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New Diocesan Ministry Center to be Established |
On Monday, June 14, 2010, three canonical bodies of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, the Trustees, the Diocesan Council and the Standing Committee, met and agreed in principle to move the Diocesan Office from the current location at 1114 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo to a site located at 1064 Brighton Road in Tonawanda, NY. The decision was made with a certain heaviness of heart as many in the diocese have a great fondness for the building that has housed the diocesan offices since 1951.
"This move signals a shift in perspective and a new vision for our ministry in the 21st century," said the Rt. Rev. J. Michael Garrison.
At last evening's meeting three proposals detailing various degrees of renovation to the Tonawanda property were presented. Moving the diocesan office to the site of a functioning parish or simply remaining in the building on Delaware were also discussed, along with the option of selling the Tonawanda property. Clear consensus for renovating and moving to the Brighton Road site was reached. Diocesan trustees are now charged with adopting one of the three proposals and formulating a plan for total financing. Proceeds from the eventual sale of the existing diocesan office will be used to fund renovations at the new diocesan ministry center.
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WNY Episcopal Migration Ministries Affiliate Heads to New Home |
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Kirk Katner Ordained to Priesthood |
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(05/02/2010) The Rev. Kirk V. Katner was ordained a priest of the Episcopal Church by the Rt. Rev. J. Michael Garrison yesterday.
Katner will now serve as a non-stipendiary priest to Holy Apostles’ Episcopal Church in Perry, the faith community of which he has been a member for nearly 30 years. Katner, an optical lab sales representative, was ordained according to the Episcopal Church’s provision for local training of candidates for the priesthood. His studies through the diocese’s Brent School for Ministry have stretched over the past six years.
Bishop Garrison also formally commissioned Holy Apostles’ commended ministry team, which includes Anne Katner as administrator; Betty Rice as catechist; Norma Billings as lay Eucharistic Visitor and Minister; and the other members of the congregation, all of whom serve in various ministry support roles.
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Bishop Ordains Claudia Koczka to the Transitional Diaconate |
(04/23/2010) The Rt. Rev. J. Michael Garrison ordained Claudia Koczka to the transitional diaconate last evening, Thursday, April 22, 2010. The service took place at Calvary Episcopal Church in Williamsville. The Very Rev. Judith Lee of the Niagara Deanery preached.
The support of Claudia’s family for her journey towards the priesthood was clearly evident. Her husband Kevin, and parents Ruth and Francis Scheda were the ones to place the deacon's stole on Claudia during her ordination. Her daughter Cecelia provided an oboe solo for the prelude and also played communion music.
Today Claudia assisted Bishop Garrison as he celebrated the noonday service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Buffalo.
Claudia expects to graduate from General Theological Seminary in New York City in May 2011.
Ordination to the transitional diaconate precedes ordination to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. |
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Come Celebrate Mission & Outreach! |
 Join in this diocesan-wide Celebration of Mission and Outreach featuring the Rev. Titus Presler on Saturday, May 15.
Learn more! |
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News Reports Give Erroneous Impression |
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(04/09/2010) Many in Western New York have read or viewed news reports in the current news cycle regarding the pending demolition of a structure located at the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Vermont Street on Buffalo’s West Side. Several of those reports have referred to that structure as “St. Mary’s-on-the-Hill Episcopal Church.” Some individuals may take away from these reports the impression that the Diocese of Western New York currently owns the building. We do not.
The building at that location was deconsecrated and subsequently sold by the Diocese in the early 1990s. Substantial decay of the building took place in the years since that sale. |
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"It's a Revolution!" Conference Goers Told |
 Nearly 150 participants at Saturday's diocesan communication conference were urged to use both traditional, new and emerging media to communicate their congregations' stories.
The Rev. Matthew Moretz delivered the keynote address in which he likened new inventions such as the internet, video cameras, computers and PDAs to previous world-changing inventions.
"It's a revolution, y’all!” exclaimed Fr. Matthew. “We're talking the Guttenberg Press. We're talking the cotton gin. We’re talking these things that change the world.
 “Are we gonna be awake to it ? We will listen to our prophets? I guess I'm one of them in this respect—I think we need to use these tools.” (Watch for Fr. Matthew's enitre keynote address to be added to the diocesan website later this week.)
Roundtable talks, a panel discussion and workshops rounded out the bulk of the day. Parish communication plans, websites, video making, digital photography, traditional print and e-newsletters, intra-parish communication, social media, advertising, publicity and newcomer hospitality were the topics of the day.
During the final plenary, Fr. Matthew again took the microphone soliciting from the conference attendees the ideas they planned to begin implementing.
"I'm going to tell the story of my little country church!” said Kathy Pisaro of St. Paul's, Springville.
"I've got so many good ideas that I can't name just one,” said another conferee.
Two congregations, St. Paul's, Harris Hill and St. Matthias’, East Aurora each received a Flip Video Camcorder. The cameras were provided as doorprizes by a generous anonymous donor to spur new communication ventures in parishes.
In a note sent via Facebook on Monday, the Rev. Sandra Dower of St. Peter's Church in Westfield commented, “Great conference! Brought back lots of workable ideas.”
The diocese is committed to supporting the energy and enthusiasm spawned by the conference through additional educational offerings and informal gatherings of parish communication teams on an ongoing basis.
Watch the video Fr. Matthew's entire 40-minute keynote address.
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Churches Toll Bells for Flight 3407 Crash Victims |
The bells of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Westfield, NY, will toll 51 times at 10:17 p.m. tonight in memory of Ron and Linda Davidson and the 49 other individuals who perished one year ago in the fiery crash of Flight 3407 in Buffalo, NY. The Davidsons were members of St. Peter's.
Seventy two miles northwest of Wesfield, St. Paul's Episcopal Church on South Harris Hill Road in Willimasville, NY, just 5 miles from the crash site, will also toll its bells. These and other Episcopal churches throughout the Diocese of Western New York, will join churches of all denominations for this special commemoration set to take place at the exact time of the the crash.
As families of the crash vicitms push for the adoption of new regulations that will help to insure safer air travel in the future, we pray: Father of all, we pray to you for those we love but see no longer: Grant them your peace; let light perpetual shine upon them; and, inb your loving wisdom and almighty power, work in them the good purpose of your perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Welcome!
