Bishop Hollerith and the diocesan staff welcomed Katie Conway -
Immigration and Refugee Policy Analyst from the Episcopal Church's
Office of Government Relations - to the diocesan office on March 11.
Katie is Southern Virginia's Diocesan Partnership representative from
the national church.
Episcopal Church Chief
Operating Officer Bishop Stacy Sauls announced this innovative
missionary program in July 2013. The program is designed to connect
dioceses and staff in a collaborative manner. "Our
Episcopal Church yearns for connection," Bishop Sauls explained. "Our
people want to be connected. Our leaders are looking for
opportunities to be connected. Through the Diocesan Partnership
Representatives, the DFMS (Domestic and Foreign
Missionary Society) staff can assist in connecting and offering
resources to our dioceses and congregations."
The purpose and goals of the Diocesan Partnership Program are twofold: to make resources available at the local levels;
and to build networks and partnerships to connect people across
geography. The Diocesan Partnership Representatives are DFMS staff
members who will work together to connect the Church across a vast
geographical area in 16 countries through Virtual Regional Offices. The
Virtual Regional Offices, Bishop Sauls said, "will consist of
representatives of DFMS staff from Formation, Diversity, Congregational
and Diocesan Ministries, Global Partnerships, Government Relations,
Episcopal Migration Ministries, Development, and Communications."
A Diocesan Partnership Representative has been assigned to each diocese in The Episcopal Church. "The Diocesan
Partnership Representatives will connect the dioceses and provinces
within their regions with mission efforts at the most local level in
partnership with the local bishop, clergy, and lay leaders," Bishop
Sauls noted. "They will be ambassadors, consultants, links, and
colleagues in mission with those on the ground, bringing a global
perspective to local action, visible reminders that all of us are
connected, that each has need of all the others in the service of
Christ's reconciling mission in the world."
