The Episcopal Church announces launch of Cuba Pension Campaign

In the spirit of welcome and reconciliation with the Episcopal Church of Cuba (ECC), The Episcopal Church today announced the launch of Together Again/Juntos de Nuevo: Cuba Pensions Campaign, which aims to raise funds to provide future retirement benefits for current and retired clergy in the ECC. The campaign follows a vote last summer at the 79th General Convention to readmit the Episcopal Church of Cuba as a diocese of The Episcopal Church after 52 years of separation. The Diocese of Cuba will join TEC's Province II, which includes two other Caribbean dioceses - Haiti and the Virgin Islands.   

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry encourages all Episcopalians to participate in the campaign as a common moment of mission. "This is part of the work of reconciliation, bringing us together across historic divides. This is not just fundraising; it's following Jesus and finding our way back to each other," he said.

 

When the Episcopal Church of Cuba was separated from The Episcopal Church in 1966, benefits, including pension contributions for the clergy, were no longer available. With readmission, The Episcopal Church believes justice requires that Cuban clergy be treated in the same manner as clergy throughout The Episcopal Church.

Led by the Rt. Rev. Griselda Delgado Del Carpio, the ECC is a church that is growing and increasingly having an impact on communities throughout Cuba. With 46 congregations and missions led by 23 priests, along with an active lay leadership, it serves 10,000 Cuban Episcopalians and their neighbors. Its operating budget in 2017, which also includes all clergy compensation, was $155,000.

Currently, the average salary for the current 23 Cuban clergy is $55 a month.  When they retire, clergy members will not be eligible for any state pension or social security because the Cuban government does not recognize their service as employment.

The campaign seeks to raise a one-time amount of $800,000 by June 9, 2019.  This will provide funding for past contributions that will yield future retirement benefits for 23 active clergy, three retired clergy, and one surviving spouse.  The funds will be placed in the Church Pension Fund and eventually make pension benefits available to eligible clergy. 

Donations to the campaign can be made in the form of cash, pledges, or securities. For more information on supporting the campaign or to make a gift, please contact T.J. Houlihan, Development Officer, at 212-716-6271 or thoulihan@episocpalchurch.org, or visit www.episcopalchurch.org/development/pensions-campaign. 

 

Click here for more information. 

New translations of BCP into Spanish, French and Haitian Creole

"The Episcopal Church is in the process of developing new translations of its Book of Common Prayer 1979 into Spanish, French and Creole," said the Rev. Dr. Juan M.C. Oliver, custodian of the Book of Common Prayer. "For some time now, the Church has been aware of the need for new translations, carried out by professional literary translators of proven ability."  

 

Dr. Oliver heads the project as chairman of the Task Force for Liturgical Translations, a subcommittee of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music of The Episcopal Church. The 79th General Convention mandated and budgeted the project, which will likely be completed during this triennium. In January, the task force met to review plans for hiring professional translators who will prepare a first draft over the next year and a half. These drafts will be sent for feedback to congregations worshipping in the target languages, in the U.S. and abroad. Click here for more information.  

Join us for a Women's Lenten Retreat

Join us at Chanco on the James April 12-13 for a Women's Lenten Retreat. This event is open to all women ages 18 and up. Reconnect with old friends and meet new ones as women from all over our Diocese connect to sing, worship, pray, discuss and reflect together. Register at www.chanco.org. Questions? Contact us at hospitality@chanco.org or at 888-7CHANCO (888-724-2626). 

Bishop's Blog: Thoughts upon congregational development

Congregational development and recasting are among Bishop Magness' highest priorities. He and the Canons have been on the road in Southern Virginia, talking with congregations about these very issues. In his latest blog post, the Bishop shares his thoughts with you. www.bishopmagness.blogspot.com

Lenten Resources available from The Episcopal Church

The journey through Lent into Easter is a journey with Jesus. We are baptized into his life, self-giving and death; then we rise in hope to life transformed. This Lent, faith communities are invited to walk with Jesus in his Way of Love and into the experience of transformed life. Click here for Lenten resources, in both English and Spanish, for the Way of Love, and from Episcopal Relief & Development, Living Compass, United Thank Offering and many others.   

Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services meets Medicaid's new standards

For a number of years, Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services (JFBHS) has been a Medicaid provider. Medicaid recently initiated stringent standards of care, and JFBHS is pleased to announce that they passed - with flying colors - an unannounced three-day observation and assessment by a Medicaid representative.

 

This achievement is a testament to JFBHS' mission to provide high quality evidence-based psychiatric, residential, educational and recovery treatment services for children who suffer from severe emotional trauma, mental illness and/or addiction.  Their goal is to restore wellness and provide support for successful reintegration into homes, families and communities.

 

Medicaid is a government-sponsored insurance program for persons of all ages whose income and resources are insufficient to pay for health care including mental health.

 

Medicaid raised the bar for psychiatric residential facilities, and JFBHS cleared the bar simply by doing what they already were doing: providing high quality, effective services. Medicaid will continue to make unannounced site visits, and JFBHS is confident that they will continue to meet the challenge and exceed the expectations.

Partners in Welcome: An innovative new program from Episcopal Migration Ministries

Episcopal Migration Ministries, the refugee resettlement ministry of The Episcopal Church, is proud to announce an innovative new program called Partners in Welcome (PiW). Through this program, Episcopal Migration Ministries is building a mission-driven community rooted in loving God and our shared value to love our neighbor. This network is open to all organizations and individuals dedicated to welcoming newcomers, educating communities, and developing advocates. The PiW online portal will officially launch on Feb. 28, offering network members the opportunity to access resources, exchange ideas, and connect with others involved in refugee and immigrant welcome. The Partners in Welcome program is made possible by a generous grant from the United Thank Offering. Click here for more information on PiW