Syrian refugees: a global crisis
THE
Episcopal News Weekly WWW.EPISCOPALNEWS.COM
SERVING THE SIX-COUNTY DIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES
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The Episcopal News
SEPTEMBER 13, 2015
Syrian refugees: a global crisis Episcopalians, Anglicans take action to help those displaced
JORGE FELIX COSTA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
I
mages of Aylan, a toddler who was drowned with his mother and brother as their family tried to escape violence in Syria, have brought the plight of refugees into painfully sharp focus in recent days. But Episcopal Relief & Development, an agency of the wider Episcopal Church, was already responding to the crisis by reaching out to similar agencies in that area of the world. According to the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), more than 381,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean into Europe in 2015, half of this number from Syria. Between April 2011 and July 2015, 348,540 Syrians applied for asylum in Europe. The large influx of Syrian refugees into Europe is challenging host countries, some of which are also sheltering people displaced by conflict and instability in Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea and other countries. According to the Anglican Communion News Service, St. Margaret’s Anglican Episcopal Church in Budapest, Hungary, part of the Church of England’s Diocese of Europe, is on the front line of the Syrian refugee crisis, with tens of thousands of asylum seekers passing through the city each day en route to Germany via Austria. German authorities have announced that anybody fleeing the conflict in Syria who reaches Berlin will be granted refugee status. During the weekend, members of the parish gathered at the city’s Keleti International Train Station to prepare and distribute aid packets to the refugees. “There were about 25 to 30 of us in all, everyone was enthusiastic and eager to help,” the Rev. Frank Hegedus, the local chaplain and area dean, and a priest of the Diocese of Los Angeles, said in a report on the Diocese of Europe’s website. “We felt that such simple things could make the biggest difference in the short term, although we also knew that much more would need to be done over the coming days and weeks.”
Syrian migrants gather near international railway station in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 5. Germany has opened its borders to the refugees fleeing conflict in their native land.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Anglican Communion, said in a statement on Sept. 3: “There are no easy answers and my prayers are with those who find themselves fleeing persecution, as well as those who are struggling under immense pressure to develop an effective and equitable response. Now, perhaps more than ever in post-war Europe, we need to commit to joint action across Europe, acknowledging our common responsibility and our common humanity.”
Taking action to help In the United States, Episcopal Migration Ministries has been monitoring the situation and suggests several things Episcopalians can do to take action: • Volunteer with one of EMM’s local resettlement partners to welcome new Americans. In the Diocese of Los Angeles, IRIS (Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service) is the EMM partner: visit iris.ladiocese.org • Join the #RefugeesWelcome global social media campaign urging governments to welcome refugees to their countries. • Sign the White House petition asking President Obama and the U.S. government to pledge to resettle at least 65,000 Syrians by 2016: visit 1.usa.gov/1L6zh9l. • Continue to pray for all those displaced by violence and conflict. In addition, contributions to Episcopal Re-
lief & Development’s Disaster Response Fund will help them aid the refugees; for information, visit episcopalrelief.org. — Adapted from ENS, ACNS and Episcopal Relief & Development reports.
A litany for victims of the Syrian conflict We pray for those damaged by the fighting in Syria. To the wounded and injured: Come, Lord Jesus. To the terrified who are living in shock: Come, Lord Jesus. To the hungry and homeless, refugee and exile: Come, Lord Jesus. To those bringing humanitarian aid: Give protection, Lord Jesus To those administering medical assistance: Give protection, Lord Jesus. To those offering counsel and care: Give protection, Lord Jesus. For all making the sacrifice of love: Give the strength of your Spirit and the joy of your comfort. In the hope of Christ we pray. Amen. — Church of England Prayers for Syria
— SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 — 4 - 6 p.m. Open House/ Dedication of Renovated
Classrooms and Kelly Watson Reading Garden The Gooden School 192 North Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre Information: 626.355.2410
7 p.m. Concert for Syrian and Iraqi Refugee
Children with Alice Burla, pianist
St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church 3233 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar Information: 949.644.0463 — WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 — 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Faith Leaders’ Health Summit H.O.P.E.’s House Christian Ministries 10654 Balboa Blvd. Granada Hills Information/Registration: 323.643.1135 or www.HealthySoCal.org/flhs2 — SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 — 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Information Session:
Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands
Cathedral Center of St. Paul 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026 Information: [email protected] 7 p.m. Chorus Profectus in Concert Church of the Transfiguration 1881 S. First Street, Arcadia Information: 626.445.3340 — SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 — 4 p.m. ‘Voices in Bronze’ Solo Handbell Recital St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church 6201 E. Willow Sreet, Long Beach Information: 562. 420.1311 — TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 — 7:30p.m. Versed: Hard Truths - Study of Prophecy (Session 1 of 6) Cathedral Center of St. Paul 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles Information: 213.482.2040 Registration here bit.ly/1ON50A9 More listings are at www.ladiocese.org. Select “Calendar” on the navigation bar. THE
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 36
Episcopal News Weekly Editor: Janet Kawamoto, [email protected] Advertising: Bob Williams, [email protected]
FROM THE BISHOPS
Stillpoint: A resource for spiritual direction By J. Jon Bruno
I
n Psalm 46 we read this familiar invitation from the Holy One: “Be still and know that I am God!” In such quietness, we are freed to calm anxieties and to come into fuller awareness of the presence of the Holy in our lives. At times we may find that reaching this place of deep listening and communion is enhanced through the formal process known as spiritual direction. A great catalyst in this work is Stillpoint, a California-based organization that for more than 30 years “has offered training in the art of spiritual direction, as well as programs for personal spiritual formation and special events with leading figures in the world of spiritual discovery.” If you are seeking a spiritual director, or more information about becoming a spiritual director, visit the Stillpoint website at www. stillpointca.org. There you will find an overview of programs, and this description of mission: “Stillpoint is an open and inclusive community that exists to form and train excellent, deeply grounded spiritual directors, and to live together into a deeper contemplative life of faith, spiritual practice, and action. “Rooted in the Christian faith, Stillpoint draws from and creates bridges to other spiritual traditions. The Stillpoint constituency is primarily in Southern California, but is increasingly national in scope.” One of Stillpoint’s most effective offerings is its “Art of Spiritual Direction” training, “a two-year ecumenical program, rooted in the Christian tradition and open to all faiths. Participants gain knowledge of, and guided experience in, accompanying other people on their spiritual journeys.” Each training cycle consists of 11 full-day sessions that include guided practice in the art FEATURED ITEM:
Gifts
of spiritual direction. Applicants previously complete Stillpoint’s “Spiritual Journey” program or an equivalent, and are themselves recipients of spiritual direction for at least one year. The program is designed “so the graduates can experience and perfect their gifts in being spiritually present to others. Participants find that their lives change as their gifts of deep listening and presence emerge,” according to the program’s description. I regularly recommend Stillpoint to individuals, clergy and lay, who are seeking this form of spiritual and professional development. I also congratulate the Rev. Elizabeth Rechter on her appointment as Stillpoint’s new executive director, new work that she has taken up after concluding ministry for the past decade as rector of St. Mary’s Church in Laguna Beach. In addition, I am looking forward to a presentation from Stillpoint during this December’s annual meeting of Diocesan Convention. I give thanks for Stillpoint and all the ways in which its work helps us to know more deeply that “God is our refuge and strength,” as Psalm 46 reminds, also calling our focus to the “river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.” ?
Practicing Radical Compassion Monday, September 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Cathedral Center of St. Paul 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026 Information: [email protected] A program on compassionate living within the family, workplace, ministry and community. With Frank Rogers of Claremont School of Theology. $10 (includes lunch).
Did you know? The Diocese of Los Angeles has a full-service Credit Union.
THE 1979 BCP AND NRSV BIBLE
Religious Jewelry
Prayer Books/Bibles
840 ECHO PARK AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026 PLEASE CALL AT 213.482.2040, EXT. 228 MONDAY – FRIDAY: 9AM – 4PM • SATURDAY: 10AM – 2PM
The Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union has been in existence since 1994, and any Episcopalian in the diocese can join.
ECFCU offers a full line of financial products: Saving and Checking Accounts Free Income Tax Preparation Holiday Club Accounts Debit/ATM Cards Individual Credit Counseling 24-Hour Telephone Information On-Line Banking
Bill Pay Auto Loans Signature Loans Business Loans Wire Transfers Financial Education
800-366-1536 ext. 254 www.efcula.org
JANET KAWAMOTO
AROUND THE DIOCESE
Episcopal News Weekly WWW.EPISCOPALNEWS.COM
SERVING THE SIX-COUNTY DIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES
Scan to subscribe to
The Episcopal News
SEPTEMBER 13, 2015
Syrian refugees: a global crisis Episcopalians, Anglicans take action to help those displaced
JORGE FELIX COSTA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
I
mages of Aylan, a toddler who was drowned with his mother and brother as their family tried to escape violence in Syria, have brought the plight of refugees into painfully sharp focus in recent days. But Episcopal Relief & Development, an agency of the wider Episcopal Church, was already responding to the crisis by reaching out to similar agencies in that area of the world. According to the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), more than 381,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean into Europe in 2015, half of this number from Syria. Between April 2011 and July 2015, 348,540 Syrians applied for asylum in Europe. The large influx of Syrian refugees into Europe is challenging host countries, some of which are also sheltering people displaced by conflict and instability in Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea and other countries. According to the Anglican Communion News Service, St. Margaret’s Anglican Episcopal Church in Budapest, Hungary, part of the Church of England’s Diocese of Europe, is on the front line of the Syrian refugee crisis, with tens of thousands of asylum seekers passing through the city each day en route to Germany via Austria. German authorities have announced that anybody fleeing the conflict in Syria who reaches Berlin will be granted refugee status. During the weekend, members of the parish gathered at the city’s Keleti International Train Station to prepare and distribute aid packets to the refugees. “There were about 25 to 30 of us in all, everyone was enthusiastic and eager to help,” the Rev. Frank Hegedus, the local chaplain and area dean, and a priest of the Diocese of Los Angeles, said in a report on the Diocese of Europe’s website. “We felt that such simple things could make the biggest difference in the short term, although we also knew that much more would need to be done over the coming days and weeks.”
Syrian migrants gather near international railway station in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 5. Germany has opened its borders to the refugees fleeing conflict in their native land.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Anglican Communion, said in a statement on Sept. 3: “There are no easy answers and my prayers are with those who find themselves fleeing persecution, as well as those who are struggling under immense pressure to develop an effective and equitable response. Now, perhaps more than ever in post-war Europe, we need to commit to joint action across Europe, acknowledging our common responsibility and our common humanity.”
Taking action to help In the United States, Episcopal Migration Ministries has been monitoring the situation and suggests several things Episcopalians can do to take action: • Volunteer with one of EMM’s local resettlement partners to welcome new Americans. In the Diocese of Los Angeles, IRIS (Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service) is the EMM partner: visit iris.ladiocese.org • Join the #RefugeesWelcome global social media campaign urging governments to welcome refugees to their countries. • Sign the White House petition asking President Obama and the U.S. government to pledge to resettle at least 65,000 Syrians by 2016: visit 1.usa.gov/1L6zh9l. • Continue to pray for all those displaced by violence and conflict. In addition, contributions to Episcopal Re-
lief & Development’s Disaster Response Fund will help them aid the refugees; for information, visit episcopalrelief.org. — Adapted from ENS, ACNS and Episcopal Relief & Development reports.
A litany for victims of the Syrian conflict We pray for those damaged by the fighting in Syria. To the wounded and injured: Come, Lord Jesus. To the terrified who are living in shock: Come, Lord Jesus. To the hungry and homeless, refugee and exile: Come, Lord Jesus. To those bringing humanitarian aid: Give protection, Lord Jesus To those administering medical assistance: Give protection, Lord Jesus. To those offering counsel and care: Give protection, Lord Jesus. For all making the sacrifice of love: Give the strength of your Spirit and the joy of your comfort. In the hope of Christ we pray. Amen. — Church of England Prayers for Syria
— SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 — 4 - 6 p.m. Open House/ Dedication of Renovated
Classrooms and Kelly Watson Reading Garden The Gooden School 192 North Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre Information: 626.355.2410
7 p.m. Concert for Syrian and Iraqi Refugee
Children with Alice Burla, pianist
St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church 3233 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar Information: 949.644.0463 — WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 — 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Faith Leaders’ Health Summit H.O.P.E.’s House Christian Ministries 10654 Balboa Blvd. Granada Hills Information/Registration: 323.643.1135 or www.HealthySoCal.org/flhs2 — SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 — 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Information Session:
Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands
Cathedral Center of St. Paul 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026 Information: [email protected] 7 p.m. Chorus Profectus in Concert Church of the Transfiguration 1881 S. First Street, Arcadia Information: 626.445.3340 — SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 — 4 p.m. ‘Voices in Bronze’ Solo Handbell Recital St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church 6201 E. Willow Sreet, Long Beach Information: 562. 420.1311 — TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 — 7:30p.m. Versed: Hard Truths - Study of Prophecy (Session 1 of 6) Cathedral Center of St. Paul 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles Information: 213.482.2040 Registration here bit.ly/1ON50A9 More listings are at www.ladiocese.org. Select “Calendar” on the navigation bar. THE
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 36
Episcopal News Weekly Editor: Janet Kawamoto, [email protected] Advertising: Bob Williams, [email protected]
FROM THE BISHOPS
Stillpoint: A resource for spiritual direction By J. Jon Bruno
I
n Psalm 46 we read this familiar invitation from the Holy One: “Be still and know that I am God!” In such quietness, we are freed to calm anxieties and to come into fuller awareness of the presence of the Holy in our lives. At times we may find that reaching this place of deep listening and communion is enhanced through the formal process known as spiritual direction. A great catalyst in this work is Stillpoint, a California-based organization that for more than 30 years “has offered training in the art of spiritual direction, as well as programs for personal spiritual formation and special events with leading figures in the world of spiritual discovery.” If you are seeking a spiritual director, or more information about becoming a spiritual director, visit the Stillpoint website at www. stillpointca.org. There you will find an overview of programs, and this description of mission: “Stillpoint is an open and inclusive community that exists to form and train excellent, deeply grounded spiritual directors, and to live together into a deeper contemplative life of faith, spiritual practice, and action. “Rooted in the Christian faith, Stillpoint draws from and creates bridges to other spiritual traditions. The Stillpoint constituency is primarily in Southern California, but is increasingly national in scope.” One of Stillpoint’s most effective offerings is its “Art of Spiritual Direction” training, “a two-year ecumenical program, rooted in the Christian tradition and open to all faiths. Participants gain knowledge of, and guided experience in, accompanying other people on their spiritual journeys.” Each training cycle consists of 11 full-day sessions that include guided practice in the art FEATURED ITEM:
Gifts
of spiritual direction. Applicants previously complete Stillpoint’s “Spiritual Journey” program or an equivalent, and are themselves recipients of spiritual direction for at least one year. The program is designed “so the graduates can experience and perfect their gifts in being spiritually present to others. Participants find that their lives change as their gifts of deep listening and presence emerge,” according to the program’s description. I regularly recommend Stillpoint to individuals, clergy and lay, who are seeking this form of spiritual and professional development. I also congratulate the Rev. Elizabeth Rechter on her appointment as Stillpoint’s new executive director, new work that she has taken up after concluding ministry for the past decade as rector of St. Mary’s Church in Laguna Beach. In addition, I am looking forward to a presentation from Stillpoint during this December’s annual meeting of Diocesan Convention. I give thanks for Stillpoint and all the ways in which its work helps us to know more deeply that “God is our refuge and strength,” as Psalm 46 reminds, also calling our focus to the “river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.” ?
Practicing Radical Compassion Monday, September 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Cathedral Center of St. Paul 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026 Information: [email protected] A program on compassionate living within the family, workplace, ministry and community. With Frank Rogers of Claremont School of Theology. $10 (includes lunch).
Did you know? The Diocese of Los Angeles has a full-service Credit Union.
THE 1979 BCP AND NRSV BIBLE
Religious Jewelry
Prayer Books/Bibles
840 ECHO PARK AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026 PLEASE CALL AT 213.482.2040, EXT. 228 MONDAY – FRIDAY: 9AM – 4PM • SATURDAY: 10AM – 2PM
The Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union has been in existence since 1994, and any Episcopalian in the diocese can join.
ECFCU offers a full line of financial products: Saving and Checking Accounts Free Income Tax Preparation Holiday Club Accounts Debit/ATM Cards Individual Credit Counseling 24-Hour Telephone Information On-Line Banking
Bill Pay Auto Loans Signature Loans Business Loans Wire Transfers Financial Education
800-366-1536 ext. 254 www.efcula.org
JANET KAWAMOTO
AROUND THE DIOCESE
