Groundbreaking begins for the first “green” building in the Port of New York/New Jersey
Groundbreaking for the $2.6 million renovation to the Seamen's Church Institute's (SCI) International Seafarers' Center in Port Newark begins Wednesday, September 8. Officials from the Institute, the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, and other dignitaries will ceremoniously use a jackhammer to dig the new elevator pit for the port's first registered “green” building project.
Registered by the United States Green Council, a nonprofit organization in Washington , D.C. , the International Seafarers' Center renovation addresses New Jersey 's challenges of overflowing landfills and excessive energy consumption.
Environmental highlights include:
- Energy consumption will be reduced by 50% after completion in spring 2005.
- New construction will use recycled building materials from the building itself and recyclable building materials thus reducing landfill.
- The building will save millions of gallons of water by recycling rainwater.
- The majority of materials will be assembled within 500 miles to save transportation costs and help the local economy.
The Institute's Center is the only place in the port where seafarers along with truckers and all port workers can meet for relaxation, recreation, and spiritual refreshment. Last year, the Institute's staff welcomed 15,562 seafarers, along with more than 40,000 port workers and truckers to the International Seafarers' Center.
SCI chaplains visit 90% of the ships that enter the port – over 3,000 ships each year. Chaplains and SCI attorneys from the Center for Seafarers' Rights assist seafarers with family, employment, medical, and seafarers' rights issues. Built in 1960 with cosmetic improvements in 1989, this new major renovation will upgrade the International Seafarers' Center's facilities to serve the 21st Century port community.
Port Newark and the Elizabeth Port Authority Marine Terminal operate as one fully integrated marine terminal, forming the largest and most comprehensive collection of maritime cargo handling facilities on the East Coast of North America. In 2003, the Port of New York/New Jersey handled 23.5 million tons of general cargo.
The Seamen's Church Institute's mission is to advance the personal, professional, and spiritual well being of mariners worldwide. Established in 1834, SCI is an ecumenical agency affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The International Seafarers' Center is easily accessible and directions are available at the SCI webs site. To learn more about SCI, please visit www.seamenschurch.org .
THE SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE
Website: www.seamenschurch.org
Media Contact: :Debra Wagner
Director of Communications
dwagner@seamenschurch.org
212-349-9090 Ext 249
Cell phone: 516-382-1920
Artist renderings available upon request.
To interview:
Joseph J Seymour
Executive Director of The Port Authority of New York And New Jersey
about this project, please contact Tara Dowdell at (212) 435-4243
Taryn Holowka, Media Director, US Green Council (202) 828-1144
“The Finger Lakes Conference is a little-known jewel in our midst that deserves the attention of the entire Province. I urge the dioceses to explore the many and various ways they can exercise to support this most worthwhile undertaking.” These were the words of Chuck Perfater after attending the conference in the last week of June this year.
Next year, 2005, Finger Lakes Conference will reach the amazing age of 65 years, but it is not ready to retire. “Each year” said the Rev. Barbara Humphrey, dean of the conference, “we wonder if we can do it again. But then we have another success like the great 2004 Conference and our energy is renewed.”
Finger Lakes Conference is a gathering of adults interested in learning and growing intellectually and spiritually in, as the brochure states, “A safe environment that offers worship, fellowship, solitude, discussion, laughter, song – diverse offerings for all kinds of renewal.”
Conferees are housed in the dormitories of William Smith College in Geneva , N.Y. and campus facilities are used for classes and lectures during the last week of June each year. This year the general lecturer was The Rev. David Selzer, who is past chair of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship and adjunct faculty at Bexley Hall Seminary. In 2002 The Rev. Selzer had a Lily Endowment funded sabbatical in Jerusalem . The theme of his lectures was “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you (John 14: 27) Reflections on shalom/salaam/peace and faith.” Course offerings included, among others: Non-Violent Communication, Living a Language of Compassion and Forgiveness with Self and Others; Spirituality for Today from the Medieval Mystics; Seeing Christ: a beginner workshop in Icon Writing (this course evolved from last year's General Lecture on “Experiencing the Holy Through Art” by The Rt. Rev. Rodney Michel of Long Island) and A Taste From the Tree of Life: An Introduction to Jewish Spirituality for Christians.
The campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges is lovely, and the Finger Lakes area is one of the primary tourist attractions in New York State with its unparalleled scenery, historic sites and wineries. Wednesday afternoon of Conference week is unscheduled and is a great time to take advantage of these attractions.
Many loyal conferees have been making Conference a regular part of their summer plans for decades and people come yearly from as far away as Florida , Minnesota and Virginia . The Conference Board of Governors is made up of active conference participants and it is planned, designed and put together by these volunteers each year. It is a monumental task and could only be undertaken for love – love of learning, of growing spiritually and of the conference community. The Rt. Rev. Robert Spears, former Bishop of Rochester, once called Finger Lakes Conference “the parish that meets once a year.”
Betty Donahue of Rochester, NY, President of the Board of Governor's of the conference, recalls when Bishop Spong was General Lecturer just as his first book was about to be published. A highlight of a recent conference was when Bishop Spong returned to lecture to a new generation of his readers. “Finger Lakes has had a knack” said Ms. Donahue “Of having people as General Lecturer just before they are about to become famous.” Some of these include Verna Dozier, Virginia Mollencott, Bennet Sims and Robert Capon.
As Finger Lakes Conference approaches its 65 th birthday, board members and conferees expressed the hope that a way will be found for this joyful and exciting ministry to continue to make itself available to a world that badly needs what it has to offer.
To learn more about Finger Lakes Conference or to request a brochure contact
The Rev. Diana Purcell-Chapman
Registrar
PO Box 492
Wellsville NY 14895
814-228-3482
dinfre@netsync.net
Youth Ministry grows in Province II
Two more dioceses added youth ministry coordinators over the summer. With the addition of Rochester and Central New York, now every diocese in both New York and New Jersey , as well as the Convocation in Europe , has someone designated to work in youth ministry.
The Rev. Cindy Sever is the new Youth Missioner, and she is the first Diocesan youth worker in several decades in Rochester . The focus of her responsibilities will be to work with congregational leadership to develop and improve programs with young people. She will organize and recruit young people for the Episcopal Youth Event, General Convention, Diocesan Convention, and other major mission trips. She will supervise and continue to develop the Diocesan Face Time program for young people.
Don Carlson joined the Diocese of Central New York on June 1 as Canon for Youth and Family Ministries. In this new position in the diocese Don will be helping parishes look beyond traditional youth ministry models, and he will be assisting in the development and implementation of strong, active, visionary, community-based youth, young adult and family ministries throughout the Diocese. Prior to coming to central New York Don served as Director of Children's Ministries and Church Operations at St. Stephen's in Ridgefield, CT for ten and one-half years.
Both Don and Cindy have expressed excitement about the challenges facing them in their home dioceses and in the Province. We're looking forward to working with them in 2005 and beyond.
By Jay Phillippi
Provincial Youth Ministry Coordinator
jayphillippi@episcopalwny.org
The Convocation of American Churches in Europe
It has been an eventful few months here, starting on Good Friday with our Bishop, Pierre, carrying the cross in the annual Champs Elysees Stations of the cross in Paris at the invitation of Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger, the Archbishop of Paris.
A successful clergy retreat in June was lead by the Rev. Clair Ullmann at Lichtenthal , Germany . We were represented at the celebrations of the D-Day landings in France on June 6 th by Deacon Joanne Coyle Dauphin. Father Nicholas Porter led some 32 pilgrims from five European countries and the US on a pilgrimage to Cyprus .
In June our cathedral in Paris hosted a bi-lingual conference, .entitled “The Children of Abraham and the Art of Peacemaking: Christians, Muslims, and Jews who work together for peace”, featuring lectures and workshops by internationally-known experts on the traditions of peacemaking in all three religions. Between 700 to 800 Christians, Jews, and Muslims participated in the conference, coming from Israel , Iraq , Iran , Jordan , Great Britain , the United States , and France . So successful was it that it has lead to an on-going forum for peace.
We have also prayed together, celebrated together and had fun together , raising money in the various parishes with events including an all ages talent evening (for outreach to Kenya), May fairs, sponsored marathons and a host of other events. Now we are preparing for our annual Convocation Convention in Wiesbaden , Germany in late October.
Raymond Hodgkinson Editor, Convocation Newsletter
The Christmas-at-Sea program of the Seamen's Church Institute of New York & New Jersey is looking for knitters. Knit a cap, scarf, or other items for mariners far away from home on Christmas Day. All who work at sea face particular perils, endure substantial physical hardships, observe strict discipline, suffer lonesome separations, and confront dangerous seas. SCI serves seafarers by offering pastoral care, onboard communion and liturgical services, Christmas gifts, pro bono legal aid, and support of social services for seafarers and their families.
Most seafarers come from tropical to temperate countries and are unprepared for frigid winter temperatures. The garments are deeply appreciated. Last year we placed over 14,000 hand-knitted gifts onboard vessels, but we need more knitters.
One of the Christmas-at-Sea patterns is a custom-designed river mariner's scarf. SCI has an extensive ministry to the 30,000 mariners on the inland waterways called Ministry on the River. Our nation's river mariners perform dangerous work and endure long periods away from home and family. The Seamen's Church Institute provides onboard pastoral care, social services, and Christmas and Easter gifts to these mariners in partnership with close to 100 River Friendly Churches in 11 states.
Because demand exceeds the number of garments received, knitted items are collected year-round. Add your name to our list of 3,500 knitters from every state by contacting Barbara Clauson at Christmas-at-Sea, 212-349-9090, cas@seamenschurch.org or download patterns from www.seamenschurch.org .
If you would like a picture of a seafarer wearing a Christmas-at-Sea garment, a river mariner wearing the Christmas-at-Sea mariner's scarf, or knitters, please contact, Debra Wagner, Director of Communications, Seamen's Church Institute of New York & New Jersey, dwagner@seamenschurch.org or call 212-349-9090 Ext 249.
Send knitted items to:
Christmas-at-Sea
Seamen's Church Institute of New York & New Jersey
241 Water Street
New York , NY 10038