Our second meeting of 2013 focused on mission, domestic and international.
“I am so confident in our abilities to conduct mission beyond ourselves, and I am so committed to our Anglican Communion, that I have set the goal of our diocese having ministry relationships with every single province in the entire Anglican Communion. We’re already in 20 of the 34 provinces. If–no, when!–we make that happen, the Diocese of Virginia will be the only diocese in the entire Anglican world with such a reach.”
– Bishop Shannon, Annual Council 2012
The work of mission in the Diocese was described by three speakers:
1. Rev. Brian Turner – Trinity
Brian took a group of four students from the Canterbury Club at Trinity to Long Island, New York to work with Hurricane Sandy relief during spring break. They partnered with Respond and Rebuild which has focused on mold remediation in homes. The crew from Trinity worked on one home in the treatment of mold wearing tyvet suits for the work.
2. Ashley Cameron – Mission Office of the Diocese
Ashley will depart for the Philippines under the auspices of the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC), a ministry for young adults serving the Anglican Communion in international settings. She will be working with the Episcopal Development Foundation of St. Mark’s in Santiago City by reviewing projects intended to reduce poverty.
3. Carey Chirico, Buck Blanchard – St. George’s, Mission Office of the Diocese
Carey and Buck visited the Congo in May, 2012. The Republic of the Congo has struggled with an absent middle class and abuse from rulers complicated by the stresses of wars.
The government has carried on a series of killings against its people and has fought insurgents from the outside from Rwanda. In this vacuum, the Anglican Church has become a positive force supporting the people economically, socially and in education. In particular the Church has supported the Mother’s Union which has an orphanage project and assisted in providing clothes, food and school fees for children.
The goal of the May, 2013 trip is education and in particular exploring possible future support the Diocese can provide. She suggested Region One may want to become involved providing education to both youth and adults about the country. She asked for anyone to contact her for materials.
Region One Actions.
1. $500 to support Ashley Cameron in her missionary work.
2. $500 to support Trevor Benante from Trinity. Benante is part of the Young Priest Initiative. He will be teaching in a bilingual school in Villa Soleada, a small village in El Progresso, Honduras.
3. $1,000 for rebuilding St. John’s Church’s sacristy in King George damaged during the 2011 earthquake.
During 2013, we have provided $6,000 to causes supported by Region One.
Updates from Feb, 2013 meeting.
1. The Haiti toilet project, which aims to create a septic system at the Notre Dame school, has raised approximately $10,000. The cost of the system is $32,000. Donations should be sent to St. George’s Episcopal Church % Ben Hicks 905 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.
2. “Tools for the Sudan” to put agricultural and fishing tools into the hands of those migrating Sudan to South Sudan raised $3,600. It included a $500 donation from Region One.