By Teresa S. Mathes, Program Director, Episcopal Church Foundation
As Rebuild Our
Church in Haiti transitions to the Church Development Office, I'm taking
the opportunity to thank people for their leadership and support, but
this email is high up on my list of favorites. As of September 7,
Episcopal Church Foundation had received $27,716 in gifts from the
Diocese of Southern Virginia.
This project has
been a gratifying experience of collaboration between clergy and laity,
between the church's organizational structures and the imaginative
parishioner in the pew. It represents the Episcopal Church at its best.
Thousands of congregations and individuals from 92 dioceses have
contributed over $2.8 million, mostly in small gifts. About 60 dioceses
ran active campaigns for the project, many like Southern Virginia while
doing other significant work as well. The remaining support came through
the open source nature of the project, which made it available to
anyone with a phone and internet access. The funds we have raised will
be transferred to the Episcopal Church office, where they will be
disbursed according to a written protocol developed in collaboration
with Bishop Duracin.
Clearly, there
will be much to do in Haiti for years to come, but you have helped to
lay the foundation on which they will rebuild. You can follow the
progress of our project here.
Editor's Note:
A very grateful thanks is extended to Barbara Byers of Good Shepherd,
Norfolk, for spearheading and coordinating the very successful
fundraising effort for Haiti here in Southern Virginia.
