July 15, 2014 

 

 

Several Diocesan Churches Poised to Help Child Migrants Heading to Louisiana

from the Rev'd. Sharon Alexander

News of thousands of people from Central America, many of whom are children, crossing the borders into Texas, California and other border states has inspired many Episcopal Churches across the country to help with this humanitarian crisis. Most of these children are at high risk in their home countries from violence related to the drug trade. They are literally fleeing for their lives to live with friends and relatives in the US. While we do not have the ability to obtain official information on where the children are going, sources in the news and other places report that some from Honduras have been placed on buses to New Orleans. The biggest challenge to providing assistance is locating the migrant, who often do not try to seek help for fear of being detained or deported.

Several of EDOLA's churches that have Central Americans in their congregations or who have Spanish speakers in the congregation have volunteered to work with Episcopal Relief and Development to help provide assistance to any of these migrants who may make it to our Diocese. In most cases the migrants will be connected with resources in the community, in addition to any help our congregations can give. If you learn of any Central American migrants who need assistance or would like to learn more how your congregation might help, please contact Max Niedzwiecki at max@daylightconsulting.net.

A Google Group has been created to help people associated with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana to communicate about matters related to migration in our region (e.g., child migrants from Central America). Email Max and he will help you sign up to the group.

  

Statement from the Presiding Bishop       from The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs

[July 10, 2014] Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued the following statement on the current crisis of unaccompanied children and families at the United States border.

 

The influx of vulnerable people from Central America, including unaccompanied minors as well as mothers with children, continues to challenge the United States to respond compassionately. Like Sudanese or Syrian refugees, these people are fleeing hunger, violence, and the fear of rape, murder, and enslavement. The violence in Central America has escalated significantly in recent months, particularly as a result of gangs and trafficking in drugs and human beings. These people are literally fleeing for their lives.

 

The United States has a checkered history in responding to refugee crises. We shut our eyes and ears, as well as our ports, during the crimes against Jews and other vulnerable persons in the midst of the Second World War. We have been more welcoming to Sudanese youths looking for survival in the last 20 years.

 

The Episcopal Church believes we have a responsibility to all our neighbors, particularly the strangers and sojourners around us.  We have been resettling refugees since 1939. Today, Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) and Episcopal Relief & Development are working with churches and dioceses in areas where these Central American women and children are being served. 

 

Episcopalians are responding with prayers and concern, and asking how to help. I urge you to remember these people and their difficult and dangerous position in your prayers - today, this coming Sunday, and continuing until we find a just resolution.  The Episcopal Church has established an account to receive financial contributions to assist Episcopal Migration Ministries in this work.  For details, please contact EMM@episcopalchurch.org

 

I would also encourage you to contact your legislators, and ask them to support an appropriate humanitarian response to this crisis.  We are our brothers' and sisters' keeper, and as a Church, we are asking the United States government to support such a response, grounded in justice and the fundamental dignity of every human being. Our Office of Government Relations is submitting detailed testimony to a United States Senate hearing today, as that chamber prepares to consider a budget request from the President. You may read that testimony here, and I encourage you to share it with your own Representative and Senators here.

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

 

 

 

Episcopal Migration Ministries: http://www.episcopalmigrationministries.org/how_you_can_help/latest_child_migrants.aspx 

 

Episcopal Relief & Development: https://www.episcopalrelief.org/press-and-resources/press-releases/2014-press-releases/responding-to-central-american-migrant-crisis

 

Episcopal Church Public Policy Network: http://advocacy.episcopalchurch.org/app/write-a-letter?2&engagementId=53943

 

St. Andrew's in Bayou duLarge is proud to be celebrating their 100th anniversary of worship and service on the bayou. All are invited on Sunday, July 29 at 10:30 am to Holy Eucharist and the festive reception following. 

We have newly updated clergy supply list (since the last email in early July). Download here.

I'm looking for supply clergy at St. Luke's Church on the 4th Sunday of the month as follows:

July 27

August 24

October 26

November 23

December 28

 

Please contact Father Ed Thompson by email, priest@allsoulsnola.org or at 504-320-4857.

 

It is not too late for articles for this next Churchwork but send them in now. Deadline is Monday, July 21.  Email them to news@edola.org. Churchwork will be published late July / early August. 

 

[July 14, 2014] The Episcopal Church Office of Communication will offer the video of the special celebration of the 40th anniversary of women's ordination on July 26. The video will be offered on-demand at no fee.

 

On Saturday, July 26, the Diocese of Pennsylvania is hosting a celebration of the 40th anniversary of women's ordination to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will preside and preach at the 3 pm Eucharist at Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, the site of the 1974 ordinations.

 

Working in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, the Office of Communication will video the event and will prepare for on-demand viewing later that evening.  The on-demand will be available here.

 

"The 40th anniversary of women's ordination is a milestone of great importance for The Episcopal Church," commented Mike Collins, Manager of Multimedia Services.  "Our goal is to offer this video so people from throughout the church can share in the celebration."

 

For more information contact Collins at mcollins@episcopalchurch.org, or Henry Carnes at the Diocese of Pennsylvania, henryc@diopa.org.

 

Preceding the Eucharist will be a symposium featuring: Dr. Fredrica Thompsett, Mary Wolfe Professor Emerita of Historical Theology at Episcopal Divinity School as the keynote speaker; and a panel discussion with the Rt. Rev. Dr. Carol Gallagher, the Rev. Miguelina Howell, the Rev. Pamela Nesbit, Archdeacon, and Nokomis Wood, moderated by the Very Rev. Katherine H. Ragsdale, Dean and President of the Episcopal Divinity School. The Rev. Dr. Nancy Wittig, one of the original Philadelphia eleven ordinands, will close the symposium with a meditation.  For symposium registration, more info and opportunities for participation here or here.

  

I am working away at the creation of a new website for the Diocese of Louisiana. I am seeking photographs from our churches to help bring life to the site, specifically those that show the love of God at work in our community. I am looking for photographs of church services, baptisms, acolytes, lay readers, coffee hour, choirs, retreats, outreach projects, etc. Please email high resolution photographs to kmackey@edola.org. 

If you have historical photographs of your church, those would be welcome too. In the near future we are planning to have an online archive of the history of our Diocese. It would be great to populate those pages with photographs of our churches and people over the last 200+ years of the Episcopal Church's presence in Louisiana. 

Many of you have asked advice for or assistance in the creation or improvement of your website. One of my goals is to help all of our churches have a website, even if it is just a basic one. Help will be on the way soon. I promise! In fact, a couple of people have expressed interest in assisting me with this project. Until then, the most important thing you could do is to gather material to place on your website.  Do you have a written description of all your ministries and services? Do you have up-to-date photographs? Do you have enough photographs to change out throughout the year to keep the website looking current from season to season?  Do you know who the target audience is for your website? Is it the first-time visitor, the long-term parishioner, or both? Learn what content they will be looking for when visiting your website. 

A Bunch of Tips for Church Websites from the blog of Father Christopher

Church Website 101 from Church Marketing Sucks

Church Website Design Advice from Church 123 (I am not endorsing this software program. I do think they have great advice.) 

More and more churches are switching over to a cloud-based system (also known as a content managed system) to develop their websites. Below are some of the CMS systems I have seen being used by churches in our diocese. Again, I am not endorsing any of these sites or recommending one system over another. This is just for your information. Be sure to explore the pros and cons of each. 

Wordpress.com (There is a difference between the two. See it here)

A couple of others used around the Episcopal Church....

Registration is open for Happening #73 on August 22-24 at the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center. Happening is a youth-led spiritual formation weekend designed for high school teens. It is an amazing experience that changes the way you think about yourself and your faith.

 

To register or more information: http://www.eventbee.com/v/happening73

 

 

The Addictions Recovery Ministry of the Diocese of Louisiana will hold its 31st annual retreat for men and women who are in recovery, wish to be in recovery, or are just interested in recovery spirituality. Feel free to forward this information to anyone who might be interested. The retreat is the weekend of August 1-3, 2014 at the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center.

 

The theme for the weekend is "Grace, Grief, and Growth: losses, ebbs, and flows of living in recovery".  Our facilitator is Fr. Thomas C. Weston, SJ.  He has been involved in 12-Step Programs since 1976.  A former Director of the Jesuit Volunteers Corps and a teacher at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, he has degrees and experience in counseling, education and theology.  He has taught English in China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar; and has been doing retreat work with recovering alcoholics and addicts and their families since 1984. He counsels, conducts workshops and seminars, and preaches at retreats internationally and often.  He lives and gardens in Oakland, California.

 

To register online, please visit:  http://tinyurl.com/k3k5dod