Just like here in the US, it is difficult for children to focus and learn without the necessities of daily life and the necessary tools of learning. The cost for the first term school supplies and equipment is approximately $3,500. Each US dollar equals 2,500 Uganda shillings.Every dollar raised goes a long way toward providing daily needs for these precious children. 

www.mustardseedproject.org

  

Now that the worst of the winter weather is upon us, there is no better time to look forward to summertime and Sheldon Calvary Camp. 

Session I	1 week	June 15-21
Session II	1 week	June 22-28
Ready, Set, Camp!	3 nights	June 29-July 2
Day Camp	Weekdays	June 30-July 4
Session III	1 week	July 6-12
Session IV	2 weeks	July 13-26
Session V	1 week	July 27-August 2
Family Camp I	1 week	August 3-9
Family Camp II	1 week	August 10-16
Labor Day Camp	3 Nights	August 29-September 1

 

Since January 2011, a collaboration of organizations have been involved in piloting Service Access for Youth (SAY), a drop-in program for unaccompanied youth 18 - 24 years old who find themselves homeless in Pittsburgh. The mission of SAY is to "provide opportunities for education, services and empowerment in a respectful, non-judgmental environment for young people experiencing homelessness."

 

As part of the collaboration, the Homeless Children Education Fund (HCEF) provides volunteers and interns that support this mission and works to make sure that there is something there for them to eat.

 

Children are considered homeless if they lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence as defined by the federal McKinney-Vento Act, a federal bill that was first enacted in 1987 to ensure that children and youth experiencing homelessness could stay in school.

 

SAY is open on Monday 4 - 7 p.m., Tuesday 4 - 7 p.m., Wednesdays 12 - 3 p.m., and Thursdays 4 - 7 p.m.

 

An essential way you or your parish can help is to help provide good nutritious meals.  This may be the only meal the youth will have that day. HCEF is looking for meal sponsors willing to make a monthly commitment.  Choose one or more days to provide a meal.  There are two plans to choose from:

• Meal Plan A 
• Your congregation can choose to plan, cook, and deliver a meal for 12-15 young people. 
• Meals are to be delivered to the Gay Lesbian Community Center (GLCC) at 201 Grant Street, Downtown Pittsburgh no later than 4 PM on the sponsored meal day.          
• Meal Plan B
• You or your parish can choose to financially support a meal by collecting funds and sending them directly to the HCEF. They will arrange to have a meal delivered and will let the youth know who is sponsoring the food.    
• Minimum suggested financial contribution - $25

Here's how you can help:            

1. Please pray for all of our homeless children and youth
2. Choose a day to sponsor a meal from either Plan A or Plan B
3. Contact Lori Stebler at 586-713-8339 or Susy Robison at HCEF at 412-576-4996
4. Notify HCEF of your day(s), meal plan, and contact person name, phone number, and email (if available)
5. Please keep praying and know that you are making a difference in a homeless child's life

  

The Sisters of St. Joseph and St. Titus Parish are co-sponsoring a prayer service on Friday, January 10, at 11 a.m. in Aliquippa. 

The service will take place in the parking lot of St. Titus Church on Sheffield Avenue where, a month ago to the date, Sr. Mary Morgan was assaulted. The site of the incident will be blessed and prayers will be offered for all victims and perpetrators of violence. 

This public call for nonviolence is in keeping with the Gospel values of peace through justice and the Sisters' mission of bringing all people together as one with God.

The Episcopal Church Foundation is offering a variety of web conferences this winter to assist congregations in developing leadership and financial resources. They are designed for clergy and lay leaders.

Upcoming webinars include:

• Vestry Orientation (Jan. 7 and Feb. 18, 7-8 p.m.) This web conference will help you understand roles, responsibilities and best practices for vestries.
• Transformation by Capital Campaign (Jan. 28, 7-8 p.m.) This webinar will share the secrets of conducting a capital campaign successfully, and how the process can have long lasting positive influences on stewardship, lay leadership and focused vision.
• Vision & Planning (Feb. 4, 7-8 p.m.) What is the difference between a congregation's "mission" and its "vision"? This web conference focuses on the basic principles of a vision and planning process.
• Basics of Parish Finances (Feb. 5, 7-8 p.m.) This workshop will offer a broad overview of the most important aspects of parish finance and will share how your parish can improve in this vital aspect of its mission.
• Year Round Stewardship: Talking About Money When You're Not Asking for It (Feb. 11, 7-8 p.m.) In this webinar focusing on the intersection of personal financial wellness and personal stewardship, you will learn how to engage discussion and reflection as a way to develop an individual theology of stewardship. Practical budgeting and saving skills for your parish and community also are included.
• Basics of Endowments (March 5, 7-8 p.m.) This workshop reviews basic principles and best practices for endowment management.
• Communications for Episcopal Leaders (March 6, 7-8 p.m.) This web conference will explore basic principles and best practices for building engagement within and beyond the congregation, and communicating effectively around major decisions and/or changes in the life of the congregation.
• Debt: What it is, its impact and what to do with it (March 12, 7-8 p.m.) Does your church have debt? Are there different types of debt? Is there "good" debt? How does it impact your mission? We will discuss these central themes and review strategies for debt reduction or elimination as well as opportunities to bring the congregation together around common goals.
• Leading a Major Change (April 8, 7-8 p.m.) Leading change can be one of the most rewarding - and challenging - aspects of lay and clergy leadership in Episcopal congregations. This web conference focuses on general principles and best practices for leading a change process effectively.

 

The Executive Council Subcommittee on the Location of the Episcopal Church Center has issued a survey and is inviting Episcopalians to offer their input.

 

In announcing the survey the subcommittee notes, "In 2012, the General Convention expressed its desire that the Episcopal Church Center be moved out of its current building located at 815 Second Ave. in New York City. In response to this call, the Executive Council has charged a subcommittee to explore and report back options for the relocation of the Episcopal Church's staff. This survey will gather broad input from the Church in choosing a future that best serves the mission and ministry of our Church."

 

The survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EpiscopalLocationSurvey

 

The deadline to take the survey is Jan. 19.

5910 Babcock Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15237

The Rev. Cheryl V. Minor, Ph.D.
Godly Play Foundation Trainer

Early Registration $295, Standard Registration $360. 

(Early registration are those received four or more weeks before the training date.)

To know what Godly Play looks like, visit one of our Godly Play classrooms in the Diocese of Pittsburgh - at St. Michael's of the Valley, Ligonier; St. Andrew's, Highland Park; St. Stephen's, Wilkinsburg; St. Brendan's, Franklin Park; Christ Church, North Hills.

    

Bishop McConnell was the guest preacher on Sunday, December 29, 2014, at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, UK. +Dorsey's sermon can be found here.