November 29, 2023

Video: Presiding Bishop Curry, Archbishop Naoum

UTO appeal for Diocese of Jerusalem through December 15

On November 21, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry held a video conversation with Archbishop Hosam Naoum of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. Episcopal News Service reported that Archbishop Naoum "described dire conditions amid the Israel-Hamas war while thanking Episcopalians for their prayers and support."

A video of the conversation is available on the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations website along with other resources for responding to the conflict in the Holy Land.

Through December 15, United Thank Offering will match up to $100,00 in donations to help sustain outreach ministries in the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Learn more and donate now.

Presiding Bishop Curry Visits Erie on December 9

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will visit the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, December 9 and will preach at a service of Eucharist at Luther Memorial Church in Erie at 1:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and congregations are encouraged to organize groups to travel to Erie together, and to invite their neighbors and friends.

Read more online.

New Partnership Directory In Process

Form due December 4

The partnership staff is updating contact information for clergy and lay members of governance bodies and diocesan partnership committees. The updated information will be used to create a partnership directory and update the partnership database.

Clergy and diocesan lay leaders are asked to complete the directory form by December 4.

Union of Black Episcopalians Membership Drive

The Bishop Holly Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) is looking for new members.

Everyone is invited to join UBE for its final General Body Meeting of 2023 on December 6. The meeting, from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom, will be a celebration of Kwanzaa and a discussion of UBE's priorities and goals for 2024. 

Join the meeting using this Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/91097108225?pwd=TWhnayswWk5IWUxra0owRFB1VUxsZz09

Download the membership application and read an appeal letter to learn more.

Apply for UN Commission on Status of Women

Episcopalians ages 19 and up are invited to apply to represent the Episcopal Church at the 68th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW68) in New York City, March 11-22.

Applications are due by December 15. Find criteria and applications online in English and Spanish.

Update the Episcopal Asset Map before Christmas Eve

Congregational leaders are encouraged to review the information on their congregation's Asset Map page during Advent so they can be ready to welcome people searching for Christmas services or even a new church home:

• Navigate to the Episcopal Asset Map
• Click on your congregation and click on "More Details."
• If anything needs to be changed or added, click "Update this Place."
• After you click "Save and Submit" changes will go to the diocesan Asset Map administrator for approval, and changes will be published.

Episcopal Relief & Development has released a video walk-through of this Asset Map updating process. Answers to frequently asked questions are also available on the Episcopal Asset Map website.

Contact Shawn Slother with questions.

Beware of New Email Scams

Congregations should be wary of emails that express interest in donating a baby grand piano or being added to the church directory. While they may seem innocent, both are opening gambits in new email scams.

When scammers get access to a church directory, they can email congregants posing as a member of the church staff seeking gift cards or other online transfers. No member of a church or diocesan staff will ever ask you to send gift cards or transfer money to them personally.

Emails offering a free baby grand piano will eventually result in a request for $1,000, or more, to help with the cost of moving the piano. Scammers may also ask for contact information of others who may be interested and will attempt to contact those people posing as you.

If you receive a scam email like the ones described above, please do not respond. Instead, report the fraudulent account to Google or send an email to communications@episcopalpartnership.org asking for assistance with reporting.

Programs and Events

Forma Conference Discounted Rates

Province III, which includes the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, is partnering with Forma to offer a discounted rate for the January 22-25 Forma Conference. The conference will be available both online and in-person at different locations across the church. Province III's in-person conference will be held at the Claggett Center in Adamstown, Maryland. In-person participation will cost $250 and online participation will cost $50.

Learn more and register on Eventbrite.

Congratulations to the following clergy who are celebrating ordination anniversaries:

The Rev. Robert Arnold, December 1

The Rev. Sare Liz Anuszkiewicz, December 1

The Rev. Joseph Dedde, December 1

The Rev. Katherine Lwebuga-Mukasa, December 2

The Rev. Mona Gaddis, December 2

The Rev. Walter Pond, December 5

The Rev. Jessica Frederick, December 5

The Rev. Sarah Brock, December 7

The Rev. W David Noves, December 9

The Rev. Diana Leiker, December 10

The Rev. Susan Firestine, December 10

The Rev. Timothy Dyer, December 11

The Rev. Andy Newbert, December 12

The Rev. Thomas Mitchell, December 12

Job Opportunities

Food Access Manager

St. Luke's, Jamestown

St. Luke’s, Jamestown seeks a food access manager to lead all initiatives with the goal of furthering the parish's mission of being a “growing” community. The position reports directly to the Rev. Luke Fodor and will plan and coordinate all activities and promotional efforts for the Jamestown Public Market, Jamestown Mobile Market, ‘Eat Fresh Do Good’ Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and the GROW Jamestown Community Garden.

Learn more.

Pennsylvania Mandated Reporter Training

The Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) is offering free virtual training to mandated reporters in the state of Pennsylvania. Three types of training are available: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse, Responding to Disclosures of Child Abuse, and Recognizing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect. Each training is three hours long; takes place live; is approved by the Departments of Human Services, Education, and State; and meets all state requirements for training on recognizing and reporting child abuse.

Email PFSA with questions. Register for a training online.

Tour the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center

A group tour of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center will take place December 30. The tour will start at 1 p.m. To register, contact the Rev. Helen Harper via email, call her at 808.840.3021 or call the St. Peter's, Niagara Falls church office at 716.282.1717.

Learn more about the experiences of congregations that have visited the center.

Godly Play Lending Library

St. Paul's Cathedral, Buffalo maintains a lending library of Godly Play materials, which churches may check out for extended use. The materials available for lending include the new series People of Color Who Inspire. Churches may also bring groups to learn more about Godly Play. For more information, email the Rev. Twila Smith.

2024 United Thank Offering Grants Application Open

Applications are now open for 2024 United Thank Offering Annual Grants, with a focus on projects that welcome and include “the stranger.” The application deadline is January 19, and the application requires pre-submission endorsement from the bishop's office.

More information—including criteria for applicants, sample budgets and timelines, and helpful hints—as well as the application and other forms is available online. 

Learn more and register for an informational webinar.

Faith in Action Funding Available

Publication Schedule

Anyone can subscribe to the leadership newsletter and the general newsletter, which are published on alternate Wednesdays.

The general newsletter contains stories, congregational event listings, and other news of general interest. The leadership news focuses on governance and administrative updates and reminders, leadership events and clergy news. Updates are also available on the partnership Facebook page and the partnership website.

Please send news about your congregation's ministry, mission and events to communications@episcopalpartnership.org. To contribute photos, stories, or event announcements to the newsletter, please see our submission guidelines.