Scholarships are available for ethnic communities, children of missionaries, bishops and clergy, and other particular wide-ranging eligibility for education and training.

The list of trust funds and scholarships is online. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read each trust and identify in the application those trust funds that best fit their own profile.

All materials including the application form and the instructions for filing are also available online.

Process
Applications are reviewed by scholarship subcommittees comprised of representatives from throughout the Church. Their recommendations are then reviewed and announced by the Scholarship Committee of the Episcopal Church.

Funding for the scholarships is derived from numerous trust funds. The amounts of the scholarships vary according to the availability of payouts from the funds. Annual payouts from the funds are determined by the Executive Council upon recommendation of its Investment Committee. Principal amounts of each fund are always maintained.

Deadline for applications is April 16. Only complete applications will be considered.

Requirements
Requirements for applying for the scholarships include: the applicant must be an Episcopalian, must be a member of the Episcopal Church, and must have the endorsement of his/her bishop.

For information contact Terry Foster, Mission Office Associate, tfoster@episcopalchurch.org .

Based on the high interest and number of applications for these scholarships, donations to these scholarships are invited to assist Episcopalians.  For information in donating to these scholarships or in establishing a new scholarship, contact Margareth Crosnier de Bellaistre margarethcdeb@dfms.org.

The goal is to help clergy and lay leaders throughout the Episcopal Church appreciate the importance of understanding the use and effects of social media in the church as well as its theological foundations and implications, according to a seminary press release.

The program begins with a series of webinars, each centering on a different topic related to social media. The first hour-long webinar starts at 1:00 pm EST on Feb. 17. Interested persons may register here. The program includes 45 minutes of content and a 15 minute question-and-answer session. The topics include:

• Feb. 17: introduction to the church and social media;
• March 2: social media as hospitality;
• March 16: what to tweet about;
• March 30: Foursquare and evangelism;
• April 20: mobile apps for churches;
• May 4: QR Codes in and around church.

“The exponential growth of phenomena like Facebook, Twitter, and the use of various mobile devices challenge us to take not just a practical ‘how to’ approach but also to develop a serious theology of social media,” Colin Chapman who, along the Rev. Joseph P. Mathews, have guided the creation of the program, said in the release. Both are GTS students.

“Formation is a part of our name because we hope to address not just technology, but also how we are shaped into the image of Christ, how we embody our Baptismal Covenant,” added Mathews.

In an interview with Episcopal News Service, both Chapman and Matthews said they bring their faith online with them and it has served as a chance for them to evangelize in the world of social media.

“I think what happens, particularly with people who are maybe somewhat newer to the Internet and social media, is that you can cheapen what happens online as not personal or less than personal,” Chapman said.

But, he said, “when you acknowledge that the person on the other end of your Facebook wall is a person reflective of the incarnate nature of Christ it completely changes the church’s need to be involved because now we’re no longer dealing with digits and bits and images on a computer; but you’re dealing with Christ in the other.”

Following the webinar series, Digital Formation will welcome the Rev. Matthew Moretz fromChrist Church, Rye, New York, the host of the popular online video series “Father Matthew Presents.” Moretz will be on the GTS campus on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. to discuss how social media has supported his own ministry and mission, as well as how others may use social media tools such as YouTube to highlight their own parish’s strengths. The public is invited and there is no charge.

Matthews compared the evangelism possible through social media to the methods used by St. Paul when he founded early Christian communities.

“In the first century, Paul got into a boat and went around the Mediterranean and built a community of people where they were. And he didn’t just say ‘You need to believe in Jesus” and then get back in his boat,” Matthews told ENS.

Paul lived with the people, built up the community and the church and when he eventually did move on, “he stayed in the touch with the communities that he had planted and we have some of those letters now,” he said.

“It’s important for churches to pay attention to social media because it’s where people gather,” he said, adding that much social interaction takes place online and noting the oft-repeated statistic that Facebook’s membership is equal to the third-largest country in the world.

A short Episcopal Church-produced video about the impact of social media is here.

“Another part of it for me is that as the church has lost a lot of its clout in the sort of post-Christian society that we’re living in, social media gives the church a platform to re-create intentional communities similar to those of the early church,” Matthews said. While early Christians might have been were living together and sharing houses, denizens of social media share news feeds to be connected to each other.

“That enables a way to talk about discipleship and formation, which is why we’re talking about digital formation,” he added.

Digital Formation will have a presence at General Convention this summer and has ambitious plans for additional training sessions on and off campus next year, according to the release.

“Helping current and future leaders to understand social media underscores General’s commitment to an ever-increasing emphasis on the use of new technologies in the enterprise of theological education,” said the Rev. Lang Lowrey, the seminary’s president, in the release.

The Church Center’s Office of Communications is working with Digital Formation to share expertise and technology in an effort to make some of the programming available on-demand to the wider church

“We are delighted to be working with GTS on this program,” said Anne Rudig, director of communication for the Episcopal Church.

For more information about Digital Formation, email to digitalformation@gts.edu. Digital Formation’s Facebook page, which includes a schedule of upcoming webinars and events, ishere. The program can also be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/digiformation.

Also on the Episcopal Church facebook page, an ongoing conversation focuses on Ash Wednesday/Lent. http://www.facebook.com/episcopalian.

The resources have been complied by the Mission Staff of the Episcopal Church.

- Good Friday Offering Lenten Education Series from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/good-friday-offering-resources

- Carbon Fast: Beginning Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent, participants will receive a daily email with the day’s suggested carbon-reducing activity. http://www.macucc.org/pages/detail/2410.

- Lent 4.5: Christian Simplicity: a seven-week faith formation program www.earthandspiritcenter.org/lent45

- Episcopal Relief & Development 2012 Lenten Meditations http://www.er-d.org/Lent/

- “Claiming the Vision: Baptismal Identity in the Episcopal Church”: video resource produced as a collaborative effort of Bloy House (the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont), the Office of Communication of the Episcopal Church, and the Evangelical Education Society.  Here or  http://bloyhouse.org/vision.html

- World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Water Network: a Lenten course titled “Seven Weeks for Water: The Blue Economy.” http://www.oikoumene.org/en/activities/ewn-home/resources-and-links/seven-weeks-for-water.html

- The Anglican Communion’s Bible in the Life of the Church: a five-week course for Lent 2012 titled “And It Was Good”.http://www.anglicancommunion.org/ministry/theological/bible/lent.cfm.

- Eco-Palms:  harvesters gather only quality palm fronds in a way that allows the plant to keep growing. https://www.ecopalms.org/

- Seeking God’s Justice for All:  Exposing the Doctrine of Discovery Part Three:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sites/default/files/downloads/dod_lent_2012.pdf

Elder Abuse Awareness: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/older-adult-ministries

The Lenten Resources will be available throughout Lent and Easter. Additional resources will be added throughout Lent.

Presented by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Bishop Stacy Sauls, Chief Operating Officer of the Episcopal Church, Becoming A Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society: An Adaptive Moment is being shared pursuant to Canon I.2.4, which charges the Presiding Bishop with “responsibility for leadership in initiating and developing the policy and strategy in the Church.”

“The presentation represents thoughts and ideas from conversations with many other dedicated, committed people throughout the church.” Sauls said, “The idea is to spark conversation about our future.”

Addressing the concerns and needs of dioceses and congregations, Becoming A Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society: An Adaptive Moment offers an examination of the Episcopal Church’s governance mechanisms, funding, and resource allocation and asks for a discussion on all levels of the Church.

DVDs of the presentation are available upon request; contact publicaffairs@episcopalchurch.org.

World Mission Sunday, always observed the last Sunday after Epiphany, is February 19. The annual observation was designated to increase awareness of, and participation in, the wider global mission of the Episcopal Church.

“Conversations, presentations, and workshops at the recent Everyone Everywhere 2011 Mission Conference highlighted the transformation that all who are engaged in mission experience,” explained the Rev. David Copley, Mission Personnel Officer. “Participating in Gods mission for the world transforms us as individuals, communities and a Church.”

World Mission Sunday is an ideal focus for Sunday School lessons, adult education, discussions and forums, prayers of the people and other events in the life of a congregation and diocese.

Copley pointed out that World Mission Sunday is an opportunity to connect local congregations and parishioners with the wider church and its international work.

Resources for World Mission Sunday, available in Spanish and French, are here or here http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/world-mission-sunday  and include bulletin inserts; suggested sermons; suggested reading; and other info.

For more information contact Elizabeth Boe at eboe@episcopalchurch.org

Lent and Easter: Wisdom, Henri Nouwen: After reviewing the history of the fourth century adoption of the 40-day Lenten preparation period, the editor selects daily readings from the renowned 20th century spiritual master, Henri Nouwen. Each day includes a reading from scripture, a prayer and a suggested Lenten action.

Show Me the Way: Daily Lenten Readings, Henri Nouwen: This guide will lead you on the pilgrim’s road of faith “putting aside the works of darkness” and “putting on the works of light.” Through reading and prayer you can discover a deeper faith as you renew your baptismal covenant.

Following Christ: A Lenten Reader to Stretch Your Soul, by Carmen Acevedo Butcher: Using the Stations of the Cross as a template, this small book has morning and evening meditations from early and medieval church mystics, saints, teachers – Hildegard, Benedict, Augustine, Gregory, Francis, Julian… The author’s translations are “according to the sense” of the original rather than a strict verbatim rendering. You’ll treasure this jewel

Meditations on the Cross, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The editor has selected 28 texts from Bonhoeffer’s letters which could make an excellent group or individual Lenten study. Among the topics are hope, resurrection instead of immortality, disappointments, Cain, Judas, conversion and others.

This Risen Existence: The Spirit of Easter, by Paul Gooder: This book from England starts us at the end with the resurrection. What did it mean to the first Christians and what does it mean to us today? Gooder examines the different gospel accounts of resurrection. However, she begins, with the Welsh poet, R. S. Thomas

Good Lord, Deliver Us: A Lenten Journey, by Lindsay and Leonard Freeman: The Freemans use Cranmer’s 32 Great Litany petitions as their basis for the journey. These short daily readings will bring the familiar practice of the litany into renewed focus during Lent.

Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter by C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, Philip Yancey, Frederick Buechner, Madeleine L’Engle, Henri Nouwen, Dorothy Day, Barbara Brown Taylor, Kathleen Norris, Wendell Berry, Clarence Jordan, Oscar Wilde, Meister Eckhart, et al.

Loosening the Roots of Compassion: Meditations for Holy Week and Eastertide, by Ellen Bradshaw Aiken: Aiken, an Episcopal priest and Associate Professor of Early Christian History and Literature at McGill University, uses the hologram as she weaves and tilts scripture and history with the Easter story and the story of our lives. The hologram makes an interesting technique for exploring the mysteries of this season.

The Lenten Labyrinth: Daily Reflections for the Journey of Lent, by Edward Hays: So many Lenten books speak of this season as a journey. This one takes it further by describing the journey as a literal twisted path with no blind alleys or dead ends but no short cuts either.Windows into the Light: A Lenten Journey of Stories and Art, Michael Sullivan: Lynchburg, Virginia Episcopal priest and artist, Michael Sullivan uses an open window in his grandmother’s home as his device. Individually or in a small group you could use his 12 “windows” with readings, poetry, prayer and art exercises to explore how God invites us to open the windows of our souls and take a leap of faith.

What We Do in Lent: A Child’s Activity Book, by Anne E. Kitch: Kitch creates 40 activities of the season for children ages 4 – 7 .

Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton: Lent and Holy Week., ed. Jonathan Montaldo and Robert G. Toth: Those who enjoyed Thomas Merton’s classic spiritual autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, (1948) will appreciate the guidance of this brief (58 pages) Lenten devotional. Each week’s writings include a psalm, a thematic introduction, a passage from Merton’s works, as well as a paragraph from “another voice”, including authors as diverse as French Orthodox writer Olivier Clement and Mother Theresa. This booklet serves the dual purposes of a Lenten devotional and an introduction to the contemplative life by the Cistercian master Thomas Merton.

Daily Reflections for Lent: Not by Bread Alone: 2012, by Robert F. Morneau: Scripture, reflection from Bishop Morneau, meditation and prayer for each day of Lent. Small enough to fit in a pocket or purse.

Jesus, the Final Days: What Really Happened, by Craig A. Evans and N. T. Wright: These two scholars try to bridge the gap between academia and church to consider the historical facts surrounding Holy Week. Taking the three statements from the Apostles’ Creed, the first statement of belief of the Christian community: death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, they explore contemporary non-Christian sources to discover “the facts.”

The Week that Changed the World: The Complete Easter Story, by Timothy Dean Roth: The author weaves together the four Gospel accounts of the final week of Jesus’ life. It becomes a seamless and elegant narrative. Additional prayers, meditations and scripture readings make a meaningful Lenten devotional.

Reliving the Passion: Meditations on the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus as Recorded in Mark, by Walter Wangerin Jr: Wangerin is a great storyteller and this is the great story of our culture. One reviewer writes the author is “the kind of writer who could make a discussion of rocks sing.” We think you will find this Lenten book a real blessing.

The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’s Final Days in Jerusalem, by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan: Borg and Crossan, with intelligence, attention to detail and sound scholarship take us through the Passion experience. You will emerge with an understanding of the political and spiritual dimension of this fateful week. Brian McLaren says that you “will be challenged, educated, stretched, and perhaps disturbed…by this well-written book.”

Organic God: Lenten Meditations on the Words of Jesus, by Kate Moorehead: The “fast” that Moorehead asks us to keep is the daily discipline of considering a selection of the words of Jesus. She is a master storyteller who can help us make sense of these words in our lives.

A Practical Christianity: Meditations for the Season of Lent, by Jane Shaw: Divided into five chapters plus an introduction, this would be an ideal weekly Lenten study. Shaw, the Dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, leads the reader on a reconsideration of the central doctrines of our faith: Creation and Sin, Forgiveness, the Trinity, Salvation, and Love. In the process she uses fiction, music and art in addition to scripture and theology.

Poem & Prayers for Easter, by Sophie Piper: This collection of poems and prayers celebrates the great themes of Easter: faith, love, hope … and the joy of new life in springtime!

The Easter Cave, by Carol Wedeven: This book tells the story of the glorious gift of Easter. It introduces figures and places not usually featured in children’s Easter books. The book invites children ages 4 to 7 to join in and interact.

The Easter Story, by Brian Wildsmith: Radiant watercolor illustrations set the scene for this simple retelling of the Easter story through the eyes of a little donkey that carried Jesus on Palm Sunday. Great for ages 5 and up.

24 Hours That Changed the World (40 Days of Reflection), by Adam Hamilton: Adam Hamilton offers 40 days of reflection and meditation enabling us to pause, dig deeper, and emerge changed forever. The reflections are ideal for use in Lent or any other time of the year; include Scripture, reflection on the events of Jesus’ final day.

The Seven Last Words from the Cross, by Fleming Rutledge: Considered by many to be one of America’s finest preachers, Rutledge offers a guided meditation based on the three-hour Good Friday memorial liturgy.

From Ashes to Hope, by John Windell: This small daily Lenten guide contains stories the author gathered as a missionary in Tanzania and as a pastor in Indiana. Hear what happened to his trip to Ghana planned for the week after September 11, 2001 or the story of the lobster. Learn what happened to the boy who swam in a lake with an alligator.

Download this list as a pdf.