July 27, 2022
Video: Marcus Maltby Begins Episcopal Service Corps
On July 22, Marcus Maltby, a member of St. Paul's, Buffalo, began a year-long service program with Beloved In The Desert, an Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) program in Tucson, Arizona. Sophie Kitch-Peck, an alum of the Episcopal Service Corps program in Colorado, recently spoke with Marcus about ESC and why young adults might choose to pursue a year of service.

The Lambeth Conference Begins
A prayer for the Lambeth Conference from the Scottish Episcopal Church
On Sunday, Bishop Sean wrote to the people of the partnership dioceses about the Lambeth Conference and the controversy about its proposed vote on LGBTQ inclusion in the Anglican Communion. "Our church is deeply committed to the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life and witness of the church and in civil society as well," he wrote. "Nothing that happens at this Lambeth Conference or at any other Anglican Communion meeting can change that. Read his letter.

Since then, conference planners have released a rewritten text of a disputed document, which will instead ask the bishops to affirm that “all baptized, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ” while acknowledging that provinces of the Anglican Communion differ on the issue of marriage equality. Read more about the new developments from Episcopal News Service.

Please pray for the bishops gathered at the Lambeth Conference and for LGBTQ Christians across the Anglican Communion, and follow the news from the Lambeth Conference on Episcopal News Service.
Budget Targets Met
Draft 2023 Diocesan Budgets Now Available for Review
The Diocesan Councils of the Dioceses of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York have approved draft 2023 budgets, which are now available for review:





“In these budgets, we have met all of the targets for operational savings that we projected in the 2018 proposal for our diocesan partnership,” Bishop Sean said. “We have succeeded in freeing up more money for mission.”

Read more about the draft 2023 budgets on the website and submit comments and questions to Canon Cindy Dougan by September 6.
Diocesan Convention is October 28-29
Resolutions and Nominations Due August 29
The annual joint conventions of the Diocese of Western New York and the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania will be held October 28-29 at Niagara Falls Convention Center.



  • The deadline to submit nominations for the following diocesan leadership positions is August 29. Submit nominations online.

  • Diocese of Western New York
  • Standing Committee - 1 clergy, 1 lay
  • Diocesan Council - 1 clergy, 2 lay
  • Trustees - 2 clergy
  • General Convention - 4 clergy deputies, 4 clergy alternates, 4 lay deputies, 4 lay alternates

  • Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania
  • Standing Committee - 1 priest, 1 lay 
  • Diocesan Council - 1 priest, 1 lay
  • Constitution and Canons - 1 priest, 1 lay 
  • General Convention - 4 clergy deputies, 4 clergy alternates, 4 lay deputies, 4 lay alternates
Episcopal Days at the Ballpark
Buffalo Bisons on August 27, Erie Seawolves on September 3
Later this summer, the partnership dioceses will host Episcopal Days at the Ballpark in both Buffalo and Erie. We have 150 tickets reserved for both games, and welcome churches, families and individual fans. Contact Wendy Schumacher via email or by phone at (716) 830-5443 to reserve tickets and make payment arrangements. 
 
Saturday, August 27: Buffalo Bisons Game at 6:05 p.m., $12 per ticket, Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond Night.

Saturday, September 3: Erie Seawolves Game at 4:05 p.m., $10 per ticket, Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond Day.
Education for Ministry Enrollment Open for September
Education for Ministry (EfM) is an adult learning program that covers the basics of a theological education in Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, church history, liturgy and theology, with a strong emphasis on theological reflection. 

EFM participants commit to one year at a time, and the full curriculum is covered over four years. For more information contact: Certified Mentor Pam Anderson or Partnership Coordinator for Education for Ministry Linda Makson.
Partnership Summer Camp August 7-1o
Registration Now Open
From August 7-10, the Dioceses of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania will hold a joint summer camp. Due to changes in staff availability and facilities, the camp will now be held at Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center in Bemus Point, New York. Registration is open.

Camp will start at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 7 and end with a closing Eucharist, to which families are invited, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 10.

The cost of camp is $200. People who need financial assistance can contact Wendy Schumacher.

Congregational News
Genesee Deanery Holds "Sunday Flash Mob"
On July 17, St James, Batavia hosted the latest Genesee Deanery Project’s "Sunday Flash Mobs." The flash mobs invite members of all five congregations in the Genesee Deanery to worship together. Parishioners from St. Luke’s in Attica, Holy Apostles in Perry, St. Paul’s in Stafford, and St. Mark’s in LeRoy joined St. James for Holy Eucharist. The former rector of St. Luke’s, Attica, the Rev. Canon Jerry True, played the organ for the service.
St. Luke's, Jamestown Participates in Sacred Sites Open House Weekend
On July 23, St. Luke’s, Jamestown participated in the New York Landmark Conservancy's Sacred Sites Open House weekend. Patrick Monaghan, St. Luke’s warden for property, gave a presentation about the features of the historic building.  

“Here at St. Luke’s, our building is a source of tremendous pride,” Monaghan says, “We are blessed to have the opportunity to worship in this space – and what’s more, to share this beautiful building with the community. Historic buildings of this era have a special splendor not found in modern architecture.” 

St. Luke’s, was built in 1894 with rock-faced Medina sandstone that blends Late Gothic Revival and Romanesque Revival elements. The church was designed by Boston architect W. P. Wentworth and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
St. Andrew's, Burt and St. Philip's, Buffalo Hold "Love Rising" Gatherings
St. Andrew's, Burt and St. Philip's, Buffalo hosted gatherings during the third annual Love Rising Event on July 15. The first Love Rising took place in June 2020 in response to the despair and isolation people were experiencing in the early days of the pandemic.

The St Philip's gathering took place online, while the St. Andrew's gathering was held in-person. Thirty people attended the St. Andrew's event, including members of St. Paul's in Lewiston, Olcott United Methodist Church, and the wider community. The conversation ended with a candlelit reflection in the St Andrew's Prayer Garden at sunset. 

The next Love Rising event will take place next year on July 15. If your congregation would like to partner with St Andrew's, please contact [email protected].

Image: Sunset during the reflection in the St. Andrew's Prayer Garden.
Jamie Gilie of St. Andrew's, Burt Honored for Service in Community
Jamie Gailie, senior warden of St. Andrew,'s in Burt and coordinator of the congregation's Adopted Families Program, has been presented with a Community Cornerstone Award by the Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union.

"Jamie has worked for the Niagara County Health Department for 24 years, where she supports children with varying degrees of developmental or physical delays," reads the announcement. "Additionally, Jamie volunteers her time at her church and participates in an Adopted Families Ministry."

Each year, the Adopted Families program at St. Andrew's supports three or four families in need. Gailie chose St. Andrew's to receive the $500 donation that accompanied her award.

Image: Gailie (fourth from left) receives a check for $500 to support the Adopted Families Program at St. Andrew's, Burt.
Employment Opportunities
Chief Chaplain, VA Medical Center in Erie
The Erie VA Medical Center is expecting an opening in its chief chaplain position by the end of 2022. Requirements for the position are the completion of four units of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education), endorsement by an approved denominational endorser, and certification as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) by a professional organization approved by the VA. The Erie VA Chaplain Service provides services to long-term care, hospice and rehab patients. The Chaplain Service works extensively with the Erie VA Behavioral Health Clinic and also provides support to staff and volunteers. Those interested may contact Chief Chaplain David Fugate at [email protected] or at 814-860-2539.
Reminders
Western New York Grant Proposals Due August 1
The next deadline for the new Diocese of Western New York unified grant application is August 1. Download the grant application.

Contact Vanessa Butler or Maria Manocchio with questions.
IRS Standard Mileage for 2022
Beginning July 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup, or panel truck is:

  • 62.5 cents per mile driven for business use
  • 22 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations
Audit Forms Due Sept. 15 in NWPA and Oct. 1 in WNY
Congregations must submit audit reports by September 15 in Northwestern Pennsylvania and by October 1 in Western New York. NWPA congregations are encouraged to form audit committees within their own congregation using the audit workbook provided on the website.

Information and guidelines for audits are available on the partnership website. Contact Maria Manocchio or Cindy Dougan with questions or concerns.
Community Foundation Funds to Support Buffalo
In the wake of the May 14 mass shooting in Buffalo, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has created two funds to support the community financially.

To provide aid to those directly impacted by the massacre, donate to the Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund.

To address immediate community needs, long-term rebuilding, and systemic issues that have marginalized communities of color, donate to the Buffalo Together Community Response Fund.

Masking Recommendation
The CDC guidance on masking continues to be that vaccinated people should wear a mask indoors in areas of substantial or high COVID transmission and that unvaccinated people over age 2 should wear a mask indoors at all times.

Make sure to keep an eye on your county so you know what your risk is. Find Centers for Disease Control county-level data.

If you have questions or would like to discuss your congregation’s continuing COVID response, please talk with Canon Vanessa Butler. Thank you for your continued faithfulness to our congregations throughout this long pandemic.
Partnership in Prayer on Facebook Live
The bishop's staff invites people across the partnership dioceses to join them online Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon. for virtual prayer on the Partnership in Prayer Facebook page. The next service will be July 28.
Make Gifts and Pledges to Congregations Online
Though many congregations are now meeting in person, the bishop's office will continue to maintain an online giving platform that accepts gifts and pledge payments for any congregation. The partnership dioceses will absorb payment processing fees so contributions will go entirely to local mission.

Publication Schedule
In the summer we publish a combined newsletter on alternate Wednesdays. 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 [email protected]. To contribute photos, stories, or event announcements to the newsletter, please see our submission guidelines.