World Mission Sunday and Lenten Mite Boxes for Sudan

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

We are desperate but strong in faith

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.

World Mission Sunday Info

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

newsline@episcopalchurch.org

212-716-6080  Mobile: 917-478-5659

Haiti Devastated by Earthquake

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.

Sudan Before and After 2011

From Sudan BlogSpot

Host An Expert Discussion

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.

Archbishops issue urgent plea for peace in Sudan

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.