Category Archives: Reaching Out

Episcopal Migration Ministries – Multimedia

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[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), on behalf of the Episcopal Church, carries out the ministry it began more than 60 years ago to relieve the burden of the world’s suffering through refugee resettlement and advocacy. World Refugee Day was established by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to commemorate the spirit and courage of refugees each year on June 20. EMM asks parishes and communities within the Episcopal Church to join in remembering the millions of refugees around the world who have fled persecution, war and violence to seek better lives. In an interview, EMM director Richard Parkins speaks about the significance of World Refugee Day and the work of EMM, which has a network of 33 affiliate offices in 27 dioceses, along with ecumenical and interfaith partners, many congregations, and countless volunteers. A video stream of Parkins’ interview is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81231_ENG_HTM.htm Visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/emm to learn more about EMM.

++Katharine is Keynote in Seattle

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Episcopal Life Online – NEWS

[Episcopal News Service] Opportunities for continuing education, fresh ideas for ministry, and networking to expand the vision for mission in the new millennium are the backdrop for the 2007 Conference of the North American Association for the Diaconate NAAD.

The NAAD is an organization in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada that promotes renewal of the diaconate, supports deacons and dioceses with deacons, and engages in theological dialogue about diakonia.

“Being There: Mission for a New Millennium” is set for June 21-24 on the campus of Seattle University in Seattle, Washington. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will deliver the keynote address on June 22.

Karen McCarthy Casey, founder of “Inspired Action,” will facilitate the first workshop, “Café of Hope Continuum,” which will immediately follow Jefferts Schoris message and begin a conversation designed to access deeper wisdom, build on shared knowledge, and expand on collective capacities to serve churches and communities.

Episcopal Network for Animal Welfare: St Martin’s

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As a volunteer for the Buddy Foundation, Gerry Dierks of Des Plaines has been a foster parent to dozens of homeless cats and kittens for the last several years. But then she heard a member of the Episcopal Network for Animal Welfare talk about ways to keep animals as a vital part of a church’s ministry, and from then on she knew that would be her mission. “The church has a reputation of being human centered. This was quite exciting,” she said. “This is a fledgling operation, but we hope to do more in the future.” For openers, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Des Plaines is now included in a directory of “Animal Friendly Congregations” and is the first church in Illinois to be listed. The Episcopal Network sees ending animal cruelty as an essential task of the church, especially where neglect, cruelty, degradation and commercial exploitation are concerned.

This is a good example of a simple program that churches can start that creates interest and excitement about the Good News and ways that it can be shared and lived.

At St Nicholas with the Holy Innocents, there is an annual pet blessing in the fall, usually on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St Francis, patron saint of animals. There is also often a spring event. 

Our own "simple program" is the Second Family supplemental food pantry. This is held every first and third Wednesdays at 6pm at the church, and anyone in need is welcome to drop by and pick up bags of groceries. There is no residency requirement or time limit mandated between visits, and the hours are scheduled so that working people may visit. 

Good for the people of St Martin's, Des Plaines!