Article Index 
Update on Rebuild Our Church in Haiti
Iowans visit Diocese of Nzara
Revised Diocesan Policy on Sexual Boundaries
Reminiscences about the 1981 visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Resources for "Greening" your Church
Vestry Papers is now free website
Your help is needed to provide EfM for prisoners
College Freshmen & Campus Ministries
Iowa Episcopal Mission Minutes
Safeguarding Online
Diocesan News
For the latest in Episcopal News 
 

 

 

 

March 27, 2013
 

This letter is the first of ongoing updates about what is happening with The Episcopal Church in Haiti. Because the Development Office is brand new, authorized by General Convention last summer and funded as of January first of this year, we have had to purchase and configure software and hire staff, to be able to communicate with all 2,420 of you who so graciously responded to the Campaign to Rebuild Our Church in Haiti.

While the last of 97 participating dioceses finished its “formal” part of the Campaign in December, gifts continue to come in. And, we will continue to keep the information up on The Episcopal Church website. If you wish to continue to support this effort, we would ask that you make your gifts payable to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and annotated for the Campaign to Rebuild our Church in Haiti. Checks made out to the Episcopal Church Foundation, which initiated the campaign, take longer to process, as the Foundation is a separate not-for-profit and we cannot deposit those checks. It may sound like “red tape”, but the reality is that this cuts down on the steps involved.

Doubtless all of you wish to know how much has been raised to date. And, that, alas, is information that our Haitian partners have requested that we not share for reasons of safety and security. There is probably nothing more frustrating to a Development Office than to operate under such constraints, but the threats on the ground to our staff and clergy are real. The U.S. State Department regularly issues warnings about kidnappings, and we have not been immune to those activities. If some of the less-savory segments of Haitian society sense that significant sums of money might be readily accessible, our clergy and staff would be at risk.

Your gift, along with all the others, is held in an account specifically for the rebuilding of Holy Trinity Cathedral. Because Kerns Associates of Arlington, Virginia has now begun work on the concept drawings, some funds have already been released – to pay for this work and to pay for the work of a geotechnical engineer on the ground in Port-au-Prince. Kerns hopes to present its concept drawings to the Haiti Team late this month, at which point, one concept will be chosen. Only after that selection will we have a cost estimate for the Cathedral.
 

Kerns Associates has chosen a Haitian architect to work with them on this project. Herve Sabin, who is a graduate of the New York Institute of Technology, received his architectural degree from Pratt, and did further graduate study at Columbia University. He is a gifted young Haitian architect who has already designed Holy Trinity Primary, Secondary, and Trade Schools – all on the Cathedral campus – and is working now on a design for the Sisters of St. Margaret Convent, which was also destroyed in the January 2010 earthquake. Given his work on the other buildings on the Cathedral site, he seems to be a natural partner to work with Kerns on the Cathedral itself.

Drilling to ascertain soil composition on the grounds of Holy Trinity Cathedral

A word about building in Haiti: One of the reasons that the earthquake was so devastating is the nature of soil composition. Not only were construction materials of poor quality, but also the ground itself magnified the effect of the earthquake. In Port-au-Prince, the soil is often sand. The water table is high. This combination resulted in an ongoing rolling, undulating effect, destabilizing everything above it.

Thus, one of the very first things to determine is the soil composition on the Cathedral site. Enter the geotechnical engineer who will drill bore holes *and analyze the soil. “Soil correction” may be indicated in which case the site will be dug out to a depth of 12 feet, replaced with rock, which is then hammered into place and covered with concrete.

There are many reasons it takes a long time to build a cathedral. Funding is one. Architectural selection is another. Soil composition is a third. In-country availability of certified concrete blocks is yet another…more on that in our next letter! As we are kept abreast of what is happening on the Holy Trinity complex, we will share that information with you. And if you have questions or comments, we hope that you will be in touch with us.

Gratefully, for your support,

Elizabeth M. Lowell
Program Director
The Development Office
Office: 212-716-6041
ELowell@episcopalchurch.org

 

 

 

[Dave Oakland, Convener, One World One Church Commission] Bishop Alan and Donna Scarfe, the Rev. Kathleen Milligan, and the Rev. Torey Lightcap will be visiting the Diocese of Nzara over the period of February 4-14. This is an important step into our growing companionship. I would ask your daily prayers for each of them as individuals as they travel and for their mission. Pray also for our companions in Nzara as they host our representatives. And, of course, continue your use of the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer as we get better acquainted with one another. Below are three prayers (two from the BCP) which you might find useful. Please feel free to share these with others in your parish.

O Lord of all Creation, we give you thanks for the gift of companionship and especially for our Companions in Brechin, Nzara, and Swaziland. We ask your blessing on +Alan, Donna, Kathleen+, and Torey+, as they visit Nzara and lead us more fully into our companionship with the Diocese of Nzara. Be with them and keep them safe in their travel. Bless them with the joy of new friendships as they work with our brothers and sisters of the Diocese of Nzara to explore how best we share our love of You with one another and in one another. All this we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Also see prayers from Book of Common Prayer, page 100 and page 831.

By Friday, February 8, we hope to be getting news from Nzara via two blog sites: 
http://missionminutes.blogspot.com [Dio of Iowa mission blog] & http://irreducibleminimums.blogspot.com  [Torey's blog]
 

 

 

 

[May 2012] In response to new model policies and training materials developed by the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Iowa has revised its Policies on Sexual Boundaries and is offering updated training. 

Click here for the New Policy on Sexual Boundaries 

Are you unsure whether you need training in Safeguarding God's Children or Safeguarding God's People?
Click here for Chart of Required Leadership Trainings 
 

 

 

 

 

[May 4, 2011] Upon reading the article in the May issue of Iowa Connections, the Rt. Rev. Walter Righter (VII Bishop of Iowa, retired) shared some further reminiscences about Archbishop Runcie's 1981 visit to Iowa:

► We almost had a catastrophe as the celebration of the Eucharist began--a priest called me to the edge of the area where the altar was, as the service began and said, "Can we borrow your penknife--the wine bottles all have corks in them and we have no corkscrew that can be found." The wine came from a winery in Boone. Somehow the bottles were all opened eventually in time to communicate most of the 8000 people who were there.

► The visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury was thought about long before it happened. At the suggestion of the Rev. Gary Frahm I sent the Archbishop of Canterbury a copy of "The Hog Book" because it was world wide news that he raised hogs. He teased me about that for years--and chuckled over it for years.

► The year before the visit the Rev. Canon Art Becker spent his vacation having regular prayers asking that God would guide the Archbishop of Canterbury to visit Iowa.

► 'Tis true we did move the Archbishop of Canterbury round by helicopter which we rented--but the pilot was Dr. Bendixen from Denison who had learned his piloting skills from service in the Armed Forces of the USA.

► The pig farm we visited was the Brenton one in a small town outside of Des Moines (I forget the name of the town)
During that visit the Archbishop of Canterbury handled the pigs and moved them around like a veteran!

► When the Archbishop of Canterbury and his staff left Ames for Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, they left in a John Deere Company plane.

► The Archbishop of Canterbury's staff included Terry Waite--a huge body of a man with a great sense of mission and sense of humor. He was later imprisoned in the Middle East for more than 400 days and wrote a book about his life when he returned. The other staff person was the Rev. Richard Chartres, presently the Bishop of London and recently a participant in the April 2011 wedding of William and Kate in Westminster Abbey

► The Archbishop of Canterbury and staff left Ames in midafternoon in the John Deere plane to go to Seabury Western seminary for evensong in their chapel. At that service he was heard to praise them for their incense because it gave him relief from his visit to the hog farm!!

 
 

 

In 2010, the Episcopal Church partnered with GreenFaith, a leading national religious environmental group, to assist churches of all sizes in their efforts to “go green.” The GreenFaith Certification Program is a two-year, holistic process engaging an entire congregation through education, worship, environmental justice advocacy, building and grounds, and developing relationships with the larger interfaith community. Among the tools and resources provided by GreenFaith to participating churches are webinars, web-based resources, and phone/email support. The Economic/Environmental Affairs Office and GreenFaith are underwriting 50% of the tuition of 30 churches nationwide, enabling selected churches to enroll for a total discounted cost of $250 – $750. For more information about the subsidies (deadline for application is May 1, 2011) visit http://greenfaith.org/success-stories/episcopal-church-partnership-certification. 

GreenFaith is offering 2 free hour-long webinars to help congregational leadership understand the program and to answer questions and address concerns. Thursday, February 10, 7:30 pm and Wednesday, February 16, 2 pm. Recordings of the webinars will be available online afterwards for those institutions that cannot participate. To participate in the webinars, contact Stacey Kennealy, kennealy@greenfaith.org.

 

Iowa Interfaith Power and Light (Iowa IPL) is a statewide organization that is mobilizing the religious community to become leaders in the fight against global warming through education, assistance with carbon footprints reductions, and advocacy for sustainable policies. There is some overlap between the work of GreenFaith and Iowa IPL. The main differences are:

You can read ten Success Stories on congregations that are caring for creation by saving energy on Iowa IPL's website, www.iowaipl.org. Or attend the upcoming Cool Congregations training workshop on Saturday April 9th in Muscatine at Zion Lutheran.

 

In October 2010, Vestry Papers became a website, ECF Vital Practices dedicated to the vital practices of thriving congregations. The new website includes the Vestry Papers articles on which readers have come to rely; practical resources for parish leaders; a lively blog where readers can share ideas and experiences; and content about congregational practices from readers across the Episcopal Church.
 

It will cost $2,748 to fund Education for Ministry (EfM) for 12 men at the Anamosa State Penitentiary this year. If you can help, send your contribution to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, PO 33, Anamosa, IA 52205. Please make the check out to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and put EFM in the Memo line.

The Diocesan Prison Ministry team that consists of The Rev. Anne Moats Williams (St. Mark's, Anamosa) and The Rev. Melody Rockwell (Christ Episcopal Church, Cedar Rapids) started an EfM group with the men at Anamosa State Penitentiary seven years ago. Six men have graduated so far with a potential this year for four more.

This fall, there will be three men in Year 2, one in Year 3 and four men in Year 4. That leaves spots for four new students, who will be studying Year 1. Sewanee limits the number of students to twelve.

Prison groups pay a reduced cost for the program (mentors of prison groups forego their honorarium), however it is still a significant amount for inmates that do not have much money at their disposal. If they have a job in the prison, by the time a per diem for the prison is taken out, plus any restitution and/or child support payments, they usually have only $10 to $30 per month for things like snacks, personal care items, and phone call charges. 

The cost of the course is about $229 per person and includes most of the texts (except one book on Christian documents for Year 3), and replacing metal binders with plastic comb binding. The Bible and Common Prayer Book Society of The Episcopal Church is providing Bibles with good study notes and maps for each of the inmates that is the preferred translation for the course.

Congregations and individuals that would like to contribute should send their contributions to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, P.O. 33, Anamosa, IA 52205. Make the check payable to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and put EFM in the Memo line.

 

[Oct 13, 2008] Since colleges and universities do not release lists of Episcopal students to local churches or campus ministries, it is important that you contact the Episcopal parish in the community where your freshman (or transfer) student is attending college so they can be supportive of your young people during their college years. 
 

[Sep 14, 2008] The Iowa Episcopal Mission Minutes site has now been resurrected. Visit http://missionminutes.blogspot.com/ and share photos and stories about Iowa's Episcopal Churches and their global missions.
 

 

 

[Aug 26, 2008] The diocesan required child abuse prevention education and training, Safeguarding God’s Children, is now available online. Individuals needing training or to renew their training are now able to access the training modules using a computer with a high-speed internet connection. More information is avaialable at http://www.iowaepiscopal.org/ministry_together/safeguarding_gods_children.php or contact Lydia Bucklin on how to get started. 
 

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The current and past issues of Iowa Connections, the Diocesan newspaper are available at http://www.iowaepiscopal.org/news_and_events/iowa_connections.php.

urrent and past issues of the monthly Diocesan eNewsletter are available at http://www.iowaepiscopal.org/resources/links.php#News.  

 

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