The Grapevine - Fall 1999 Volume 6, Number 3

United Thank Offering News
L. Marie Williams
Province II Representative, UTO Committee

The United Thank Offering Committee met in August at Meier Lake Conference Center, Wasilla, Alaska. Meier Lake is an Episcopal Conference Center on a lake between two mountain ranges. Rustic but conducive to getting lots of work done. We were preparing for the 2000 Triennial meeting and being brought up to date on all of the sub- committee work. We were able to visit several sites that have received grants and were a part of the rededication of "Wings of the Spirit", the diocesan airplane.

The UTO now has a web site. Those of you who have computers can log on to get the latest UTO information. The URL is <http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/uto/>

Fall packets were mailed in September. Check with your clergy person or parish administrator/secretary. The packet includes the 1999 grant list and some new materials for use with children in Sunday School, along with other information that will be helpful in planning your Ingathering.

United Thank Offering scarves are still available and can be ordered from me or from Beth Jett, Scarves, 9 Deepwood Drive, Lexington, KY 40505. The cost is $20. Send your check with your order and they will be mailed to you. They are beautiful.

My sincere thanks to all of you who promote the United Thank Offering in your dioceses and parishes.

In thanksgiving,
L. Marie Williams

--Return to Contents

Children's Ministries Conference Comes to the Northeast
Nancy Wart
Diocese of CNY

Might lives be transformed through nurturing and ministering to and with children? Could the ministry of Jesus Christ through a child transform us? The Episcopal Church says "Yes!" Embracing children in ways expressed in The Children's Charter for the Church, adopted at the 1997 General Convention ultimately transforms lives and communities. (The Children's Charter is available on the Youth Ministries web site at <http://www.dfms.org/myp/charter.html>)

Living the Children's Charter: Transforming Lives is a major conference on children's ministries that will be held at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool, NY (outside Syracuse) from March 3-5, 2000. Over the course of the weekend participants and workshop leaders will form an intentional community to explore ways in which lives might be transformed through living out the ideals of the Children's Charter for the Church. This exiting event is modeled after the Episcopal Church's national children's ministries conference held last year at Camp Allen in Texas.

Nationally recognized experts and advocates for children's ministries such as the Rev. Joseph Russell, author of several books including the New Prayer Book Guide to Christian Education, the Rev. Robyn Szoke, national officer of Children's Ministries for the Episcopal Church, co-authors Susan Graham Walker and Janet Marshall Eibner of God, Kids and Us!, and Gretchen Wolfe Pritchard of the Sunday Paper, will join with educators and liturgists from across the country to offer more than two dozen workshops as well as worship and liturgies that capture the hearts of young and old alike. As an added bonus, participants will be able to walk a sacred journey on the labyrinth.

This dynamic conference is designed to offer practical "how-tos" and plenty of opportunities for hands-on experience of the many programs and resources available for children's ministries. Christian educators, clergy, musicians, child advocates, liturgists and anyone who cares about the well-being of children will not want to miss this event. Parishes are encouraged to send teams to participate.

Brochures and registration materials are available now. The early registration deadline is Epiphany, January 6, 2000. Teams of two o more can register for $170 per person. All single registrations and team registrations from January 7 to February 9 are $200 per person. For more information or to receive a registration packet please contact Nancy Wart, the Diocese of Central New York, 315-474-6596 or e-mail her cnynancy@aol.com.

--Return to Contents

The Sisters of St. Gregory

The Bishop: Will you who witness this new beginning support and uphold Sister Clare in her ministry?
Assembly: We will!
With these words the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion gained a new religious community for women: The Sisters of St. Gregory. On a sweltering Saturday afternoon, July 24th, in a packed chapel at Graymoor, the Garrison, New York motherhouse of the Friars of the Atonement (RC), the Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam, Bishop Suffragan of New York and first Episcopal Visitor to the Sisters of Saint Gregory, instituted Sr. Clare Connell as the new community's first superior.

This Festival Holy Eucharist came as the culmination of the week-long Annual Convocation of the Brotherhood of St. Gregory, the parent order of the SSG, which was itself celebrating its 30th anniversary of foundation. The friars of the Brotherhood enjoyed the first formal Visitation by their new Episcopal Visitor, the Rt. Rev. Rodney R. Michel, Bishop Suffragan of Long Island, who spent the entire week with the brothers, praying, relaxing, holding conferences with each one, and impressing all with his gift of pastoral care.

Annual Convocation began with a retreat in the form of a panel discussion entitled "Community Life: Gregorian Perspectives." Four friars and two sisters delivered presentations on facets of the community's interpretation of the historic religious life, followed by animated small group discussion. At the General Chapter on July 21, 1999, the Brotherhood receive the formal request of the Chapter of the Companion Sisterhood of Saint Gregory for autonomy. After twelve years of focused development with the Brotherhood, the sisters were ready to begin their own life as a self-governing religious community, standing side by side with the Brotherhood as fellow pilgrims on the Gregorian Way. The brothers received their request with mixed emotions - many friars had never known a time when sisters were not a part of their life in community - and, with tears of joy and sadness together, the friars' Chapter voted unanimously to grant autonomy to the Sisters of Saint Gregory. Other Chapter business included major restructuring of the Rule, Constitution and Customary of the Brotherhood and the enthusiastic approval of further participation in the formation of the National Association of Episcopal Christian Communities.

--Return to Contents

Let's Go Florence: Images of the Incarnation
By Judith Milone, from an article in The Episcopal New Yorker

"Andiamo" (Italian for "let's go") was not often used by the Rev. Dr. Frederick Shriver in his long tenure as professor of church history at the General Theological Seminary in Manhattan. But he certainly puts it to use -- as well as the rest of his considerable Italian vocabulary -- during the two-week study retreats he has led over the past dozen years to Florence, Italy. These study retreats are sponsored by General Theological Seminary and St. James Episcopal Church, Florence.
"The religious art of Tuscany and Umbria is one of the supreme treasures of the western world," states Shriver, recently retired after 27 years at GTS. "The living power of this art has continued to spiritually feed countless visitors to these works." While viewing such works found in churches and museums, refectory walls and cloister hallways, Shriver urges his participants to pick an image from the treasure trove of Renaissance Italy that speaks to them. He then encourages them to stay with it, pray with it, meditate on it and explore what the image says about the nature of the divine as well as humanity. Trip participants include seminarians, GTS alumni, and interested people from the general public.

Art historians, worship and a fair amount of Madonnas
Florence, Italy is a treasure trove of such religious images. And the fitting title for Shriver's 5th study retreat, "Images of the Incarnation," was tailor-made for Florence. Participants visited baptistries and cathedrals, saw a fair amount of annunciations and Madonnas, worshiped together and listened to renowned art historians. The study included the frescoes of the San Marco monastery in Florence where each monk in this 15th century community had a fresco painted on his cell wall to be used for prayer and meditation. Novice dormitory cells contained a standard crucifix. As brothers rose in the ranks of the community, they were moved to cells with images of glowing transfigurations and awe-inspiring resurrections. The Superior lived in a dormitory cell that contained not one, not two, but three frescoes -- a Renaissance perk by the genius Fra Angelico. These sublime paintings move the soul and perfectly demonstrate how images can enhance a spiritual journey.

Reps from eight churches read scripture in their own language
The retreat group also spent three days outside of Florence, including a visit to Assisi [still recovering from earthquakes nearly two years ago] and to Siena, to view the art of the charming medieval town. The group attended an ecumenical prayer service on Pentecost Sunday held in the famous Duomo Baptistry in Florence. In this moving service, representatives from eight churches read scripture in their own language. Choirs ranging from Gospel Hallelujah to Gregorian chant sang. The Rt. Rev. Jeffery Rowthorn, Bishop in Charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe participated, as did the Rev. Peter Casparian, Rector of St. James Church and the Rev. Claudio Bocca, priest at St. James and the first native Italian to be ordained in the Episcopal Church.

The trip is also an opportunity to become familiar with the European Convocation and St. James. An energetic, welcoming congregation, St. James is quite an ethnic mix of Americans, English, Italians, Africans and Asians of various countries and it has grown under Casparian's leadership. On Pentecost Sunday, a baby of an Italian-American marriage was baptized, as was a Nigerian man in his 30's; a 12-year-old Italian-American boy was confirmed and an Italian man in his 40's was received into the Episcopal Church. The parish reaches out to immigrants and the poor of the city, operating a food pantry and a clothing bank. A modified Book of Common Prayer, in English and Italian, has just been published for their use. It includes English and Italian words to those services most frequently used in this bi-cultural environment--Holy Eucharist, baptism, marriage and reconciliation of a penitent.

Can images deepen belief?
Can powerful images deepen belief? Absolutely, was the consensus of the group which recently completed the study retreat. Loaded down with postcards and guide books, photographs and memories, they returned home with a viewpoint just a bit deeper and wider into the divine.

For further information about:
The Anglican Church in Europe, visit: <http://ecusa.anglican.org/europe/>
St. James Church Florence, contact <http:// www.dinonet.it/stjames>
The study retreat trip to Florence, contact the Rev. Bill Doubleday at General Theological Seminary (212/243-5150).

Milone toured on the first study retreat to Florence in 1987 and the last, in May 1999. She is social worker at the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies and a member of Holy Trinity, E. 88th St., Manhattan.

--Return to Contents

Bilingual Book of Common Prayer Introduced in Florence on Pentecost Sunday

On the last Pentecost of the Millennium and during a special Episcopal visitation of Bishop Jeffery Rowthorn for baptism and confirmation at St. James Church, Florence, Italy, the 450th anniversary of Cramner's first English Book of Common Prayer was celebrated with the introduction
of the first Italian translation of the American Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer.

St. James Church is responsible for the publication of a bilingual, English/Italian edition of Selected Liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer. This is the first time that these liturgies have been translated into Italian and printed with the facing text in English. The book is formatted and paginated to correspond with the standard 1979 Book of Common Prayer, and includes the following liturgies: Daily Evening Prayer: Rite Two; Holy Baptism; The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two; Prayers of the People, Forms I-IV and VI; The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage; The Reconciliation of a Penitent; Ministration to the Sick; The Burial of the Dead: Rite Two. It was authorized for trial use by the Rt. Rev. Jeffery Rowthorn, Bishop-in-Charge of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe. His introduction to the "Liturgie scelte dal Libro della Preghiera Comune" reads as follows:

It is with great gratitude and satisfaction that I welcome this bi-lingual selection of liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church U.S.A.

This is not the first time that a Book of Common Prayer has been made available for use in congregational worship in Italy. More than a century ago, forms of worship which had been prepared by members of the Italian Reformed Church were reviewed by Lord Plunket, Archbishop of Dublin, and others. These services were then issued with the approval of the Bishop of Salisbury, to whom the Archbishop of Canterbury, acting for the Lambeth Conference of 1878, had entrusted spiritual oversight of the reformed congregation in Italy.

Much has happened and much has changed in the intervening years. Now, for the first time, we shall have available a book containing the principal services of the Book of Common Prayer with the English text and the Italian text on facing pages. This collection has been prepared by Italian and non-Italian members of the Episcopal congregations in Florence and Rome, and we owe them heartfelt thanks for the enthusiasm and devotion which they have brought to this important undertaking.

Who will use the book? First and foremost, members of our congregations who in many cases have lived for decades in Italy, are married to Italian spouses, and have children being educated in local schools and being shaped each day by the riches of the Italian language and culture. This book will enable bi-cultural and bi-lingual families to pray together,united in their diversity rather than divided by it.

Secondly, every congregation present at a baptism, marriage, funeral or memorial service in one of our churches will include many non-Episcopalians who are furthermore not at home with the English language. As part of Christian hospitality, we are to ensure that our worship on such occasions is accessible to them. This book will help immeasurably in welcoming our brothers and sisters in the faith.

Thirdly, by their own choice, a growing number of Italians are enteringinto the life of our congregations. We rejoice at this and cannot help recalling the great marvel of the Day of Pentecost when all heard in their own language about the great things that God had done (Acts 2:11). This book will aid those who come through our doors to feel truly at home and to discover for themselves the abiding riches of the Anglican liturgical tradition.

There is a wonderful appropriateness to the distribution of this book on the eve of the third Christian millennium. It is one small but significant piece of evidence that the Holy Spirit is still moving in new and often surprising ways to renew the face of the earth and to call the Church of Jesus Christ to faithful worship, mission and service in his Name.

I take great pleasure in authorizing this book for use in our Italian congregations from Easter Day 1999 onwards. May God richly bless all those who turn these pages and pray these prayers!

St. James Church is deeply grateful to the Margaret Coffin Prayer Book Society, their parishioners Duncan and Lera Lee, for their generous financial backing, and to Bishop Rowthorn for his gracious introduction and unfailing guidance and support.

205 pages long, the red hardbound book has a gold cross embossed on the cover and a ribbon bookmark. Individual copies are available for Lit.30.000 or US$20. If paying with an International money order, please add $5 to cover bank fees.

For more information or to order copies, please contact:

St. James Church
via Bernardo Rucellai, 9
I- 50123 Florence Italy
Telephone and Fax: international + (39) (055) 294417
e-mail: stjames@dinonet.it
Re: Bilingual BCP

--Return to Contents

--Go to the Province II Home Page

The Presiding Bishop's Fund For World Relief
Joyce Hogg

Over and over again the people of Province II and the whole church have responded in an amazing way to the Presiding Bishop's Funds request for support. Earlier this year we asked for help for the people of Kosovo and the response was magnificent. The latest reports show that the Fund received $2,054,223 to help the people of that ravaged land. $110,000 was sent to help those in refugee camps and another $100,000 was given to Episcopal Migration Ministries to assist in the placement of refugees in the United States. Information will be forthcoming on a long-term development project which will be funded by those generous contributions.

"Faith, Hope and Joy", the housing project in Honduras is progressing very well. Houses are being built with the aid of volunteers from the United States. Each house is made of cinder block and consists of a living room, two bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. It is equipped with electricity and running water. The houses cost $3,100 . Members of the Executive Council will assist in building a home during their visit to Honduras in October. The Presiding Bishop's Fund Board will also participate in building a home in November. The Bishops' Spouses will go to Honduras to build a house in January. If you would like to contribute towards the cost of a home or volunteer to help buil a home, please contact Abagail Nelson at 800-334-7626, extension 6139.

The Fund is receiving donations to help those whose lives were devastated by the earthquake in Turkey. Because of your generous repsonse, the Fund has already sent $100,000 to Turkey. Additional contributions should be mailed to PBFWR, Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101.

Please contact your Diocesan Fund Coordinator for more information about the Fund's new program, Projects for Hope.

Albany, Kabby Lowe, 518-346-8879
Central New York is vacant. Anyone interested in volunteering shuld
contact Bishop Joslin
Long Island, Gail Madden, 516-298-8831
New Jersey, Susan Nelson, 609-392-5779
New York, Susan Bonsteel, 914-331-5575
New York, Zelva Wright
Newark, Carolyn Lumbard, 201-337-4909
Newark, Bill Heick, 973-992-2696
Rochester, Gladys Wiedrich, 716-385-3080
Western New York, Dick Molison, 716-694-5283

Please visit our web-site, <http://www.pbfwr.org> for updates, or call Joyce
Hogg at 800-334-7626, extension 6027 or jhogg@dfms.org

--Return to Contents

	United Thank Offering News L. Marie Williams Province II Representative, UTO Committee The United Thank Offering Committee met in August at Meier Lake Conference Center, Wasilla, Alaska. Meier Lake is an Episcopal Conference Center on a lake between two mountain ranges. Rustic but conducive to getting lots of work done. We were preparing for the 2000 Triennial meeting and being brought up to date on all of the sub- committee work. We were able to visit several sites that have received grants and were a part of the rededication of "Wings of the Spirit", the diocesan airplane. The UTO now has a web site. Those of you who have computers can log on to get the latest UTO information. The URL is <http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/uto/> Fall packets were mailed in September. Check with your clergy person or parish administrator/secretary. The packet includes the 1999 grant list and some new materials for use with children in Sunday School, along with other information that will be helpful in planning your Ingathering. United Thank Offering scarves are still available and can be ordered from me or from Beth Jett, Scarves, 9 Deepwood Drive, Lexington, KY 40505. The cost is $20. Send your check with your order and they will be mailed to you. They are beautiful. My sincere thanks to all of you who promote the United Thank Offering in your dioceses and parishes. In thanksgiving, L. Marie Williams --Return to Contents
	Children's Ministries Conference Comes to the Northeast Nancy Wart Diocese of CNY Might lives be transformed through nurturing and ministering to and with children? Could the ministry of Jesus Christ through a child transform us? The Episcopal Church says "Yes!" Embracing children in ways expressed in The Children's Charter for the Church, adopted at the 1997 General Convention ultimately transforms lives and communities. (The Children's Charter is available on the Youth Ministries web site at <http://www.dfms.org/myp/charter.html>) *Living the Children's Charter: Transforming Lives* is a major conference on children's ministries that will be held at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool, NY (outside Syracuse) from March 3-5, 2000. Over the course of the weekend participants and workshop leaders will form an intentional community to explore ways in which lives might be transformed through living out the ideals of the Children's Charter for the Church. This exiting event is modeled after the Episcopal Church's national children's ministries conference held last year at Camp Allen in Texas. Nationally recognized experts and advocates for children's ministries such as the Rev. Joseph Russell, author of several books including the New Prayer Book Guide to Christian Education, the Rev. Robyn Szoke, national officer of Children's Ministries for the Episcopal Church, co-authors Susan Graham Walker and Janet Marshall Eibner of God, Kids and Us!, and Gretchen Wolfe Pritchard of the Sunday Paper, will join with educators and liturgists from across the country to offer more than two dozen workshops as well as worship and liturgies that capture the hearts of young and old alike. As an added bonus, participants will be able to walk a sacred journey on the labyrinth. This dynamic conference is designed to offer practical "how-tos" and plenty of opportunities for hands-on experience of the many programs and resources available for children's ministries. Christian educators, clergy, musicians, child advocates, liturgists and anyone who cares about the well-being of children will not want to miss this event. Parishes are encouraged to send teams to participate. Brochures and registration materials are available now. The early registration deadline is Epiphany, January 6, 2000. Teams of two o more can register for $170 per person. All single registrations and team registrations from January 7 to February 9 are $200 per person. For more information or to receive a registration packet please contact Nancy Wart, the Diocese of Central New York, 315-474-6596 or e-mail her cnynancy@aol.com. --Return to Contents
	The Sisters of St. Gregory The Bishop: Will you who witness this new beginning support and uphold Sister Clare in her ministry? Assembly: We will! With these words the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion gained a new religious community for women: The Sisters of St. Gregory. On a sweltering Saturday afternoon, July 24th, in a packed chapel at Graymoor, the Garrison, New York motherhouse of the Friars of the Atonement (RC), the Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam, Bishop Suffragan of New York and first Episcopal Visitor to the Sisters of Saint Gregory, instituted Sr. Clare Connell as the new community's first superior. This Festival Holy Eucharist came as the culmination of the week-long Annual Convocation of the Brotherhood of St. Gregory, the parent order of the SSG, which was itself celebrating its 30th anniversary of foundation. The friars of the Brotherhood enjoyed the first formal Visitation by their new Episcopal Visitor, the Rt. Rev. Rodney R. Michel, Bishop Suffragan of Long Island, who spent the entire week with the brothers, praying, relaxing, holding conferences with each one, and impressing all with his gift of pastoral care. Annual Convocation began with a retreat in the form of a panel discussion entitled "Community Life: Gregorian Perspectives." Four friars and two sisters delivered presentations on facets of the community's interpretation of the historic religious life, followed by animated small group discussion. At the General Chapter on July 21, 1999, the Brotherhood receive the formal request of the Chapter of the Companion Sisterhood of Saint Gregory for autonomy. After twelve years of focused development with the Brotherhood, the sisters were ready to begin their own life as a self-governing religious community, standing side by side with the Brotherhood as fellow pilgrims on the Gregorian Way. The brothers received their request with mixed emotions - many friars had never known a time when sisters were not a part of their life in community - and, with tears of joy and sadness together, the friars' Chapter voted unanimously to grant autonomy to the Sisters of Saint Gregory. Other Chapter business included major restructuring of the Rule, Constitution and Customary of the Brotherhood and the enthusiastic approval of further participation in the formation of the National Association of Episcopal Christian Communities. --Return to Contents
	Let's Go Florence: Images of the Incarnation By Judith Milone, from an article in The Episcopal New Yorker "Andiamo" (Italian for "let's go") was not often used by the Rev. Dr. Frederick Shriver in his long tenure as professor of church history at the General Theological Seminary in Manhattan. But he certainly puts it to use -- as well as the rest of his considerable Italian vocabulary -- during the two-week study retreats he has led over the past dozen years to Florence, Italy. These study retreats are sponsored by General Theological Seminary and St. James Episcopal Church, Florence. "The religious art of Tuscany and Umbria is one of the supreme treasures of the western world," states Shriver, recently retired after 27 years at GTS. "The living power of this art has continued to spiritually feed countless visitors to these works." While viewing such works found in churches and museums, refectory walls and cloister hallways, Shriver urges his participants to pick an image from the treasure trove of Renaissance Italy that speaks to them. He then encourages them to stay with it, pray with it, meditate on it and explore what the image says about the nature of the divine as well as humanity. Trip participants include seminarians, GTS alumni, and interested people from the general public. Art historians, worship and a fair amount of Madonnas Florence, Italy is a treasure trove of such religious images. And the fitting title for Shriver's 5th study retreat, "Images of the Incarnation," was tailor-made for Florence. Participants visited baptistries and cathedrals, saw a fair amount of annunciations and Madonnas, worshiped together and listened to renowned art historians. The study included the frescoes of the San Marco monastery in Florence where each monk in this 15th century community had a fresco painted on his cell wall to be used for prayer and meditation. Novice dormitory cells contained a standard crucifix. As brothers rose in the ranks of the community, they were moved to cells with images of glowing transfigurations and awe-inspiring resurrections. The Superior lived in a dormitory cell that contained not one, not two, but three frescoes -- a Renaissance perk by the genius Fra Angelico. These sublime paintings move the soul and perfectly demonstrate how images can enhance a spiritual journey. Reps from eight churches read scripture in their own language The retreat group also spent three days outside of Florence, including a visit to Assisi [still recovering from earthquakes nearly two years ago] and to Siena, to view the art of the charming medieval town. The group attended an ecumenical prayer service on Pentecost Sunday held in the famous Duomo Baptistry in Florence. In this moving service, representatives from eight churches read scripture in their own language. Choirs ranging from Gospel Hallelujah to Gregorian chant sang. The Rt. Rev. Jeffery Rowthorn, Bishop in Charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe participated, as did the Rev. Peter Casparian, Rector of St. James Church and the Rev. Claudio Bocca, priest at St. James and the first native Italian to be ordained in the Episcopal Church. The trip is also an opportunity to become familiar with the European Convocation and St. James. An energetic, welcoming congregation, St. James is quite an ethnic mix of Americans, English, Italians, Africans and Asians of various countries and it has grown under Casparian's leadership. On Pentecost Sunday, a baby of an Italian-American marriage was baptized, as was a Nigerian man in his 30's; a 12-year-old Italian-American boy was confirmed and an Italian man in his 40's was received into the Episcopal Church. The parish reaches out to immigrants and the poor of the city, operating a food pantry and a clothing bank. A modified Book of Common Prayer, in English and Italian, has just been published for their use. It includes English and Italian words to those services most frequently used in this bi-cultural environment--Holy Eucharist, baptism, marriage and reconciliation of a penitent. Can images deepen belief? Can powerful images deepen belief? Absolutely, was the consensus of the group which recently completed the study retreat. Loaded down with postcards and guide books, photographs and memories, they returned home with a viewpoint just a bit deeper and wider into the divine. For further information about: The Anglican Church in Europe, visit: <http://ecusa.anglican.org/europe/> St. James Church Florence, contact <http:// www.dinonet.it/stjames> The study retreat trip to Florence, contact the Rev. Bill Doubleday at General Theological Seminary (212/243-5150). Milone toured on the first study retreat to Florence in 1987 and the last, in May 1999. She is social worker at the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies and a member of Holy Trinity, E. 88th St., Manhattan. --Return to Contents
	Bilingual Book of Common Prayer Introduced in Florence on Pentecost Sunday On the last Pentecost of the Millennium and during a special Episcopal visitation of Bishop Jeffery Rowthorn for baptism and confirmation at St. James Church, Florence, Italy, the 450th anniversary of Cramner's first English Book of Common Prayer was celebrated with the introduction of the first Italian translation of the American Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer. St. James Church is responsible for the publication of a bilingual, English/Italian edition of Selected Liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer. This is the first time that these liturgies have been translated into Italian and printed with the facing text in English. The book is formatted and paginated to correspond with the standard 1979 Book of Common Prayer, and includes the following liturgies: Daily Evening Prayer: Rite Two; Holy Baptism; The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two; Prayers of the People, Forms I-IV and VI; The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage; The Reconciliation of a Penitent; Ministration to the Sick; The Burial of the Dead: Rite Two. It was authorized for trial use by the Rt. Rev. Jeffery Rowthorn, Bishop-in-Charge of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe. His introduction to the "Liturgie scelte dal Libro della Preghiera Comune" reads as follows: It is with great gratitude and satisfaction that I welcome this bi-lingual selection of liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. This is not the first time that a Book of Common Prayer has been made available for use in congregational worship in Italy. More than a century ago, forms of worship which had been prepared by members of the Italian Reformed Church were reviewed by Lord Plunket, Archbishop of Dublin, and others. These services were then issued with the approval of the Bishop of Salisbury, to whom the Archbishop of Canterbury, acting for the Lambeth Conference of 1878, had entrusted spiritual oversight of the reformed congregation in Italy. Much has happened and much has changed in the intervening years. Now, for the first time, we shall have available a book containing the principal services of the Book of Common Prayer with the English text and the Italian text on facing pages. This collection has been prepared by Italian and non-Italian members of the Episcopal congregations in Florence and Rome, and we owe them heartfelt thanks for the enthusiasm and devotion which they have brought to this important undertaking. Who will use the book? First and foremost, members of our congregations who in many cases have lived for decades in Italy, are married to Italian spouses, and have children being educated in local schools and being shaped each day by the riches of the Italian language and culture. This book will enable bi-cultural and bi-lingual families to pray together,united in their diversity rather than divided by it. Secondly, every congregation present at a baptism, marriage, funeral or memorial service in one of our churches will include many non-Episcopalians who are furthermore not at home with the English language. As part of Christian hospitality, we are to ensure that our worship on such occasions is accessible to them. This book will help immeasurably in welcoming our brothers and sisters in the faith. Thirdly, by their own choice, a growing number of Italians are enteringinto the life of our congregations. We rejoice at this and cannot help recalling the great marvel of the Day of Pentecost when all heard in their own language about the great things that God had done (Acts 2:11). This book will aid those who come through our doors to feel truly at home and to discover for themselves the abiding riches of the Anglican liturgical tradition. There is a wonderful appropriateness to the distribution of this book on the eve of the third Christian millennium. It is one small but significant piece of evidence that the Holy Spirit is still moving in new and often surprising ways to renew the face of the earth and to call the Church of Jesus Christ to faithful worship, mission and service in his Name. I take great pleasure in authorizing this book for use in our Italian congregations from Easter Day 1999 onwards. May God richly bless all those who turn these pages and pray these prayers! St. James Church is deeply grateful to the Margaret Coffin Prayer Book Society, their parishioners Duncan and Lera Lee, for their generous financial backing, and to Bishop Rowthorn for his gracious introduction and unfailing guidance and support. 205 pages long, the red hardbound book has a gold cross embossed on the cover and a ribbon bookmark. Individual copies are available for Lit.30.000 or US$20. If paying with an International money order, please add $5 to cover bank fees. For more information or to order copies, please contact: St. James Church via Bernardo Rucellai, 9 I- 50123 Florence Italy Telephone and Fax: international + (39) (055) 294417 e-mail: stjames@dinonet.it Re: Bilingual BCP --Return to Contents
--Go to the Province II Home Page	The Presiding Bishop's Fund For World Relief Joyce Hogg Over and over again the people of Province II and the whole church have responded in an amazing way to the Presiding Bishop's Funds request for support. Earlier this year we asked for help for the people of Kosovo and the response was magnificent. The latest reports show that the Fund received $2,054,223 to help the people of that ravaged land. $110,000 was sent to help those in refugee camps and another $100,000 was given to Episcopal Migration Ministries to assist in the placement of refugees in the United States. Information will be forthcoming on a long-term development project which will be funded by those generous contributions. "Faith, Hope and Joy", the housing project in Honduras is progressing very well. Houses are being built with the aid of volunteers from the United States. Each house is made of cinder block and consists of a living room, two bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. It is equipped with electricity and running water. The houses cost $3,100 . Members of the Executive Council will assist in building a home during their visit to Honduras in October. The Presiding Bishop's Fund Board will also participate in building a home in November. The Bishops' Spouses will go to Honduras to build a house in January. If you would like to contribute towards the cost of a home or volunteer to help buil a home, please contact Abagail Nelson at 800-334-7626, extension 6139. The Fund is receiving donations to help those whose lives were devastated by the earthquake in Turkey. Because of your generous repsonse, the Fund has already sent $100,000 to Turkey. Additional contributions should be mailed to PBFWR, Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101. Please contact your Diocesan Fund Coordinator for more information about the Fund's new program, Projects for Hope. Albany, Kabby Lowe, 518-346-8879 Central New York is vacant. Anyone interested in volunteering shuld contact Bishop Joslin Long Island, Gail Madden, 516-298-8831 New Jersey, Susan Nelson, 609-392-5779 New York, Susan Bonsteel, 914-331-5575 New York, Zelva Wright Newark, Carolyn Lumbard, 201-337-4909 Newark, Bill Heick, 973-992-2696 Rochester, Gladys Wiedrich, 716-385-3080 Western New York, Dick Molison, 716-694-5283 Please visit our web-site, <http://www.pbfwr.org> for updates, or call Joyce Hogg at 800-334-7626, extension 6027 or jhogg@dfms.org --Return to Contents