Haiti mission partners persist amidst widespread unrest
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School children in St. Louis d'Ayiti, the community with which Christ Church of Hamilton and Wenham has recently partnered.
Photo courtesy of Future Forward for Haiti, Inc.
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At this moment in Haiti, schools and businesses are closed down as protesters block the streets, demanding the resignation of their president, Jovenel Moïse, amid fuel and food shortages, and charges of corruption. The anti-government protests have been growing since mid-2018, and the unrest and instability in a country that is among the world's poorest has had a stifling impact on the work of many nonprofit and church partners, including those in the Diocese of Massachusetts.
The Rev. Rospignac Ambroise serves as priest-in-charge of St. John St. James Church in Roxbury and as an associate priest at Grace Church in Everett, a mostly Haitian congregation. Ambroise explained in an interview how the mismanagement of money by the Haitian government, which has led to the massive protests and discontent, is now negatively affecting innocents in Haiti.
“It’s very unfortunate because without the support of the partners, there’s no way kids can go to school and get food,” Ambroise said. “It’s unfortunate when we know that partners can’t travel to go to Haiti to bring with them medicine, pencils and notebooks for kids this time of the year.”
The Rev. Holly Hartman, a deacon who serves as missioner for global mission, has been to Haiti two or three times a year since 2006 and explained in an interview that this is the first year that trips have been postponed or cancelled this long.
“It’s been an unusually really difficult year," Hartman said. “Usually with the partnerships, people are coming and going fairly easily, but it really is affecting people’s ability to visit and to continue whatever they are working on together.”
Hartman spoke about her experiences in Haiti and with the Haitian people.
“People say Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere but that’s only economically. It’s not poor in spirit at all," Hartman said. “And that’s why I think Americans like to go, because you just have this incredible experience with the Haitian people.”
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234th annual Diocesan Convention gathers Nov. 2 in Boston
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Clergy and lay delegates will gather next month for Diocesan Convention, taking up the annual policy and budget-setting business of the diocese with the diocesan
mission strategy in mind, which calls the community to embrace brave change by reimagining congregations, building relationships and engaging the world.
The convention’s "Way of Love" theme seeks to highlight how the commitment to intentional spiritual practice undergirds disciples in mission, and it carries forward the message that Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry proclaimed during his April visitation in the Diocese of Massachusetts, as well as the set of seven "
Way of Love" spiritual practices that Curry has been inviting Episcopalians to take on as part of their journey as followers of Jesus. A team of chaplains from the
Bethany House of Prayer in Arlington will be a special presence at the convention, offering a series of brief reflections and prayers throughout the course of the day in support of the gathered community and its deliberations.
The day-long convention takes place on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the
Back Bay Events Center in Boston, with the service of Holy Eucharist to be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. at nearby
Emmanuel Church.
A live webcast of the proceedings at the Back Bay Events Center, including Bishop Alan M. Gates’s annual address during the morning’s opening session, will be available via
www.diomass.org/diocesan-convention-2019. The event's social media hashtag is #DioMassCon19.
Four resolutions have been proposed for the convention's consideration this year, ranging from engaging young adults fully in the life of the church to action on creation care, ending life-without-possibility-of-parole prison sentences in Massachusetts and becoming a "Safe Haven" diocese in solidarity with marginalized persons. The convention will also vote on the $9.1-million
diocesan budget proposed for 2020, and will elect deputies to the Episcopal Church's 2021 General Convention, along with members of other diocesan governing bodies and groups.
Find the order of business, the nominees for election and the full text of proposed resolutions in the convention Handbook,
here. The online registration link, all materials and updates are posted at
www.diomass.org/diocesan-convention-2019.
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"ABRAHAM: Out of One, Many" exhibit opens Oct. 27 at Cathedral Church of St. Paul
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The exhibition was showcased at the American Cathedral in Paris from June 18-July 18.
Courtesy photo.
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Starting on Oct. 27, the
Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston will be transformed into an art gallery through Dec. 6, as it hosts the traveling art exhibition, "ABRAHAM: Out of One, Many." The exhibit's title plays off of the Latin motto "E pluribus unum" / "Out of many, one," and it is an artistic exploration of living harmoniously.
For this exhibition, three Middle Eastern visual artists from the Abrahamic faith traditions of Islam, Christianity and Judaism have each created five paintings that interpret Abraham’s life and faith journey.
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The exhibition is presented by
Caravan, a peace-building nonprofit whose efforts are based on the belief that the arts are effective in building bridges between those of diverse faiths and cultures. The exhibition is on a 24-month global tour, primarily to heavily trafficked sacred spaces. It premiered in Rome, Italy; was then showcased at the American Cathedral in Paris; was part of the Just Festival at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland; and is now touring the United States through mid-2021.
The Very Rev. Amy E. McCreath, the dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, explained in an interview that having this exhibit at the cathedral will allow Boston faith communities to learn more about the tradition of the "other," particularly in a time of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
"Many people struggle to really understand their own tradition, let alone other people’s tradition, and my experience has been that when you’re in conversation with people of a different tradition, it causes you to learn more about your own tradition too," McCreath said. "It feels to me really, really important right now that we understand our tradition and how it’s connected both to Judaism and Islam, and that we counter that sectarianism and that violence, both intellectually by knowing the history, [as well as through] building relationships with real people in real time."
"Our hope is that parishes will bring a group to come and tour the exhibit, but even more we would hope that they would call the temple down the road and bring an interfaith group to come and experience it and talk about what they see together," McCreath said.
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New England Episcopalians invited to put love for neighbor into action on Capitol Hill this December: The Diocese of Massachusetts--in partnership with its sister dioceses in New England,
Episcopal Migration Ministries and the Episcopal Church's
Office of Government Relations --is organizing "Love God, Love Neighbor: Advocacy in Action"--a two-day training and advocacy initiative in Washington, D.C., Dec. 4-5, focused on gaining protections for refugees.
The goal is to have two people from each of New England's 21 congressional districts travel to Washington, D.C., for a day of advocacy training and practice that will prepare them for meetings with their senators and representatives the following day.
Recruiting is underway in all seven of the Episcopal dioceses in New England that make up Province I of the Episcopal Church, according to the Rev. Dr. Jean Baptiste Ntagengwa, Canon for Immigration and Multicultural Ministries for the Diocese of Massachusetts. There is limited capacity, so online registration is necessary by Monday, Nov. 4.
Read more here.
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Falmouth parish hosts educational opportunity: An educational workshop--“Immigration Crises: We Are In This Together, Aren’t We?”--is being organized for anyone who wants to learn more about immigration topics and ongoing issues, including Temporary Protected Status, as well as opportunities for involvement. It will be offered on Saturday, Oct. 26, 4-6 p.m., hosted at
St. Barnabas’s Church (91 Main Street) in Falmouth. Dinner and childcare will be provided. All are welcome. RSVP to the Rev. Canon Jean Baptiste Ntagengwa, Canon for Immigration and Multicultural Ministries, at
jbntagengwa@diomass.org.
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Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, Rest: The annual fall diocesan Clergy Day on Sept. 24 and Resource Day on Sept. 28, both at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston, gave participants encounters with the
"Way of Love: Practices for Jesus-Centered Life" that Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry has invited Episcopalians to try out and take on. Pictured at right: Guest speaker Jerusalem Greer, the presiding bishop's staff officer for evangelism and member of the Way of Love leadership team, gives a Clergy Day presentation. Left and center: Resource Day brought together individuals and groups from congregations for learning and networking around how the Way of Love practices can be used for formation, evangelism and discipleship.
Courtesy photos
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MCC service commemorates 400 years of black resiliency: On Friday, Sept. 20, the
Massachusetts Council of Churches hosted an ecumenical worship service at the Greater Framingham Community Church to honor ancestors, commemorate 400 years of black resiliency and pray for an end to systemic racial injustice. Among those gathered were Bishop Barbara Harris, who represented the Diocese of Massachusetts' bishops at the event.
View the full photo gallery
here.
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Bishop Barbara C. Harris speaks at the MCC event on Sept. 20.
Photo: Donrick Pond
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ECM grants support recreation for children and youth:
Episcopal City Mission (ECM) has awarded 17 grants, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, to programs that provide recreation to children and young adults in communities of color or gateway cities across Massachusetts that are run by Episcopal or other faith-rooted organizations. ECM's board approved the allocation of $225,000 for the one-time grants in September.
Applications represented a wide variety of recreational offerings, ECM reported, ranging from summer camps and afterschool and weekend programs using arts, music, drama and sports for mentoring and leadership development, to retreats and middle school educational programming. They came from across eastern Massachusetts, including Lowell, Haverhill, Salem and Lynn in the north through neighborhoods in Boston and Framingham, to Brockton, Fall River and Sandwich on Cape Cod.
“For some families, the absence of school support programs that nourish kids, both in body and mind, make summer a challenging time," Natalie Thomas, ECM's director of programs and engagement, explained by e-mail. "ECM is committed to growing whole, just and equitable communities in which all people thrive; in a time when many publicly supported programs are threatened by the current [presidential] administration, it felt especially important to us to use the recreation grant fund to support our partners who are addressing this challenge on the ground."
To stay informed about Episcopal City Mission's work, subscribe to their newsletter
here.
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"Baptism: Water of Creation - Destruction - Regeneration," stained glass at St. Andrew's Church, Ayer
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Creation Care Season: Creation Care Season is observed in the Diocese of Massachusetts beginning with the Feast of St. Francis, Oct. 4 through the last Sunday after Pentecost, Nov. 24.
Read "A prayer for our time and for the earth" written by the Rt. Rev. Carol Gallagher, and find other creation care resources,
here.
An active group of volunteers comprises the Creation Care Justice Network and is looking to expand and to connect interested individuals and congregations with resources. The network invites participation in a brief online survey,
available here, which will help it support efforts to bring climate justice and action to communities of faith. For more information about the Creation Care Justice Network contact Dawn Tesorero at
rangerdawn@gmail.com.
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Bishop Gayle E. Harris blesses the Pet Memorial Garden at All Saints of the North Shore in Danvers.
Courtesy photo
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All Saints of the North Shore in Danvers dedicates new Pet Memorial Garden: On Sunday, Oct. 6, Bishop Gayle E. Harris blessed the new St. Francis Meditation and Pet Memorial Garden at
All Saints Church of the North Shore in Danvers.
“May this garden be a place where the gift of laughter will rise above our troubles. Where treasured stories will be shared to make us wiser. Where the pain of loss will be embraced with arms of hope and trust,” Harris prayed at the dedication, according to those present.
The Pet Memorial Garden was funded through a diocesan Congregational Development Grant, in order to minister to those who desire a quiet, secluded space to pray and remember their deceased pets.
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NorthEndWaterfront.com:
Dozens of pets attend annual Blessing of the Animals on the Prado:
Old North Church, with attendance from RUFF North End dog group, hosted its annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of St. Francis Day.
Dozens of pets, accompanied by their humans, congregated on the Prado to receive individual blessings from the Rev. Ellie Terry and the Rev. Stephen Ayres of Old North Church. A prayer was offered for those with deceased pets and scriptures were read to commemorate St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
Fall having finally fell in Boston, the weather was pleasant as the furry North End residents received their blessings for continuing health and happiness. Those who attended without their pets were encouraged to receive blessings for their loved ones back home.
Read more here.
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Dartmouth Week
: Pets, owners turn out for Blessing of the Animals service:
St. Peter's Church went to the dogs and stuffed animals during a special “Blessing of the Animals” service on Oct. 8.
The special service is a popular one, held on or close to the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi to commemorate the famous saint of pets and animals. The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi holds an especially powerful meaning for the church pastor, the Rev. Scott A. Ciosek. He has traveled to the region of Italy where St. Francis lived, and built up his reputation as one who cares for all of God’s creatures.
Read more here.
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Cape Cod Times:
Cape churches ring bells for climate change awareness: On Friday, Sept. 20, children from the preschool at
St. David's Church in South Yarmouth helped to ring the church bell to raise awareness for climate change and caring for creation.
"We just had a bell-ringing experience with our preschoolers and people from our congregation to celebrate that we love our mother earth and that this is the only creation we have to live in," said the rector of St. David's, the Rev. Andi Taylor. "It's the only blue planet in the universe that we are aware of and we need to take good care of her."
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Oct 16
: "Slavery and Its Legacies at Old North" Panel Discussion, Old North Church, Boston, 6:30pm
Oct 16
: Pre-Diocesan Convention Forum, St. Peter's Church, Weston, 7:00pm
Oct 17
: Pre-Diocesan Convention Forum, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 7:00pm
Oct 19
: Fall Clergy Safe Church Refresher, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 8:30am
Oct 19
: Confirmation, Grace Church, New Bedford, 10:30am
Oct 19
: Workshop: "How to Talk about Climate Change So People Will Engage," All Saints' Church, Attleboro
Oct 20
: Bishop Harris visits St. John's Church in Newtonville
Oct 20
: Bishop Gates visits Church of Our Saviour in Milton
Oct 20
: "Church of the Month" Meet-up, Trinity Church, Boston, 5:45pm
Oct 24
: House Eucharist Gathering--Belmont
Oct 24
: Diocesan Council Meeting, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:30pm
Oct 25
: North Shore Packathon for Haiti, Christ Church, South Hamilton, 6:30pm
Oct 26
: Rummage Sale, St. Andrew's Church, Marblehead, 8:00am
Oct 26
: North Shore Packathon for Haiti, Christ Church, South Hamilton, 9:00am
Oct 26
: Confirmation, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 10:30am
Oct 26
: Massachusetts Indaba 2019 Closing Celebration, St. John's Church, Beverly Farms
Oct 26
: "Dementia from the Inside Out" Presentation and Discussion, St. Mark's Church, Westford, 1:00pm
Oct 26
: "Immigration Crises: We Are In This Together, Aren’t We?" Workshop, St. Barnabas's Church, Falmouth, 4:00pm
Oct 27
: Bishop Gates visits Christ Church in Needham
Oct 27
: Bishop Harris visits St. Stephen's Church in Cohasset
Oct 27
: Opening night of "ABRAHAM: Out of One, Many" exhibition, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 4:00pm
Nov 2
: 234th Annual Diocesan Convention, Back Bay Events Center, Boston
Nov 3-15
: Encounters in the Holy Land Mission Pilgrimage
Nov 10
: Bishop Gates visits St. Mark's Church in Foxborough
Nov 15-17
: Middle School Retreat, Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, Greenfield, NH
Nov 17
: Bishop Harris visits Grace Chapel, Brockton
Nov 17
: Bishop Gates visits All Saints' Church in Attleboro
Nov 22-23
: Christmas Fair, Christ Church, Quincy
Nov 23
: Eucharistic Visitor Training, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 9:00am
Nov 24
: Bishop Harris visits Epiphany Church in Walpole
Nov 24
: Bishop Gates visits Trinity Church in Canton
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