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PWRDF UPDATE September 2008
Welcome to Update - The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund newsletter and information bulletin for subscribers.
PWRDF is the Anglican Church of Canada's agency for international development, relief, refugees and justice issues. This list is an outgoing communication service from PWRDF only. Please contact Yvonne Lane for more information on any of the following items.
This first edition of Email Update after the summer break contains great information about how you can participate in events to share and connect with global concerns and how PWRDF and the broader church networks are responding. Please take the time to read and note the dates in your calendar and be involved in action events to make our work meaningful.
PWRDF at 50
Under the Sun insert in Anglican Journal
Walk of Witness – Ottawa September 25
Emergencies
PWRDF Annual Resources 2008/09
2008 Christmas cards
PWRDF project with Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Staff Travels
New Partner materials
CFGB Food Study Tour opportunity
PWRDF Regional meetings
justgeneration.ca
Kairos Regional Meetings
Local Heroes – Noella refugee project in Quebec
1. PWRDF at 50
October, 2008 marks the beginning of our 50th Anniversary program that will continue until General Synod in June 2010.
Several dioceses and parishes are already planning events:
·The Diocese of Montreal will hold an evening to recognize a number of PWRDF volunteers, September 11
· In October, Cheryl Curtis, PWRDF’s Executive Director will be attending a workshop and celebration Eucharist in Rupert’s Land
· In Nova Scotia, All Saint’s Church, Springhill and Christ Church in Cherry Valley, PEI will be holding services commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Springhill Mine disaster
· The Diocese of Ontario will launch a 50th Anniversary banner at their Diocesan Synod.
Please watch out for new resources during this time, participate in events and please – let us know how you are planning to celebrate. Contact Carolyn Vanderlip to share information or if you would like some ideas or suggestions.
2. Under the Sun Insert in Anglican Journal
To celebrate our work over the past 50 years we are working on a special edition of our newsletter Under the Sun that will be included in the October issue of the Anglican Journal. It also includes our annual report. Please watch out for it and make sure you share it with your community. Additional copies will be available through pwrdf[at]pwrdf.org.
3. Walk of Witness – September 25, 2008
Walk of Witness is a day of prayer, fasting and witness for the Millennium Development Goals – On September 25, Canadian Anglicans and Lutherans will lead an ecumenical walk in Ottawa to call for an end of global poverty and hunger. The 2008 Lambeth Conference Reflections Document called for “a day of prayer and fasting and witness on 25th September 2008 when there is a special session of the United Nations to discuss the Millennium Development Goals.” For information on how you can participate – pray - fast – witness – and learn more - check out the Anglican Church of Canada’s website at http://www2.anglican.ca/mission/action/mdg/ww.htm
4. Emergencies
We are saddened by the challenges faced by our partners in the Caribbean this year due to the number of hurricanes sweeping through the area. PWRDF has responded with emergency relief funds to the peoples of Cuba and Haiti through our partner ACT International. PWRDF partner, the Cuban Council of Churches have already visited the areas affected by Hurricane Gustav in Cuba and is now undertaking a second visit to evaluate Ike’s most affected areas and assess the needs of the population. Losses in Haiti to housing, public infrastructure and agricultural production appear to be heavy and ACT is working through Christian Aid and Lutheran World Federation.
Our new booklet, Response – Emergencies is now available and is a great summary of how PWRDF responds to emergencies and how you can support this aspect of the work. It can be ordered through pwrdf[at]pwrdf.org.
5. PWRDF Annual Resources for 2008/09
Our 2008 annual resources are ready for distribution to all parishes the week of September 15, 2008. The theme this year is PWRDF in the World and includes our new 50th Anniversary logo. Distribution is based on parish information received prior to September 1.
Resource materials include: Poster - bulletin cover - coin box - placemat (the reverse contains children's activities - bookmark (the reverse includes a new 50th anniversary prayer) - offering envelope, and a brochure suggesting how the resources can be used.
In addition, we will be including a Christmas card poster, information from KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives on the Week to End Poverty October 12-19, 2008, www.kairoscanada.org and Canadian Foodgrains Bank information to End Hunger Fast with related information for World Food Day October 16, 2008 www.endhungerfast.com . Please use these materials to program upcoming events in your parish.
A new Parish Representative’s Handbook is also being produced and will be ready for distribution at the upcoming regional meetings. Contact pwrdf[at]pwrdf.org for a copy.
6. Christmas Cards
Our new Christmas cards are now available and a poster will be distributed with our annual resources. You can check out the selection of two cards that we are offering this year on our website. They can be ordered through Ricky de Castro.
7. PWRDF Project with Canadian Foodgrains Bank
If you'd like to know where your money goes when you contribute to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) through PWRDF, our first project is supporting a nutrition program for 20,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in camps in Tamil Nadu, India. The program is designed to reduce chronic malnutrition among the refugees by providing nutrition related education, distribution of nutritional supplements, providing Vitamin A to children, running community canteens with nutritious and affordable meals, promoting home gardens and community vegetable shops, and promoting camp-based spirulina (vitamin supplement) production. This project is being implemented by PWRDF’s long-term partner, the Organization for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation. 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are living in more than 117 refugee camps in Tamil Nadu state of India. Many have been there for over 20 years.
8. PWRDF Travels
Staff are currently traveling in Bangladesh and then to Africa to meet with partners and develop reporting procedures for the CIDA funded programs. We have recently signed a new three-year funding agreement with CIDA for the amount of $1.239 million per year. Staff are visiting partners to work on their annual work plans and to implement new reporting structures. This new three-year plan will support twelve health programs in four countries in Asia and Africa.
9. New Partner Materials
KAIROS has produced an information brochure for the Week to End Poverty, October 12-19, 2008. World Food Day is October 16 and the International Day for Eradication of Poverty is October 17. As well as action and information items, it includes suggested hymns, prayers and ideas on how you can stand up and take action. This resource can be obtained from the KAIROS website at http://kairoscanada.org/e/antipoverty/action/Week_to_End_Poverty_200-1.pdf
In addition, year 2 of the Re-energize Campaign: Time for a Carbon Sabbath is continuing this fall. Find out how to educate yourself about alternatives to our addiction to oil – how to change yourself, change your community and change the world! http://www.re-energize.org/En/index.html
Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) - as part of their End Hunger Fast campaign has produced a resource kit to help individuals and churches plan opportunities for meaningful participation on World Food Day – October 16, 2008 when churches across the country will join together in an ecumenical day of fasting and reflecting on how we are all connected. A personal reflection guide will feature 7 days of soul food, leading participants toward deeper commitment to the issues. Kits will be available to order through www.endhungerfast.com. A letter and poster on these events will be sent out with the PWRDF annual resources package to all parishes that receive orders.
10. Food Study Tour Opportunity
There is an opportunity for one adult participant to travel on a CFGB food study tour to Mozambique in late November 2008. The themes are water, resources management, and food aid. If you are interested, please contact Beth Baskin bbaskin[at]pwrdf.org for further information and criteria. This trip will be partly funded from the PWRDF Education budget but there will be a requirement for some contribution from the participant. Other study tours will be taking place in 2009 and we look forward to supporting PWRDF volunteer’s greater involvement with CFGB.
http://www.foodgrainsbank.ca/food_study_tours.aspx
11. PWRDF Regional Meetings
This year PWRDF will hold meetings locally in each of the Ecclesiastical provinces to draw together local and diocesan volunteers. These meetings provide opportunities to meet a partner, hear from other volunteers and meet PWRDF staff in an interactive, informative setting. Consider joining us. For additional information please contact the person listed below or Yvonne at pwrdf[at]pwrdf.org. Each meeting will have a specific theme from one of the areas in which we work – you can check them out more on our website http://www.pwrdf.org/who-we-are/volunteers/regional-meetings/
Sept 25-27 St. Andrew’s Langley, BC contact: goodmac22[at]shaw.ca
Oct 2-4 St. Mary’s Glace Bay, NS contact: vwreid[at]gmail.com
Oct 31-Nov 2 St. Timothy’s Saskatoon, SK contact: roxanaspurr[at]yahoo.ca
Nov 13-15 St. Stephen’s Ottawa, ON contact: dave[at]dadero.com
12. justgeneration.ca
For information about the new Youth Handbook, Off-the-Grid, raising funds and awareness and the partner of the month, please check out the website justgeneration.ca.
In addition, there will be a youth event for those 11 years and over at Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Westminster, BC on Saturday September 27 from 5pm – 7.30 pm. Contact Rev Margaret Marquardt if you are interested in attending at: mmarquardt[at]telus.net
13. KAIROS Regional Meetings
The 2008 meetings will include a look at climate change and alternatives to fossil fuels, fair trade, and the struggle against poverty in Canada and around the world. Meeting dates are as follows:
Sept 19-21 Ancaster, ON contact: sueberlove[at]yahoo.ca
Sept 26-27 St. Norbert, MB contact: mcclella[at]mts.net
Sept 26-28 Tatamagouche Centre, NS contact: kennethstright[at]yahoo.ca
Oct 3-5 Vancouver BC contact: graceful[at]shaw.ca
Oct 3-5 Calgary, AB contact: dcdale[at]telus.net
For additional information please contact Julie Graham at jgraham[at]kairoscanada.org.
14. Local Heroes – Noella Project, Quebec
Since 2001, the refugee outreach committee at Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Quebec City has been working on reuniting refugee families, mostly from Central Africa, through the Private Sponsorship program. The Cathedral has a small volunteer group who meet regularly – and also have a student group who help out with fund-raising events and concerts as well as student information sessions and social events that bring refugees together with students. They have also had events giving refugees a chance to perform their music to a Quebec audience. Since 2007 they have had a Rwandan family of seven and a Congolese family of four accepted and welcomed into their community.
Thank you Holy Trinity for your support and generosity to some of the most marginalized people in our society, and for being such a welcoming community. For additional information about their work, you may contact Louisa Blair at leblair[at]sympatico.ca.
