Bishop
Hollerith participates in public witness against gun violence
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| Bishop Hollerith at top right. Photo by Diocese of Louisiana. |
Bishop Hollerith was one of the bishops
taking part in Sunday morning’s Public Witness event at Austin’s Brush Square
held by Bishops United Against Gun Violence. Hundreds of General Convention
participants attended the event.
Speakers included Phil and April Schentrup,
whose daughter, Carmen, was killed in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas
on Ash Wednesday of 2018. Since Carmen’s death, both April and Phil have spoken
out publicly against gun violence, as well as pushed hard for solutions that
bring our country together. Phil and April generously shared their story of
grief and pain, and urged the church to advocate against gun violence and
promote public safety so that our nation can live together in peace.
Also
addressing the crowd with a powerful call to speak up and take action was
Abigail Zimmerman, a rising 9th grader and member of St. Alban’s in
Waco, TX. She co-led a school walkout in March to remember the victims of the
shooting in Parkland, Florida, and spoke at her city’s March for Our Lives
event.
Women
held at detention center encouraged by General Convention’s presence and
prayers
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| Photo by the Rev. Mark Wilkinson, St. Aidan's, VB |
Busloads
of General Convention participants, including Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
and House of Deputies President Gay Jennings, departed the convention center
today for an hour ride to the Hutto Immigration Detention Facility in Taylor,
TX.
The event, organized by deputy Megan
Castellan (rector of St. John’s in Ithaca, NY, and formerly assistant rector at
Eastern Shore Chapel, Virginia Beach), offered a prayer service outside the
detention center. According to Castellan, the event offered “support and
solidarity for the women held captive.”
Grassroots Leadership, a non-profit organization that works with communities across this nation to abolish for-profit private prisons, jails, and detention centers, tweeted on Sunday afternoon, “A woman called from Hutto after today’s prayer and told us they were glued to the windows until the last bus left the detention center. Women inside were crying, saying they knew they weren’t alone after seeing so many people there. Thank you @iamepiscopalian.”
Organizers of Sunday’s prayer service plan to provide follow-up advocacy resources and opportunities.
UTO Ingathering exceeds $3 million
The United Thank Offering (UTO) Ingathering ceremony for the 2015-2017 triennial took place on July 6 at General Convention and brought in $3,738,989.47. UTO provides annual grants in support of mission across the Episcopal Church. Province 3, of which the Diocese of Southern Virginia is a member, brought the second highest amount - $719,618.33.
Grassroots Leadership, a non-profit organization that works with communities across this nation to abolish for-profit private prisons, jails, and detention centers, tweeted on Sunday afternoon, “A woman called from Hutto after today’s prayer and told us they were glued to the windows until the last bus left the detention center. Women inside were crying, saying they knew they weren’t alone after seeing so many people there. Thank you @iamepiscopalian.”
Organizers of Sunday’s prayer service plan to provide follow-up advocacy resources and opportunities.
UTO Ingathering exceeds $3 million
The United Thank Offering (UTO) Ingathering ceremony for the 2015-2017 triennial took place on July 6 at General Convention and brought in $3,738,989.47. UTO provides annual grants in support of mission across the Episcopal Church. Province 3, of which the Diocese of Southern Virginia is a member, brought the second highest amount - $719,618.33.
