The Thomas the Apostle Center (TAC) in Cody announces a number of educational opportunities to be held throughout the rest of the year.  TAC's mission is to provide quality educational events that can be used by clergy, lay leaders and those who have a passion for making a difference in the church.  Each of the following four programs is offered with free housing at TAC's retreat facilities in Cody.  A fifth TAC "on the Road" will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Buffalo in order to offer people in the northeast a chance to experience a TAC program in their own area.

 

 

REDISCOVERING SACRED GROUND
August 13 – 15, 2010
Fri 5:00 p.m. – Sunday worship at Wayfarer’s Chapel

This will be a weekend seminar designed to re-connect issues of faith with a love for the natural environment.  Many people are today concerned with seeing the church be a leader in protecting our natural resources and making less of an impact on the environment.  This seminar will explore our biblical and environmental heritage and the need for a sustainable lifestyle. This will include how to “green” church facilities and look back at some Native American understandings of how to live in harmony with the earth.

 

Leaders of this seminar will be Rebekah Simon-Peter, Willie LeClair and Warren Murphy. Simon-Peter is a Methodist pastor and author of the book GREEN CHURCH published by Abingdon Press. She is the Director of Bridgeworks in Rawlins.

 

LeClair is an associate chaplain at the Department of Corrections where he serves the spiritual needs of Native American inmates. He is also a teacher of Indian customs and traditions.  Murphy is the TAC program director and long time Episcopal priest.  While director of the Wyoming Association of Churches he helped begin the “On Sacred Ground” movement in Wyoming.

 

This seminar begins at 5 PM on Friday August 13 and concludes on Sunday with a “Service for the Earth” at the Wayfarer’s Chapel near Yellowstone National Park.

 

Cost is $75 for the program but accommodations at TAC are free. Registration deadline is JULY 30. 

 

 

A workshop designed for church leaders, administrators and those responsible for seeing that the financial and physical needs of the congregation are cared for.  It will be a “how to” on issues of record keeping, financial accountability and not for profit legal requirements.  It will also include a communications presentation on how to market your church activities as well as learning about the latest in technological communication skills.

 

Workshop leader will be TAC program director Warren Murphy who has over 30 years of parish and non-profit program experience.  Jessica Reynolds, office administrator of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming and The Rev. Tristan English, newly appointed Communications Director for the Episcopal Diocese, will assist him. This will be a TAC “On the Road” program and will be held at St. Luke’s Church in Buffalo. There is no charge for the workshop and lunch will be provided. It will run from 10 AM until 3 PM and is open to church leaders of any denomination.

 

 

This program features a special overnight retreat with Wyoming’s new bishop John Smiley.  This retreat at TAC in Cody will allow Bishop Smiley the opportunity to get to know first hand some of the diocesan leadership while allowing him a chance to offer some of his plans for the future of the diocese.  This session will be limited to the first 12 (an apostolic number) signed up participants. It will begin at 5 PM on Thursday, September 30 and conclude with lunch on Friday October 1.  This is designed to be a small intimate gathering and any registrants beyond the first 12 will be placed on a waiting list. Sign up now

 

WHERE WE CAME FROM
October 15-16, 2010

This course is once again being offered on the history of the American Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church in Wyoming. It will be divided into two parts and will be held at TAC.  The Rev. Warren Murphy will lead this interactive course that will include a survey of how the Episcopal Church became the most recognized denomination in America despite its small size.  This same phenomena also took place in Wyoming from territorial times until the present.

 

 The full course will begin on Friday at 5 PM at TAC and continue through lunch on Saturday. The Friday evening and Saturday morning session will cover the national Episcopal Church. From 10 until noon on Saturday the focus will be on the history of The Episcopal Church in the state of Wyoming.  The first 14 registrants who desire to stay overnight at TAC are welcome to be there at no charge. Others are welcome to join either of the two sessions individually. This will be of importance for those who have taken this course in the past but would like to learn about the Wyoming part of the story on Saturday. They should register for that day only and stay for lunch.

 

CELEBRATING THE FAITH II
November 5-6, 2010
Fri 5:00 p.m. - Sat 1:00 p.m. 

This event is a follow up to the successful course on liturgy offered in 2009.  This workshop will evaluate the new liturgical formats being used in the Episcopal Diocese and update participants on the latest in liturgical renewal.  Special emphasis will be placed on Baptismal services, marriages, burials, healing services and special occasions such as Saint’s Days. A review of the Episcopal Church’s new book, HOLY WOMEN AND HOLY MEN, will be included. Warren Murphy, TAC Program Director, and Meg Nickles of St. John’s Church Powell will lead the workshop.  Participants will again be asked to share their own congregational experiences.

 

This program will begin at 5 PM on Friday at TAC and conclude with lunch on Saturday.  It will be especially helpful for priests, deacons, those in the process for ordination and lay liturgical leaders.  While this workshop is primarily designed for Episcopal participants, it will still be of great benefit for worship leaders in other denominations who are welcome to attend.

 

 

All of the remaining 2010 TAC program offerings are made available at little or no charge

thanks to a generous grant received from the Episcopal Foundation of the Diocese of Wyoming. 

Thomas the Apostle Center is dedicated to fostering spiritual, physical, and intellectual growth

in a quiet, reflective environment.  Come, experience and be a part.

 

Register by calling TAC at 307-587-4400 or on line at thomap@tritel.net .