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In Prov 2
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Province II Officers
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The Right Reverend Lawrence Provenzano, Vice President The Rev. Ed Thompson, SecretaryThe Rev. Gerald Keucher, TreasurerMs. Dorothy Jane Goldsack Porpeglia, Esq., Chancellor Rosalie Ballentine, Esq., Elected by the House of DeputiesThe Rev. Dahn Gandell, Elected by the House of Deputies The Right Reverend Ambrose Gumbs, Elected by the House of BishopsMs. Martha Gardner, Executive Council Lay RepresentativeThe Rev. Canon Sandye Wilson, Executive Council Clergy Representative Jan Paxton, Communications Officer, Webmaster &
In Prov 2 editor |
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Editor's Comment
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This is the first edition of the InProv2 under "new management". Many thanks to Laurie Wozniak of Western New York for getting the province news started in this electronic format. Some of you may recall my name from the years when I was the editor of "The Grapevine" and from the Province II website, which I am continuing to maintain. As Communications Officer for Province II I am hoping to build on what Laurie started and continue to improve communications in the province. To do this really effectively, I need your help - yes, yours! We now have a provincial Facebook page, but that will only make for effective communication if it has many people who have "liked" it from each diocese, so we need you to Find Us on Facebook  and "like" the province and then commend it to your friends. We can use Constant Contact to communicate with the dioceses of the province for more than the three official In Prov 2 editions each year. There are many instances of programs for a network or within a diocese that would be of interest to others, either for inspiration or attendance across diocesan lines - it is often closer for someone in one of the northern congregations of the Diocese of NY, for example, to get to a training session in Syracuse than in NYC! To make that work, though, I need to know what you would like published. Send me your fliers and I can send them out to everyone on the list. Now, get down to enjoying the wonderful stories that have been supplied from around the province for this edition. Remember that you can print this out to read at your leisure. I look forward to working with all of you. Jan Paxton, Communications Officer for Province II
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| The Officers and Networks of Province II |  Vice President of Province II ....
Bishop George I. Councell of the Diocese of New Jersey has served with great distinction as Vice President of the Province since the Synod in May of 2006. His term expires at the next meeting of the Synod in May of 2012. Sadly, Bishop Councell has decided to resign from that office. He has served faithfully for these past four and a half years and his wise counsel will be greatly missed.
Under the provisions of the Ordinances of the Province, when a  vacancy occurs in the office of Vice President, it is the responsibility of the President of the Province to appoint a successor with the consent of the Provincial Council. In accordance with these Ordinances, The Rt. Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano, D.D., Bishop of Long Island has been appointed,has accepted the role, and will be approved for the balance of Bishop Councell's term. The Honorable Michael F. Rehill, president of the province, said in his letter to the council, "I believe that Bishop Provenzano will provide the kind of leadership in this Province that will be essential as we prepare for the next General Convention and the next Triennium when the future role of the provincial structure will be decided."
Open networks....
Province II operates with numerous ministry networks which cover many of the ministry areas familiar to you. The role of the chair these networks is to gather together people from throughout the province, usually representatives of similar diocesan committees or commissions, for the purpose of idea exchange, to plan more formal gatherings or meetings and to attract external input, training and expertise to aid in strengthening the mission of the network.
Currently, we are looking for several new chairpersons to head the following ministry networks:
- Christian Education & Formation
- Prison Ministry
- Ministry Development
Persons who would like to discuss a personal interest in any of these areas should contact our Executive Coordinator, Chuck Perfater...chperfater@comcast.net, or 609-538-1200. He can fill you in with additional details."
N EHM has a link on the Province II website and updates its parish nurse resources regularly. Check it out!
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| Provincial Congregational Development Network Conference |
"Anglicanism Remixed: Embracing the Other, Our Traditions and the Future" Led by the Rev. Stephanie SpellersAssisted in Workshops Presented by Provincial LeadersSave the Date May 5-6, 2011 Doubletree Hotel, East Syracuse  Rev. Stephanie Spellers and a host of experienced leaders will guide us on a practical, inspiring journey that explores: - Radical welcome and embracing the gifts of our changing cultural contexts
- Anglican traditions that prepare us to be church in the 21st century
- Emerging forms of Christian community that share the ancient gospel in fresh ways
Come with a team, ready to share your own wisdom, build relationships with other Province II leaders and plan for the future. Come with an open mind and heart, ready to envision the church we're becoming ... together. Rev. Stephanie Spellers is the author of Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other and the Spirit of Transformation and editor of the volume Ancient Faith, Future Mission: Fresh Expressions in the Sacramental Tradition. She is founding priest and lead organizer at The Crossing, an emergent Christian community rooted at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Boston ( www.thecrossingboston.org) and Consulting Editor for Emergent Resources at Church Publishing Inc. ( www.churchpublishing.org). An alumna of Harvard Divinity School and Episcopal Divinity School, Stephanie consults nationally and serves as co-chair for the Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Mission and Evangelism.
Watch for a special newsletter with more information! Please add this conference to your clergy lists, congregational and diocesan announcements and newsletters.
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| Campus Ministers Gather for Retreats and Conference |  Campus ministers active in colleges and universities in Province II met together several times during 2010.
In February and June they gathered for retreats at Holy Cross Monastery in West End, NY. Over the three-day periods they participated in the monastic times of prayer and silence and met as a small group to share strategies, program ideas, and vocational resources for campus ministry. Brother Adam directed the February
retreat.
On November 4-6, Episcopal campus ministers from Province II and other parts of the Episcopal Church caucused in the ecumenical context of the Princeton Conference on Emerging Adulthood at Princeton Theological Seminary. Theylistened to keynote presentations by Dr. Christian Smith (University of Notre Dame)and Dr. Kara Powell (Fuller Theological Seminary) about the powerful trajectories that shape beliefs and behaviors of young adults and account for their disinterest in Christianity and the church. In response to these challenges they explored new approaches to evangelism and Christian formation in a variety of workshops and small group meetings. The Rev. Douglas Fenton, Office of Young Adult & Campus Ministries at the Episcopal Church Center, also attended the conference and met with Episcopal ministers to challenge and encourage them.
These gatherings of campus ministers benefited greatly from grants authorized by the Council of Province II. A list of Campus Ministry contacts is being developed on the Province II website.
Episcopal campus ministers may join a Facebook Group
Please help college and university students from your parish church to connect with campus ministries in New Jersey and New York by sending their names and contact info to an Episcopal campus minister. There is a list of college and university contacts on the Campus Ministry page of the Province II website.
Contact the Rev. Gregory Bezilla, Episcopal Chaplain to Rutgers University and Campus Ministry Coordinator for Province II: 732.932.1278 and bezilla@rci.rutgers.edu |
| EEpiscopal Church Foundation - Rebuild our Church in Haiti | Episcopal Church kicks off rebuilding campaign on anniversary of devastating Haitian earthquake
January 12, 2011, New York, NY -- On the first anniversary of the earthquake that destroyed Haiti, The Episcopal Church is inaugurating an international, church-wide fundraising campaign, Rebuild our Church in Haiti.
"Haitians today see the 2010 earthquake as the one -- and only one chance -- to build a new and better Haiti. If we help them rebuild, the world will also get a new and better Haiti, and we will all benefit -especially the United States.," commented the Rt. Rev. Pierre Whalon, Bishop in Charge for the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe. "If we do not, the same old Haiti will continue to suffer, and us along with them."
The Diocese of Haiti is the largest in The Episcopal Church. In just 35 seconds, the January 12, 2010 earthquake leveled the churches and diocesan facilities, including Holy Trinity Cathedral in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
"While Cathedral Sainte Trinite was a structure of limited architectural significance, its murals placed the sacred space on the historic register of Haiti and made the Church a national treasure," explained Kyle Evans, former missioner to the Diocese of Haiti and diocesan coordinator for Rebuild our Church in Haiti in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. "Tragically, these were destroyed in the earthquake. Rich in color and reflective of Haitian culture, these historic murals are an important reminder that we are truly one body in Christ."
Also lost in the destruction of the Cathedral site were Holy Trinity Music School, Holy Trinity Professional School, and the primary and secondary schools. The Rt. Rev. J. Zaché Duracin, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, leads nearly 200,000 Episcopalians in the Diocese of Haiti, who in turn provide education and healthcare to thousands of other Haitians through diocesan programs. Almost all the Episcopal facilities in the Diocese of Haiti were damaged or destroyed in the earthquake: the 200 parishes, congregations, missions and preaching stations including the Cathedral; the 254 nursery, primary and secondary schools; the university; the seminary; the community college; the three trade schools; the hospital and numerous medical missions; and St. Vincent's Center for the Handicapped; and a Jubilee Center.
Rebuild our Church in Haiti is the first step toward rebuilding the Diocese of Haiti. Before a new cathedral can be built, rubble must be cleared, land must be secured, and fragments of the murals must be salvaged. This campaign is designed so that all individuals, congregations, and dioceses can participate.
A special webpage has been prepared allowing easy access to information, facts, video, and ways to donate: www.EpiscopalChurch.org/HaitiAppeal. In the coming weeks, resources will be available on the website for dioceses and congregations to launch their own campaigns to support this appeal and begin to rebuild the spiritual home for thousands of Episcopalians. As the campaign progresses, stories from around the Church will be shared providing inspiration and ideas for local efforts.
Participating in the campaign
As the project gets underway, nearly half the dioceses in The Episcopal Church have begun organizing volunteers or otherwise making plans to participate. From Province II, Central New York has already sent convention offerings designated for rebuilding Holy Trinity
Individuals can "buy a brick" for as little as $10 to begin to rebuild The Episcopal Church in Haiti.
The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is coordinating the churchwide appeal. For more information, visit www.EpiscopalChurch.org/HaitiAppeal or contact Terri Mathes at TMathes@EpiscopalFoundation.org or 717-599-0627.
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Diocese of Albany
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Focus on Scripture [from Bishop Love's article in the Albany Episcopalian for December 2011 and the Diocese of Albany's web site]
The relationship God the Father wants for us in and through His Son, in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit is one of truth, joy, peace, grace, total and unconditional love. If we are to grow in this relationship, it is essential that we open our hearts and souls and minds to Him; that we intentionally spend time with Him in prayer, reading and meditating on His Word; that we worship and serve Him, sharing the Gospel with all who will receive it.
To assist us in this journey of growing in relationship with God through His Son, discovering His truth, His love, His will for us as revealed in Holy Scripture - the Living Word of God, The Rt. Rev. William Love, Bishop of Albany, has invited Whitney T. Kuniholm, President of Scripture Union U.S.A., to be the presenter for this year's Parish Leadership Conferences in January. Scripture Union U.S.A. is committed to "helping people meet God every day" in the Bible and prayer. The Parish Leadership Conferences are scheduled in the Deaneries of the Diocese of Albany.
Mr. Kuniholm is an Episcopalian from the Philadelphia area, and his presentations are titled: "A Call to Bible Reading Revival" and "How to Read the Bible." He describes his first presentation as "How rediscovering God's word releases spiritual power in the church and in the lives of people." His second presentation will focus on the Essentials 100 Challenge, which leads participants to understand the meaning of the Bible through the reading of 100 key passages. He will show the various ways the E100 Challenge can be used in a church, small, medium, or large, to get people excited about reading the Bible.
Mr. Kuniholm will speak of "Bible Revival" and share "The Essential 100" Bible Study Guide. It identifies 100 key Scripture passages, organized in 20 different categories from both the Old and New Testaments which, if read and prayed through, will give a good overview to much of what "God has said, what He's done, and what He wants from us." In sharing about "The Essential 100" and the importance of Bible study, Mr. Kuniholm states: "The secret to making Bible reading more than just a good habit is to think of it as an opportunity to meet God every day, to have a daily encounter with the God who made you, who loves you, and who desires to have a living relationship with you." Perhaps if we can come to see the Bible for what it truly is - the Living Word of God; a means through which God continues to speak to us today; a testimony to all that God has done, is doing and will do; an opportunity to spend time with the One who loves us more than any other; perhaps then it will (if it hasn't already) become a priority in our daily lives, no longer an obligation to be met or put up with, but rather a gift to be treasured, a desire we long for each day, a living encounter with God Almighty - Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
"Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which You have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever." Amen (BCP, Proper 28)
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Diocese of Central New York
|  The Care and Feeding of College Students
By The Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows [From the Central New York E-Messanger]
The absolute best part of doing campus ministry is living, praying, talking, worshiping and listening to young adults at this incredibly exciting point in their lives. Whether they are undergraduates away from home for the first time or seasoned grad students laboring away on their dissertations, their hunger for God and spiritual community can be as deep as their academic pursuits. However, recent tragic events on our college campuses have highlighted and reminded us of the many pressures our young people are under. Many of these young people were formed and nurtured by parishes around our diocese and across the Episcopal Church. It is a privilege for me, and other campus ministers and chaplains, to care and keep watch over them during their time on campus.
Mid November to early December is one of the most intense times to be on a college campus. With that in mind I offer the following hints and tips for parishes to help in caring for our young people during the academic year.
Care Packages. Believe it or not, even in this digital age, the old-fashioned care package shows love and care in a way that can't be replicated with technology. The first week of December, after the Thanksgiving holiday, marks the most stressful part of the fall semester and makes a care package all the more cherished. A few parish volunteers can gather the addresses of the young people in college and put together a box containing homemade cookies, small bags of chips and pretzels, packets of hot chocolate, and a short note expressing love and support. Don't forget the students at community colleges who may be close by-they appreciate being remembered too!
Pay Them a Visit. Sometimes, there's nothing like a face-to-face expression of support. Rectors, youth ministers, church school teachers and other adults (other than parents) who have relationships with your parish's young people might strategize to plan to visit to your college students at some point in their academic career. Taking them to lunch or for coffee at their favorite café not only shows them you still care but helps to nurture your relationship with them as they move into adulthood.
Use the Technology. Because students, like everyone else, are extremely busy, a quick and easy way to show support is through social media like Facebook, email, and texting. When a student is being challenged with all of the academic, social, and work demands pressing upon them, a short and sweet note like: "St. John's Church is so proud of you and praying for you!" can go a long way.
Work your Network. It is never too late to notify the Episcopal chaplain that one of your young people is on campus. Students who are far away from home appreciate being known and connected with the Episcopal family. (Even if you had to drag them to church, many will seek out the Episcopal community once away from home.) Send a letter or email to the Episcopal chaplain (college online directories are a good way to find them) and let them know who your student is so they can send a friendly note hello. If there is no Episcopal chaplain, seek out a Lutheran chaplain, the dean of the chapel on campus, or the rector of the closest Episcopal parish. In the rare case of an emergency, having these relationships established can be particularly helpful.
Make a Fuss When they Come Home. Hopefully, you'll see many of your young people back at Christmas services. They'll be exhausted and eager to see friends from home. Give them a hearty "welcome home!", tell them you've missed them and...let them sleep.
The Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows is the Episcopal Chaplain at Syracuse University
and is Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Syracuse.
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| Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe |
 | | Bishop Whalen in Haiti |
Excerpts from the annual address of The Rt. Rev. Pierre Whalon
[The full address is available online ]
Last year we celebrated "150 Years of Mission in Europe." It was a great convention in Geneva, at Emmanuel Church, one of the Episcopal Church's crown jewels. Looking back into our history, we saw how deep and rich it is, this missionary endeavor we call the Convocation. Earlier this year, George Battrick, long time leader in Ascension, Munich, as well as the Convocation, informed me that there is a real possibility that St. John's, Dresden, Germany, one of our former parishes that closed during the last World War, still has property that belongs to us. As it was confiscated after the war by East Germany, the building having suffered fatal damage in the terrible firebombing of that city, the law requires the restoration of such properties since the reunification of Germany, whose twentieth anniversary we celebrate this year.
Besides the usual trips to the United States for meetings of the House of Bishops, Province II bishops, the Boards, I also made two trips to Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake. The first, in March, was at the request of the Presiding Bishop, who was concerned that the impending visit of the Archbishop of Southern Africa to that country not be without a francophone Episcopal Bishop. Since Bishop Zaché Duracin had asked me right after the quake to take responsibility for organizing international support for rebuilding the Cathedral in Port-au-Prince (I couldn't say no), I went again in late July to ascertain progress. Several visionary members of the Cathedral and Convocation have joined me and my wife Melinda to form Partners With Haiti, and they are developing innovative fun ways to contribute toward this great multi-year project, which will require a great deal of cooperation across the Episcopal Church to realize.
The Convocation must continue to advocate for itself, as we have over the past three General Conventions, for a status like that of a missionary diocese. This will not only construct our ability to join in the larger European project, but only help us continue to build strength and confidence. I have rejoiced in the achievements of all our mission congregations, and seen one new parish established. I have had my heart torn open when I have had to close mission congregations. In order to flourish, we must continue to grow. There is ample, ample opportunity for the Episcopal way of being Christian to take root both in Anglophone and other linguistic and national cultures. "It's raining soup," as they say, "all we need's the bowl." But this will continue to limp along until we develop a strong consensus that starting new congregations successfully is an integral part of strengthening each of our congregations as well as the whole Convocation. I think we are almost there. But that raises the issue with which I and all our leaders have wrestled since 2001: how to develop "the bowl" - effective structures to ensure maximum possible success in planting new congregations, no matter what their country or language.
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| Diocese of Haiti... A Day of Remembrance |
January 12, 2011 By the Reverend Frantz (Fanfan) ColeOn the road placed just south of the capital, the intersection is deserted. Everyone has retreated into gathering places. The tents are set up in the compound of the church, not out of fear of another possible jolt of the earth or the like, but because today as Haitians remember, they do not have any other refuge. The arms of the Lord are the only site they turn to for relief. An unspoken agreement is found at the heart of this forsaken and misunderstood population. The traditional values remain non-negotiable. The color of circumstance has been assumed. Everyone is dressed in the color of purity, of respect, and of allotment - - white. The parishioners of Notre Dame, Ascension, Epiphany, and Saint Martin of Tours have all brought themselves to the spot of the Cathedral of Saint Trinity for this mass of remembrance, surrounding the principle pastor of the Episcopal Church in Haiti, the Right Reverend Jean Zaché Duracin. The philharmonic orchestra moves us with expressive music that strengthens and excites the beating of our hearts as each moment of the musical piece is accompanied by the sounds of beating drums. The tension mounts with each second and with the minutes that shed themselves; an emotion installs itself in the growing congregation. Like a pot boiling over the church is full. It is not really a large enough place for containing this assembly, thirsty for words of encouragement and of faith. The suffering disturbs one's thoughts, paralyzes one's joints, provokes cramps, and creates a loss of understanding and serious emotional dilemmas...the poignant testimonies of survival and of hardship brought about by the earthquake of January 12th give release to one's tears that have been forcefully suppressed and stored-up until now. Thus, the wounds are reopened without anesthesia. Experiences shared touch each of us deep inside. The representative of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Saint Trinity remembers the heavy loss of human lives. Plans for the year would all be changed. The 50th anniversary of the small singers and the 40th anniversary of the orchestra were no longer to be scheduled in 2010. The 7.0 magnitude of the Richter scale carried away with it instruments, the rehearsal hall, and the like...but life must continue. This seize of memories will one day enrich this portion of our lives. The country should not die. Keep the faith. God who wanted that we live will also guide us and provide for our needs. All throughout the day of remembrance the call for solidarity is ignited to reconnect the broken pieces and rebuild our nation. "Jezi solve-m" (Jesus save m  e) is the cry of the survivor Carline Joseph during her testimony. After 10 hours under the rubble with her arm crushed by a beam, it was amputated upon her arrival at the hospital in Cange. A chain of prayer is usually enacted by joining hands, but under the rubble the foot may also serve to form a human chain. All sorts of supports help to relieve the suffering of one another. The stories of slow death and sudden death are added to the list of testimonies that fill the day. To God be the praise, glory, and honor for now and forever. Today is a great day for some and a day of benediction for others...Our Father still reigns and His love will never rest. It is necessary for us to continue. It is the moment to remind everyone that the Seigneur will wipe away the tears from our eyes. He will rehabilitate our nation after all this suffering and after all these tears. He will console us. Revelations says that large crowds will adore God, the God of heaven and earth. These people dressed in white robes come with great proof that He who sits on the throne will shelter us under these tents. The Bishop salutes not only Haitians, but also the people of the world because the whole world has been affected by the 12th of January, an event that will be recorded in the history of Haiti. Thousands of innocent, school children, men, and women have disappeared and left this land. We are frail and evil can seek us. But the Bible reminds us that the Master of nature is with us and promises us that He will save us from evil and never abandon us in our times of trouble. This disaster was so great for our weak shoulders, but we survived this event. Therefore we must participate in the reconstruction of our new reality. The Bishop likens it to a collective baptism. We embrace ourselves during this service of thanksgiving because the memory is so poignant. It is an unforgettable date in the annals of our country, which requests both a time for reflection and a time for forgiveness. Infringement by omission is the term of reflection proposed by a police officer referring to the lack of services the state has provided to its population. The crumbling, the crashes, the languid cries of a musical piece composed by a celebrated musician translates the pain and the emotions that we still contain with difficulty. Haiti is the motherland that has been torn and must now be held upright. This mixture of rhythm brings to us a heat that our nation so desperately needs to face the challenges awaiting on the horizon. During the moment of the passing of peace, we were informed that while we had been participating in the mass, others had begun throwing stones onto Delmas road, as a manifestation of their frustration. Yet at the Cathedral there were t-shirts with slogans that reaffirmed the existence of faith - - "Nou la. Nou toujou la." (We are here. We will always be here.). As a part of the services, a sheaf of flowers was placed at the site of the former vocational school to pay respects to the souls that are under the rubble. In the afternoon prayers continued with the benediction of a monument in memory of the students of the university that were killed during the January 12th earthquake. The ceremony was attended by the parents, friends, and representatives of the police. The mausoleum situated to the left of the entrance of what remains of the Episcopal University serves as a reminder of our students that prematurely fell in their youth. This memorial has been set upon a common grave were 15 of our students were buried. Later that day in the district of Carrefour, the Parish of Ascension of Thor also conducted an ecumenical service, lifting up the day in remembrance that there is only "One." God be praised in all things. The Bishop presided over the day's ceremonies and in conclusion invited everyone to rise up to rebuild Haiti. Original in French - Journée de Souvenir12 janvier 2011Père Frantz (Fanfan) ColeSur la route logeant le sud de la capitale, l'artère est déserte. Tout le monde se refugie dans les lieux de rassemblement. Des tentes sont érigées dans la cour des églises pas par peur d'une éventuelle secousse ou répliques mais parce que les haïtiens n'ont pas d'autre refuge. Les bras du Seigneur sont le seul coin de secours. Une entente tacite est trouvée au sein de cette population délaissée et incomprise. Les valeurs traditionnelles sont non négociables. La couleur de circonstance est adoptée. Tout le monde est en habit de couleur de pureté, de respect et de partage : le BLANC. Les paroisses de Notre Dame, Ascension, Epiphanie, Saint Martin de Tours se sont données rendez-vous à la cathédrale pour cette messe de souvenir autour du pasteur principal de l'Église épiscopale d'Haïti, Mgr Zaché Duracin. L'orchestre philarmonique nous berce par de musiques tendres qui fortifient, excitent le battement des cœurs a chaque moment fort de la pièce musicale par le son du TAM TAM. La tension monte a chaque seconde et a mesure que s'égrènent les minutes ; une émotion s'installe dans la congrégation. On peut même lire dans les yeux une tristesse non exprimée. La foule s'agrandit. Comme un œuf toutes les églises sont pleines. Pas vraiment de place pour contenir cette population assoiffée de paroles d'encouragement et de foi. La détresse désarticule la pensée, démobilise les jointures du corps et provoquent des crampes, de pertes de connaissances et de troubles émotionnelles graves...des témoignages poignantes de rescapes, d'handicap provoque par le séisme du 12 janvier libèrent des pleurs jusqu'ici emmagasinés et retenus avec difficulté. Les plaies sont donc recouvertes sans anesthésie. Les expériences partagées touchent les entrailles. Le représentant de l'OPST se souvient des lourdes pertes en vies humaines et intentionnelles. Tout allait changer dans le planning de l'année. Le 50eme anniversaire des petits chanteurs et le 40eme anniversaire de l'Orchestre ne sont plus de mise pour 2010. Le 7.5 de magnitude sur l'échelle de Richter a tout emporte : instruments et salle de répétition et autres...mais la vie doit continuer. Cette halte de souvenirs va enrichir cette tranche de notre vie. Le pays ne doit pas mourir. Gardons la Foi. Dieu qui a voulu que nous soyons en vie saura nous guider et pourvoira à nos besoins. Tout au long de la journée du souvenir l'appel à la solidarité est lance pour coller les morceaux et rebâtir la nation. JEZI SOVE-M (Seigneur sauve moi) est le cri de Carline Joseph confie la rescapée au cours d'un témoignage. Apres 10 heures de temps sous les décombres ; Son bras a été retenu par une poutre. Elle est amputée des son arrivée a l'hôpital de Cange. Une chaine de prière se fait habituellement en se joignant les mains mais sous les décombres le pied forme aussi cette chaine humaine. Toutes sortes de support aident à soulager la souffrance des uns et des autres. Mort lente, mort subite sont des cas qui allongent la liste des témoignages de la journée. A Dieu soit louange, gloire et honneur pour les siècles et des siècles. Aujourd'hui grand jour pour certains et journée de bénédiction pour les autres...Notre Dieu règne encore et jamais son amour ne s'endort. Il nous faut continuer. C'est le moment de rappeler à tout le monde que le Seigneur essuiera toutes larmes de nos yeux. Il réhabilitera la nation après tant de souffrances et de pleurs Il va nous consoler. L'Apocalypse dira que la foule nombreuse va adorer Dieu, le Dieu du ciel et de la terre. Ces gens vêtues de robe blanche viennent de la grande épreuve. Celui qui est assis sur le trône nous abritera sous ses tentes. L'évêque salue non seulement les haïtiens mais les gens du monde car tout le monde était affecte par ce 12 janvier, événement inédit dans l'histoire haïtienne. Des milliers d'innocents, jeunes écoliers, hommes et femmes ont disparu et quitte cette terre. Nous sommes fragiles. Le malheur peut nous atteindre mais la bible nous rappelle que la maitre de la nature est avec nous et nous promet qu'il nous épargnera dans nos malheurs et ne nous abandonnera pas au cours de ces moments difficiles. Ce désastre était trop grand pour nos faibles épaules mais on a survécu cet événement. Alors nous devons participer à la reconstruction de cette nouvelle réalité. L'évêque le considère comme un baptême collectif. On se donne accolade pendant ce service d'action de grâce parce que le souvenir est poignant. Date inoubliable dans l'anale de ce pays et qui invite a la réflexion et au pardon. Infraction par omission est le terme de réflexion propose par un policier pour traduire le manque de service de l'état a la population. L'éboulement, le fracas, les cris languissants de la pièce composée par un célèbre musicien traduisait les douleurs, les émotions que les gens pouvaient encore contenir avec difficulté. Haïti la mère patrie déchirée doit se tenir debout. Un mélange de rythme apporte cette chaleur dont la nation a tant besoin pour faire face au grand défi qui dessine a l'horizon. On nous informe au cours de la messe pendant le rite de la paix que des jets de pierre sont envoyés sur la route de Delmas pour signifier le ras de bol de la population. A la cathédrale des T Shirts avec des slogans NOU LA. NOU TOUJOU LA pour réaffirmer la FOI. Une gerbe de fleur est déposée à l'école professionnelle pour saluer les âmes qui sont sous les décombres. L'après-midi se poursuit avec la bénédiction d'un monument en mémoire des étudiants de l'université tues au cours du séisme du 12 janvier 10. Cérémonie ou ont participe les parents, amis et représentants de la police. Le mausolée situe a l'entrée gauche de ce qui reste de l'université est un souvenir de nos étudiants tombes prématurément en pleine jeunesse. Ce mémorial est érigé sur une fosse commune ou sont inhumes 15 étudiants. Du cote de carrefour a la paroisse ascension un service œcuménique est organise en la circonstance. Pour une journée de souvenir c'en est UN. Que Dieu soit loue en toutes circonstances. L'évêque a présidé à ces cérémonies et invite tout le monde a se mettre debout pour rebâtir Haïti.
The Rev. Frantz ("Fanfan") Cole is the Coordinator of CEDDISEC, the relief and development arm of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and a partner of Episcopal Relief & Development. He is also the Priest-in-Charge at the Parish of Ascension of Thor in Carrefour and the Communications Officer for the diocese.
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Diocese of Long Island
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Bishop Provenzano Hits the Road Running
in the Diocese of Long Island
Bishop Larry Provenzano recently completed his first full year as diocesan bishop of Long Island. And what a year it was. His often quoted sound bite in the diocese is, "After you say you believe, everything else is mission."
He has focused on mission in sermons, clergy conferences, pastoral visitations, naming new staff, emphasizing regional mission planning, blending traditional archdeaconry lines, and calling for and enabling innovative approaches to ministry in local communities. The bishop said this "has caused us to seriously examine the models and structures for accomplishing our mission ... The aim is to serve God's people where we find them and bring them into an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ, each other and the church."
Diocese of Long Island Adds New
Mission Initiatives and New Staff
Bishop Provenzano named a missioner to the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, the Rev. Bob Griffith, to develop an Imago Dei Community. Griffith said he will use "different ways of doing church and engaging in Christian spiritual formation focused in the unique environments of the Red Hook and Carroll Gardens neighborhoods that are attracting people engaged in the arts and new media."
A new variation on cluster ministry has brought together three congregations and their vestries for collaborative work as the Great Neck (N.Y.) Episcopal Ministry, with a rotating staff of two priests and a deacon, the Rev. Joseph Pae, the Rev. Charles McCarron, and the Rev. Deacon Constance Lorenz, and a lay leadership team.
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Diocese of Long Island Bishop Larry Provenzano, Jeanne Provenzano, Dianna Betit,
and Canon John Betit.
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The Rev. Canon John D. Betit, rector of St. John's, Sutton, Mass., was named to a new position in the diocese, Canon to the Ordinary and Transition Ministry Officer.
Myra Garnes Shuler, director of the Cathedral Scholars Program at Washington National Cathedral, was named Director of Youth Ministry and Christian Formation.
The Rev. Canon Robert Picken, priest-in-charge at Church of the Ascension, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, now serves as Canon for Pastoral Care and Liturgy for the diocese and the Cathedral of the Incarnation.
The Rev. Dr. Raewynne J. Whitelety, in addition to serving as rector of St. James' Church in St. James, NY, is now also Canon Theologian of the diocese.
The Very Rev. Dr. David B. Lowry, rector of Christ Church, Manhasset, was named interim dean of the Mercer School of Theology, while continuing to serve the parish.
A new Office of Development and Stewardship is being created, with the consultation of Sean Philips, who heads a team of contracted specialists who bring years of professional development experience at other major religious organizations.
At the November 2010 diocesan convention, Bishop Provenzano presented the Diocese of Torit in Southern Sudan and the Diocese of Ecuador Central, for mutual ministry companion diocese relationships. The bishops from those dioceses were in attendance and heard the convention enthusiastically affirm the new partnerships.
A Women's Commission was created to raise awareness of global and local issues around the treatment of women and girls. This initiative came as a response to the participation by several diocesan women in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, to which they were invited by the Anglican Communion Observer at the UN.
The Rev. Dr. John P. McGinty, theologian and recently acting director of The Church in the 21st Century Center of Boston College, has been named communication associate and will succeed Canon for Communication Kris Lee upon his retirement later this year.
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At the St. John's Fair, which raised $91,000, Alice in Wonderland character strolls the fairgrounds with parishioner Victoria Crosby.
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The Office of Communication Ministry oversees media relations, office technology and databases, multimedia production, digital and print publishing and new media networking.
Long Island's push for new ways to be in mission and outreach even included the introduction of smartphone "QR Codes," which are printed in The Dominion diocesan newspaper, circulated to 15,000 households, on flyers and other printed resources, so smartphone users can quickly connect to and bookmark the diocese's website and Facebook page. The new codes are implemented for the diocese by JARdigitalworks of N.J.
And during the year, St. John's of Lattingtown demonstrated its own creative response for doing ministry. It built on its good reputation in the community and hosted a fair with an Alice in Wonderland theme. A huge turnout raised $91,000.00 for outreach. (Yes, the decimal point is in the right place.)
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| Diocese of New Jersey ... One Book Program | The Committee on Lifelong Christian Formation invites you - and everyone! - in the Diocese of New Jersey to read and discuss one book in 2011: Kenda Creasy Dean's Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers Is Telling the American Church.
Almost Christian investigates why American teenagers are so positive about Christianity and at the same time so apathetic about genuine religious practice. Dean found that the most committed young Christians shared four traits:
- they could tell a personal and powerful story about God;
- they belonged to a significant faith community;
- they exhibited a sense of vocation; and
- they possessed a profound sense of hope.
Based on this, Dean proposes an approach to Christian education that places the idea of mission at its core and offers a wealth of concrete suggestions for inspiring teens to live more authentically engaged Christian lives.
Read Almost Christian as a parish, or as a ministry, convocation, clericus, or diocesan committee, or with ecumenical colleagues in your town or city. Discuss Almost Christian in a parish book club, study group, Sunday morning forum, or as a Lent book. Include younger Christians in your discussions. Almost Christian has powerful themes that are sure to provoke engagement with youth and emerging adults. Buy the book at amazon.com or from an independent bookseller. Check out guides and suggestions for group discussions. Visit Kenda Dean's website. Have a look at the One Book blog featuring Bishop George Councell and other voices from around the Diocese of New Jersey. Want more information? Contact the Reverend Gregory Bezilla: bezilla@rci.rutgers.edu
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Diocese of New York
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The Rt. Rev. Mark S. Sisk.
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Bishops Signal Changes at Top
[from the Episcopal New Yorker] Delegates to the 234th diocesan convention at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine Nov. 13 heard The Rt. Rev. Mark S. Sisk call for the election on Oct. 29,2011 of a bishop coadjutor to be his eventual replacement, and Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam announce that she would retire effective Jan 1, 2012.
Towards the end of a wide-ranging address, Bishop Sisk expressed the belief "that the time has come in the life of the diocese to look further along the journey that stretches so promisingly before us, further tha
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The Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam
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n I can travel with you." At the same time he observed that for now "he is not going anywhere," as the election cycle of a bishop coadjutor takes several years to complete.
In her own lively address later in the day, the Bishop Roskam announced that she would be retiring as Bishop Suffragan of the diocese at the end of 2011, following the election of the coadjutor. When she was consecrated bishop in 1996, Bishop Roskam was the first female bishop in the Diocese of New York and only the fourth female Episcopal bishop in the entire United States. She will celebrate the 15th anniversary of her consecration in 2011. As Bishop Suffragan she has oversight of the 66 Episcopal congregations of Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties.
Mission Brings Growth at St. Thomas'
By Ann Vance
On a Friday afternoon in mid-November, a line of people formed outside a tiny parish hall at a quiet crossroad near the New York/Connecticut. Inside, in a whirlwind of cheerful bilingual activity, volunteers at the pantry "Food of Life/Comida de Vida" took and filled orders, gave children toys and books, passed along gently used clothing, and laughed at a lot of jokes. By the end of the afternoon, food for more than 1,800 meals had been distributed.
In the process of providing food for the hungry, the life of St. Thomas', Church, Amenia Union, has been transformed from a position just a few years ago where a lot of people though the church was closed, and the congregation shrunk to fewer than a dozen, to one where all through the area know who they are, and most Sundays, the pews are crowded." While many things prompted this change-a dedicated core of parishioners, an energetic, inspiring priest, a beautiful historic building-the most important was the call to a new "feeding" mission. And in the process of growing, the congregation has successfully made the transition from a Congregation Support Plan parish to one that is financially self-sufficient.
 Parishioners date the change to 2006, a transitional year when the parish faced dwindling numbers and money worries, and was searching for a new priest. Those involved remember it as a time of soul searching and discouragement. Things began to change when the Rev. Betsy Fisher, a potential candidate and sometime visiting priest, asked the vestry a crucial question: what is the church's mission? "Sometimes parishes get caught up in an endless cycle of fundraising to make the budget and keep the doors open, just to do more fundraising, like a hamster on a wheel," says Fisher, St. Thomas' full-time vicar since 2007. "It has to be about more than that."
The parish took a leap of faith, doubled its pledge commitments, and called Fisher to lead them in a new mission of providing food for the hungry. With very small numbers and very few resources, St. Thomas' relied on ingenuity and collaboration with outside funders and the community to begin its work. A grant from Trinity Wall Street enabled the parish to build three raised beds on the church grounds for growing fresh vegetables, which are often expensive and hard to obtain even in rural areas. Church members took the produce to a food pantry in nearby Connecticut for distribution, and soon saw a way to multiply donations by inviting other gardeners in the community to bring their excess vegetables for inclusion in the weekly drop-off.
The remarkable thing, Fisher notes, is that church growth, too, has soared, but not precisely as expected. While the number of people sitting in the pews has tripled over a few years ago, new members have not come only from among the food pantry volunteers or people who have found the church through seeking help. "What we see is that people who are looking for some kind of deeper meaning in their lives-a place to practice faith-hear about what we are doing and think, 'This is the kind of place where I want to belong,'" Fisher says. Many new members become involved in outreach efforts after they join; but it seems it is the faith-based nature of the program, rather than the program itself, that has prompted them to join. Moreover, new church members have become involved in church life across a broad base: becoming altar guild members, working on church beautification, taking part in study groups and prayer groups, while also supporting the outreach efforts that may have been their first contact with St. Thomas'. "It is as basic as the passage in Matthew 25: 'When I was hungry, you fed me, when I was naked, you clothed me, when I was in prison, you visited me,'" she says. "The basic lessons Jesus gave us about how to be a Christian still speak to people."
Vance is senior warden of St. Thomas' Church, Amenia Union
The full article is in The Episcopal New Yorker
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Diocese of Newark
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Companions in Ministry
The Episcopal Dioceses of Panama and Newark have been in a companion diocese relationship since 2006. In this documentary, produced for the January 2011 annual convention of the Diocese of Newark, The Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith of Newark, The Rt. Rev. Julio Murray of Panama and others describe the joint ministries undertaken during that time and explore possibilities for future joint efforts.
Pictured here are Bishops Beckwith and Murray visiting a school in Panama. Christ Church in Newton, NJ has made several trips to Panama, including a youth mission trip.
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| Diocese of Rochester... |
Beyond the Greatest Expectationsby The Very Rev. J. Brad Benson and Jim ErnstThe Southeast District set as its 2010 goal to raise $5,000 for
 | | Barbara Fowler, ERD coordinator for St. Thomas, Bath, and the Very Rev'd J. Brad Benson, dean of the Diocese of Rochester Southeast District holding checks from the nine parishes of the district. |
a water well in Nicaragua. Well, they didn't raise that amount, they raised $6,000. This project came about after members of the Southeast District raised over $5,000 for Episcopal Relief and Development's Nets for Life in 2009 and saw that a water well project was an option in the 2010 Gifts for Life Catalog. The Southeast District is in the southern tier of the Diocese of Rochester, and consists of 9 rural parishes. Most of the District is economically challenged, but when it comes to their generosity they aren't lacking. Most of the parishes had to get creative in order to raise the money they wanted. St. Luke's in Branchport passed around empty water bottles and asked their parishioners to go around collecting dimes, of which they managed to collect over 4,000. The district is in the process of planning their project for 2011 but is also hoping to work with ERD on seeing the well build project from start to finish. The Episcopal Diocese of Rochester is dedicated to providing a radically inclusive community where we strive to build mission and ministry in not only our local community but in the greater world.
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Diocese of the Virgin Islands
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Episcopalian Receives the Virgin Islands (UK) Badge of Honour
[From the website of the Diocese of the Virgin Islands, where the full article is posted] Four persons received the BVI Badge of Honour at an Investiture Ceremony that was held in their honour at Government House. Mrs. Eugenie Donovan Glasgow, Mrs. Romalia Smith, Mr. Realdis Todman and Mr. J.C. Pierce, received the BVI Badge of Honour from His Excellency the Governor, Mr. David Pearey. The Governor said, "Today, we have before us four exceedingly worthy recipients who are being rewarded and honoured for very different reasons but the one linking factor between the recipients of this award is the simple idea of service to the community and each one of these four have served the community very notably."
He explained that, "The Badge of Honour may be presented to a Virgin Islander, or a person who has been an ordinary resident in the British Virgin Islands for not less than 10 years prior to the date of the award, and has provided entrepreneurial goods and or services within the Territory for over 20 years; served as an outstanding public servant with a notable degree of integrity and a high standard of service; performed a life threatening act of bravery; given notable humanitarian service to others in the community for a significant number of years; given meritorious voluntary service in Non- Governmental Organisations, or exceptional business or professional service to the community; and has been instrumental in bringing about significant changes within the public service. Additionally, the recipient must be a respectable, law abiding citizen and will not be barred to recommendation based on the possession of other honours."
Many persons in the village of Sea Cow's Bay attest to the self sacrificial efforts and community contributions made by Mr. Realdis Todman over many years.
Born on Leonard's Estate, later moving to the Meyers/Chalwell area, Realdis relocated to Sea Cow's Bay where he was nurtured and cared for by Mrs. Ceta Rawleigh, his godmother. Despite only receiving formal education to the primary level, Realdis developed skills in carpentry, steel bending and butchery, which he fine tuned over the years and used in service to the Sea Cow's Bay community and surrounding villages. Hard work and his caring attitude epitomised his contributions.
As far back as the early 1950's Mr. Todman involved himself with assisting many community members with the construction of homes and furniture. This was a highly needed but very scarce skill during those days, one that Mr. Todman used to assist in developing the Sea Cow's Bay community.
Realdis was also known for his butchery skills and worked as community butcher at one of the BVI's early grocery and butcher shops. For many years he supplied meat to most of the BVI community until being forced to retire due to an injury.
Despite injury, Mr. Todman, continued his lifelong service to the St. Paul Anglican Church, now the St. Paul's Episcopal Church, as Acolyte, Senior Warden Lay preacher, Choir member, carpenter and as a member of the Altar Guild. In these many positions, he has continued his community service by ministering to the community and in the upkeep and maintenance of the church.
A avid sports lover of baseball, softball and horseracing and grounded in BVI culture as a member of the Christmas fungi band of Sea Cow's Bay and Christmas carolling group for many years, Mr. Todman remains a rare British Virgin Island gem quietly making a difference in his corner of our society.
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Diocese of Western New York
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Bishop-Elect William Franklin
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The Diocese of Western New York has just elected its eleventh bishop. Founded in 1839, the diocese has been served by ten bishops. The Rt. Rev. J. Michael Garrison, the current bishop, was consecrated in April of 1999. Bishop-Elect Dr. R. William Franklin, 63, currently serves as the Senior Associate at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, PA, where he has been since July, 2010. Pending a successful consent process, Bishop Elect Franklin will be consecrated on Saturday, April 30, 2011. The Ordination of the Eleventh Bishop of WNY will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at the University of Buffalo Center for the Arts. This venue can accommodate up to 2,700 guests. Members of parishes, family, friends and visiting clergy are invited to attend. The consecration will be a ticketed event. Further
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The Rt. Rev. Michael Garrison
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information about tickets will be available in early 2011. A public reception in the Arts Center Atrium will immediately follow the service. Check the website for more information. There will be a celebration of the ministry of The Rt. Rev. J Michael Garrison on Sunday, March 6, 2011, 3:00 p.m. at St. Paul's Cathedral in Buffalo, NY. The Rt. Rev. Jack Croneberger, retired bishop of Newark, will be the celebrant. A reception and dinner will follow. Information about the events may be found on the website of the diocese.
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| Canon Petero A. N. Sabune Named Africa Partnership Officer |  [from ENS]The Rev. Canon Petero A. N. Sabune has been named Africa partnership officer for the Episcopal Church. Working from the New York-based Episcopal Church Center, Sabune will serve as a liaison for the church and its partners in Africa. He succeeds the Rev. Emmanuel Sserwadda, who left the church center April 2, 2010. "I look forward to joining the mission team at the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, to carry out the Great Commission and the great commandment 'upon this rock I will build my church,'" Sabune said. "I can't wait to visit and share what Jesus is doing here with our sisters and brothers in Africa and then bringing 'good news of great joy' from the African continent." Most recently Sabune, 57, through the Diocese of New York, served as pastor and protestant chaplain at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, a New York state maximum security prison in Ossining. He is a former member of Executive Council, where he served as the Episcopal Church representative to the Anglican Church of Canada. He has been chair of both the Province II Immigration and the Prison Ministry networks; and was a General Convention deputy in 1994 and 1997. Internationally, he is a trustee of the Episcopal Seminary in Haiti; was a founding board member of the Business and Technology Institute of Haiti; and was chair of the Forgiveness and Reconciliation Project. Read the full story...Contact information: The Rev. Petero A.N. Sabune Officer for Africa New York, NY (212) 716-6072
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Look for a special conference issue soon...and an Event on our Facebook page...and then the next issue in the spring. Network chairs - let me know what's going on and I can send out event information for you!
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Comments, questions and suggestions? Email Communications Officer for Province II, Jan Paxton
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