds for new church planting, were also embraced. Clearly worded statements apologizing for the Episcopal Church's complicity in the historic sin of racism, and specifically in supporting slavery, also called for taking stock of ways in which the church might begin to make amends for past wrongs with living generations of those affected by these actions.

Blessed with the presence of many ecumenical and interfaith representatives, the church took steps to further its conversations and relationships under the auspices of its ecumenical office, and in particular approved an agreement for "interim Eucharistic sharing" (intercommunion) with the United Methodist Church, which includes recognition of the UMC as a member of the one, holy, Catholic and

apostolic Church in which the Gospel is rightly preached and taught, and encourages the development of a common Christian life between the two bodies. The agreement permits common, joint celebrations of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) between the two churches.

In a related move, approval was finally given after years of consideration to the adoption of the Revised Common Lectionary, shared by numerous mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches. This lectionary will continue to be authorized for use, as it has been for several years, but will then be ultimately become the standard lectionary for all parishes in a matter of a few years. New Prayer Books will not be needed, as inserts and other forms of distribution will make it possible to utilize the new lectionary without a new book.

Deputies also concurred with bishops in adopting a resolution calling for equal representation of women and men on all decision-making bodies within the church at local, diocesan and national levels. This recommendation originated with the 2005 meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, an international body.

The deputies also concurred with the House of Bishops in a mission initiative resolution for the New Orleans area that will gather data that can be used to advance evangelism elsewhere in the church.

Additional resolutions were passed that came from the special committee that considered resolutions in response to the Windsor Report, a document issued by an international panel of Anglican leaders in response to strains in parts of the world wide Anglican Communion following the consecration in 2003 of an openly gay bishop living in a partnered relationship. The convention affirmed the strong desire of this church to continue as a full and faithful partner in the world wide Anglican communion, while at the same time reiterating the historic separate and independent status of the churches of the Anglican Communion. The "Windsor process" to discern the nature and unity of the church, and the report's call for a listening process, were also affirmed. In particular, the convention approved a resolution that calls on bishops and Standing Committees to "exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate

to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."

Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops in opposing the criminalization of homosexuality, opposing state or federal constitutional amendments that prohibits same-gender civil marriage or civil unions and affirming the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

Another resolution reiterates Episcopal Church support of gay and lesbian people as "children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church."

Deputies also concurred in creating a new task force to study aspects of church disciplinary canons. Proposed changes would have replaced the current court-oriented system with a multi-layered approach intended to focus on mediation and reconciliation which included a controversial provision that would subject certain lay leaders to the new canons. After hearing significant concern about the proposal, particularly about subjecting laity to ecclesiastical discipline, the legislative committee moved to refer the continuing work to the task force for continued revisions over the next three years.

Omaha Royals

Faith & Family Night

Once again the Omaha Royals are hosting a "Faith and Family Night" on Saturday August 19^th. The Royals will be playing the Albuquerque Isotopes at 6:05 with the gates opening at 4:00 for batting practice and conclude with a post game concert. Tickets will be $6 each. Please contact the parish office for more details.

Meal & a Movie

During the summer we will have our Meal & a Movie on the first Wednesday of the Month. The next movie will be on July 5^th and we will be watching "Patch Adams."

Vestry Meeting

The next vestry meeting will be held in the library on Tuesday, July 25^th at 7:00 p.m.