The 167th Episcopal City Mission Annual Meeting on June 7th celebrated a year of partnerships – Diocesan-wide, with Parishes and with the Wider Community.
With more than 550 people in attendance, the jubilant crowd was entertained with musical performances by The Gospel Choir of Cathedral Church of St. Paul and a moving liturgical dance by Holy Spirit Ministry from the Church of the Holy Spirit, Mattapan. We also heard passionate speeches from three of ECM’s partners: Charles Knuth (Life Together: Diomass Intern Program), Missy Gilbarg (Burgess Urban Fund grantee, The Coalition Against Poverty) and The Reverend Zenetta Armstrong (Church of the Holy Spirit, Mattapan).
The Robert W. Tobin Award was presented to Allan Rodgers, member of Church of the Epiphany, Winchester for his many years of service with the Burgess Urban Fund and his to work alleviate social injustices in Massachusetts. The Bishop Morris F. Arnold Award was awarded to Bill Haynsworth for his many years of service as Chair of ECM and his dedication to the creation and retention of affordable housing in Massachusetts.
The culmination of the evening was when Bishop Barbara Harris bestowed her award for Social Justice to our Presiding Bishop, The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori. The Presiding Bishop celebrated the work of Episcopal City Mission, encouraging the attendees to both pray and “work like hell” for a world where no one goes hungry, illness is answered with healing and all are free to live in peace. “We live in hope for a world redeemed into that reality and we work at transformation because we are a very long way indeed from seeing it come to fruition.”
ECM thanks all of our partners, supporters and friends for an amazing year of partnership and social justice reform. We look forward to the year ahead with new opportunities on the horizon and new partnerships to be built.