New Clergy Orientation
Welcome to the new clergy orientation! We’re glad you’re here. The orientation will help you get to know our diocese and the people who will accompany and support you in your ministry.
This page has everything you will need for the orientation: login information for joining the live session, video presentations from clergy and lay leaders around the diocese, introductions from the staff of the Office of the Bishop, and helpful links and documents.
If you have questions or need assistance in accessing the resources on this webpage, please reach out to Dianne Draper, 720.677.9004.
Getting Ready
Here are some tips to help you get ready for the October 28 New Clergy Orientation:
- Find a comfortable location, free from distractions.
- The videos and resources on this page will take you approximately three hours to review. It is a lot of content! Give your self permission to take breaks.
- As you move through the information, take note of any questions that arise for you. Bring them to the in-person session on October 28.
Realm Access is the diocesan management system for the Episcopal Church in Colorado. It is closely related the church management software Realm Connect.
Please take a moment to create your account in Realm Access if you’ve not already had the chance to do so. This will ensure we have your most current contact information as well as biographical information about your education, seminary, dates of ordination, and more. If you’ve not yet created an account please go to onrealm.org/coloradodiocese. Be sure to use your work email as your account email and complete information found in both the Contact Information and Personal Information tabs. Also take a moment to add your spouse, if applicable, and children living at home. If you have questions about Realm, please reach out to Tracy Methe.
Here’s a complete list of the information we would like you to provide:
Clergy Information
Full Title
First Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Preferred Name
Full Address
Preferred Email Address
Preferred Phone
Cell Phone if different
Date of Birth
Degrees
Seminary
Diaconate Ordination Date
Deacon Ordination Place
Priest Ordination Date
Priest Ordination Place
Languages Spoken
Canonical Residency
Family Information
Spouse Name
Anniversary Date
Children’s Names and Birthdates
Welcome
Our Common Life as a Diocese
The Standing Committee is elected by the diocesan convention. Half of its members are clerical, half lay. It serves as the bishop’s council of advice. The Standing Committee is requested to give consent for all bishops elected in the Episcopal Church and recommends persons for ordination. It gives the bishop advice and consent on the purchase, sale, or encumbrance of any property held by a congregation or the diocese.
Standing Committee Members Fulfilling Terms
Darren Armstrong, Parishioner, Church of the Holy Redeemer, Denver; lay representative, High Plains Region
The Rev. Catie Greene – Rector, St. Paul’s, Steamboat Springs; clergy representative, Northwest Region
The Rev. Lucas Grubbs – Priest-in-Charge, St. John’s, Ouray; clergy representative, Southwest Region
Janet Johnson – Parishioner, St. Peter in the Valley, Basalt; lay representative, Northwest Region
Nancy Jones – Parishioner, St. Michael the Archangel, Colorado Springs; lay representative, Sangre de Cristo Region
The Rev. Amy Lythgoe – Associate Priest, St. John’s, Boulder; clergy representative and Standing Committee Vice President, Front Range Region
The Rev. Terry McGugan – Rector, Christ Church, Denver; clergy representative and Standing Committee President, High Plains Region
Rick Parker – Parishioner, All Saints, Loveland; lay representative and Standing Committee Secretary, Front Range Region
Ken Rogers – Parishioner, St. Patrick’s, Pagosa Springs; lay representative, Southwest Region
The Rev. Kim Seidman – Executive Director and Vicar of Cathedral Ridge; Chaplain
Jay Swope – Parishioner, St. John’s Cathedral, Denver; Treasurer
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson – Rector, Grace and St. Stephen’s, Colorado Springs, clergy representative, Sangre de Cristo Region
Video Presentation by the Rev. Terry McGugan, Standing Committee President:
The Episcopal Church in Colorado is comprised of five regions – the Northwestern, Southwestern, Sangre de Cristo, High Plains and Front Range – each of which has a Regional Missioner and Executive Committee. These regions encourage and promote ownership, commitment, and partnership in local mission initiatives; facilitate the participation of clergy and lay leadership in the councils of the Church (i.e., Diocesan Convention and General Convention); and strengthen communication between the leadership of the Regions and the Bishop’s Office.
Regional Map:
Learn more about the Front Range region >
Learn more about the High Plains region >
Learn more about the Northwest region >
Learn more about the Sangre de Cristo region >
Learn more about the Southwest region >
View or download contact information for Regional Missioners >
About Regional Missioners
Regional Missioners need to possess a firm spiritual foundation rooted in Jesus and strong leadership and management skills. The role of each Regional Missioner is to identify the opportunities, challenges, complexities,and culture of the region he/she/they serve. At the core of each Regional Missioner’s call is equipping, empowering, and engaging parishes and diocesan institutions by assisting Episcopalians in Colorado to live our baptismal call to God’s mission in five distinct ways, namely to:
Challenge— to invite each parish to see how God is working in their local neighborhoods, towns, and cities by collaborating with potential community partners — from other faith-based institutions and congregations tosocial service organizations to government agencies.
Communicate — to be a conduit of communication between the Office of the Bishop and the parishes within the region.
Convene — to gather people in various ways for collegiality and to share innovative ideas within the region and throughout Colorado.
Connect — to build partnerships among parishes and diocesan institutions in the region to live into God’smission within the region and across Colorado.
Call — to identify and support new leaders, with a particular focus on lay leadership, by equipping and trainingothers to find their own vocation in the church and the world.
All Regional Missioners are responsible for working with the Executive Committee to administer regional grants and plan annual convocations. Regional Missioners report to the Bishop and are directly managed by the Canon tothe Ordinary. Quarterly goals shall be established and communicated to the region and Office of the Bishop. EachRegional Missioner, with colleagues from the region, will participate in an annual Mutual Ministry Review with theBishop, facilitated by the Canon to the Ordinary. The term of a Regional Missioner will be two years with the possibility of renewal.
About St. John’s Cathedral
Since the founding of the Episcopal community in Colorado, the cathedral’s central location in the city and its early founding allow the cathedral to have a large influence in the wider community. Just steps away from the capitol building, the cathedral has a legacy of beauty, mystery, and goodness that impacts the daily lives in Capitol Hill, Denver, Colorado, and beyond.
Over the years, the cathedral’s clergy have left their mark in various ways, including helping to found the United Way, being a civil rights leader in Denver, and establishing the organization that we now know as the St. Francis Center.
Under recent leadership, the cathedral partnered again with the St. Francis Center to create the Apartments at Cathedral Square for transitional housing. With Dean Richard’s leadership and a dedicated and strategic staff, the cathedral looks forward to deeper connections with and impacts in the community.
Learn about the founding of the Cathedral >
Visit Cathedral web page >
Video Presentation by the Very Rev. Dean Lawson:
View Video about St. John’s Cathedral:
The Commission on Ministry (COM) assists the bishop “in determining present and future needs for ministry in the diocese” and to assist “in enlisting and selecting persons for Holy Orders,” and develop, train, and affirm lay ministries. The creation of Commissions on Ministry reflects the growing sense of the church that broad participation in decisions about all types of ministry is desirable and necessary.
2020/2021 Commission on Ministry Roster
| The Rev. Krista Dias-Chair | St. Luke’s, Ft. Collins |
| Michael Boney | St. John’s Cathedral, Denver |
| Deacon Linda Brown | St. Luke’s, Denver |
| Kimberley Hubbs | St. Matthew’s, Parker |
| The Rev. Reagan Humber | House For All Sinners & Saints, Denver |
| The Rev. Emily Lukanich | Transfiguration, Vail |
| The Rev. Canon Katie Pearson | St. John’s Cathedral, Denver |
| Carl Peterson | All Saints’, Loveland |
| Carolyn VanderWerf | Chapel of Our Saviour, Colo Springs |
Video Presentation but the Rev. Krista Dias, Chair of the Commission on Ministry:
The Board of Examining Chaplains (BOEC) is a subcommittee of the Commission on Ministry (COM) in the Episcopal Church in Colorado, with the responsibility is to provide an assessment of a candidate’s educational readiness for ordained ministry. Once we have determined that readiness, this is reported to the COM who then incorporates it into their assessment, which is conveyed to the Standing Committee and the Bishop.
Board of Examining Chaplains Roster
| Gary Brower | Good Shepherd – Centennial |
| Jana Everett | St. Barnabas – Denver |
| Dennis Kennedy | St. Stephen’s – Longmont |
| Cyndy McRae | Christ Church – Denver |
| Kathy Mordeaux | Christ’s Church – Castle Rock |
| Merrie Need | Good Shepherd – Centennial |
| Rich Paul | St. Matthew’s – Grand Junction |
| Nadine Pope | St. Joseph’s – Lakewood |
| Mary Kate Rejouis | St. Aidan’s – Boulder |
| Greg Robbins | St. John’s Cathedral – Denver |
| Jennifer Shadle | St. Peter the Apostle – Pueblo |
| Joseph Wolyniak | Christ Church – Denver |
Video Presentation by the Rev. Mary Kate Rejouis, Chair of the Board of Examining Chaplains:
Video Presentation by the Rev. Kim Seidman, Vicar and Executive Director of Cathedral Ridge:
Cathedral Ridge FAQs
Helpful Documents for Planning a Visit to Cathedral Ridge
Please note that the following links will take you to the Cathedral Ridge website. To return to this page, simply click on the back arrow in the upper left corner of your browser.
About Annual Convention
133rd Annual Convention Web Page, October 8, 2020 >
About Clergy Retreat
Our annual Clergy Gathering/Retreat for canonically resident clergy and those clergy currency serving the Episcopal Church in Colorado is organized as a time of inspiration, rest and renewal, to support and nourish you in your life and ministry. This is a time for clergy colleagues to gather for worship, enrichment, refreshment and inspiration away from ministry responsibilities. Our gathering takes place in early May each year. During this time of pandemic we are gathering virtually through online meetings, activities and opportunities for reflection away from screens. Save the dates for our next Virtual Annual Convention will be May 10-12, 2021.
Reminder: For our common life, it is the expectation that all priests currently serving in the Episcopal Church in Colorado will be present. For active deacons, because of your commitment to the annual diaconal retreat, your participation is optional but highly encouraged.
Video Presentation by the Rev. Canon Alex Dyer, Canon to the Ordinary:
Video Presentation by the Rev. Linda Brown, the Rev. Jan Pearson, the Rev. Nancey Johnson-Bookstein, and the Rev. Bob Larson:
Video Presentation by Mr. Larry Hitt, Chancellor:
Intake Officers for the Episcopal Church in Colorado:
The Rev. Canon Alex Dyer, Canon to the Ordinary
The Rev. Christy Shain-Hendricks, Church of the Ascension and Holy Trinity, Pueblo
In respecting the dignity of every human being, it is critical that we educate and equip ourselves to establish and respect healthy and safe boundaries, know the signs of inappropriate interpersonal behavior and sexual abuse, and know how to respond should we witness or suspect abuse.
The Safe Church page on the diocesan website provides resources to help ensure a welcoming and safe environment for everyone. On this page you will also find the link for registering for online Safe Church training. Visit Safe Church page >
Video by Tracy Methe, Missioner for Baptismal Living:
The mission of the Colorado Episcopal Foundation is to maximize the long-term financial resources of congregations and individuals in the Episcopal Church in Colorado in order to build church capacity for mission and ministry.
Video Presentation by Scott Asper, Colorado Episcopal Foundation Executive Director; and Pennie Goodman, Accounting Assistant:
The Office of the Bishop
The Office of the Bishop Staff Web Page provides a complete staff listing as well as a Who to Call section for guiding you to the correct person for support. Visit page >
Video Presentation by the Rt. Rev. Kym Lucas, Bishop of Colorado:
Video Presentation by Nancy McClung, Executive Assistant to the Bishop:
Video Presentation by the Rev. Canon Alex Dyer, Canon to the Ordinary; Pam Greenfield, Controller; the Rev. Quirino Cornejo, Missioner for Multicultural Ministries; Dianne Draper, Executive Assistant and Benefits Coordinator; and Kay Ward, Archivist:
Video Presentation by the the Rev. Canon Greg Foraker, Canon for Formation; Elizabeth Cervasio, Missioner for Children, Youth, and Campus Ministry; Janet Choyce, Event Coordinator; and Tracy Methe, Missioner for Baptismal Living:
Recommended Resource Pages:
Living Out Our Baptismal Convenant amid the Realities of Today:
Video Presentation by Canon Mike Orr, Canon for Communications:
More about Communications & Evangelism >
Caffeinated Church >
Video Presentation by the Rev. Canon Vanessa Stickler Glass, Canon for Transition Ministry; and Dianne Draper, Executive Administrator and Benefits Coordinator:
Other Useful Resources
The Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs identifies requirements and seeks to provide helpful advice on sound, practical internal controls, accounting guidelines, and business practices. It is a tool that will support your efforts to perform the duties and responsibilities of your office.
Discernment is following the promptings of the Holy Spirit to pursue whether God is calling you to something more, a new or different ministry, or to a vocation. Vocation is derived from the Latin vocare, to call, summon, or name. As Parker Palmer writes in Let Your Life Speak, “Vocation does not mean a goal that I pursue. It means a calling that I hear. Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.”
The annual Road to Ministry Event is for all who are seeking and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. During this time Bishop Kym, Canon Alex Dyer, laity, clergy, and members of the Commission on Ministry share a vision for leadership in the 21st Century in the Episcopal Church in Colorado that guides individuals in beginning or continuing to explore the nature of individual and communal discernment.
There are eleven diocesan institutions of the Episcopal Church in Colorado. Click on the following links to see the 2020 reports to annual convention.
Anglican Studies (report unavailable)
Brigits Village
Cathedral Ridge
Colorado Episcopal Foundation
Colorado Episcopal Service Corps
Commission On Ministry
St. Clare’s Ministries
St. Benedict Health & Healing Ministry
St. Francis Center
Standing Committee Report to Convention 2020
32nd Ave. Jubilee Center
Every Vicar/Rector/Priest in Charge, Bishop’s Wardens/Wardens, and Bishop’s Committee/Vestry has agreed to an annual discussion and mutual review of the total ministry of the parish in order to:
- Provide the clergy, Wardens, Vestry the opportunity to assess how well they are fulfilling their responsibilities to each other and to the ministries they share.
- Establish goals for the work of the congregation and community for the coming year.
- Isolate areas of conflict or disappointment which have not received adequate attention and may be affecting mutual ministry adversely.
- Clarify expectations of all parties to help put any future conflicts in manageable form.
A mutually agreed upon third party will be engaged to facilitate the mutual ministry review process. Please contact the Rev. Canon Alex Dyer if you need help identifying a facilitator.
Mutual ministry is an extension of our baptismal covenant in which the baptized and ordained are called to share in ministry together. In baptism, we affirm our faith in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and we promise to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread and the prayers; persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever we fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord; proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ; seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves; strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.
Ministry is the work of the whole people of God, not just of the ordained clergy. A Mutual Ministry Review is an opportunity to reflect on how clergy and congregational leaders share in the work God has called us to do. Ministry is expressed in a variety of ways – as a community, as individuals and as designated leaders. Mutual ministry addresses individual responsibilities, collective responsibilities, and the relationships in which they are carried out. All three of these expressions of ministry are essential for a vital congregation.
A Mutual Ministry Review is not a performance review of the clergy or lay leaders. It is not a time to complain, blame, or judge. Instead it is an opportunity to have a facilitated conversation about what is working well and what opportunities exist for growth and change and how to live more fully into God’s mission as the Church.
As you prepare for a Mutual Ministry Review reflect on your role in the congregation and how you contribute to building up the body of Christ.
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.” – Romans 12:4-9
Realm Access is the diocesan management system for the Episcopal Church in Colorado. It is closely related the church management software Realm Connect.
We ask each clergy person to create an account in Realm Access. This ensures we have your most current contact information as well as biographical information about your education, seminary, dates of ordination, and more. If you’ve not yet created an account please go to onrealm.org/coloradodiocese to create one. Be sure to use your work email as your account email and complete information found in both the Contact Information and Personal Information tabs. Also take a moment to add your spouse, if applicable, and children living at home. Personal Information is confidential. If you have questions about Realm, please reach out to Tracy Methe.
Regularly updated lists of clergy, including Supply Clergy, can be found on a password-protected page of our website. The password is the lower-case word colorado.
Following is an excerpt from the September 17 Pastoral Letter from the Bishop, encouraging all clergy to engage in self-care and to know and create systems of support.
As the end of 2020 draws near, our country experiences increasing division and unrest and the pandemic continues to hinder our gathering in person. The realities of leadership at this time place an extraordinary amount of stress on congregations and clergy.
Therefore, I want to take this opportunity to make sure you are aware of the resources that are available to you.
All active clergy and lay employees with medical insurance through the church, have access to in-network therapists and other mental health options. In addition, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a program designed to offer mental health support, is also available.
EAP is available to you at no additional cost with your Employee Assistance & Work/Life Support Program. You can call anytime, any day (24/7). One to ten sessions with a therapist are available virtually with an EAP provider for you and your household members. Call or go online, search the provider directory, and request an authorization. Call 1-866-395-7794 or visit CignaBehavioral.com and enter your Employer ID: episcopal. For questions contact Dianne Draper at 720-677-9004 or dianne@episcopalcolorado.org.
If you are in immediate distress, please call the suicide hotline at 800-273-8255.
On our diocesan website, we also have a myriad of resources to help equip and empower you to engage in the work of bringing hope and preventing suicide: https://episcopalcolorado.org/bringing-hope-preventing-suicide/.
Finally, to encourage and support of all clergy in their physical, spiritual and mental health, I am asking each clergy person to:
- Have an annual physical examination.
- Make regular spiritual retreats. Seven days per year may be used for these retreats with coordination with the Vestry or supervisor. These days are not vacation days. Report quarterly to the Vestry or supervisor the number of days taken for recreational, study and vacation time during that period.
- Meet regularly with a mental health professional.
- Participate in a professional support group of your choosing. Meet regularly with a personal spiritual director.
- Preserve at least one continuous twenty-four-hour period each week for personal and family use.
It is my hope that every Senior Warden and/or supervisor will consult with each clergy person at least quarterly. Having a strong support system is important in the best of times and even more so in the challenging and stressful times in which we currently find ourselves.
You are not alone. If you are feeling overwhelmed and need a Sunday off and are worshipping online, I encourage you to use my weekly sermon. My staff is also available to support you in a variety of ways including preaching and presiding for you online; pending availability.
Please know that I value each and every one of you, and you are in my prayers daily. I’m grateful for all that you do to witness and proclaim God’s word and minister to God’s people in your congregation and community.