Quick Links to Diopa Website
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A Message About Gun Violence From Bishop Gutierrez
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A Pilgrimage to Ascension, Parkesburg
Part II
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Noah Bullock, Exec. Dir. of Cristosal to Speak on Victims
Displaced by Violence in Central America
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Today 1 in every 113 people globally is now either an asylum-seeker, internally displaced or a refugee - a level of risk that surpasses all precedent, including World War II. While global attention has gone to the largest war zones - Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan - the deadliest region in the world is far closer to home. Last year there were 17,500 violent deaths in Central America's Northern Triangle (NTCA) - El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and an estimated 1 million people displaced by violence in the NTCA and Southern Mexico in 2015. There is now an urgent need to not only offer protection to those fleeing this violence, but to upgrade existing humanitarian and human rights mechanisms to address these new forms of conflict (www.cristosal.org).
As part of our Outreach ministry, the Central American Migrant and Refugee Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania is glad to host a live presentation by Noah Bullock. Mr. Bullock is the Executive Director of Cristosal, an Episcopal human rights organization based in El Salvador, leading regional efforts to protect and advocate for victims forcibly displaced by violence in Central America. Recently, Noah presented at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey and at the NGO consultations with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva.
Come hear from a regional expert about what is driving violence and migration in Central America, and what we and the Church can do to make a difference. Noah Bullock's talk will take place Sunday, September 18 at 3:00PM EDT at St Paul's Episcopal Church, Chestnut Hill, PA
(
http://stpaulschestnuthill.org/
).
- Please note corrected link below -
Noah's talk will be simulcast live on the internet and can be accessed at:
You will have an opportunity to post questions to Noah and his Staff.
- Save the Date -
September 18, at 3:00 P.M.
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Bishop Gutierrez appointed ECS Chairman of the Board
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Episcopal Community Services (ECS) is pleased to announce the appointment of The Rt. Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutierrez as chairman of the ECS Board of Trustees. Gutierrez's appointment follows his recent ordination as the new bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania.
Prior to his ordination, Bishop Gutierrez
was a priest of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, canon to the ordinary, chief operating officer, and chief of staff for the diocese, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As part of his role in diocesan leadership, he also served as executive director of the diocesan conference and retreat centers and oversaw all aspects of ministry, human resources, budgeting, funds and investments, and capital campaigns within the diocese.
Gutierrez is a graduate of the University of New Mexico, where he earned bachelor's degrees in history and political science in 1987 and a master of arts in public administration in 1992. In 2007, he earned a diocesan certificate in Anglican studies through the Trinity School for Ministry, and in 2011, he was awarded a master of theological studies degree from St. Norbert College. Gutierrez has been married since 1991 to Suzanne Fletcher Gutierrez, and they have one son, Jude.
"I am confident that our new bishop and board chairman will serve well - in our parishes, at Episcopal Community Services, and for the families and individuals in our programs," said David E. Griffith, executive director of ECS. Griffith, who served on the diocesan search committee added, "It has been tradition for the bishop to chair the board since the agency's founding in 1870 by then bishop William Bacon Stevens. We are honored to have this strong connection to the bishop in his role as chairman."
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Nominations Committee Slate to Date
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The Nomination Committee is pleased to share the "Slate to Date" for candidates to be elected to Diocesan Committees at Convention 2016. Thank you to those who have agreed to run. To those of you still pondering, it's not too late to add your name. As you'll notice, we have empty positions. Please consider joining in the important work we do together as people of faith. You may submit your biography at
https://diopa.wufoo.com/forms/2016-nominee-biography/.
As always, the Nominations Committee seeks to broaden out representation so that we reflect our Diocese's marvelous diversity and our multitude of talents. To see the complete list of opportunities as well as biographies already received, go to:
http://www.diopaconvention.org/nominations.html
and
http://www.diopaconvention.org/the-candidates.html
.
In Thanksgiving,
The Diocesan Nominations Committee: Cordelia Biddle (chair), Lionel Broome, Jane R. Cosby, Rev. Nancy Dilliplane, Rev. Amanda Eiman, Christopher Hart, Rev. Betsy Ivey, Rev. Catherine Kerr, Janet Ross, Liz Wendt, Rev. Deirdre Whitfield
2016 SLATE TO DATE:
General Convention: Elect 4 Clergy; 4 Lay Members
Lay: Christopher Hart, Karen Lash, Kirk Muller, Liz Wendt, Pat Smith, George Vosburgh, Stacy Carmody, Noah Stansbury
Clergy: Kathy Andonian, Kirk Berlenbach, Sandra Etemad, Renee McKenzie, Pam Nesbit, Hillary Raining, Deirdre Whitfield
Standing Committee - Elect 1 Lay Member
Standing Committee - Elect 1 Clergy Member
David Rominik, Sean Mullen, Jarrett Kerbel, Kirk Berlenbach, Michael Ruk
Finance Committee - Elect 1 Lay Member
Dana Hall, Kirk Muller, Peter Oliver
Finance Committee - Elect 1 Clergy Member
John Symonds, Adam Kradel
Church Foundation Board - Elect 4 Lay Members and 1 Clergy Member
Thomas Helm, Clifford Kozemchak, Rev. Ed Shiley, Paul Wanglee, Roberta Griffin Torian, Loretha Badger, Alfeia DeVaugh Goodwin
Nomination Committee - Elect 2 Lay Members
Marcia Hinton, Betty Berry-Holmes
Nomination Committee - Elect 2 Clergy Members
Amanda Eiman, Jeff Moretzon
CCCEB - Elect 1 Lay Member
Marc Andonian
CCCEB - Elect 1 Clergy Member
Diocesan Disciplinary Board - Elect 2 Lay Members
Rick Fitzgerald
Diocesan Disciplinary Board - Elect 3 Clergy Members
Rick Vinson, Nancy Dilliplane
Christmas Fund Elect 4 Members:
Shirley Morris, Nancy Iredale, Anne Atlee, Janet Ross
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D
oes a Believer's Past Play a Role When Joining Our Faith
by the Rev. Kevin D. Huddleston
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We are who we are because of who we have been. Rather than living in our past, we need to learn from it.
In the Christian tradition we assert that Jesus Christ suffered death upon the cross for our redemption; "a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world." (Book of Common Prayer, Page 334). We have been forgiven by God's infinite mercy and grace. As baptized Christians we are adopted children of God, created in the image of God.
We find our identity, our sense of worth and significance in being God's beloved children. We can reflect on our previous behaviors with brutal and critical honesty because we are loved. This allows us to see the results of our choices with fresh eyes.
We can begin to imagine responding differently in the future. We do not have to recount our past in some kind of macabre recitation. Some may react by trying to place the blame on a person or event. This path is an endless circle of denying that we have free will.
Our individual response is critical to moving forward. Because we have not constructed our own worth and value, rather it is given to us by God, we can choose to respond differently. We must face our past, but now we do it knowing that there is nothing we can do to make God love us more or love us less. We do not have to let our past determine our future.
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Making Ordinary Saints
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Our presiding bishop, Michael Curry, when he was here, encouraged us to return to our roots and live into the depths of the spiritual tradition that we have inherited. To help us to do that, I invite you to register for a conference in two weeks time, with Richard Foster and his son Nathan. It will be an excellent opportunity to encourage us as clergy and laity in our spiritual journeys as we listen in to a conversation about growth in spirituality between father and son.
The conference will be hosted by Church of the Good Samaritan on Friday evening and Saturday the 23rd and 24th September. It costs $70 ($50 for students) and includes lunch and a copy of Nathan Foster's book. Registration and further details are online at Renovare's website:
I hope that many of us will be able to come and bring others along from our churches to learn and grow,
with blessings as we build the Kingdom of God together.
The Very Reverend Richard Morgan
Rector, Church of the Good Samaritan
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Applications being accepted for UTO Young Adult, Seminarian Grants
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Applications are now accepted for the 2017 United Thank Offering grants: 10 grants of $2500 for young adults (ages 19-30); and 10 grants of $2500 to seminarians (no age limit).
The focus of the grants is
Evangelism and Reconciliation.
The United Thank Offering is a ministry to promote thankfulness and mission in the whole Church. Known worldwide as UTO, the United Thank Offering awards grants for projects that address human needs and help alleviate poverty, both domestically and internationally in the Episcopal Church.
Young Adult Grant Process
- Young adults, ages 19-30, should submit their applications to their diocese for screening and selection.
- The bishop will select one application per diocese. The diocesan office will submit its choice by Friday, November 4 at 5 pm Eastern to [email protected]
- A bishop's signature is required on the application. Applications without a bishop's signature will not be accepted.
- Young Adult Grant applicants will be notified of the status of their application following Executive Council Approval in January 2017.
Seminarian Grant Process
- Seminarian grant applications are intended for start-up costs of new ministries, not for the continuation of ongoing ministries.
- Seminarians must hail from one of the accredited seminaries of The Episcopal Church listed here or from the Commission for Theological education for Latin American and the Caribbean (CETALC).
- Seminarians should submit their applications to their dean for screening and selection.
- The dean will select two applications per seminary. The dean's office will submit its choice by Friday, November 4 at 5 pm Eastern to [email protected].
- The dean's signature is required on the application. Applications without a dean's signature will not be accepted.
- Seminarian Grant applicants will be notified of the status of their application following the Executive Council meeting in January 2016.
More information
For more information contact the Rev.
Heather Melton, Missioner for the United Thank Offering.
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Education for Ministry
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Have you ever considered a formal study of the things which inform your baptismal covenant? Many EfM seminar groups will be reforming or starting in the fall and now is the time for you to consider if this program is for you. The current texts are portrayed in the attached link.
For more information contact:
Alan Lindsay, EfM Coordinator for the Diocese of Pennsylvania
Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania
3717 Chestnut Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-627-6434 x127 or [email protected]
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