Very often the best ideas come from the grassroots.  St. Francis Episcopal Church in Fair Oaks, California, is the sponsoring parish for Berkeley Divinity School senior seminarian, Janine Schenone, a 2011 SIM grant recipient and this year's William G. Andersen, Jr. named scholar. On Janine's recent summer visit back home for candidacy interviews, St. Francis parishioners, aware that Janine was strapped for education funds, asked a simple question, "Janine, why don't your friends in the parish buy your required textbooks for the upcoming year?"

From Janine's required reading list, parishioners selected books they wanted to buy for her. Parishioners became engaged in a deeper way in Janine's seminary education. Soon Janine received an invitation to her own "Happy Reading" party, complete with a "Happy Reading" cake and the presentation of a check to cover the fall semester's book expenses-"a very touching and inspiring experience," according to Janine.

SIM's response to this tangible and significant win/win "Buy a Book for a Seminarian": "Why not advocate for our other ninety-eight 2011 SIM recipients?"  We wrote their sponsoring rectors describing "Buy a Book for a Seminarian" that offers personal participation in the support of their seminarians.

 

Now we offer "Buy a Book for a Seminarian" to you. Episcopalians can make a tangible investment in the education of a future ordained leader of The Episcopal Church by covering the costs of one seminarian's books per year.  The costs of textbooks have been skyrocketing and can run up bills of $1,500 or more per year.  At Berkeley Divinity School, Janine's average cost for her senior year textbooks was $22 per book. Some necessary key reference books for building a priest's library can cost between $70 and $100 per book.

A donation to SIM will support grants to seminarians that help meet the costs of attending seminary.  Now, at the beginning of the academic year, is a great time to "Buy a Book for a Seminarian".  This simple investment will result in the significant return of priests educated in Bible, church history, doctrine, ethics and theology and trained in preaching, pastoral care, and liturgical practices.

 

Please send your donation to SIM, 924 Farmington Ave, #100, West Hartford, CT 06107 or you may donate securely online on our web site at

www.simministry.org.

Faithfully,