Holiday Blessings

Happy New Year!
For the church that was December 1, in the secular realm that's coming up in just a couple weeks. I hope you are enjoying a pleasant Advent. For those active in parish life, this can be a busy time. I would like to remind you to take a bit of time for yourself...and I say that as much to me as to each of you, my sisters in Christ.

I want to remind you of the diocesan wide project we have embarked on, too. With your help and submissions of favorite prayers and/or personal meditations, we (the board and I) are compiling a Lent devotional book to share with all chapters and also churches with no chapters. We need you to send a favorite Lent prayer or short devotion (either your own or from a favorite author) to Cindy. This may be a project you want to take on as a Chapter. Discuss and decide on 2 or 3 favorites as a chapter and send them in, or do it individually.  The Board will be contributing and I've already received some other submissions. Deadline for submission is Epiphany 2014 (January 6), so you have some time to think...but don't delay too long!!  

Looking ahead to 2014 there are some exciting opportunities for retreat and refreshment (found on the calendar page).

Daughters Epiphany Tea

Daughters of the King met for a lovely Christmas luncheon on December 7 at the Cathedral. Almost 40 current and potential Daughters were there. If you weren't able to attend in Albuquerque...

You are cordially invited to join us for Afternoon Tea hosted byThe Daughters of the King Saint Teresa of Avila Chapter Holy Spirit Episcopal Church When:  Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 2pm MST Where:  Holy Spirit Episcopal Church              10500 Kenworthy Street, El Paso, TX 79924              Visit holyspiritelpaso.org for directions RSVP:  To Heather Wales         no later than 1/11/14 Please pass this invitation on to any women in your parish interested in joining The Order of the Daughters of the King as well.

Come and See

All Daughters of the King
Are invited to

A DOK Christmas Party at the Cathedral

318 Silver SW, ABQ
11:30 AM, December 7
RSVP to: Martha Ernest or Cindy Davis

Invite a Friend from your Parish to: Learn About the Sisterhood that is Daughters of the King from Diocesan President, Cindy Davis and other Daughters.

Share a prayer or service project from your chapter (if you want).

Enjoy sweet fellowship with Sisters in Christ!

Or, if it is more convenient, come to the  

 

DOK Epiphany Tea at Holy Spirit, El Paso, TX

 

10500 Kenworthy St, El Paso
2:00 PM, January 18
RSVP to: Heather Wales (or Cindy Davis)

 

Invite a Friend from your Parish to: Learn About the Sisterhood that is Daughters of the King from Diocesan President, Cindy Davis and other Daughters.

Share a prayer or service project from your chapter (if you want).

Enjoy sweet fellowship with Sisters in Christ!

 

Prayer Meditations

From the October Cross+Links (National DOK e-newsletter) comes the following prayer and article. You can sign up for the e-newsletter on the National DOK website.

Prayer is so simple. 

It is like quietly opening a door and slipping into the very  

presence of God.  There in the stillness we can listen to His 

voice or even petition. 

What we have to say matters not; 

Just to be there 

in His presence 

is prayer.

 

"Pray for me" were the first words my granddaughter spoke as she lay limp, a pool of blood around her head from the gash above her eye. She had fallen 14 ½ feet into a stairwell. "Pray for us", we said to friends and family when our youngest daughter had a stroke on Christmas Day, 1998. "Pray that we may have courage and strength to walk the path before us", I asked when we learned my husband had lung cancer. "Pray for me" are words we, as Daughters of the King, hear over and over because we are known to be Pray-ers, women who pray and who know how to pray.

Was this why I became a Daughter of the King? If so, I did not know it. I became a Daughter of the King long before any of the above events, and I thought becoming a Daughter would help me grow in my understanding of and love for Jesus Christ. Well, it has helped me grow. I have grown and stretched and grown some more through prayer. Our Order publishes a brochure, called "Prayer Changes Me," which tells about the many aspects and types of prayer. Many people pick it up and take it when it is displayed it at gatherings. It is the most popular brochure I carry with me. I will quote one paragraph from our brochure:

"Communication with God affects and transforms each moment of our existence. 

 As prayer becomes integrated into our lives, we experience the reality 

of the gift: the conversion of our hearts to God and the passing on 

of the gift of God's love and fellowship in service to others."

There is a sense of peace and calm which I experience in the storms of life when I know people are praying for me, not just any people but my sisters in Daughters who I know will answer my call when I cry, "Please pray for me". The feeling is so significant that it causes me to want to pray for others so they will have a similar peace in their distress.

There is a sense of peace and calm and joy as I walk with Jesus each day and listen to the sounds of creation. I can give Him the cares entrusted to me through the many prayer requests received. I can let them go, and He can handle them. His presence reassures me so I can serve Him more faithfully.
My sisters in Daughters guide me in finding daily lectionary or devotionals such as "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young or "God Calling" by A. J. Russell or "Hearing God Through the Year" by Dallas Willard. When reading them I gain new perspectives of Jesus. What an amazing King we worship and serve. He is truly the "true light" that came into the world, so much more than we can imagine.

When we gather at retreats we are reminded of the trust, faith, love, and hope we have for each other and find encouragement to spread the word of the wonderful Kingdom of God with the help of our King and Savior, Jesus Christ and often, Miracles Happen. This truly is why I became a Daughter of the King. 

 

Lyn Zolman

Prov VI President

Come to "Abide", A Retreat for Women

The 2nd Annual Diocesan Women's Retreat will be held at the Bosque Center, ABQ on Nov. 8-9. 

The Women’s Council is certain you'll find this to be a spiritual and stimulating experience. Based on John 15:1-11 the retreat will provide time to hear Jesus say “Abide in Me…Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” The retreat will empower us, as women, to explore our individual spiritual gifts and nourish our spirits through Bodily Prayer and other prayer learning expressions, conversation, worship and gathering together as part of, and nourished by, the True Vine.

The retreat starts on Friday, November 8 at 5:30PM with registration and light dinner. You are urged to stay at the Bosque Center. If it is easier, you can commute to the retreat. 

Everyone is encouraged to come for the entire retreat. However, the format will allow you to just come on Saturday! On Saturday, November 9 registration opens at 8AM. The retreat will end mid-afternoon.

Retreat cost is $75 if you stay at the Bosque Center (includes 3 meals and a room). $35 for commuters  (includes dinner & lunch) or Saturday only (includes lunch).

You are the Branches, a simultaneous track for children (3-12 yrs.) and youth helpers will be held in the conference room of the Bosque Center on Saturday to allow moms to attend the retreat. The young people will explore the same theme with crafts, games, and other activities enabling family discussion about the theme within the family later. There is no cost for the children’s camp. Children should bring a sack lunch.

 Registration forms (for either or both events) available from your parish, and here. Contact Cindy Davis if you have questions.  

Royal Priesthood

During the Prov. 7 Board meeting in Gruene, TX the first weekend of September, Chaplain Fr. Mike shared a powerful meditation based on 1 Peter 2: 9. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,^* in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
He asked us to share thoughts on 'who' priests are. In all religions, priests are the intermediaries between the Holy and the people. Each of us is called to bring Christ to the world and be the hands and feet of Christ wherever we are. Fr. Mike noted that by virtue of our baptisms we are all priests.
The question is, how can we live into this call? We can do this because of the promise from our Lord in John 17:22-23: "The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, ²³I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
God is in Christ and Christ is within each of us. It is only by this grace that we can be any sort of ambassadors and intermediaries for God. However, we must be emptied of 'self' to be filled with Christ.
The setting for our board meeting was the perfect location to take time to be emptied of the day-to-day concerns and focus on God.

At the close of his meditation, Fr. Mike placed his own stole on each of our shoulders and prayed for us individually by name. It is a prayer that each Daughter should take to heart as part of her calling and rule of life. I commend it to you:
(Name), know that by your baptism into the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, you share in his priesthood. you are to work to restore all creation to its Creator and serve as a mediator between earth and heaven, all of this through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Province 7 Board Meeting

Over the weekend of September 6-8, the Province 7 DOK Board met in Gruene, TX. It was a fun time for diocesan presidents and other provincial officers to get together, share news, learn new things, and celebrate being sisters in Christ.

All of us stayed at the delightful and lovely Gruene Mansion Inn, a B&B right on the Guadalupe River.

On Saturday afternoon, a trio of deer wandered through the trees right outside our rooms while some of us were relaxing on the porch! (No deer in this photo, sadly, but still a lovely view.)

There were 5 of us in this particular room. Two of us (me and Andrea from the Diocese of Arkansas) got to climb the winding staircase to our bedroom. It was like sleeping in an attic-a very nice attic! Next door, most of the executive board shared another suite and other presidents had equally lovely rooms nearby.

Breakfast was the luscious B&B banquet. We dined on delicious food in the Gristmill Restaurant next door (the building really used to be a mill). Some of us took a walking tour of Gruene, which has historic buildings still in use for shops and restaurants...and this delightful duck in front of one shop!

Our meeting time was at St. Francis on the Lake, a few miles from the Inn. We heard from Prov. Pres. Brenda Amos about the need for completing forms correctly for the National office. Did you know nearly any form needed can be found on the DOK website? We discussed the idea of a Going Deeper study for Daughters which will be developed by our Prov. Chaplain, Fr. Mike.
The Service chair, Marilyn, is collecting ideas of service projects that can be replicated. If you have a wonderful project, email the idea to her, along with a contact name and photo of the project. One idea shared at the meeting was to have each Daughter fill a purse with toiletries and beauty products which can be donated to a Woman's Shelter in your area! Simple, but very necessary because many of the women in domestic abuse shelters have had to leave all their cosmetics and other feminine necessities behind.
Joy, newly appointed Evangelism chair, reminded us that the basis of Evangelism is telling your story. Our Communication chair, Robin, continues to work hard to help us all be more tech-savvy--It's quite a task, but we appreciate her efforts. There will be a Jr. Daughters retreat at Camp Allen the first weekend in November at Camp Allen. Tory, JDOK chair hopes that Jr's from around the Province will be able to attend.
We were reminded that Daughters at Large are a very important part of the Order, even if they are not part of a Chapter. Anita, the DAL chair, pointed out that as Diocesan Presidents we should determine why women are 'at-large' and help them get into or form a chapter if they can.

Most of us went to St. Francis by the Lake for Sunday services before heading for the San Antonio airport. We all look forward to returning to San Antonio next April for Province 7 Assembly!

Dates for your Calendars
Prov. 7 Assembly: April 11-13, 2014 at St. Thomas, San Antonio, TX
In 2015, Provincial Assembly will be held in conjunction with DOK Triennial in UT. (at the Zermatt/Homestead Resort in Midway, UT). Start saving now so you can send a representative to the joint Provincial and Triennial Assembly! You only have to save for one trip in 2015!
Missy Denney, National Council Advisor, asked that photos of Daughters busy with activities be emailed to her between now and 2015 for the Triennial slide show.

Fr. Mike shared a moving meditation, which I'll post next time.

Assembly Sermon:Thoughts on Julian of Norwich

The preacher for Eucharist at Assembly was our chaplain, the Rev. Jeanne Lutz. Jeanne shared thoughts by Julian of Norwich on prayer. Julian said that “God wishes to be known and desires to be sought” and that “seeking God is as good as contemplating God”. She said we are partners with God in our will and our work. Julian had an intimate relationship with Christ that we can aspire to. In fact she stated that He is “Our Mother Christ”, an interesting new way of looking at the Lord.  

Julian taught that “Prayer is our work”. For Daughters of the King this should ring very true. Jeanne shared some of Julian’s advice for us to consider and put into practice:

1.      Prayer depends on facts not moods.

2.      We ought to have habitual prayer and prayer time.

3.      Prayer is not a plea from servant to master or child to parent, but from redeemed to Redeemer.

4.      Prayers are eternal, partakers of the ‘quality of heaven’, which is the “incorruptible treasure” Jesus refers to (“store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:20)

5.      Prayer is not individualistic but is always a part of the Body of Christ. We are the Body of Christ. The Church and Christ are always fastened together.

6.      We should intercede for one another and contemplate the goodness of God of each person, knowing that we are each a part of the Body.

 

Julian noted that we ought to be satisfied with what God choses to reveal or to conceal. That should not stop us from being persistent in prayer.

Jeanne concluded her sermon by reminding us that Jesus encourages us to “ask, seek, knock” (Matthew 7:7). She noted that in the Lord’s Prayer Jesus addresses God as Father (or Abba, meaning Daddy). It is this relationship that God desires with us so that we can come to God with any and all concerns and needs.

Assembly Keynote Speaker

The Rev. Melinda St. Clair, rector of All Saint’s, El Paso was the keynote speaker at Assembly. She shared part of her faith journey, with reference to St. Teresa of Avila, and the Cloud of Unknowing. (I will not try to recount her personal experiences because they were very moving in person and I didn’t write them down for reference. CD) Her 'babies'-3 Dachshunds and a 'mutt' shared time at Assembly with us and are too cute not to show.

On Friday evening, Mtr. Melinda began by explaining that we are companions on the journey. She offered her stories as to fellow disciples.

Mtr.Melinda talked about the Cloud of Unknowing, a 14^th Century guide to contemplative prayer by an unknown author. The author states that our intelligence, though a reflection of the Divine, must be buried in the Cloud of Forgetting because it is corrupted by our humanity. The Active and Contemplative lives are complimentary paths. Often it seems to be God’s irony that an individual is made one way, yet called to the opposite path.

To be open to God and to the mystical experience of God, esp. in contemplative prayer, you need to open yourself and be genuine. According the author of the Cloud of Unknowing, we are never abandoned or left alone to face life so it is OK to be open and genuine.

Plan making is not the mystical way. For that, surrender is necessary although what we surrender is different for each of us. We do not know how our life will touch someone else. We need to remain dedicated to our individual way of prayer in order to be in relationship with God. That is the start of the journey.

On Saturday afternoon, Mtr. Melinda continued her presentation by reference to Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 12:2 “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows.” She noted that the church needs to reclaim the mystical way of prayer, which is Contemplative prayer.

Centering prayer is a way to draw closer to God. However, it is essentially a human effort, which can only go so far. In Centering Prayer we show up, get quiet, release distractions, and try to meet God. Contemplative prayer, on the other hand, originates with God’s effort when we surrender and become both humble and passive. In true contemplative prayer, God will come and ‘sweep the corners clean’ through God’s action, not our own. We will encounter all of humanity, both the good and the bad, in and through God.

Centering Prayer and Contemplative can be compared to two ways of getting water. The Centering way is like an aqueduct, built by human hands to get water someplace, while the mystical or Contemplative way is like a natural spring that takes no work. This is a gift and we receive it with humility.

Contemplative Prayer will allow us to begin to “share the Passion of Christ”, which is the Love for All Creation that our Lord felt, even in the midst of agony. We are called to join in that Passion. Perhaps that is what Paul meant when he stated, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (Colossians 1:24). In that sense we are called to com-passion…to sharing the Passion/the Love of God.

In her final meditation, Mtr. Melinda returned to the Interior Castle of Teresa of Avila, which she had mentioned on Friday evening. Melinda stressed that we have to weigh prayer experiences and visions against scripture, reason, and tradition. Prayer, esp. contemplative prayer, is a supernatural encounter with God, where we embrace the mystery of paradox and seek surrender instead of achievement.

Teresa of Avila says “we enter the Interior Castle through prayer and Grace determines the depth toward Divine union [we attain].” In the Interior Castle, we are each taught in the way we need to be taught.

Human effort can take us through the first 3 levels of prayer are active (or ordinary prayer), starting with seeking God through Centering Prayer, Prayer practices, and Works. The fourth-seventh levels (mansions) in the Castle are mystical or based in Contemplative prayer. This is prayer that is put into us, rather than our work to try and make a prayer or do works. The soul travels through desire for Union with God, where the faculties are silent and the soul is in God. At the 5^th level the soul is Betrothed to God and the highest level is spiritual union or marriage of the Soul and God.

Throughout the journey in the Interior Castle, the soul is drawn ever deeper into a desire for union and solitude to hear God in the soul. A good prayer is to ask, “Tell me the Truth in a way I can understand.” In moving deeper into mystical relationship and union with God, we move from discourse to listening and this happens through Grace.

Mtr. Melinda noted that we cannot turn off our thoughts on our own, only God can make us silent inside. We cannot force this surrender, but we can allow God to teach us to ‘persevere without trying’.

In the depths (heights?) of Contemplative prayer, we experience spiritual delights as a byproduct of being in Union with God, but we cannot focus on them or they disappear. There is the danger of wanting to ‘languish in contemplation’. Although it might seem simple, contemplation is actually hard spiritual work and can take a physical toll.

The temptations we encounter can strengthen our souls when we listen to the Voice of God who is complete control of all things. In the end, we seek self-abandonment, to God, and accept God’s way for our life.

Mtr. Melinda shared the image of the Ecstasy of St. Terese by Bernini depicting her vision of Union with God. Teresa described the vision by saying, “I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron's point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying.”

Mtr. Melinda's meditations gave us all something to ponder and reassured us that mystical prayer experiences are not something to fear, but rather to embrace them in God's grace.

Growing Chapters

During Assembly, earlier this month, we brainstormed ways to "grow" our Chapters and help our parishes learn about the Daughters of the King. Below are some of the great ideas we came up with. Post a comment if you have other ideas to share with us all.

Invitation
“Come and See” is always a good invitation
Personal Invitation is more effective than bulk bulletin announcement
Have a tea or other special event
Offer financial help to prospective Daughters (pay it forward)
Have DOK cards to hand out with contact info &/or have in tract racks
Pray for discernment of who, how to ask

Sharing who the Daughters are
Host a retreat and invite everyone as way of subtly seeing who DOK are/do
Include notices in the bulletin and on bulletin boards about who/what DOK are/do
Stress DOK difference from other groups: spiritual side, but also active
Participate in corporate communion to show who DOK are in parish

For Chapter growth
Find a time good for most members (Sunday after/between services, afternoon, Sat. morning, etc.)
Offer babysitter & children’s activities
Alternate ‘Mary’ and ‘Martha’ activities (spiritual & active)
Sometimes have a craft &/or fellowship time
Don’t all sit together or gather in group after service-gives impression of clique

Discussions at Assembly

On Saturday, ladies from all the represented Chapters spent time discussing prayer aids used in their chapters and in personal devotions. Then we collected all these ideas to share with one another. It was a long list of active and passive ways to pray and deepen spiritual lives, as you see below:

Personal Aids

Labyrinth
Rosary,
Music/Singing
Tactile prayer like using play dough, coloring
Creating a Holy Place
Candles as prayer reminder (use battery candle)
Newspaper prayers (praying about articles in the newspaper)
Prayers posted on the Refrigerator
Divide prayer list into portions and rotate at each meeting or throughout the week
Use spot/arrow prayers in traffic or when ambulance passes
Holding Cross (holdingcross.com)
Water as a prayer aid
Prayer Journal
Prayer flags or paper prayer chain

Devotional aids

Lent Mediation Book (the Daughters are planning one for Lent!)
Morning Devotions
Praying in Color
Book of Common Prayer (paper and online)
Bible
Psalms
Prayers in DOK Handbook
Thanks Journal
Internet prayer and devotion sites

Chapter activities

DOK Present for prayer after Eucharist
Prayer Cards for DOK that are put in box
Welcome bags done by DOK
Prayer Shawls and scarves
Praying the church roster
Create a Prayer board for church

Suggested books

Take My Heart O God (compilation)
Answered Prayers by Julia Cameron
Praying in Color Sybil McBeth

Also check out the Feb.-April 2012 series on the Women's Blog of the Diocese.

We also discussed ways to Grow the Chapters, see you next week for those.
 

Images from Assembly 2013 "We are One in the Spirit...And we Pray

Over 50 Daughters of the King from around the Diocese convened at All Saint’s Episcopal Church in El Paso on August 2-3. Members came from as far east as Alpine, TX and as far west as Silver City, NM. Others came from Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Roswell, Ruidoso and El Paso. During the business session outreach grants of just over $200 each were awarded to 4 ministries supported by Chapters in the Diocese. These included the Medical Mission to Honduras by Shepherd’s Daughters of Silver City and the Mission to Croatia (out of St. James’, Alpine). The Diocesan Borderlands Ministry and Rape Crisis of Central NM were also recipients.

The theme for Assembly 2013 was “We are One in the Spirit…and we Pray”. Time was spent sharing concrete ideas about how to pray more actively within and beyond our Chapters. The Daughters were inspired by keynote speaker, the Rev. Melinda St. Clair, rector of All Saints. Mother Melinda spoke on the theme of the weekend, with reference to The Cloud of Unknowing, her own experiences, and St. Teresa of Avila. She noted that although we can pray with our intellect, mystic prayer experiences require surrender to being in an intimate and supernatural relationship with God. You can read more about her talk and Assembly activities here on this blog in upcoming weeks! Enjoy images from the weekend below:



President's Report 2013

From the 2013 Daughters of the King Assembly
All Saint's Church, El Paso, TX
August 2-3, 2013

Building on the good work so ably done by Sandy Martin has been the role of Cindy Davis and the DOK Board, consisting of Peggy Way, 1^st VP; Anna Marie Dugan, 2^nd VP; Carol Ast-Milchen, Secretary; Brenda Restivo, Treasurer; and the Rev. Jeanne Lutz, Chaplain. We met in January to review the bylaws regarding our duties and start planning for this Assembly and other events. The Board identified communication across the long distances of the Diocese and support between Chapters and Daughters as of utmost importance to keeping us connected in our Sisterhood.

An e-newsletter and blog have been the first steps to greater communication. Regular e-news bulletins and blog updates are readily accessible to Chapter Presidents and any Daughter in the Diocese. Since some Daughters do not like to use computers, we still do periodic ‘snail’ mailings, such as Assembly Registration. Regular articles in the Together, the Diocesan newsletter, share DOK news on a regular basis with Daughters in the Diocese and others who might be interested.

To bring Daughters together for events other than Assembly, two holiday gatherings were held last year. One was a Christmas brunch at the Bosque Center in Albuquerque, hosted by the St. Agnes Chapter and the other an Epiphany luncheon at Holy Mount in Ruidoso, hosted by the Maranatha Chapter. Weather played a factor is low attendance at both, but those who were present expressed delight in the idea of gathering for fellowship occasionally. In 2013, these events will include a ‘Who Are the Daughters’ component for women interested in DOK. Each chapter president is encouraged to identify one or 2 women (maybe younger women!) in their parish and invite them to the event closest to their parish.

Sadly there were 5 chapters in the Diocese with only one member at this time last year. After follow up with these women and their parish priests, the difficult decision was made to disband three chapters. The good news is that there are also new seeds. The Chapter at St. Bede’s, down to one member, is on the road to revival, with 3 women interested in starting discernment in the fall. Five ladies in Taos will be beginning the discernment process, which was put on hold when their parish priest left; and the priest at St. Francis on the Hill in El Paso has expressed interest in forming a chapter. The Jr. Daughter directress team at the Cathedral is interested in pursuing the idea of a city-, or even diocese-wide Jr. group, since some parishes don’t have the ‘critical mass’ of girls needed for a Jr. Chapter.

Daughters have always been in the forefront of women’s ministry in the Diocese and are active in the newly formed DRG Women’s Ministry, too. A Lent retreat in El Paso was attended by 40 women of the Diocese, more than half of whom were Daughters. Daughters were also present at the Body, Mind, Spirit Retreat in Taos last month and several are on the Women’s Ministry Council.

Chapter Presidents are encouraged to come to “Leadership 101” next summer, part of the Women of the DRG ministry, as a way to be empowered as stronger leaders in their chapters and parishes. The Board is exploring ways to use technology to help connect our far-flung chapters, with things like the blog, perhaps a Facebook page and/or a Google group, and even taping event speakers to post on the blog.

Please feel free to contact me with any ideas, questions, and concerns you have about Daughters of the King.  On the ‘DOK Info Ladder’, questions start at the chapter level, if the Chapter Pres. cannot answer, the question bounces up a rung to the Diocesan Pres., if she cannot answer, she asks the Provincial Pres., who in turn contacts the National Office if she doesn’t have an answer. (The idea is to help the National Office staff by not overwhelming them with details that could be dealt with more locally.)

Mark your calendars for Assembly 2014 (August 1-3) at Holy Faith in Santa Fe. The theme will be “We are One in the Spirit…and We Serve.” See the reverse for other opportunities around the Diocese for spiritual growth. I am looking forward to working with and for each Daughter in the Diocese of the Rio Grande, and with Presidents from around the Province.

FHS

Cynthia Davis

Dues and News

Registration info for the August 2-3 Assembly at All Saint's, El Paso is on its way to you and available here. 

The Theme for Assembly is "...and We Pray". Our speakers will be the Rev. Melinda St. Clair (Rector All Saints) and Sister Emily Louise! There will be a (short) business meeting and interesting retreat time. We are starting on Friday evening in hopes that more of our working Daughters can attend without having to take as much time off.

If you haven't already signed up for the monthly National DOK email Newsletter: Cross Links, you should do so! This month features information about our International Daughters. The Newsletter is a great way to keep up with National happenings between the Quarterly issues of the Royal Cross! There's a link on every page of the National website. Just enter your email address.

Looking forward to seeing you all in El Paso!

And-It's that time of year again. Chapter Presidents and Treasurers will be collecting Dues!

Remember the annual dues is $40 for this fiscal year. (Jr. Daughters are still $15.) Dues should be paid by mid summer, so your chapter can be current at the start of the Fiscal year: September 1!

You MAY pay your dues online. For Chapter members it is probably easiest to give your Chapter Pres. or Treasurer a check so one check can be sent in with everyone's payment. If you do pay online, be sure to inform your Chapter Treasurer so they can mark you paid on the list!

If you have missed a year (or 2) of dues, you can become current by paying the $40 this year. When you become 3 years past due, there's a new 'reinstatement' process that has to happen before you can be officially a Daughter again. So, it pays to pay! The By Laws say: When a Daughter has not paid her dues for two fiscal years (the fiscal year runs from Sept 1- Aug 31) she is dropped from the records at the National Office. For the purposes of the reinstatement bylaws, "not in good standing" means "dropped from the membership records." Your Chapter President has a list of who the National office shows as in danger of being dropped for non-payment.

Dues Abatement: There's some confusion about this new piece of the Bylaws. Here's what the Bylaws say: Chapter Relief Status: Upon reaching the age of 85 a Daughter may apply through her chapter or diocesan assembly president for relief of the obligation to pay dues. Upon approval of her application she would be relieved from paying national, provincial and diocesan dues for the remainder of her life. NOTICE it is MAY APPLY THROUGH CHAPTER or DIOCESE. The part not spelled out is that this is not automatic and that it should be used ONLY for Daughters who really have financial issues. If everyone who's 85 uses the offer, our Daughter's coffers will soon be empty.

Did you know that the Diocese gets $10/paid Daughter? We have 330+ Daughters in the Diocese of the Rio Grande. If everyone pays, that gives us $3300/year to use for things like grants, which are voted on at Diocesan Assembly.

Getting to Know-Shepherd's Daughters, Good Shepherd, Silver City

The Daughters at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Silver City, NM report:
We have a small chapter, here at Good Shepherd, but have been quite active during 2012. Two of our parishioners have been honored by baby showers by the chapter. Regular meetings are scheduled on third Sundays. Several times they extended the meeting time to lunch at local restaurants with Rev. Fran included.

Two lovely lunches were done to honor a visit by [incoming rector], Fr. Paul and a going away patio party for Rev. Fran. In 2012, one Daughter gave a very interesting presentation on her pilgrimage to Spain, to which the entire congregation was invited.
Individually members are involved in all aspects of parish work, including, but not limited to Vestry, Choir, Acolyte instruction, Lay readers, Rector search committee, and as LEMs at the Long Term Care Center in Silver City.
Members are looking forward to the guidance of Fr. Paul and to working with his wife, Karisse, who is a Daughter.
Good Shepherd, Silver City will be hosting a Cursillo Ultreya on May 31 at 4PM. Members of the 4th Day and anyone interested in Cursillo are invited.

Dresses for Africa-Chapter project

The Maranatha  Chapter, in Ruidoso, is making Little Dresses for Africa out of used pillow

cases!  We are enjoying the fellowship of getting together for this creative project. 
Corners of the pillow cases are cut to make arm openings.  These pieces are used for pockets.  We add a draw string on top to tie in a bow at each shoulder and some lace.   Each one if different.  The opening of the pillow case has the hem with boarders.
Betty Mason found the pattern and organization that sends these dresses to Africa.  We completed a dozen at our first sewing party and are continuing to meet.
If anyone has any floral or pattern pillow cases, please send them to the Maranatha Chapter.  We take all sizes.

(If your chapter has a fun project to share, email Cindy!)

Province 7 Assembly

Last Friday and Saturday over 125 women from across Province 7 gathered at All Soul's Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City for the Prov. 7 Assembly. There were 4 of us from the Diocese of the Rio Grande. Next year, let's aim for more participation.

The Assembly opened with Eucharist on Thursday, presided over by Bishop Ed K. of the Diocese of Oklahoma. Saturday, following a delicious continental breakfast, a short business meeting was held. Part of the business included approving the budget and outreach gifts of $260 for each of the Dioceses. The DRG had decided to sponsor Wings Ministry this year. The offering from the Eucharist and the undesignated $220 of the outreach funds was divided among 4 ministries nominated from the floor. Over $1300 was collected.
Fr. Mike G., Provincial chaplain led 2 meditations on the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, illustrated and highlighted by his own music, including A Prayer for Union which is the focus of his daily blog for all Daughters. (Sign up by clicking here and requesting to be added.) Cindy D. spoke about her writing and how writing (journaling or any other form) is a prayer and spiritual aid. The new Jr. Daughter chair, Tory Arnold talked about the need for Junior Daughters and shared a video of a retreat for Juniors in TX. Let's give that some consideration in the DRG and grow our Juniors! Is God calling you to be the JDOK Chair?

The Assembly was a time of renewal and refreshment as well as fellowship and worship with other Daughters. There was at least one representative from every diocese in the Province! Make plans for the 2015 Assembly which will be in the Corpus Christi, TX area in April, 2015.
Start saving now for Trienniel in Salt Lake City in June of 2015, too. The saying "A dollar a day for DOK" will help you set aside enough funds to get to each of these events!

Holy Saturday leads to Happy Easter

From an ancient homily for Holy Saturday

The Lord's descent into the underworld

Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

(from Facebook John Michael Talbot page)