Happy All Saints!

As Team Leader for the Formation and Vocation Ministries Team of The Episcopal Church, I am pleased to offer an update on some staff changes that are in play in two of our three offices.

Ruth-Ann Collins, Missioner for Lifelong Christian Formation, has taken a short-term medical leave to focus on some personal health issues. I spoke with her earlier today and she is doing well and working hard to return to work sometime in the first quarter of the new year. I am covering Ruth-Ann’s staff liaison assignments and invite you to join me in prayers for her health and recovery.

In the meantime we are pleased and proud to welcome the Rev. Shannon Kelly back to the team. Shannon has contracted with us in the past in many capacities including working on Lesson Plans that Work, and in helping develop the map for Young Adult and Campus Ministries. Shannon is responding to emails at Formation Ministries. You can call her at (614) 500-3650. She stands ready to help with matters concerning the Lifelong Christian Formation Office and she will convene the Council for Lifelong Christian Formation during Ruth-Ann’s absence. We are grateful for Shannon’s willingness to help us out in this short-staffed situation and offer thanks and praise to her family for sharing her time and talent with us. Her knowledge of our mission and ministry is a great help to us and to the greater church.

I am also pleased to announce that we are beginning the interviewing phase of discernment for the open Missioner for Young Adult and Campus Ministries position. We have been overwhelmed with interest for this position with over 110 applicants to date. An interviewing team of clergy and lay leaders has been assembled and interviews will commence shortly. We are eager to complete this process and welcome a new missioner to the team before the close of the year.

We give thanks to the Council for Young Adult Ministry and the Provincial Coordinators for Campus Ministry for keeping the ministry of this office rolling during our staff transition. Please keep the PCCM in your prayers as they gather in New York later this month. I offer special thanks for the Rev. Gregory Bezilla who is acting as convener for the group during this time of transition.

Valerie Harris, our trusty Team Associate, and Wendy Johnson, our Social Media Consultant, continue to rise above and beyond in their duties. Together, they keep these offices moving forward and both play an important role in keeping Youth Ministries on track as we gear up for the Episcopal Youth Event in July of 2014.

We are truly blessed. As always, we stand ready to assist you in any way we can.

Faithfully,

Bronwyn Clark Skov
Team Leader, Formation and Vocation Ministries
Missioner for Youth Ministry for the Episcopal Church