Robin Denney on the cover of April 26th issue of "The Living Church"

From Rev. Michael Ridgway, St. Stephens-in-the-Field:

El Camino Real's own Robin Denney is featured on the cover of this weeks "The Living Church" (April 26th, 2009). Inside there is a feature article on missionary work in the Sudan entitled "Sustaining Spirit in the Church of the Sudan" by members of The Episcopal Church. Among those pictured are The Rt. Rev. Nathaniel Garang, Bishop of the Diocesed of Bor and former interim archbishop of The Episcopal Church of the Sudan and Robin outside the church compound in Bor.

Article is available to online and print subscribers only :(

Photo: Phil Darrow

Hope With Sudan Report on Conflicts in Sudan

From Rev. Jerry Drino, Hope With Sudan:

The following is a report from the Rev. Jacob Nhial Guut, one of the Coordinators for Hope With Sudan in Kenya. He recently went on a fact-finding trip back to southern Jonglei State where he was born. The conditions are horrendous as he describes.

Please read the entire article here:

Update from Robin Denney - Episcopal Missionary in Sudan

From Robin Denney - The Sudan:

Dear Friends,

The convoy of three flat bed semi-trucks, half a dozen pick-ups and SUVs, and assorted government and police vehicles, thudded over potholes, fish-tailed through muddy slews, trundled over bumps and rocks, and occasionally zigzagged out into the bush or open plain searching for a passable route, all the while accompanied by the sound of drums and song coming from the 200 singing evangelists aboard the semi-trucks. In all we were, the Archbishop and his wife, three bishops, a hand full of staff, at least 30 pastors, government officials, soldiers, and the 200 strong marching choir. In a week and a half we traveled approximately 550 miles, averaging less than 20 miles per hour, through forest and plain and swamp, across territory plagued by cattle raiders and rogues, stopping at every village and town to greet the crowds who came to welcome us, preach about reconciliation, and pray for peace and justice. This was the Archbishop's peace, reconciliation, and evangelism tour of Jonglei state.

The Episcopal Church of Sudan is praying for Jonglei State in this time of insecurity. In March more than 750 people were killed, and on Palm Sunday 40 were killed in one village. Cattle raiders ambush the cattle keepers, kill them, and steal the cows, then fighting breaks out between the groups. (See my blog for more info).

We set out from Juba on Holy Wednesday. On Maundy Thursday we were in the town of Bor, which is the capitol of the state. Our marching choir, the "Youth Mamas", and the youth of Bor, led a prayer march around the town. We stopped, and the Archbishop prayed first at the hospital, then inside the prison, then at the government offices. Finally we ended up at the town square, where the bishops led a prayer and preaching rally, attended by thousands of people.

Most of the church women in Sudan and some of the men, carry crosses with them. They wave them when singing songs, hold them aloft in testimony, or just hold them as a tangible reminder of their faith. As we traveled along the road, I saw that people carried their crosses not just to church, but everywhere they went: walking to the next village, collecting firewood, hauling water... I wondered if they clung to their crosses because of the insecurity. The Archbishop told me it had become the way they lived their lives-carrying the cross. I was presented with a cross by one of the women, because I greeted them in the name of Jesus, in the Dinka language. So on Good Friday, I had a cross to carry and wave.

One of the villages we stopped at on Good Friday was the village of Kapat, where 40 people had been killed by thieves less than a week before on Palm Sunday. Jerry Drino tells me that some of our Sudanese brothers in the Diocese of El Camino Real lost family members in this village. It is a small village, and the people were obviously crushed by such a tragedy. And yet the Mother's Union still came out to greet the delegation, singing and waving their crosses. We stayed a bit longer at this village. One of the women was asked to pray, and though I couldn't understand the words, I could hear the passion of her faith behind her tears, and it moved me deeply. With the cross in my hand and Kapat on my mind, I thought about the meaning of Good Friday. And it seemed that this path we were on was the way of the cross. The suffering and fear and despair along the path is too great for us to bear. But Christ has borne it, and the people have found comfort carrying the cross of Christ.

On Easter, our open-air service in the village of Wangulei was attended by nearly 5,000 people. We continued northward to places so remote they had never been visited by an Archbishop or any dignitary. But the church was still there, cut off most of the year by impassable roads. We passed the conflicted boarder between the Dinka and Nuer tribes, into the Nuer territory. In the town of Ayod we were greeted by the choirs of 4 different denominations, for a wonderful display of Christian unity. We stayed two days, and I noticed the feeling change as we were there. Excitement and hope were building. The Youth Mamas were a particularly powerful witness, made up of many different tribes, on a mission together for peace. People were gathering where the Youth Mamas were camped-out to talk with them and learn from them. The people insisted we stay an extra night so they could slaughter a bull for a feast. The local witch doctor cast aside his magic accessories, and went to the Youth Mamas for prayer. 63 people were confirmed, three evangelists were commissioned, and three people ordained. And after the prayer rally, 5 thieves were caught. The group that gathered to see us off was a very different group indeed than the one that greeted us. Their faces were alight with something I had not noticed earlier-hope, courage, joy.

It was a Holy Week of walking in the way of the suffering, and it was an Easter Week of transformation by the risen Christ. The problems continue in Jonglei, with another 14 killed two days ago. But into this broken and hurting world we proclaim the hope of Christ crucified and risen. And I can tell you with certainty that that hope makes all the difference.

Blessings to you in this Easter season.
Love, Robin

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More stories on my blog from this month: http://robin-mission.blogspot.com/

- An article about the amazing journey to Western Tanganika I was blessed to be on
- A reflection on the Youth Mamas and evangelism
- A link to more info about the violence in Jonglei
- This letter with photos

From Joanna Shreve of St. Timothy's:

Dear Friends,

We are having a "World Mission" meeting on May 16th at St. Paul's, Salinas, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our World Mission Network, along with the Conference Educational Resource Team (CERT), is going to be helping with the hospitality for this event. AS MEMBERS OF THE WORLD MISSION NETWORK We NEED YOUR HELP!!

1. We will be starting with a coffee hour at 9:30. It would be great to have several volunteers to help come to St. Paul's by around 8:30 a.m. to set up coffee, tea, etc. and make preliminary preparations for lunch.


2. It would be great to have some donated breads and fruit for this coffee hour also.


3. The lunch will have sandwiches catered and delivered by Quizno's. We’ll be placing this order and purchasing paper goods, drinks, chips, cookies, fruit, etc. as soon as we have an idea of what the registration numbers are.

REGISTER NOW AND INVITE OTHERS.

Registration is through Susan@edecr.org. People are being asked for a $5 donation to help defray the cost of lunch. Judging from the excitement around the diocese on World Mission outreach, we think this meeting will be well attended.

The agenda is still being developed, but from the most recent information we have, Bishop Mary will be talking about the Triad Companion Diocese Covenant and how it is shaping up from the diocesan delegations which she has lead to Western Tanganyika and Gloucester. A discussion will be had concerning this pivotal moment that our diocese is experiencing, how the other World Mission Partnerships will relate to the Companion Diocesan Partnerships, and how these other established partnerships might be of assistance to the CDPs. The youth who have done mission trips through the Sierra Service Project are also going to be invited to come and talk about their experiences. The challenges are “how to do together what we cannot do alone.”

There will be time for people to work together in small groups on specific outreach ideas. This would include a group that wants to address some of the issues about other parish relationships that are currently in place (Hope With Sudan, Haiti, Mexico, etc.)

If you would like to help with set up, clean up and hospitality or provide a treat for the morning coffee hour, please let me know as soon as possible. jrshreve@aol.com (Please put WMN in the subject line.)

Pictures of Tanzania from Gloucester Delegation

From Lucy Taylor, Diocese of Gloucester:

Here are links to our photos! You can view them at www.flickr.com/photos/36996861@N07/

You can view our links page on http://www.gloucester.anglican.org/mission/link/

The Global Episcopal Mission Network Meeting - May 20-23

From Rev. Amy Denney Zuniga:

The Global Episcopal Mission Network is holding its annual Mission Institute right in El Camino's backyard, at the Mercy Center in Burlingame from May 20-23. The focus will be on "making the local-global connection" and speakers include Dr. Jenny Te Paa, noted Anglican indigenous theologian from New Zealand, Dr. Henry Zeigler, medical missionary in Tanzania, and The Rt. Revs. Andrus and Charleston, bishops in the diocese of California. For more information and to register please visit http://www.gemn.org/.

Triad Companion Relationship - Tanzania Slide Show

Our world travelers Bishop Mary and Brian Nordwick are back from an amazing journey to our companion diocese of Western Tanganyika! And they've taken lots of pictures to share with everyone.

Rev. Canon Brian Nordwick sifted through over 800 pictures to present these 52 photos and 3 videos here in this slide show:



You can also check out the slide show in a new window and super sized here. Or if you like, you may view the subset of pictures used to create the slide show here. The entirety of the photos are located here.

Enjoy!