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Reprint of the Report of the
Companion Diocese Committee The Companion Diocese Committee has had a good year. It began with the 197th Council in early February 2006. Bishop Julio Murray of the Diocese of Panama paid a surprise visit to the Mississippi Diocese to deliver to Bishop Gray a check for Katrina victims. These funds, $2,293.41, were collected on a Sunday specified as "Katrina Sunday" by all the churches in Panama. Keep in mind that they have approximately thirty-five churches, all missions except perhaps three. We thank the people of Panama for these very generous funds as well as their prayers and thoughts during this crisis. This trip by Bishop Murray was followed the next week by a visit from Episcopal Church Women board members Evelyn Gregory and Ann Simmons to Panama to attend the Panamanian ECW Annual Meeting held simultaneously with their Annual Council. They brought back greetings and information from our Panamanian sisters. A great exchange. At the invitation of Rev. Jones, Rector of St. James' Church, Greenville, Mike and Dawn visited St. James' and brought their Panama Medical Mission Exhibit along with flyers and brochures. Dawn preached a very moving sermon about the beginning of the mission and what it means to her and to the people of Panama. Thank you Dawn. In October 2006, I, as Chair of the Committee, and Betty Jo Dulaney Committee Member, visited the Panamanian Diocese. Before going Bishop Gray gave us information on his expectations for furthering our relationship. We had a most informative opening and closing conference with Bishop Murray, bringing us up to date on plans for his ministry and mission in Panama and where we fit in our relationship. We conveyed Bishop Gray's thoughts to him and upon return, brought Bishop Gray up on Bishop Murray's thoughts and plans. While in Panama we visited the mountain community of Cana'fistulo and returned humbled and proud to know these fine people. We were welcomed with warm and loving hearts. The children had planned a special musical welcome in their church. Padre Roman Moran, their truly guardian angel priest, accompanied us. The past two years Mississippi Episcopal Church Women have given funds for two scholarships for children from that community to go to intermediary and high school in a neighboring town (down the mountain). The mountain community of Cana'fistulo is very depressed economically and a close spiritual community. The school is housed in two rooms, grades 1-6 with one teacher. This situation prompted Marcia Scantlebury to establish a scholarship fund to help the children go to the nearest village to board and continue their education. Our ECW chose to share in this scholarship as a way to partner with the Panamanian women. Betty Jo and I also attended Church services at St. Christopher in Panama City and St. Simon in Gamoa bringing greetings from Mississippi. We made a trip to the village where the Medical Mission was set up. This mission is well received and helps so many. Thank you Dawn and your group. Two representatives of the Panamanian ECW Board will visit Mississippi to attend the Episcopal Church Women's conference at Gray Center November 10 and 11. They are Daisy Scantlebury, President, and Eva Murdock, Treasurer. We look forward to their report of on going in Panama. Since the establishment of our Mississippi Companion Diocese Committee in 1982, we have worked to promote the mission and ministry of the Church through a partnership relationship with Panama. That mission includes: mutual encouragement and prayer for one- another; intensified knowledge of and concern for one-another; and the exchange of resources, both spiritual and material. We have become a partnership with this Diocese of warm, caring people. I thank them and you, the people of the Mississippi Diocese, for the opportunity to participate in this spiritual, learning project. Jo Ann Lee, Chair Reprinted from the record of the 180th Council of the Diocese of Mississippi
This page was posted on March 24, 2007 | ||
