Deacon Blogs

This Just In – about Nepal Earthquake

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

Dear blog followers:

This it the first major disaster that has taken place since I started on this path with Episcopal Relief and Development. I am told it was an unusual year, last year, to not have had a major event like this. That is a humbling truth.

I find this an important moment to remind you that Episcopal Relief and Development is an effective means of providing support where support is needed in response to a natural disaster. One main reason is that we work with Anglican churches and other faith based organizations that have an established network in the places we serve. We focus on the immediate needs as well as meeting needs in ways that will have a lasting impact. And organizational overhead costs are low.

The letter, cut and pasted below is the communication sent diocesan coordinators. The links it described will be active and updated throughout the response.

If you wish to donate here is the link.

———————— ———————— ————————

Dear Network Friends,

We have posted a statement about the Nepal earthquake — the situation is very bad, and we are working with ACT Alliance and talking to other local partners (Deanery of Nepal/Diocese of Singapore/Diocese of West Malaysia, CASA in northern India, Amity in southwest China) about how to help.

https://www.episcopalrelief.org/press-and-resources/press-releases/2015-press-releases/earthquake-in-nepal

The URL will stay the same, and we will continue to post updates at the top of the page. I expect we’ll send a full press release once we have more information about the specifics of the response.

We also have a Nepal Earthquake Response Fund donation page set up: https://www.episcopalrelief.org/NepalRelief

Please keep Nepal and all those impacted in your thoughts and prayers.

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EARTHQUAKE IN NEPAL

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

April 25, 2015

A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, centered between the capital, Kathmandu, and the city of Pokhara. At least 876 people are known to have died, and many more may be trapped under rubble.

According to reports, tremors were felt across the region, with further loss of life in India, Bangladesh and on Mount Everest, where an avalanche killed eight.

The Nepalese government has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas.

Mobile phones and other communications networks have been disrupted, hampering efforts to gain information from the area closest to the epicenter of the quake.

Damage is also reported at Kathmandu’s airport, which may impact relief operations.

“Rescuers are digging through the rubble of collapsed buildings in the capital trying to reach survivors,” reports the BBC.

Episcopal Relief & Development urges prayers at this time for all those impacted, and for the search and rescue teams who are working to save lives. Please also pray for the country of Nepal as it copes with the loss of life and destruction of homes, businesses and religious sites.

A Prayer for First Responders

Blessed are you, Lord, God of mercy, who through your Son gave us a marvelous example of charity and the great commandment of love for one another. Send down your blessings on these your servants, who so generously devote themselves to helping others. Grant them courage when they are afraid, wisdom when they must make quick decisions, strength when they are weary, and compassion in all their work. When the alarm sounds and they are called to aid both friend and stranger, let them faithfully serve you in their neighbor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

— Adapted from the Book of Blessings, #587, by Diana Macalintal

To support disaster response where it is most needed, please donate to the Disaster Response Fund.

(this deacon is reposting from Episcopal Relief and Development)

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A Micro-Finance Video

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

A quick example of a Micro-Finance program, sponsored by Episcopal Relief & Development and its context and purpose.

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MICRO-FINANCE

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

Globally, over 2.5 billion people live on less than $2 per day. Jobs are scarce in both rural and urban areas, especially for those with limited skills. For many people, owning a small business can be a pathway to earn income, support a family and become self-sufficient. However, without access to basic financial services such as savings and loans, starting an enterprise can be difficult, if not impossible.

Episcopal Relief & Development partners with local churches and community organizations to offer micro-finance services, along with business and vocational training. By developing a skill such as tailoring or woodworking, participants can supply a needed service or product. The programs also provide loans, enabling entrepreneurs to purchase materials or inventory, along with business and marketing training that positions them to succeed.

Micro finance, development

Your support to Episcopal Relief & Development enables communities to journey from poverty to prosperity by:

Providing loans and other micro-finance opportunities that enable families to generate more income
Working with people to learn skills and develop small businesses in a variety of fields
Promoting cooperatives to help individuals pool their resources and maximize their purchasing power
Assisting communities in gaining access to local markets, increasing their ability to sell products for profit
Helping farming communities increase their crop yields so the surplus can be sold for income

More from this post about Micro-Finance at episcopalrelief.org

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Presiding Bishop’s Easter Meditation

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

2015 Lenten Meditations

Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain,

Wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain;

Love lives again, that with the dead has been:

Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

-J.M.C. Crum

EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 5

I visited a church in Oregon last summer that is rebuilding after beingdestroyed by an arsonist. They are worshiping in a space formerly servingas a center for spirituality, adult education and prayer. On the wall behind

the altar is a remarkable piece of fabric art–mostly green, depicting a

cross rooted in the earth.

All that came to mind when I saw the lovely hymn, “Now the Green

Blade Riseth” by J.M.C. Crum. It was written in 1928 by an English priest

whose wife had died in childbirth at age twenty-one. The fabric piece is

a fitting image for a congregation discovering new life out of the ashes,

as well as rediscovering its identity in helping to heal the broken world

outside its doors and across the world. The green blade riseth whenever

healing is hoped for, begun, continued, and dreamed of in ever larger

contexts. The Risen One appears again in every healing act.

– Katharine Jefferts Schori

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori is the Presiding Bishop ofThe Episcopal Church.

STAY CONNECTED

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I believe that no one should go hungry.

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

Extreme hunger and poverty affect over a billion people worldwide.

Each year, more than 10 million children under five die from malnutrition and hunger-related causes.

Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners work to alleviate hunger and improve food supply, through integrated community-based programs. Working with Church partners, we empower people to live healthier and more productive lives by expanding food access and availability.

By helping people identify their own unique resources, knowledge and skills, our efforts create long-term agricultural strategies that will help families feed themselves while protecting the environment. Our work also includes:

Providing tools, seeds and training to support small-scale and family farms
Giving families and communities healthy animals to help work land and generate other forms of income
Improving nutrition and diversifying the types of crops that families grow, sell and eat
Training farmers in agricultural techniques that increase overall food production
Helping communities embrace sustainable agriculture and environmentally sound practices that improve soil quality and help crops flourish

Here’s a bulletin insert – which might help.

* content on this page is from Episcopal Relief and Development – as they encourage us to share.

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Diocesan Disaster Preparedness Training

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

Currently the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio does not have a Diocesan Disaster Coordinator. Right now Episcopal Relief & Development’s US Disaster program is recruiting for a regional disaster preparedness and response training April 20th – 23rd in Racine, Wisconsin.

Is there someone in the Diocese of Ohio that is interested in learning more?

Diocesan Disaster Preparedness Training

April 20th – 23rd 2015

The DeKoven Center, Racine, WI

http://www.dekovencenter.org/

Training objectives:

Understand the life cycle of a disaster and where the Church fits in this cycle
Understand the basics of Episcopal Relief & Development’s global programing
Understand Episcopal Relief & Development’s grant process
Understand the Disaster Preparedness Initiative
Learn the basics of Assets-Based Community Development (ABCD) techniques and good program planning
Develop individual next steps for diocesan preparedness/response and identify the challenges and solutions to those next steps

Episcopal Relief & Development has the funds to cover the training and travel costs for up to two people per diocese to attend, and now is the time to register.

If you have questions or would like to consider this training, call [212-518-0534] or email Lura Steele [lsteele@episcopalrelief.org] and cc: me (Bryan Gillooly, deacon@gillooly.net).

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Plan an Episcopal Relief & Development SUNDAY

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Bryan Gillooly

Congregations are invited to commemorate Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday on the first Sunday in Lent, February 22, 2015, or another convenient Sunday during the Lenten season.

At the 2009 General Convention, Lent was officially designated as a time to encourage dioceses, congregations and individuals to remember and support the life-saving work of Episcopal Relief & Development. We invite all Episcopalians to join together on Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday, and throughout the Lenten season, to pray for those living in need.

Please also consider dedicating a special offering in support of our mission to assist people impacted by poverty worldwide. All gifts from these events will be designated to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Global Needs Fund. This fund enables the agency to reach those most in need around the world.

To help your church fight against extreme poverty and disease, organize an Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday. Here’s how:

Step 1:

Speak with your rector or church leadership about observing Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday. Choose the first Sunday in Lent, another Sunday during Lent, or any Sunday during the year when you’re able to focus attention on the challenges of global poverty and disease.

Step 2:

Select a team of people and a leader who can help brainstorm, advertise and organize the event. Coordinate the event by using our online tools such as this downloadable checklist for your Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday.

Step 3:

Speak with your Episcopal Relief & Development Diocesan Coordinator and let him/her know your church is planning an Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday. If you need your Diocesan Coordinator’s email address or phone number, contact our Engagement office at engagement@episcopalrelief.org.

Step 4:

Promote the event with a bulletin insert or Sunday service leaflet and on your website. Explain briefly the purpose of Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday. Use the suggested text in this template to help you draft the announcement.

Prior to the event:

Order pew envelopes to collect a special Episcopal Relief & Development offering. To place an order, order online at Episcopal Marketplace, call 1.866.937.2772 or email sales@episcopalmedia.org.

Create awareness by offering information on:

Bishops Blend

Episcopal Relief & Development programs and the different regions where we work — Use this information to educate your church on our worldwide Church partnerships that assist those in need.

On Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday:

Make an announcement from the pulpit. Take a few minutes to highlight the importance of Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday and the special offering in support of the organization. This can be done by the Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday team, or by another lay leader or the rector. Use the announcement for suggested wording.

Collect an Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday offering. If you have pew envelopes available, place them in the pews for the special offering. Offerings can also be made using the bulletin insert response form (place in an envelope) or the response form and envelope included in the Lenten Meditations booklet. Let the congregation know about the importance of their contribution (see this template for suggested announcement wording).

Include a special sermon and prayers in your service.

Use our Lenten materials to guide an Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday Educational Hour, Adult Forum or children’s lesson.

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Healing a Hurting World

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Bryan Gillooly

Lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and disease
Clean water, hygiene and sanitation
Sustainable agriculture and livestock
Maternal and child health
Vocational training and micro-finance

These are the goals for Episcopal Relief and Development in their 75th year celebration! Episcopal Relief and Development works alongside people in the communities they serve – helping real people, in real tough situations to take up initiatives that reap lasting results.

Healing a Hurting World is the way they describe their mission. Learn more by clicking the link: “Healing a Hurting World”

-Deacon Bryan Gillooly

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Celebrate 75 Years – Healing a hurting world

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Bryan Gillooly

Episcopal<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
Relief & Development


	For Immediate Release DATE: 9/16/2014 Web link: click here Episcopal Relief & Development Celebrates 75 Years of Healing a Hurting World

Episcopalians, friends and partner agencies around the globe are joining together to celebrate Episcopal Relief & Development’s 75th Anniversary. The 75-week celebration, which will continue through the end of 2015, invites supporters to learn more about the organization’s programs and get involved in campaigns to raise $7.5 million to sustain its vital work.In 1940, the National Council of The Episcopal Church established Episcopal Relief & Development – originally the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief – to respond to the needs of European refugees fleeing World War II. Now, working on behalf of the Church with partners in nearly 40 countries, the organization continues its legacy of bringing together the generosity of Episcopalians and others to help communities overcome challenges and create lasting change.”At this milestone anniversary, Episcopal Relief & Development is celebrating 75 years of healing a hurting world, together with our partners and supporters around the globe whose contributions of time, talent and treasure have made this work happen,” said Rob Radtke, the organization’s President. “Each year, more than 3 million people participate in innovative, locally led programs that boost harvests while protecting the environment, prevent diseases by mobilizing local volunteers and empower people to build livelihoods through financial and skills training. It is a joy to be part of the community of people whose efforts support this life-giving work.”Led by a volunteer Steering Committee and an Honorary Committee co-chaired by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and her predecessors, the Rt. Rev. Frank T. Griswold and the Rt. Rev. Edmond L. Browning, the 75th Anniversary Celebration provides many opportunities to engage more deeply with Episcopal Relief & Development’s programs and get involved in promoting and sustaining the organization’s work. These opportunities are detailed in a special web section at http://www.episcopalrelief.org/75, which also includes a social media hub around the celebration hashtag #AllHands75, and an interactive historical timeline.One of the cornerstones of the celebration is a traveling photo exhibition, which features 33 iconic images of Episcopal Relief & Development’s work, along with in-depth explanations and personal reflections through an accompanying e-docent app. Having previewed at Executive Council in June, the exhibition officially launches at New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine and continues its national tour with stops in Denver, San Francisco and Cincinnati. Other venues are being confirmed.Similarly, the organization’s 75 Stories Project provides a window into the programs, events and personalities that have shaped the last 75 years and are changing lives today. Individuals and groups are encouraged to offer reflections and stories through the Share Your Story page, and inspire and energize others to join the celebration.”As the Chair of Episcopal Relief & Development’s Board of Directors, I am honored to have personally witnessed a deepening in both the organization’s impact, through the strategic integration of programs that address poverty, hunger and disease, and its ability to engage and energize supporters across the Church and the wider community,” said the Right Reverend Robert J. O’Neill, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. “I invite everyone to join in the celebration of what we have accomplished together over the last 75 years.”

Episcopal Relief & Development has created a variety of resources to help individuals, congregations, dioceses, schools and groups to join the 75th Anniversary Celebration. Worship and prayer resources build awareness and solidarity with the organization’s partners worldwide, and faith formation materials can spark multi-generational conversation about global needs and what each person can do to help. Additionally, five campaign toolkits provide easy-to-use informational leaflets, images, videos and creative ideas to rally communities around a specific issue, or support the organization’s overall mission.

75th Anniversary Campaign: Lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and disease
Carry the Water Campaign: Clean water, hygiene and sanitation
Fast to Feed Campaign: Sustainable agriculture and livestock
Thrive to Five Campaign: Maternal and child health
Pennies to Prosperity Campaign: Vocational training and micro-finance

The overall goal of the campaigns is to raise $7.5 million by the end of 2015. Downloadable toolkits are available on the organization’s website to help individuals and groups to invite their communities to make a 75th Anniversary contribution and join the celebration.

“Episcopal Relief & Development is one of the foremost outward expressions of faith for Episcopalians, and one of the best examples of what we can accomplish when we join with our brothers and sisters in the US and internationally to strengthen communities and create a thriving future,” said Dr. Catherine George, Chair of the 75th Anniversary Celebration Steering Committee and former Episcopal Relief & Development Board Member from the Diocese of New Jersey. “I think this is great cause for celebration, and I am excited be leading the efforts to honor Episcopal Relief & Development’s 75th Anniversary.”

For more information about Episcopal Relief & Development and the 75th Anniversary Celebration, visit http://www.episcopalrelief.org/75 or call 1.855.312.HEAL (4325).

Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church and an independent 501(c)(3) organization. The agency takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Episcopal Relief & Development works closely with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners to help rebuild after disasters and to empower local communities to find lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.