Episcopal Press and News
Diocese Disburses Venture Funds
Episcopal News Service. August 8, 1985 [85171]
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (DPS, Aug. 8) - The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York, at it convention this summer, made first payments, totaling more than $212,000 to nine projects. The funds represent a little more than 10 percent of the almost $2 million raised by the people of the diocese through their recent Venture in Mission campaign, which exceeded its goal by nearly $200,000.
The Rev. Morgan Silbaugh, rector of Trinity Church, Watertown, and chairman of the Venture in Mission Funding Committee, presented checks representing full or partial funding of nine of the 20 projects to be supported by Venture. The recipients are Harpur Memorial Hospital in Egypt, Central New York's Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, Holy Trinity School in Haiti, St. George's College in Jerusalem, the Cayuga County Hospital, The Episcopal Colleges Charitable Services Scholarship Fund, the Syracuse District Detached Youth Worker Program, and Ephphatha Parish for the hearing impaired. The ninth grant was for partial funding of the new multi-purpose building and chapel at the Diocese's Thornfield Conference Center in Cazenovia, for which ground was broken at the close of the Convention.
Receiving the grant of $52,000 for the hospital in Menouf, Egypt, was the Ven. Howard Levett, Archdeacon of the Diocese of Egypt, Central New York's "companion diocese." The funds will provide the hospital with X-ray equipment. Levett was the dinner speaker for the Convention. Further gifts to Egypt from the campaign are planned as pledges continue to be paid.
The Rev. Nancy L. Chaffee, director of Central New York's Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, accepted a grant of $33,000, representing one-third of the total earmarked for this ministry, which seeks to help integrate people who are disabled into the regular life of the Church and also to increase awareness among those without disabilities of the valuable contributions these people are capable of making.
The Diocese of Central New York is linked closely to the Diocese of Haiti, both being members of the Church's Province II (including several northeastern states and the Virgin Islands). A grant of $25,000 represents one-fourth of the funds pledged to help equip Holy Trinity Trade School, run by the Sisters of St. Margaret, an Episcopal order, in Port-au-Prince. Accepting on behalf of the Order was Sister Frances Adele, SSM.
A gift of $25,000 designated for the library of St. George's College, Jerusalem, was accepted on behalf of the College by Central New York's own Bishop, the Rt. Rev. O'Kelley Whitaker. Whitaker has been a frequent pilgrim to Jerusalem and has close ties to the Church there and to the College, where he has studied.
The Cayuga County Hospital is an ecumenical program providing home care and skilled counseling for the dying and their families. Carol Haff, executive director, accepted the check for $20,000, representing one-half the total amount pledged through Venture.
Another $20,000 was designated for the Episcopal Colleges Charitable Services Scholarship Fund, to provide endowments for scholarships to Episcopal colleges for students who volunteer their services to charitable organizations in the communities where they attend school. A total of $80,000 will go to this fund.
The Syracuse Detached Youth Worker Program will train college-age young people to work with elementary school children in need of behavioral counseling, and will also offer counseling to parents. Jim Miller, the project director, accepted a check for one-third the total pledge of $25,000.
A grant of $4,000 will provide videocassette players for the locations where the members of Ephphatha Parish for the hearing impaired regularly meet for services. The Rev. Silas M. Hirte, rector of the parish, accepted the check. Another $36,000 in funds is planned for ministry with the hearing impaired.
The grant of $25,000 for a new building at Thornfield Conference Center was symbolized at the close of the Convention by a groundbreaking ceremony for the DeAlton Johnson Ridings Building, at which Whitaker presided, joined by representatives of the diocesan groups most closely involved with the new building: the Youth Commission, the Commission on Lay Ministry and the Commission on Ordained Ministry. The building, named for an active lay member of the Diocese, in addition to containing the Chapel of the Holy Cross, will have meeting facilities for young people and classroom space, which is expected to be used primarily for lay ministry training, a growing component of diocesan life.