Living Church Magazine on Bishop Zawo's visit to S. Stephen's, Providence

Bishop John Zawo of the Diocese of Ezo in Southern Sudan spoke at a gathering organized by the Episcopal Campus Ministry at S. Stephen's on Tuesday 17 November. Here is Phoebe Pettingell's account of the event in The Living Church Magazine.

Christmas Message from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori

Christmas message 2009

The mornings are dark, pitch black until after most of us have begun our days. The hints of dawn in the eastern sky, those streaks of rose and pink that promise more and brighter light, bring hope even in the dark mid-winter. Where do you look for that kind of hope borne on slim rays of light?

Jesus is already abroad, even in the darkness. The hungry one fed, the street people who have their feet cared for, the humble and honored guest at your dinner table – each one offers a glimpse of that dawn, if you look closely enough.

What we have waited long for, ages and eons for, has been born among us. He comes among us quietly, almost stealthily, in an obscure barn, long ago. This child holds all our hope for light. This tiny frame seems too frail to bear our yearning. Yet the nations come streaming to this light even before he is weaned. The divine has come to dwell in our midst, and God’s eternal promise of peace, restoration, and home is made flesh.

Where and how will you seek out this light of the world? In what other frail frames will light expunge darkness? The light grows with our own eager searching, light reaching out to light, divine reflection yearning for its source. May the light of Christ light your way in the darkness, may his light spread through nations besieged by war and hunger, may we continue to search out his light in the dark places of our own hearts.


The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop
The Episcopal Church
______________________

Mensaje de Navidad 2009


Las mañanas están oscuras, muy oscuras hasta incluso después de que la mayoría de nosotros ha empezado sus días. Los indicios de la aurora en el cielo oriental, las líneas color rosa y rosado que prometen luz abundante y más brillante, traen esperanza incluso en el oscuro pleno invierno. ¿Dónde buscas esa clase de esperanza nacida en los tenues rayos de luz?
Jesús ya está en la calle, incluso en la oscuridad. Si miras con atención, verás que los hambrientos son alimentados, los sin hogar tienen los pies atendidos, los humildes y honrados invitados ya están en la mesa del banquete, cada uno ofrece un vislumbre de ese amanecer.

Lo que habíamos esperado durante tanto tiempo, durante siglos y eones de tiempo, ha nacido entre nosotros. Nace entre nosotros silenciosamente, casi a hurtadillas, en un granero oscuro, hace mucho tiempo. Este niño tiene toda nuestra esperanza de luz. Este pequeño marco parece demasiado frágil para soportar nuestros anhelos. Sin embargo, las naciones vienen corriendo hacia esta luz, incluso antes de que sea destetado. Lo divino ha venido para habitar entre nosotros, y la promesa eterna de Dios de paz, restauración y de hogar se hizo carne.

¿Dónde y cómo vas a buscar esta luz en el mundo? ¿En qué otros frágiles marcos la luz cubrirá las tinieblas? La luz aumenta con nuestra ansiosa búsqueda, luz que anhela la luz, el divino reflejo anhelante de su origen. Que la luz de Cristo ilumine su caminar en las tinieblas, que su luz se extienda por las naciones azotadas por la guerra y el hambre, que continuemos buscando su luz en los lugares oscuros de nuestros propios corazones.

La Reverendísima Katharine Jefferts Schori
Obispa Presidenta
Iglesia Episcopal
______________________

The Episcopal Church welcomes all who worship Jesus Christ in 109 dioceses and three regional areas in 16 nations. The Episcopal Church is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

La Iglesia Episcopal da la bienvenida a todo el que adora a Jesucristo en 109 diócesis y tres áreas regionales en dieciséis naciones. La Iglesia Episcopal es una provincia miembro de la amplia Comunión Anglicana.


The Episcopal Church: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/presiding-bishop.htm  
IamEpiscopalian: http://www.iamepiscopalian.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/episcopalian
Twitter: http://twitter.com/iamepiscopalian
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/TECtube

The Latest eRISEN: Biweekly Events Calendar

You can view the latest issue of eRISEN, our biweekly email events calendar, at the link below:

 eRISEN, November 19th 2009

Want to sign up to the eRISEN mailing list? Want to submit your event? Just visit the eRISEN page on our website.

Creative Writing Contest Deadline Extended

DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER 30th 2009!

RISEN Magazine, a publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, is pleased to announce its first creative writing contest! The venture aims to support writers who are called to create in the Image of our Creator God, and to introduce RISEN's 22,000 readers to these inspired authors and their works.

Entries are being accepted in the categories of Poetry and Short Fiction. The winning work in each category will receive a $500 prize and see their poem or story appear in the Winter 2010 “Creation and Creativity” issue. When submitting, remember RISEN Magazine's mission to inform, enlighten, and inspire. Entries should express artistic excellence as well spiritual truth, and should be appropriate for the RISEN issue they will appear in.

Visit our website to download the submission guidelines and forms,  and join our facebook page to recieve updates and deadline reminders!

Updated Calendar for Bishop John's Visit

Here is an updated Calendar of events for Bishop John's Visit. The events we have currently scheduled are listed below. Check back often and keep an eye on your inbox for a special edition of erisen as more dates are solidified

Clergy Luncheon and Conversation with Bishop John Zawo
When: Tuesday November 17th, 2009 11:00am to 1:00pm
Where: Church of the Redeemer 655 Hope Street RI 02906
Description: Clergy are invited for conversation and lunch with our visitor, Bishop John Zawo, Diocese of Ezo, Sudan Please RSVP
Contact: Mary Ann Kolakowski 401 274-4500 ext. 247 maryann@episcopalri.org

Episcopal Chaplaincy Discussion with Bishop John
When: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 6:00pm
Where: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 114 George Street Providence, RI
Description: Episcopal Campus Ministry is pleased to welcome The Rt. Rev. John Zawo, Anglican Bishop in the Diocese of Ezo in the Sudan, for a discussion of current events and experiences living and worshipping amidst the war and violence of Ezo. All are welcome. (Please note that free parking is available after 5 pm at the Brown University parking lot at the corner of George and Hope Streets.)
Contact: curate@sstephens.necoxmail.com

Holy Eucharist at Christ Church in Lonsdale
When: 10:30am Sunday November 29, 2009
Where: Christ Church Lincoln, 1643 Lonsdale Ave. Lincoln, RI
Description: Holy Eucharist with Bp. John as Preacher followed by coffee hour and conversation. All are welcome.
Contact: info@christchurchlincoln.org

Taize Prayer
When: Sunday Nov. 29, 2009 5:00pm
Where: St. Paul's Episcopl Church 50 Park Place Pawtucket
Description: Join us and our guest Bishop John Zawo, the Diocese of Ezo; for Taize Prayer on the First Sunday of Advent Silence...Darkness... Candles...Chant... A simple reception, and the opportunity to meet Bishop John will follow prayer. All are welcome.
Contact: St. Paul's Epscopal Church 728-4300.  stpaulsmychurch1@aol.com  

Bishop John to speak NOV 17th at S. Stephen's Episcopal Chaplaincy Event

Episcopal Campus Ministry is pleased to welcome The Rt. Rev. John Zawo, Anglican Bishop of Ezo in the Sudan

When: 6 pm on Tuesday, Nov 17th

Where: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 114 George Street, Providence

(free parking is available after 5 pm at the Brown University parking lot at the corner of George and Hope Streets.)

Bishop John Zawo is the leader of Anglican Christians in the region around the town of Ezo in the southern Sudan. Nearly a year ago our own Bishop Wolf travelled to Ezo to set up a "companion relationship" of mutual aid and support with the war-torn Diocese of Ezo, and at our Diocesan Convention this year the relationship was ratified, our continued support assured. Bishop John is now here to visit the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, to meet us and speak with us. He has seen first-hand the current violence in the southern Sudan, and we are honored at the chance to hear some of his experiences and to to help raise awareness of this ongoing conflict.

Ezo is in an area of ongoing political conflict, on the border of the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While there has been much attention paid to the violence in the Darfur region of the Sudan, it is important not forget the ongoing conflict in the southern Sudan, which has been racked by civil war since 1983 with almost 2 million people killed and over 4 million people displaced from their homes. The 26 year old war produced a ‘lost generation’ of children who have never known basic health care or educational opportunities. Despite the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005, violence continues in the southern Sudan. Over the past several years, in addition to the internal political conflict, Ezo has been the victim of continual violence from Ugandan Guerrilas referred to as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which is notorious for its sex trafficking of young girls and its use of brutaly violent child soldiers.

Please join us at 6 pm on Tuesday, November 17th at St. Stephen’s Church at 114 George Street for this important discussion.

Bishop John Zawo's Arrival, and a Schedule of Events

Good News! Bishop John Zawo finally has his visa in hand, after a month or so spent waiting in kampala nearly 400 miles from home. He will be with us from November 8th 2009 until December 7th 2009, and there will be many opportunities for you to attend events and meet him!

The events we have currently scheduled are listed below. check back often and keep an eye on your inbox for a special edition of erisen as more dates are solidified

Clergy Luncheon and Conversation with Bishop John Zawo

When: Tuesday November 17th, 2009 11:00am to 1:00pm
Where: Church of the Redeemer 655 Hope Street RI 02906
Description: Clergy are invited for conversation and lunch with our visitor, Bishop John Zawo, Diocese of Ezo, Sudan Please RSVP
Contact: Mary Ann Kolakowski 401 274-4500 ext. 247 maryann@episcopalri.org
Episcopal Chaplaincy Discussion with Bishop John

When: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 6:00pm
Where: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 114 George Street Providence, RI
Description:  Episcopal Campus Ministry is pleased to welcome The Rt. Rev. John Zawo, Anglican Bishop in the Diocese of Ezo in the Sudan, for a discussion of current events and experiences living and worshipping amidst the war and violence of Ezo.  All are welcome.
(Please note that free parking is available after 5 pm at the Brown University parking lot at the corner of George and Hope Streets.)
Contact: curate@sstephens.necoxmail.com


Holy Eucharist at Christ Church in Lonsdale
When: 10:30am Sunday November 29, 2009
Where: Christ Church Lincoln, 1643 Lonsdale Ave. Lincoln, RI
Description: Holy Eucharist with Bp. John as Preacher followed by coffee hour and conversation. All are welcome.
Contact: info@christchurchlincoln.org  


Taize Prayer
When: Sunday Nov. 29, 2009 5:00pm
Where: St. Paul's Episcopl Church 50 Park Place Pawtucket
Description: Join us and our guest Bishop John Zawo, the Diocese of Ezo; for Taize Prayer on the First Sunday of Advent Silence...Darkness... Candles...Chant... A simple reception, and the opportunity to meet Bishop John will follow prayer. All are welcome.
Contact: St. Paul's Epscopal Church 728-4300. All are welcome.
stpaulsmychurch1@aol.com

A Statement on the LRA Attacks in Ezo, From Bishop John's Assistant Levi

The letter below, sent in august by Bishop John Zawo's assistant Levi (pictured at left with  Bishop Wolf in December of 2008), describes the current situation in the Diocese of Ezo, where attacks of Ugandan guerrillas called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) run rampant.  These are the conditions our companions in that Diocese must worship and minister under every day. Keep this letter and the people of Ezo in mind, as Bishop John Zawo travels to our own Diocese to spend a month in our comparably safe churches and communities. 

[August 2009] I am hereby submitting this emergency need for help to people in Ezo.  Just in the last months there have been about 13 attacks on people in Ezo. People around Ezo have been squeezed to Ezo town but last week on August 12 and 13 2009 Ezo town was seriously attacked at night by a very big groups of LRA. In which three people died on spot including one of our Layreader and those who have been abducted, their number can not be established now because many people are still missing.

This attacks occurred within Ezo town where the 17 thousand internal displaced persons and refugees from Congo have been settled. Making it more worse the only hospital in Ezo town was targeted by the LRA and all the medicines and medical equipments were all taken and the remain one they could not carry were all burnt down. Three of the medical personnel’s were also taken.

During these attacks many people lost their properties more especially food items as it was the most targeted items by the LRA. The situation on the ground is terrible and need immediate attention.
The church itself have lost 2 of its Archdeanries, four Deanries and 12 parishes and four of our pastors and lay readers have been killed so far. So as church we are unable to react to people needs so we need help more especially medicine and food items so that we can be in position to react to people's needs.
Ezo has been cut off from Tambura districts which is 54 miles from Ezo and Yambio which is 100 miles from Ezo. All the movement on the way has to be by the help of military help. Now that most of those who can afford to travel have now run to those two districts through the help of military escort. But those who can not afford to travel more especially the old one are still in Ezo waiting only for when they will be killed because the LRA attacks has just become a routine act.
So as a church we can not run way leaving our Christians behind in such situation. So we need your help and all those who can be in position to respond on this serious situation.

Yours
Levi Ahamed Bona
Diocesan Development Officer
ECS Diocese of Ezo.

Photo Albums from Convention and The Cathedral's 80th Anniversary Eucharist

Visit the link below to view online photo albums from the 219th Diocesan Convention and The Cathedral of St. John's 80th anniversary on October 23rd and 24th 2009.

www.facebook.com/episcopalri

(don't worry, you can view them even if you aren't a facebook member!)

Louisiana and Rhode Island Update: Pete Nunnally's visit

Pete Nunnally, Director of Volunteers for Episcopal Community Services in the Diocese of Louisiana will be visiting Rhode Island next weekend. Episcopal Community Services is continuing the rebuilding work begun after Katrina, now focused on long term, sustainable community growth and development. There are still plenty of projects for parishes and individuals to be involved in, and plenty to learn about working in an urban environment similar in many ways to our own. Pete’s own story is compelling; a spring mission trip with his home parish in northern Virginia turned into a complete life reorientation.

St. Martin’s in Providence will be hosting Pete and invites you to an informal reception on Saturday afternoon, November 7 from 4 to 6 PM. We’ll serve light refreshments and have time for Pete to present some of what’s happening in New Orleans and respond to questions. This is an excellent opportunity for you and your congregations to learn more about what’s happening in New Orleans and to strengthen the relationship between our two dioceses. For more information please call the parish office at 401-751-2141 or email The Rev. Clare Fischer-Davies at rector@stmartinsprov.org .