The Grapevine
Winter 2005
Volume 12 Number 1
It Seems to Me . . .
Executive Coordinator's Report for2004
Celebrate Province II
Episcopal Relief and Development Responds to South Asia
Q & A – Most Commonly Asked Questions about the Brotherhood of St. Andrew
Report of Executive Council to the Grapevine
Resources Available
New Life and Mission
Second Saturdays at St. Luke's Montclair
New Year's Stewardship Q & A
Chaplains: Keys to Engaging Youth
News from Holy Trinity Music School , Haiti
News from The United Thank Offering
Coming Events
Editor's Note
It Seems to Me . . . “Behold I Stand at the Door and Knock”
Christmas Eve morning was spent in the Livingston County Jail. I had gone there to celebrate the Eucharist for Christmas. The doors lock loudly and firmly in a prison. There is no mistake that you are either in or out, and without the help of a guard, you will remain there.
The theme of my homily had to do with doors and the fact that many of the inmates, like Mary and Joseph, had no place in the inn. They were away from home, probably forgotten by many in their hometown, and fearful of the future. And yet, Jesus came anyway!
I suggested that, wherever we are, all of us hold a key to a door that no one else has. That is the key to the door of our hearts, mind and spirits. I alluded to Holman Hunt's painting of Jesus standing at a closed door waiting to be let in. The picture's title “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”
Another door has been placed before us as a result of the quake and tsunamis in South Asia . How could this happen? Why does this happen? Where is God in the midst of it? I submit that God is in the space behind the door. We are invited to knock and walk in knowing only that God is there to greet us. The answers, though not temporal ones, are answers of prayer for the upgirding of those who suffer, thanks for the lives which we have been given, and prayers of discernment for the steps we can take.
Christmas, Epiphany and Lent are seasons which cry out for personal decisions. Will we open the door, and take up the challenge?
The Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, an African American pastor, professor, and graduate of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School , places the door and the challenge before us in his poem which I quote:
“When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.”May it be so!
The Rt. Rev. Jack M. McKelvey
President of Province II
VII Bishop of Rochester
Executive Coordinator's Report for 2004
It has been a little over a year since I became the Executive Coordinator for our Province. While it has been a sometimes daunting task to get up to speed with the ongoing activities and plans under development throughout the breadth of the Province, I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve in this capacity. The initial challenges set before me by the Provincial Council were to improve the communication and relationships with our bishops and to strengthen the fabric of our networks. Hence, much that I have attempted to do this past year has been so directed.
I have met in each of our stateside diocesan offices, usually including a meeting with the Diocesan and Suffragan Bishops and appointed staff leaders. In addition, I have maintained a fairly regular relationship, via email or telephone, throughout the year. I believe, together, we have produced the ability to have open and productive dialogues, as necessary.
Also, among the positive steps that have been taken this year is the strengthening of our network operations. We now have twenty seven organized and functioning teams. I will admit that a couple of these networks are somewhat quiet at the moment. Of interest is that the Provincial Council began inviting representatives of our networks to meet with them beginning in February, 2004. The purpose for including them was to advance hospitality with each other and the Council, and to report on their current and future activities. Thirteen networks were represented in February and sixteen were represented at the Provincial Council meeting in October. Several others expressed a desire to attend but were unable to do so due to calendar conflicts.
I am particularly pleased with the progress and activities of several networks…particularly, Youth Ministries, Congregational Development – Metro, Ministry Development – Metro, Parish Health Ministries, Prison Ministries, Finger Lakes Conference, Jubilee Ministries, and the work of our national-alliance networks. Outstanding in the latter case is the work of ER-D. And, as you know, Jan Paxton continues to publish this fine newsletter… The Grapevine.
Developing ministries, including Communications, Haitian Ministries, and Immigration/Migration Ministries are hopeful signs for the future. All of the remaining organized networks are functioning at some level. We do need to re-kindle work in AIDS, Anti-Racism, Hispanic and Native American Ministries and inaugurate a Young Adults Ministry. Human Sexuality is also a candidate, but it has not developed at this point. There is exploratory activity underway in each of these areas.
I look forward to continuing this ministry throughout the coming year and I hope I can report about additional successes within our provincial mission and ministry areas a year from now. Our goal is to extend to all who have specific ministry interests the opportunities to see those ministries flourish throughout our Province; and to learn from, and enjoy the company of, others engaged in similar ministries that are designed to enhance the targeted communities involved in such ministries.
I welcome your help and suggestions.
Charles Perfater
Provincial Executive Coordinator
exec@province2.org
(609) 538-1200 (fax also)
8 Aquetong Lane
West Trenton , NJ 08628
USA
1/03/05
Celebrate, Discover & Connect: Using Province II as a Resource for Your Ministry at a special convocation on Friday and Saturday, May 13 and 14. This special Province II Convocation will bring clergy and laity from all corners of Province II will gather to share and to witness the many thriving and varied ministries which are occurring.
Province II is pleased to present the Anglican Observer at the United Nations, Archdeacon Taimalelagi Fagamalama Tuatagaloa-Matalavea as the featured speaker on Saturday. Archdeacon Tai will launch each of us to fulfill our personal ministry passions! We'll also celebrate in a festive Eucharist experience; we'll discover the ministry passions of our bishops; and we'll connect through the program and through our network interactions.
Among the highlights of the Province II Convocation on May 13 and 14 will be a special panel presentation featuring the bishop's of the dioceses on Friday afternoon. The discussions promise to be both inspiring and visioning. The bishops will be addressing topics that each finds vitally important in their ministries in the church. A look at the topics shows that they reflect our growing concerns and our mission outreach: Death Penalty; Ministry Development; Anti-Racism; Healthcare; Peace and Justice; Global Women's Issues.
The Convocation will kick off at noon on Friday and will conclude on Saturday afternoon. All activities will be held at the Century House in Latham (just outside of Albany , NY ).
The members of the design team for this Convocation, comprised of representatives from all the domestic dioceses of Province II and the national church, are busy finalizing the agenda. Martha Gardner ( Newark ) and the Rev. Petero Sabune ( New York ) are co-chairing the team. Members of the design team are: Jerry Carroll (Albany), the Rev. Carolyn Eklund (New Jersey), Neva Rae Fox (New York), Peter Hausman (New Jersey), the Rev. Stephen Lane (Rochester), Kathleen McDaniel (Central New York), Terry Parsons (National Episcopal Church), Diane Porter (Long Island), Carmen Seufert (Western New York) and Chuck Perfater (Province II Executive Coordinator).
Be sure to check this Province II web site for up to date info.
Neva Rae Fox
Director of Communications
Episcopal Diocese of New York
1047 Amsterdam Ave. , NY , NY 10025
212-316-7520 F: 212-316-7532
E: NRFox@dioceseny.org
Pager: 917-956-2468
Episcopal Relief and Development Responds to South Asia
An outpouring of love and financial support from the people of the Episcopal Church in the United States has enabled Episcopal Relief and Development to provide life-saving financial assistance and hope to tsunami ravaged South Asia .
In her January 3 rd update to ERD network volunteers, ERD Network Coordinator, Canon Joyce Hogg, wrote that “…the members of the Episcopal Church have responded in a magnificent way to the plight of their brothers and sisters in South Asia .” Canon Hogg went on to say that “online donations have been incredible…and the phones just keep on ringing.”
Within hours after the tsunami hit shore, ERD had contacted Church officials in South India, Ceylon , and the Province of Southeast Asia in order to assess the needs of people in those stricken areas. By December 30 th , $250,000 of financial assistance was disbursed to Anglican Churches in Sri Lanka , North India, and South India, as well as to Church World Service for their ecumenical work in Indonesia , Malaysia , and Thailand .
ERD also purchased 1,000 temporary shelters to be sent to Sri Lanka after speaking with Bishop Duleep de Chickera of the Diocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The shelters are made of a special water-resistant material which is also treated with an insecticide that combats disease-carrying mosquitoes and houseflies.
While acknowledging the generosity of Episcopalians, ERD President Sandra Swan also wanted to stress that tsunami relief will be a long-term effort: “We at ERD are already planning how we are going to work beside, and with, those affected over the next few months and years as they rebuild their lives.” Don Hammond, Vice President of ERD echoed those sentiments: “This is not a response of two weeks; it's a response of 10 years.” (ENS, 12/30/04)
The unprecedented destruction caused by the tsunami comes at the end of a year during which ERD was already providing much needed aid to victims of war and civil unrest in Sudan , Iraq , Afghanistan and Haiti . In addition, ERD provided assistance to those stricken by natural disasters, such as the typhoons in the Philippines , hurricanes in the Caribbean and the United States , and a deadly earthquake in Iran .
Meanwhile, in keeping with their primary development mission to provide food security and medical care to the neediest of God's children, ERD continues working to combat hunger and illness in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America . All of this while working to fight the ravages of the AIDS virus in several African nations whose victims include not only those infected with the disease but the thousands of orphaned children they leave behind.
Those wishing to learn more about the important work being done through this “Ministry of the whole Church, by the Whole Church ” can be found by going to the ERD website at www.er-d.org . To make a financial donation, go to the website or mail your contribution to Episcopal Relief and Development, P.O. Box 12043 , Newark , NJ 07101 .
I wish to thank the people of Province II for their continued support of Episcopal Relief and Development. Best wishes for a happy and hopeful year in 2005.
Catherine Esposito
Province II Representative
Episcopal Relief and Development