Letter From Bishop vonRosenberg

Dear Friends,

Once again this year, Diocesan Convention will provide us several opportunities to worship together. I am grateful to the Convention Steering Committee (especially the Rev. Chris Chase) and to the Liturgical Commission (especially the Rev. Henry Swann) for the important parts they have played in the preparations for these opportunities. In addition, the diocesan Youth will lead us in a special service on Saturday afternoon, and I look forward to that event a great deal indeed.

In this letter, though, I want to write especially about our Convention Eucharist at the Hyatt on Sunday morning, February 11, at 10:00. It promises to be an event that you should not miss! However, as we anticipate it, I do want to let you know ahead of time that the liturgy that Sunday morning will be somewhat different than usual fare for East Tennessee.

We anticipate some unusual music for that service. In fact, we are considering several possibilities for musical leadership, but as of this writing, that has not yet been finalized. Our hope is to offer music that is fitting to our liturgy but that is not typical for most of our churches.

In addition, we have asked some of our younger clergy to help us experience a worship service that might appeal to "Gen-Xers" - folks in their twenties and thirties. Since this age group includes people whom we have difficulty attracting and keeping in the Church, perhaps such an experience will be helpful for us all. For instance, I have been told not to expect Prayer Books but, rather, words and images on a screen!

Therefore, please attend the Sunday morning Eucharist - and please do so with an open mind. We are not pushing this style of worship on anyone, but rather, we are inviting the diocese to experience something new. We encourage an awareness that may be unfamiliar and uncomfortable - but it may also be something we need as a Church.

In closing, may we remember that the world for which our Lord died and in which we are called to serve includes some folks different from the rest of us. May we therefore be open to the variety of brothers and sisters in the family of God and open, as well, to new ways to communicate the Gospel in this changing world.

Faithfully,