The Episcopal Church Office of Communication, in collaboration with The Living Church Foundation, has issued a White Paper to guide congregations and to assist them in marketing and advertising efforts as part of their evangelism initiatives.

Marketing Your Parish: Advertising Best Practices for Effective Evangelism is available at no fee here.

"We're working to equip Episcopal parishes with skills needed for evangelism in the 21st century," commented Anne Rudig, Episcopal Church Director of Communication.

Based on articles written by the Rev. Jake Dell that first appeared in the September 2012 and the January 2013 issues of The Living Church, the White Paper is geared to both congregations that are just starting with their marketing-as-evangelism plans, including websites and social media, and to those with established marketing campaigns who wish to learn more.

To all willing workers of the Diocese:

We are very pleased to announce that we will be partnering again with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh to renovate another house for a deserving family. Recall the fulfillment and fellowship in the spring and summer of 2010, when the Social Justice and Outreach Committee of the Diocese sponsored the renovation of a house in Sharpsburg for a refugee family from Somalia? The next house, also in Sharpsburg, is a three-story, five-bedroom, three-bath, single-family house located on Clifton Street.

The family that has been selected includes five children ages 6 to 18. Both parents are employed, the mother at Giant Eagle and the father at the Omni William Penn Hotel downtown. The family immigrated to the United States in 2008 from a refugee camp in Tanzania. They are currently living in overcrowded and unsafe public housing in Northview Heights.

As the parish commitment form indicates, the diocese is asking churches to commit time, talent and treasure towards this project. Please give prayerful consideration to not only the number of volunteers and workdays, but also the financial commitment. Our goal is to contribute the $30,000 needed for the renovation and we already have $11,800 in preliminary commitments.

Work days, mainly on Saturdays, are scheduled starting February 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and continuing through June when the house is expected to be completed. Twelve workers are needed each Saturday (except Holy Week), and arrangements can be made to work during the week upon request. There are liability limits for youth under 16 years old, but we are considering creative ways young people can participate.

Bishop McConnell will visit us on Saturday, March 16 to bless us, our work, the family and the home to be. All participants are urged to join us that day.

Completed commitment forms should be mailed to Nancy Lapp, Chair of the Social Justice and Outreach Committee, 4625 Fifth Avenue, Apt. 805, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or faxed to the attention of Nancy Lapp at 412-363-3260.

Requests for parish work days should go to Sue DeWalt at sdewalt@verizon.net or 412-731-0162.

Questions about the project can be directed to Mark Rust, a board member of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh, at mrust@aol.com or 412-224-2352.

We look forward to your participation in this exciting project.

The Social Justice and Outreach Committee 

of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh

Grants

The Diocese of Pittsburgh's Episcopal Church Women (ECW) will again be making outreach grants in the Spring.

The ECW particularly seeks to support "hands-on-ministries" that help children, adults and families in need of assistance with food, nutrition, health care, housing, education and counseling.

The grants are primarily designed for ministries within the diocese and with the goal of even distribution across all districts. It is hoped that these small grants will enable the continuation of existing ministries on the local level. However, the ECW will continue its policy of also awarding grants to some national and international ministries such as ERD.

Click here for the grant application and submission instructions. Applications for the Spring 2013 grants must be submitted before April 1st.

Scholarships

The ECW established the Memorial Membership Fund to aid students with educational grants. The fund was begun in 1927 to be used for two missionary training scholarships. In the 84 years of its existence, the scope of the fund has widened to include nursing, theology and other humanitarian fields of study.

Funds are raised through gifts from individuals or groups in memory of a loved one or friend. This money is invested and the interest used for the granting purposes.

Each applicant must: 

• be an Episcopalian in good standing (active) in a parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh,
• have completed one year of college or the equivalent,
• be pursuing education in either church or humanitarian related fields,
• submit an application, including a letter stating goals and need, and
• submit a reference letter from their parish priest.

The Memorial Membership Committee will consider each request based on individual need and circumstances. Scholarships are completely unencumbered and may be used as needed to aid the recipient in achieving their educational goals. Each eligible applicant is able to apply once a year for three years.

The applications must be received prior to April 1, 2013. The application form is available online by clicking here.

For additional information please contact Nancy Kenny at 724-325-4769.