DDG Companion News | March 7, 2019


Global Episcopal Mission Network
Conference in the Dominican Republic 
April 3-5, 2019

GEMN conference
For more information on this conference, click this image.

March 25 is the deadline to register for the 2019 conference of the Global Episcopal Mission Network. This conference will be held in the southern coastal city of Boca Chica, about 30 minutes east of Santo Domingo. The Dominican Development Group is a member organization with GEMN, and three DDG board members will be program speakers (see below). For complete details on this conference, click here.

The Rt. Rev. Moisés Quezada Mota, Bishop of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic

Bishop Quezada will welcome the conference attendees on April 3, and will be the celebrant and preacher at the Holy Eucharist service on April 5. After 32 years of service as a priest in the Diocese of the Dominican Republic, he was elected as Bishop Coadjutor in July 2015 and seated as Bishop Diocesan in November 2017. Using the theme of  "Una Iglesia Movida por El Espíritu" - "A Church Moved by The Spirit," the initial years of his episcopate have been marked by extensive training sessions of lay members for evangelization and workshops for strengthening the administration, teaching, and curriculuim programs for the 26 Episcopal schools.

The Rt. Rev. William Skilton, Retired Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic

Bishop Skilton will share his perspective, experiences and learnings gleaned from many decades of cross-cultural witness, both domestically and abroad. He  served two periods as a missionary in the Dominican Republic. As a pastor and educator, 1965-72, he founded the high school, Liceo Episcopal Todos los Santos, which continues today.  Later, 1985-88, he was vicar of Epiphany Episcopal Church in Santo Domingo, pastor of the Union Church of Santo Domingo, Chaplain to the Convent of the Order of the Tranfiguration, and Chaplain to the Center of Theological Studies (CET).  A graduate of the Citadel and the University of the South School of Theology, he is retired suffragan bishop of South Carolina. He served as chair of the Standing Commission on World Mission, convener of the joint Covenant Committee of the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Province of Central America (IARCA), chair of the Board of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK), and international chaplain of the Daughters of the King.  The Diocese of the Dominican Republic named its conference center in Boca Chica, site of this year's Global Mission Conference, in his honor.

Mr. Bill Kunkle, Executive Director, Dominican Development Group

Sharing years of experience in companionship with the people of the Dominican Republic and members of the Dominican Episcopal Church, Bill Kunkle will present the various models of engagement used by the Dominican Development Group.  What has this companionship meant to both the Dominican Church and to those who have accompanied them?  What have the challenges and the successes been?  How do we create strong relationships that foster development and mutuality without slipping into dependence or paternalism?  Bill shares his perspective on the significance of these companion relationships and their promise for the future. He  has decades of experience as both a successful contractor in the Tampa area and in mission leadership.  In October 2012, the Dominican Development Group Board of Directors unanimously chose Bill Kunkle to follow Dr. Bob Stevens as its Executive Director. For many years, Bill had traveled to the Dominican Republic with the Tampa Deanery mission teams, helping build churches and schools in Mozoví, Montellano, Santana, San Pedro de Macorís, Barrio Las Flores, and Ingenio Santa Fe, and with the San Simón project supported by the Dioceses of Michigan. Besides these mission trips he has made many other trips to the DR and served on the DDG Board for a number of years. He has been instrumental in fostering companion relationships with the Diocese of the Dominican Republic. He is an elected member of the GEMN Board of Directors.


Prayers Requested for David Morrow

David Morrow at a DDG board meeting in February 2016.
At the time of the publication of this newsletter, our brother missioner David Morrow is hospitalized in critical condition in Ft. Worth, Texas, from injuries sustained from an accidental fall. 

David is one of the founding members of the Dominican Development Group and has been a leader in supporting the growth and development of the ministries of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic for the past twenty years.

For those interested in keeping up to date with David's progress, go to  https://www.Caringbridge.org and search under David's name. His family is updating the information on David's progress and specific prayer requests.

O God of heavenly powers, by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies all sickness and all infirmity; Be present in your goodness with your servant David, that his weakness may be banished and his strength restored; and that his health being renewed, he may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
The Book Of Common Prayer, p. 458.


Links to online copies of recent issues of the DDG Companion News:
For earlier issues archived on the DDG website, click here.

Contact the DDG:
Office: (813) 400-2722 | Fax: (813) 983-5082
Executive Director: Bill Kunkle | [email protected]
PO Box 272261 | Tampa Florida 33688-2261

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