Presiding Bishop on Hurricane Relief, Communications Conference, Discipleship Matters, Powder Keg in South Africa

"It may be that we cannot solve everything, and we cannot do everything.

But we can do something, no matter what,"

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael B. Curry

A video of the Presiding Bishop's reflection here.

The Presiding Bishop's reflection follows:

Whether it is the pain of the events of August 12 in Charlottesville, or Hurricane Harvey, or Hurricane Irma, or wildfires in the West, or an earthquake in Mexico, there's been a lot of pain, a lot of suffering and hardship. In times like these, it's easy to grow weary. It's easy to be tired. And it's easy to be downcast, and to give up. What can I do?

There's a passage in the Book of Hebrews, in the Tenth Chapter, which says this:

Recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and sometimes persecution, and sometimes just being partners with those who were so treated. For you had compassion . . . so do not abandon your confidence; it brings great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

It may be that we cannot solve everything, and we cannot do everything. But we can do something, no matter what. We can pray. We can give. If possible, we can sign up and go to work. We can pray for those who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey and Irma. The areas that have been affected as we pray include the Dioceses of Texas and West Texas, Western Louisiana and parts of Louisiana. We can pray for all of those who have been affected by Hurricane Irma. Episcopal dioceses that have been affected include the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Southeast Florida and Southwest Florida and Central Florida and Florida and parts of Georgia and Central Gulf Coast. We can pray for all of the peoples in these areas. We can pray.

And we can give. We can give to the Hurricane Fund of Episcopal Relief & Development, for our donations actually help, they help in strategic ways. They really make a difference. If possible, we can sign up. We can sign up to volunteer through Episcopal Relief & Development, again, all on their web site, we can sign up, and when there are volunteer opportunities, we can know about those and possibly participate.

We can't do everything, but we can do something. We can pray. We can give. We can go to work. The one thing we cannot do, is to quit. The truth is, we don't do it alone. Jesus in the Great Commission, said after calling His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, He ended that Commission by saying, "And remember, I am with you always."

In the Presiding Bishop's Office, there is a crucifix that has Jesus sacrificing His life for the cause of love on the cross. It's a different kind of crucifix. On this one, the artist has sculpted Jesus on the cross, dying as an act of love, but even more than that, holding someone, someone deeply in need, that this Jesus who sacrifices and gives His life, gives His life for us, and for all who are in need. That's the Lord we follow who has been raised from the dead. And we are not alone.

God love you. God bless you. And may God hold us all in the hollow of those Almighty hands. Amen.

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

Registration is now open for the October session of the Episcopal Latino Ministry Competency, an innovative nine-day intensive course designed for diocesan staff, clergy, lay leaders, and seminarians to learn cultural competency for Latino ministry.

Offered by the Episcopal Church Office of Latino/Hispanic Ministries, the course will be held at St. James Commons, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, Chicago, IL, Sunday to Tuesday, October 15 to 24. The course will be taught by seminary faculty, lay church leaders, and clergy with extensive experience in Latino and intercultural ministry.

"Combining academic learning with hands-on experience, the purpose of this multi-faceted intensive course is to provide cultural competency of the history, culture, socio-demographic, and religious aspects of the Latinos/Hispanics in the United States," noted the Rev. Canon Anthony Guillén, Episcopal Church Missioner for Latino/Hispanic Ministries. "Also this course will provide the foundational tools necessary for church leaders to discern and explore the type of Latino/Hispanic ministry that best fits a congregational setting and its context."

The course will be conducted in English. Bilingual faculty will interpret as needed.

Registration is available here. Registration includes tuition, hotel accommodations, meals, transportation to and from O'Hare Airport, and transportation during the course. Registration does not include textbooks.

Registration deadline is September 29.

The October session marks the second offering of the Episcopal Latino Ministry. A future offering will be held at Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont, CA on June 10-19, 2018.

Among the goals of the course are:

* Show a familiarity with the general Latino culture and "religiosity" context of Latino worship and sacramental pastoral care.
* Learn to manage and address the worshiping needs of a dual language congregation, or to prepare for a special liturgical event involving English and Spanish speaking attendees.
* Acquire a fundamental competency in learning the general aspects of the pastoral and congregational ministries aimed at the immigrant and first generation, plus the ministry focused especially on the more acculturated and English-language speaking Latinos of the second and third generation.
* Define and interpret the broad historical and demographic profile of the Latino/Hispanic population in the United States through designated readings, course lectures, written reflections, class participation and experiential trips.
* Acquire first-hand knowledge of the church in mission in the borderlands* and identify the political, social, and pastoral issues revolving around immigration from Mexico as well as Central and South America and the Caribbean. (*Borderlands refers to either the US/Mexico border or immigrant entry points in urban centers.)

For more information, contact Guillén at [email protected].

Competency Enabled by General Convention 2015 Resolution AO86: Create a Network of Partners on Latino/Hispanic Congregational Ministry Development, the course will provide foundational tools for church leaders to gain a deep understanding of ways of welcoming and serving Latino families, and sharing spiritual, sacramental and community life together.