[ENS] At its General Convention next week, the Episcopal Church will launch a new grassroots partnership with ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History. The new initiative, called ONE Episcopalian, seeks to rally Episcopalians –ONE by ONE — to the cause of ending extreme poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“Strong advocacy from a wide array of Americans — including people of faith — is needed so government leaders will commit the resources necessary to meet the Millennium Development Goals,” said Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold. “The ONE Episcopalian campaign will provide an opportunity for all Episcopalians to unite their voices with the large and growing movement to end global poverty in our time.”

The ONE Campaign is a movement of Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life, united as ONE to help make poverty history. ONE is a coalition of more than 70 of America’s leading advocacy and humanitarian organizations and more than 2.3 million people, joining together to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. The goal of ONE is to direct an additional ONE percent of the U.S. federal budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, food and clean water to transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world’s poorest countries.

The Episcopal Church — which endorsed the MDGs at its 74th General
Convention in 2003 — has been a member of the ONE Campaign since its first year of existence. ONE Episcopalian builds on this energy by equipping dioceses, parishes, and individuals to be more effective advocates and join with people across America and the world in the fight against extreme poverty and global AIDS.

Look for more information during next week’s General Convention. Bishops, deputies, and visitors at the Convention Center are invited to visit the Peace and Justice Ministries display area in the Episcopal Church Center’s booth. Other Episcopalians can look for information next week from the Episcopal News Service, as well as additional information as the campaign progresses.

By speaking with ONE voice, in common language, Episcopalians have the opportunity to show the power of ONE!

Contacts:

Alex Baumgarten,
The Episcopal Church,
202-547-7300

Meighan Stone,
ONE Campaign,
202-468-0791

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_75362_ENG_HTM.htm

The people of Holy Innocents Episcopal Church processed around the neighborhood in celebration of Pentecost Sunday today, June 4th. Carrying a long, red banner, and with cross and burning incense carried before us, we walked along Thacker to Roselle and went north to Illinois Boulevard, waving to passing cars, laughing, talking, and attempting to sing while keeping hold of the banner.

Our crucifers, who took turns carrying the heavy processional cross while wearing cassock and surplice, were Earle and Chris. Our thurifer carrying the incense burner (the “thurible”), was Rob Bartlett. He occasionally swung the thurible in a complete circle over his head in response to shouts of “Rob! 360!” Our priest, Father Ted Durst, wore the ceremonial red cope appropriate for Pentecost, the “festival day” and was the anchor man in our little procession.

We laughed, talked, and waved to the people at the neighboring church and exchanged happy greetings with them on this glorious sunny Sunday. We marched along in the hot sun, occasionally cheering ourselves on and stopping to chat briefly with neighbors along the way. Then we returned to the church and enjoyed a picnic lunch outside, in the shade of one of our trees.

So if you were driving along Roselle Road or Illinois Boulevard that Sunday, and wondered what the parade of people in red shirts and formal church vestments was all about, you saw a community of faith, answering the call we are charged with every Sunday – to go out into the world in peace.

More pictures from the procession:

Father Ted Anchors The Procession

Fully vested and in the red cope, Ted appeared cool, calm and collected as he waved to passing cars. Next year, we need someone following behind with a cooler on wheels, fans, and accomodations to haul people who poop out halfway.

Breakaway

The leaders break away from the pack; they’re in full vestments and shade is within sight. The long red banner we all carried is visible; when we ran out of songs to sing, someone started singing ‘Red Sails in the Sunset.’

Wobbling To The Finish

The processional cross got a bit wobbly as we walked; Chris did his best to tighten it but it needs a fitting screwed back in. He became quite wary of overhanging trees.

Prayer Octave: Day 1, “Grow in the Spirit”

Intercessions precede 75th General Convention

[ENS] All in the Episcopal Church are invited to join the Octave of Prayer
preceding the 75th General Convention, meeting June 13-21 in Columbus, Ohio.
Following are the prayers and meditation for today, June 4.

Full information about the Octave of Prayer is available online at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/53785_74428_ENG_HTM.htm

Spanish-language Octava de Oraci?n/resources are posted online at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/53785_74740_ENG_HTM.htm

– – –

Pentecost Sunday: Grow in the Spirit

A Prayer for the 75th General Convention

God our Wisdom, who eternally makes all things new:
encourage by your Holy Spirit
those who prepare for General Convention
to labor together
for the building up of your world and your Church;
counsel them when to act and when to wait;
turn their hearts always toward those in greatest need,
and away from their own preoccupations and fears;
help them never forget that love and mercy are your
greatest gifts given us all to offer one another
as we see in them Jesus Christ who alone
is our joy, our way, our truth, and our life.

Galatians 5: 16 – 26

If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For
what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires
is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you
from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not
subject to the law. Now the works of the fl esh are obvious: fornication,
impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy,
anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and
things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do
such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, and selfcontrol. There is no law against such
things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by
the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another,
envying one another.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
we thank you that by water and the Holy Spirit
you have bestowed upon us the forgiveness of sin,
and have raised us to the new life of grace.
Sustain us, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit
and renew in us an inquiring and discerning heart,
the courage to will and to persevere,
a spirit to know and to love you,
and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works.
Amen
(Book of Common Prayer, page 308, alt.)

Daily Meditation
by The Very Rev. George L.W. Werner

“Are not all these Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our
own native language?” – Acts 2:7-8

On the third Sunday of Easter, twenty years ago, I had a “Pentecost Moment.”
The Cathedral Deans of North America were to vest and process in a festival
Eucharist at St. George’s College in Jerusalem. A few of us decided to go
early and join the Palestinian Eucharist as well.

The preacher was Naim Ateek. I could not translate the words of his sermon.
But suddenly I understood everything he was saying. Somehow in a depth, I
had never known previously, I was one with the preacher and the people in a
different place, culture, language and moment of God’s history.

It happened again to me a few years ago. We were attending a Sunday
Eucharist in Santo Domingo. Jean Monique Bruno, a Haitian priest, serving in
the Dominican Republic was the celebrant and preacher. He avoided the pulpit
and walked the aisle among the members of his community and we visitors.

He challenged his congregation with questions about the Scripture of the
Day. The congregation seemed to catch fire. Enthusiasm derives from the
Greek “En-Theos”. My dictionary says “From God” and “inspired.” There was
joy, laughter and passion in the dialogue. I lost sense of time and for once
it didn’t seem to matter. Despite my pathetic skills in the Spanish
language, I again returned to the depth of a “Pentecost Moment.” I could not
translate the words, but I understood everything that was being said.

The conventional wisdom of our time says that we must be safe and secure to
live the good life. Pentecost says NO! It is when we choose to be vulnerable
that the Spirit empowers us. It comes when we open our arms as Jesus did on
the Cross, and welcome all in. It is comfortable to stay where we think we
are protected. Yet, it is in the swirling, crowded, unfamiliar and unusual
places, where I seem to collide most often with the Spirit.

Come and Grow in the Spirit. I think it is no coincidence that cults and
terrorist groups isolate their members. What would happen if we were all in
the marketplace and found the Christ in the other? What if we left the
places where everyone knows our name to go “seek and serve Christ in all
persons” in accord with our Baptismal Covenant?

In a story I love to tell, a Coast Guard station received a call of a vessel
in distress in the midst of a horrendous Nor’easter. As the crew prepared to
launch the rescue vessel, a new recruit kept peppering the old Chief with
questions about the danger of going out into the giant waves and gale force
winds. Finally, in terror, he shouts at the Chief, “If we go out there, we
may never come back.” The old Chief smiled and said, “Son, we don’t have
orders to come back.”

When we enter into the ministry of baptism, we have no orders to come back.
But as the old favorite hymn reminds us, “’tis grace that brought me safe
thus far, and grace will lead me home.”

— The Very Rev. George L.W. Werner is the 31st President of the House of
Deputies and Dean Emeritus of Trinity Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA.