Good Friday offering for Jerusalem and Middle East

 

"The Episcopal Church has been in partnership with the Diocese of Jerusalem for a very long time," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori writes in the annual Good Friday letter to all congregations asking them to consider assistance for Jerusalem and the Middle East.

 

Funds collected from the Good Friday Offering are gathered and distributed to the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East which includes the Dioceses of Jerusalem and Cyprus and the Gulf, all members of the Anglican Communion. 

 

Information and resources for the Good Friday Offering

 

For more information contact the Rev. Canon Robert Edmunds, Episcopal Church Middle East Partnership Officer, redmunds@episcopalchurch.org.

 

The following is the Presiding Bishop's full letter:

 

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

 

The Episcopal Church has been in partnership with the Diocese of Jerusalem for a very long time.  Since 1922, we have taken an offering in our churches on Good Friday to support the work of the gospel in the Land of the Holy One.  That Land is still the place of deep division and conflict, more than 2000 years after the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.  He and his earthly family suffered under threat of oppressive regimes, fled as refugees to another land, labored to supply their bodily needs in the face of dire economic realities, and he himself was executed as an enemy of the state.  All of those realities are present today in the Anglican
/Episcopal Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

 

The offering we collect on Good Friday carries on the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, through support for the many ministries of healing, feeding, and teaching among the dioceses of the Province.  Refugees are cared for, the sick and injured are healed, the dead are buried, children educated, women empowered by these ministries - and all are welcomed with open arms, like Abraham and Sarah's guests.  Jesus cared for all in need, without regard for nationality or creed, and these ministries do the same.  It is the work of shalom and salaam, building peace in the hearts of suffering individuals and communities.

 

I urge you to learn more, to pray for the people of the Land of the Holy One, and to give generously this year.  I would encourage us all to use the fast of Lent to focus on the hunger (both spiritual and physical) of these peoples, and contribute out of our abundance and our poverty.

 

May our offering this year strengthen the bonds among all God's people, and bless each one with concrete and eternal signs of more abundant life.

 

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

 

Courageous Men's Bible Study and Support Group

 

Sexual Addiction:  It's as likely to be found in the church as out of the church. Regular participation in your home church does not prevent you from using and abusing pornography. Research indicates that porn brings in $57B/year, more than pro football, basketball and baseball.  

 

The Courageous Men's Bible Study and Support Group is a new collaboration between the congregations of Reynoldsburg (OH) United Methodist Church and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Pickerington (OH).  In this men's Bible study and support group we seek to share and understand what is expected of us as men of faith as fathers, husbands, partners or single. We seek to provide support, accountability and a safe place to discuss our challenges of sexual addictions as we share and learn about the power of God in our lives and our families' lives. The reach of addiction is beyond ourselves, impacting those we love and care for. 

 

"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend" ~ Proverbs 27:17

 

Courageous Men's Bible Study & Support Group begins Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. The group will meet every second & fourth Tuesday of the month at the Reynoldsburg Branch of Columbus Metropolitan Library, 1402 Brice Rd., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. Facilitators are Justin Wright and Dave Pagura. Any questions please contact Justin Wright at juwright1980@gmail.com.

Fellowship Program Introductory Webinar

 

Are you passionate about protecting the environment as a person of faith?  If yes - the GreenFaith Fellowship Program is for you.

 

June 15 is the annual application deadline for the program - our 18-month, interfaith education and training program for religious-environmental leaders.

 

Over 150 leaders - from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Unitarian traditions - make up the Fellowship community.  They're from 35 states, 3 Canadian Provinces, Europe and Africa.

 

GreenFaith is offering a webinar to introduce the Fellowship Program to potential applicants on Thursday, March 26 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET.

 

Register for the webinar.  Register even if you can't attend - we'll send you a link to the webinar recording.

 

Learn about the Fellowship Program.

 

Application materials are available by clicking here.

 

GreenFaith Fellows:

• Deepen their knowledge and skills as religious-environmental leaders
• Attend three retreats of four days length on themes of spirituality, stewardship and justice in relation to the Earth
• Write an eco-theological statement that connects personal experience, spiritual traditions, and the natural world
• Participate in monthly webinars where they engage with cutting-edge leaders
• Carry out a leadership project tailored for their own setting
• Connect with the emerging and established leaders of the religious-environmental movement

As the Human Services Finance committee finishes reviewing the Ohio 2016 Biennial Budget, there will be a hearing on March 18 at 2:30 p.m. to hear final testimony. Diocesan representatives, along with other religious and social services agencies, have composed a panel to provide testimony as to the need to increase the amount of funding for social services (there is currently a significant decrease planned in the budget). We are asking those who can, to come to the hearing to put a face to those who most need the social services the state is planning to cut.  For any questions, please contact The Rev Deniray Mueller at 614.668.6036 or deniray@deniray.com.

Play opens us up to joy, new possibilities, and creativity. What might happen if the church took up PLAY as a spiritual practice? What if we played together and imagined a new church into being? 

If you are interested in learning more about fresh expressions, being part of some inspiring worship, or just want to have fun, you won't want to miss this gathering. PLAY is for everyone, young and old, musicians and artists, lay and ordained, people who love the church and those who don't. We invite you and members of your community to join us for this experience! Don't miss this opportunity to PLAY! 

More info: http://praxiscommunities.org/conferences/play/

Last Things: Program explores death and burial planning

 

Procter Conference Center

Saturday, April 18

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

Woody Allen once quipped, "It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens."

 

Many of us feel the same way. Even so, the Church encourages us to grapple with the reality of our "last things." There's good reason for this: the time of death is always a crisis. For each one of us who lives on, the death of those we care for is (to one degree or another) a painful and traumatic experience. It's an event that changes the landscape of our lives, for the rest of our lives.

 

And yet, despite its inevitability, we tend to come to death not only suffering from natural grief, but unprepared. The crisis, then, deepens and becomes even more painful as we are forced to do what we don't want to do, and to make decisions for which we have not planned. The spiritual, emotional and financial repercussions can be immense.

 

The time to think and talk with one another about death is now - instead of waiting for the moment of crisis. Such preplanning is a prudent and loving act that yields a multitude of blessings - now, and

The Rev. Charlie Brumbaugh

in the hour of our death.

 

The Affirmative Aging Commission invites you - whether you are nineteen or ninety-nine - to join the Rev. Charlie Brumbaugh at the Procter Center for Last Things, an exploration of these issues on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost of $15 per person covers the whole program and lunch. Please register by April 4 at www.diosohio.org.

 

There will be much to learn and many stories to tell as we consider Christian perspectives on death, grief, burial practices, rites of burial and stewardship in death. It's our hope that by the time you drive home, you'll be well on your way to making wise and loving decisions about what is to happen upon your death. We are confident that you'll find this seminar not only informative and useful, but also thought-provoking and, yes, even fun!

 

Planning for Tomorrow Conference

 

Lay Employees: Thursday, April 30, 2015

Clergy: Friday, May 1, 2015

 

The Planning for Tomorrow conference sponsored by the Church Pension Group (CPG) is a great opportunity for both clergy and lay to learn and plan for their financial future. Spouses and partners are also encouraged to attend. CPG subsidizes the cost of the conference - and also subsidizes child care and elder care costs.

 

We strongly encourage lay employees to attend this conference and we strongly encourage that they be granted paid time off to attend.

 

No matter your stage of life, it's a unique chance for you and your spouse or partner to understand your current and future benefits, manage your finances, plan for your future, and improve your overall financial wellness.

 

To register:

 

Lay employees register here

 

Clergy register here