From Rev. Michael W. Ridgway, St. Thomas via Anglican Communion News Service:
At its annual meeting in London on September 8th and 9th, over 90 members of the Compass Rose Society, which provides financial support to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Consultative Council, heard the Bishop of Haiti, the Right Reverend Jean Zaché Duracin, say of this year’s earthquake, “in just 35 seconds, what we had built up in over 200 years was completely destroyed.”
Read it all here
From The Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real:
The latest news on Haiti's recovery from
Episcopal Relief and Development's support in this
beleaguered country!
Click here for the entire story (in Adobe PDF format)
From Mary Beth Powell, ECR
Greetings, Friends:
Bishop Mary has invited our Diocesan Community to join us in prayer for the Diocese of Western Tanganyika:
The Diocese of Western Tanganyika: this Friday, August 20th, the diocese is voting for its new bishop to replace Bishop Gerard Mpango, who retired last June. A great deal of transition is underway there. We pray that God guides the hearts of those voting for the new Bishop.
From The Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real:
We have a request to help provide names of architectural firms that have the wherewithal to build a fine church building as well as one that is earthquake- and hurricane-resistant. Also, experts are needed: seismologists and people familiar with the details for Requests For Proposals from such firms. The Partners With Haiti Project is building a network of support to the Diocese of Haiti--prayer, technical, financial and other support--for the re-building of la Cathédrale Sainte-Trinité in Port-au-Prince. See http://partnerswithhaiti.info./ If you are interesting in helping, please contact Bishop Mary (Gray-Reeves) at: BishopMary@edecr.org
From Rev. Jerry Drino, Hope With Sudan:
I am writing you to see if you can help me find some frequent flier miles for a family emergency for Ben Ajiek, one of the Sudanese in our community. He called me in tears yesterday to say that his daughter, Ajang, had died. She was born premature two weeks ago in Wau, southern Sudan. His wife, Adaing, has been under severe stress because their nine year old son, Lual, has contracted a life-threatening respiratory condition where he can barely breathe or
eat. This stress probably induced the early birth. As you can
imagine medical resources are very basic if non-existent.
Ben is beside himself with grief. I spent several hours with him
last night. He had gone back to Sudan to visit eight months ago.
Adaing had gotten pregnant and they were looking forward to their second child and for the family to file to be relocated to the US. He had come in 2001 seeking to find a better life and education for himself and his family. Within a month he had found himself a job and within a year he was starting college. He seeks to be a part of an international reconciliation team. Now he is facing not only the death of his daughter, but the possible death of his son, Lual and the uncertainty of the health of his wife who continues to bleed after giving birth.
He fled Sudan when he was seven, walking a thousand miles to Ethiopia and then three years later fleeing with all the Lost Boys to walk another 1000 miles to Kenya. In his tears he asks "Why can't God save my own innocent children, who did nothing to deserve this, when he saved me and let me live through all the hardships I have known? Will God hear my prayers?"
It is that last question that prompts me to ask for your help. I am looking for God to work through others to help Ben and his family. I am trying to find people who might have frequent flier miles so that we can get him on a plane to Africa as soon as possible. Obviously, he will need additional funds to book the mileage ticket and travel
within Sudan. Please ask people to spread this request and get back
to me as soon as possible. All donation are tax deductible. They can contact me at jdrino@hopewithsudan.org (408) 259-2111.
Please contact as many people as you can about Ben's need.
Thank you
Jerry Drino
--
Executive Director
Hope With Sudan
www.hopewithsudan.org
From Rev. Michael W. Ridgway, Deacon:
March 22, 2010 - (Johannesburg) - Political repression and other rights violations ahead of the April general elections in Sudan threaten prospects for a free, fair, and credible vote, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch research missions to Sudan from November 2009 to March 2010 found that both the Government of National Unity and the Government of South Sudan are violating rights and restricting freedoms critical to a fair poll, including freedoms of expression and of assembly.
From Rev. Michael W. Ridgway:
‘The earthquake has not destroyed our hope in the future’
Posted by Rev. Michael W. Ridgway, St. Stephens-in-the-Field, San Jose:
The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams voiced grave concern Saturday over the eroding Christian presence in the Holy Land on the first stop of his four-day pilgrimage to the region.
Williams, the spiritual leader of the Anglican communion worldwide, held a sermon for hundreds of faithful at the River Jordan after dedicating the cornerstone of an Anglican church to be built at the site where tradition says Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.
Williams said he "worried deeply" about the dwindling numbers of Christians in the Mideast, and stressed that it was the church's duty to support Christians who face hardship due to regional conflicts.
Read it all.
From Rev. Jerry Drino, Hope With Sudan:
Dear Partners with Sudan,
In two weeks much of the Christian world will celebrate World Mission Sunday (Feb 14) with Lent beginning the following week. It is a Sunday about hearts and we ask you to direct your people's hearts towards Sudan. I have attached a file in two formats and ask you to consider using these for World Mission Sunday and for Lent in support of the Church in Sudan through the education of her children. (This file is in Adobe PDF here.)
I have just spent the last two days with the ambassador of South Sudan to Washington while he and the former director of USAID were in the South Bay. I will be flying to the Capitol today (Friday) to participate in a day long discussion on how the U.S. can support this region. I have been asked by the Government of South Sudan to be a part of this working group with a focus on development. All indications are that this next year is going to be very challenging and your continued prayers and advocacy will help your people be in touch with their fellow Episcopalians in the Sudan.
If we you haven't reserved a date for us to come and make a presentation about the most recent developments in Sudan and our program, please contact me soon.
Blessings and thank you for considering this offering.
Jerry
--
Executive Director
Hope With Sudan
www.hopewithsudan.org
From Rev. Michael W. Ridgway, SSITF, via the Anglican Communion News Service:
These are the words of Bishop Jean Zache Duracin of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti two weeks after the earthquake which has become known simply as 'La Catastrophe'.
In his reflections posted on the website of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti http://www.egliseepiscopaledhaiti.org/ Bishop Duracin describes the devastation and present living conditions, and his own diocese's outreach to thousands of people who have been made homeless, including children and disabled people, and many who are wounded. He reflects that for Haiti the course of history has change. He looks to the future, with prayer and in faith, for long-term partnership with others who might accompany the people of Haiti as they work to rebuild and restore. Bishop Duracin's reflections, in French, are here
http://www.aco.org/acns/enclosures/bishop_duracin_haiti.pdf
Read it all here.
From The Rev. Canon Brian Nordwick
Canon to the Ordinary for Finance and Administration:
via
The Episcopal Church
Office of Public Affairs
Episcopal Church World Mission Sunday highlights caring for all God’s creation
Sunday, February 14
[January 21, 2010] Recognizing God’s creation as a sacred place, the focus for 2010 World Mission Sunday, celebrated on Sunday, February 14, will be World Mission & The Environment.
“Observance of World Mission Sunday is an opportunity for congregations and dioceses to participate in the wider global mission of the Church,” noted Michael Schut, Economic and Environmental Affairs Officer. “The Church is always called to care for ‘the least of these,’ for those whose voices are silenced. Ecological degradation threatens more and more of those voices, including those with whom our missionaries live and serve.”
World Mission Sunday, the last Sunday after Epiphany, was designated to increase awareness of, and participation in, the wider global mission of the Church. World Mission Sunday is ideal for Sunday School lessons, adult education, discussions and forums, prayers of the people and other events in the life of a congregation and diocese.
World Mission Sunday 2010 posters in English and Spanish as well as resources, such as bulletin inserts, suggested readings, prayers and lectionary for observing World Mission Sunday, are available for downloading: www.episcopalchurch.org/wmsunday
“Spend this day learning about our companion diocese relationships, parish-to-parish links, and mission networks and societies,” explained David Copley, Mission Personnel Officer. “Share stories of Episcopal missionaries, past and present, and brainstorm ways you can get involved in our worldwide mission efforts.
The Episcopal Church welcomes all who worship Jesus Christ in 109 dioceses and three regional areas in 16 nations. The Episcopal Church is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
World Mission Sunday: www.episcopalchurch.org/wmsunday
The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org
World Mission Sunday www.episcopalchurch.org/wmsunday
IamEpiscopalian: http://www.iamepiscopalian.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/episcopalian
Twitter: http://twitter.com/iamepiscopalian
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/TECtube
# # # #
For more info contact:
Neva Rae Fox
Public Affairs Officer
The Episcopal Church
212-716-6080 Mobile: 917-478-5659
From Episcopal Relief & Development:
In the aftermath of a 7.0 earthquake, Episcopal Relief & Development is providing critical emergency funds to Haiti. We (ERD) are currently accepting donations to the Haiti Fund to support this assistance and will continue updating this site as we receive information.
From Rev. Michael W. Ridgway, St. Stephens in the Field, San Jose:
Read New York Times article here. I'm also adding an RSS feed from the NYT to the blog (top, upper right) so as to post up to date information as it developes.
From Sudan BlogSpot
Sudan is facing one of the most important periods of time in its history. National elections are scheduled for April 2010 and a referendum for Southern Sudan and Abyei is scheduled for January 2011. Genocide continues in the Darfur region of Sudan and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President, Omar Al-Bashir. Learn how these and other important events are affecting Sudan and the Horn of Africa.
Read the whole article here
Speaking Schedule in Bay Area
Monday, Jan. 25th, 6:00-7:15pm World Affairs Council. SF
Tuesday, Jan. 26th, Time TBD, UC Berkeley Human rights center, 470 Stephens Hall
Again the same day UC Davis 7:30pm Giedt Hall room 1002.
Wednesday, 27th 12:00-1:30pm, USF law school.
the same day 7:00pm, Stanford University.
Jan. 28 Humanity United and San Francisco Bay area Darfur coalition Red Wood City (Lunch).
at 3:30pm, Santa Clara University.
From episcopallife online by Matthew Davies, January 12, 2010
Drawing attention to Sudan's faltering peace process, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Episcopal Church of Sudan Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul met with U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown Jan. 11 to underscore the urgency for the international community to take action to ensure that the country doesn't plunge back into civil war.
The meeting with Brown was supported by the Sudan365 campaign, a year of advocacy for Sudan that is being organized by a coalition of advocacy groups and human rights organizations. The campaign organized a Jan. 9 demonstration when hundreds of activists gathered outside Brown's residence at 10 Downing Street in London to call on the U.K. government urgently to increase their diplomatic engagement on Sudan
Read the entire article here.
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