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eMatters is a publication of the Episcopal
Diocese of Western Massachusetts. It
is e-mailed to parishes twice monthly as well as appearing here.
This edition is also availabe here: http://diocesewma.wordpress.com/
Within this E-Matters: - July 24, 2008
Wardens Dinner – Note New Date
Pastor Scholar Notice at Boston University School of Theology
Risograph Supplies Available
Good Shepherd Looking for an Organist
Parish Officials Form and Delegate Certification
Additional Way to Keep in Touch
Church Windows Software Regional Training
Looking for Latest Demographic Information
2009 Congregational Development Investment Applications
New Deacon Orientation
Information Change
E-Matters Save the Dates
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Wardens’ Dinner 2008
The Annual Wardens’ Dinner will be held on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at The Publick House Historic Inn & Country Motor Lodge in Sturbridge, MA. Please mark your calendars! All Senior and Junior Wardens currently serving congregations in Western MA are invited to attend. Registration forms, directions and other information will be sent via email to all Wardens in a few weeks (in case you happen to be away in August!). If you know of a Senior or Junior Warden that does not have email and wishes to obtain registration information, please have them contact Karen Warren at the Diocesan House, (413) 737-4786, ext. 18.
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Pastor Scholar Notice at Boston University School of Theology
Boston University School of Theology is now offering the Pastor Scholar Program with courses available for pastors and other religious professionals for CEU’s at the incredible rate of $150 per course. For details on the available courses and more information about the program please go to the following website:
http://www.bu.edu/sth/professional/continuing/pastorscholar/index.htm
If you have any questions you may contact Lisa Case who is coordinating the program at lcase@bu.edu .
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Risograph Supplies Available
St. Paul’s in Holyoke has updated their copier and has some Risograph masters and ink they no longer need. If anyone could use them, please contact the church at (413) 532-5060 or email them at stpaulsholyoke@yahoo.com.
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Good Shepherd, West Springfield Looking for an Organist
Good Shepherd in West Springfield is looking for an organist. Anyone interested in this position should contact The Rev John DeBonville at Church of the Good Shepherd, 214 Elm Street, West Springfield or by phone at (413) 205-3090.
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Parish Officials Form and Delegate Certification
The first mailing for the Diocesan Convention has been sent which means the delegates of the parishes who have not sent in their Delegate Certification Forms have not received this mailing. If you have not yet submitted your Parish Officials or Delegate Certification form(s) please submit them as soon as possible.
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Additional way to keep in touch
Just a reminder that eMatters is on our diocesan website and is also available here:
http://diocesewma.wordpress.com/
You can subscribe to the RSS feed and have the eMatters articles show up in your inbox.
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Church Windows Software Regional Training
If you currently use Church Windows software (or are contemplating the purchase of the software), you may want to attend a Regional Training which will be held in Western Massachusetts. Computer Helper Publishing, Inc. (publisher of Church Windows software) will offer a 3-day training at St. Mark's Church in East Longmeadow August 19-21, 2008. The training will be offered in 1/2 day sessions: Accounting I, II on Tuesday; Contribution I, II on Wednesday; and Membership I, II on Thursday. For Support Customers the cost is $75 per person per 1/2 day class. For Non-Support Customers the cost is $110 per person per 1/2 day class. These classes fill up quickly, for more information Contact Computer Helper (Telephone 800-533-5227, email training@churchwindows.com, or visit www.churchwindows.com. Church Windows is one of 2 software packages that offer an "Episcopal" version which could be helpful when it comes time to complete your annual Parochial Report. Currently between 8-13 churches in the diocese use this software (some use only some of the modules).
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Looking for the latest demographic information about the people in your neighborhood?
A Web Based Information Service for Your Church—
Exclusively Available Through the Diocese of Western Massachusetts and our new contract with Percept.
How to Get There. . .
1. Type www.link2lead.com into your web browser
2. To register for the first time, select the REGISTER button on the left menu
3. Select your denomination - EPISCOPAL
4. Select your regional body - Diocese of Western Massachusetts
BRAND NEW FOR 2008
Link2Lead users now have three study area options! Instead of a single ZIP Code, the standard study
area is now a Radius boundary around your church location. For many users this will provide the best
demographic picture of the population in close proximity to the their church, however, ZIP Code and
County boundaries are also a couple of clicks away as alternative study areas for MinistryMatch,
10 Facts and downloadable Instant FirstView reports.
Add to your MinistryMatch knowledge for your area. What changes are projected to take place during the next five years? What are some faith facts I can learn about people in the area? The answers to these questions and dozens of others
are located in the 10 Facts Series.
With FirstView Maker you can create any study area boundary for your church that you want! This self-service tool is unmatched among demographic information providers. Make your own FirstView reports for free, whenever you
want, in real time. It’s easy! Follow three simple steps and click the Submit button.
Percept's servers instantly go to work creating a six-page color report for you with your custom title, exporting an Adobe PDF file, and sending the download link to your email inbox. Within a few minutes you'll be viewing your completed FirstView report wherever you are, anytime of day or night...even in the middle of a leadership meeting. You can combine ZIP Codes, size a Radius, or even draw a Polygon boundary using our simple interactive mapping tool.
FirstView is Percept’s six-page, full color, graphical demographic report on a selected study area. Instant FirstViews can now be downloaded as Adobe PDF files directly from the website for either a radius around the church, a county boundary, or a selected ZIP Code area. And if you need to create a custom study area boundary, the new, interactive FirstView Maker is now available to Link2Lead users.
Specially Discounted Custom Resources...
If you are interested in a full demographic information package on any size and shape geographic area (radius, ZIP Code or polygon), consider a Ministry Area Profile. Each Ministry Area Profile is produced by Percept and shipped to you. You save $190. When you are ready to do a comprehensive comparison of your community and congregation ,we recommend you consider a Context report. The report is accompanied with a mission planning process called ReVision. You save $400.
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2009 Congregational Development Investment Applications
are Due October 15, 2008
Go online here -- http://www.diocesewma.org/resources/forms.html
ALSO - 2009 Regional Ministry Initiatives Grant applications are due
the same day. The final deadline for 2009 applications: Oct 15, 2008.
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New Deacon Orientation
A Deacon Orientation Meeting will be held at Diocesan House on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 7PM. Persons interested in pursuing a call to serve the church as a vocational Deacon (formerly called Permanent Deacon) are invited to attend but must be accompanied by their rector or priest-in-charge. For further information and to RSVP contact the Rev. Ed King, St. John's, North Adams, 413-664-9656 or stjohnspriest@earthlink.net
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Information Change
Please note the change for The Rev. Al Zadig:
342 Southwick Road, C12
Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 579-5848
azadigsr@yahoo.com
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E-Matters Save the Dates
August 2008
August 17 Bishop’s Visit to St. Paul’s, Otis 9:30 am
September 2008
September 19-20 Diocesan Council Retreat at Bement
September 23 Wardens Dinner at Publick House Historic Inn, Sturbridge, MA
September 30 Fall Clergy Day at Bement
October 2008
October 4 Safe Church Training Workshop at All Saints Church, Worcester, 9-2 pm
October 17, 18 Diocesan Convention, Sheraton, Springfield
October 28 New Deacon Orientation at Diocesan House, 7 pm
Sue O'Hare
Diocese of Western Massachusetts
37 Chestnut Street
Springfield, MA 01103-1787
(413) 737-4786 X 10
Please do not print this email unless it is absolutely necessary. Spread environmental awareness.
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