18 Young Adult Episcopalians serve as missionaries throughout the Anglican Communion

via Episcopal Church Public Affairs  

Eighteen young adults from 13 Episcopal Church dioceses will be serving as missionaries in the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) for the 2012-2013 term in locales throughout the Anglican Communion, including eight new ministries. This year’s group of missionaries boasts the largest number of YASC volunteers ever. YASC is a ministry for Episcopal young adults, ages 21 - 30, who are interested in exploring their faith in new ways by living and serving in communities around the Anglican Communion. The Rev. David Copley, Mission Personnel Officer, noted that while the day-to-day duties of each placement vary, the experiences of the YASCers are life-changing.  “YASC brings young adults into the life of the worldwide Anglican Communion and into the daily work of a local community,” he explained.

“YASC offers young adults an opportunity to live out their Baptismal Covenant by seeking and serving Christ in people all around God’s world,” commented Elizabeth Boe, Global Networking Officer.

  

Each YASCer maintains a blog, detailing their service, reflections and adventures. Boe, a former YASC volunteer who served in Tanzania, reported that blogs provide an ideal means for connecting with others in the Episcopal Church and around the world.  

Meet the YASCers

Primarily working in administration, communication, education, and agriculture, the 18 YASC missionaries, their home dioceses, assignments and blog addresses are:

Ryan Abrams, Diocese of East Carolina
Serving in the Diocese of Costa Rica, Ryan is the Companion Diocese Officer for the Diocese of Costa Rica and the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Based in San José, Ryan is the first YASC missionary to serve in Costa Rica. fromcoasttocostarica.blogspot.com

Ashley Bingaman, Diocese of Virginia
Serving in the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, Ashley is a music instructor at the Holy Trinity Cathedral music program in Port-au-Prince. Ashley is the first YASC missionary to be placed in Haiti after the January 2010 earthquake. ashleybingaman.blogspot.com

Nina Boe, Diocese of Olympia
Serving in the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, Nina works in the Provincial Secretary’s office in São Paulo. This marks the first time there has been a YASC placement in the Brazilian Provincial Office.  ninaboe.blogspot.com

Carrie Díaz-Littauer, Diocese of New Jersey
Serving in Switzerland in the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, Carrie is the Office and Project Manager for the World Student Christian Federation based in Geneva. Carrie is the first YASCer to serve in Switzerland. diazlittauer.wordpress.com

Grace Flint, Diocese of Kentucky
Serving in Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, Grace is a mission intern with the Mission for Migrant Workers in Hong Kong. tohongkongwithgrace.blogspot.com

Jared Grant, Diocese of Western North Carolina
Serving in the Diocese of Lesotho in the Anglican Province of Southern Africa, Jared works at St. James Mission Hospital and in the office of the Bishop of Lesotho . This marks the first time there has been a YASC placement in Lesotho. jaredgrantyasc.blogspot.com

Andrew Joyce, Diocese of Kentucky
Serving in the Diocese of the Northern Philippines, Andrew works at the Tadian Learning Center and Demonstration Farm. Andrew is the first YASCer to serve in this ministry. andrewwjoyce.wordpress.com

Doug and Jenny Knight, Diocese of Arkansas
Serving in Japan, Doug and Jenny are volunteers at the Asian Rural Institute. thatwemayservetogether.blogspot.com

Jenny Korwan, Diocese of Atlanta
Serving in the Diocese of Kajiado, Kenya, Jenny works with Be the Change-Kenya, based near Nairobi. This marks the first time there has been a YASC placement in this ministry. jennyskenyaadventure.blogspot.com

Benjamin and Elizabeth Locher, Dioceses of Virginia and Washington
Serving in the Diocese of Central Tanganyika, Tanzania, Benjamin and Elizabeth work at the Msalato Theological College in Dodoma. Elizabeth teaches theology and Benjamin works in the college’s technology center. www.oneholyname.com

Holly Milburn, Dioceses of Lexington and New York
Serving in the Diocese of Cape Town in the Anglican Province of Southern Africa, Holly works in the HOPE Africa office in Cape Town as an administrative assistant. hollyincapetown.blogspot.com

Brian Orlay, Diocese of New York
Serving in the Diocese of Central Tanganyika, Tanzania, Brian works for the Carpenter’s Kids program as the program coordinator. brianorlay.wordpress.com

Phillip Shearin, Diocese of Connecticut
Serving in the Anglican Church of Mexico, Phillip works as a communications officer for the Province, based in Mexico City. reflectionsonmissionandministryinmexico.wordpress.com

Stephen Smith, Diocese of California
Serving in the Diocese of Grahamstown, South Africa, Stephen is an assistant teacher and resource center assistant at the Holy Cross School in Grahamstown. He has been in this role for a year and will continue for the 2012-2013 YASC year. steveyasc.blogspot.com

Cameron Spoor, Diocese of Texas
Serving in the Diocese of Grahamstown, South Africa, Cameron is an assistant teacher and resource center assistant at the Holy Cross School in Grahamstown.
cameron-abroad.blogspot.com

Katie Young, Diocese of Northwest Texas
Serving in the Diocese of Tohoku, Japan, Katie just finished a year of service in Nagoya. She will begin her second YASC year in early October, working for the Let Us Walk Together program in Sendai. Let Us Walk Together is a coordinating body that oversees earthquake/tsunami recovery efforts being carried out by various dioceses in Japan. Katie’s position in Sendai is a new YASC placement. peaceloverice.blogspot.com

Pastoral Ministries Consultation & Support Program

The Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care's Pastoral Ministries Consultation and Support Program is designed to promote mature pastoral leadership and healthy congregations in a complicated age and offers twice monthly sessions Oct 2012 to May 2013 (except Dec) focused on facilitating minister's growth, ministry consultation, and periodic forums on high interest topics. Share and learn with your peers what you do and who you are. Total of 30 contact hours in a small, ecumenical group. Contact Sandy Hamilton, 804-282-8332, for more information. Click here for a program flyer.

Cemetery Conservation Workshop & Certification offered at St. Paul's, Norfolk

September 10-12 at St. Paul's, Norfolk

This historic cemetery conservation workshop is offered to cemetery professionals, volunteers, and anyone who is interested in cemetery conservation.  The workshop will be led by Robert Mosko, founder and owner of Mosko Cemetery Services specializing in the preservation, restoration, and conservation of cemeteries, gravestones, and monuments. Robert is a third generation conservator and has been in practice for over 14 years. He has shared his expertise with more than 68 cemeteries throughout central Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. To date, he has repaired, preserved, and/or conserved more than 6,598 gravestones, monuments, and burial sites. The cost for three days is $40. Those who are not acquiring certification may pay $15/day & attend the segment(s) of his/her choosing. Click here for more information, including the schedule and registration form. Deadline for receipt of application and payment is Friday, August 31.

New Youth Ministry Toolkit now available online

The 2012-2013 Youth Ministry Toolkit is now available for download at our website. The Youth Ministry pages of our website are all updated with the latest resources, forms and upcoming events for the 2012-2013 program year. Go to www.diosova.org/youth to take a look and download the new Youth Ministry Toolkit.

Bettyrene Pope elected to serve on Executive Board

Our thanks as a diocese go to Bettyrene Pope, St. John's Parish, Hampton, for her willingness to be elected to a partial term on the Executive Board, on behalf of Convocation V, following the resignation of Bill Rhode, due to his move.

CE-Net hosts Dorothy Linthicum

 CE-NET (Christian Education Network) invites you to attend our Thursday, September 20 gathering at Hickory Neck Episcopal Church, Toano, from 11:30 to 2:00. Dorothy Linthicum has studied and taught human growth and faith development, researched the changing demographics in the Church and our culture, embarked on a new field of study about spirituality of the elderly, and continues her role as managing editor of the Episcopal Children's Curriculum and Episcopal Teacher. She teaches at Virginia Theological Seminary, and has a passion for Christian formation and its role in weaving together disparate parts of parishes into a tapestry of beauty and function for spreading the Good News. The cost for this event is $5 which will include lunch. Please register via the link below no later than September 10 if you wish to join us for this informative session. Click here for more information and registration.

Seeds of Hope Grants: Funds still available

The Seeds of Hope grants help support new and expanded social justice ministries proposed by parishes, diocesan departments and commissions. The deadline for applications was August 1, and we received several fine applications. Even if we were to approve all the proposals we still have funds available for 2012. Therefore, we are extending the deadline until Friday, August 24. Applications and more information are available here.