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Honduras "A Diocesan Companion Relationship is an opportunity we have to uphold our Baptismal Covenant in the seeking, serving, and respecting the dignity of all human beings at home and abroad. You have made a great difference in the Diocese of Honduras. Thank you very much." – The Rt. Rev. Lloyd Allen, The Dioceses of Washington and of Honduras have had
a rich and rewarding relationship of more than a dozen years — some
as a formal companionship and recently as informal commitments The Diocese of Washington leads this commitment through assisting in building the settlement of Colonia Episcopal in response to the devastation of Hurricane Mitch.
Bishop John B. Chane of Washington and Bishop Lloyd Allen of Honduras have invited their Dioceses to join in a formal companion relationship for the next three years. In Honduras, the newly formed Anglican Global Relations Committee, comprised of parishioners, will guide the relationship, as it does with other American dioceses and non-profit Groups. It will work with the Honduras Committee of the Diocese of Washington whose members are listed on the back of this brochure. The mission of the Honduras Committee is to help parishes, schools, and individuals in the Diocese of Washington to explore, test and confirm covenants with their counterparts in Honduras. When the formal companionship ends, many people in both dioceses will have learned from each other how the Holy Spirit can be seen in each others' lives, shared with each other the source and power of their own faiths, and will be prepared to continue mutual, self-sustaining ministries in both countries. The role of the Washington Honduras Committee is to identify needs and opportunities in both the Honduras and Washington Dioceses for mutual ministry. The Committee acts as a facilitator aiding in creating and nurturing covenant relationships through opening doors and sharing experiences.
The role of the Honduras Committee is to identify needs and opportunities in the Diocese of Washington and in Honduras for mutual ministry, to help open doors, not to act as a gate keeper, so that covenant relationships can be created and nurtured. This committee will be a facilitator not a regulator. Both the Honduras Committee and the Anglican Global Relations Committee, (our counterpart committee in Honduras), will work closely together to improve communications between participating parishes, schools and individuals about mutual needs and opportunities to serve.
The mission of the Honduras Committee is also to complete the work of preparing Colonia Episcopal, a village of over 300 families, to become a part of the community of Puerto Cortes. The physical construction of the village is nearly complete with water, sewage, electrical and drainage systems in place. However, much remains to be done to complete our promise of helping these families to become a self-sufficient community. The Committee will be meeting regularly with Bishop Allen to exchange ideas about specific opportunities and needs for mutual ministries in each country. The Committee will be communicating with parishes and interested individuals about this meeting. Those who know Bishop Allen are impressed with his high standards for accountability and transparency. He is also clear about his mission to respond to the spiritual and physical needs of the rapidly growing members of the Diocese of Honduras.
One school and several parishes are already planning trips this summer. Another parish has continued its financial support of a remote rural health clinic. Others may want to begin explore new relationships. The Committee invites each interested person or parish to contact a committee member to learn how we can help you get started. The most important requirements are an open mind and willing heart. We also ask you to keep informed by visiting the Committee web site and to send in your email address to ksanders@psych.org so that we can compile a mailing list and keep all informed. Committee Members Charles Agle The Rev. Hannah E. Atkins,
Chair Jonathan Blount Jonathan Brooks Tom Cooke Richard Marks Karen Sanders
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