Dear Friends:
Welcome to the first edition of the reincarnation of the quarterly newsletter from the Black Ministries Office. This first copy is to describe the new workings of the Office and to share with you the many programmatic initiatives with which the office is engaged. You are invited to contribute to future editions by sharing your successful ministry practices, and offerings of articles, pictures, reflections, book reviews and noteworthy news.
In 2010 the structure of the Episcopal Church Center was changed to bring about improved working relationships across departments to accomplish our work throughout the Church. As a result, the wholly individualistic nature of our work has taken on a more collaborative form that in turn has engendered greater communication among our colleagues. The four Ethnic Ministries Offices were joined by colleagues from the Economic and Environmental, Jubilee and Social Justice and Intercultural Ministries Offices for ongoing partnerships in ministries identified by the team.
This new ministries focus has provided many firsts. The annual OBES Conference for the Organization of Black Episcopal Seminarians will be held this year in collaboration with seminarians from other ethnic groups for a multicultural experience. The conference is co-sponsored by Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) and is planned for Tuesday, March 15 - Friday, March 18. Seminarians who gather at the VTS campus will be engaged in conversations on topics that include: Ministry and Mission in the Local Church, The Global Church, and Preparing for Leadership in the 21st century.
To continue this trend, the Ethnic Offices will convene a gathering of clergy and lay leaders for conversations on congregational development, within and among racial ethnic and new immigrant groups. The goal is to provide the environment for which ministers of this “new community” can engage in cross-cultural interaction, identify areas of collaboration and build solidarity out of their diverse and pluralistic settings. Further details will follow.
For more information about the work, resources, and events of the Black Ministries Office please contact the Reverend Angela Ifill at: aifill@episcopalchurch.org or (212) 922-5343/(800) 334-7626 ext. 5343. You may also visit the Black Ministries website at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/black.