A Prayer to Guide our Search
Be with us and guide us, Holy Spirit of God, as we seek your will for the future of our Diocese. Help us to discern the needs and hopes of your people in Western New York, so that our search for a Bishop may proceed with clear vision and joyful obedience. We pray through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Western New York Episcopal Search
Buffalo, New York
| Mission and Ministry |
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And what does the LORD require of you, While we might not always be in concert with one another, and we all face serious economic pressures, the diverse parishes of Western New York share a single-minded and passionate commitment to outreach. Our congregations are practical and realistic, generous and hopeful. The Diocesan Mission Committee coordinates outreach projects among deaneries and parishes. 
Mission to rebuild New Orleans
The mission of Episcopal Migration Ministries is to develop partnerships between congregations in the diocese, the refugees it serves, and the Western New York community. For various reasons, including our proximity to the Canadian border, Western New York has several large refugee communities, particularly from Haiti, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Burma (Myanmar). 
clothes for refugees
Episcopal Community Services (formerly Episcopal Charities) is the outreach arm of our Diocese, providing funding and advocacy for 18 agencies that serve communities in Western New York:
Genesis House
Vive La Casa
annually receive funds. ECS special grants are also given to congregations and other agencies to support new projects such as food pantries, transitional programs for women and children, and a cooperative farm. ECS has also developed a guide for volunteers Episcopal Community Services was first organized in the Diocese of Western New York, and it has served as a model to other dioceses throughout the country
Sleep Away Camp for children entering grades 3-6 is a 3-day camp full of fun, friendship, and faith held at Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center in late August. It focuses on the needs of children and introduces the idea of church as larger than just their home congregation. It's also a great time to enjoy swimming and sailing on the lake.
Senior High Camp is for youth entering 10th, 11th, 12th grades, and first year of college. Held at SUNY Fredonia, it has the feel of a conference more than a camp. Classes range from discussions of biblical stories to "Rapping with the Bish'," and students take part in service projects in the local community Happening is a renewal movement that has been active for over 10 years in the diocese. Happening has formed strong youth leaders and has been an important ecumenical experience for young people. The Happening weekend is a retreat for high school students that is led by high school students; several Happeners have served on the national Happening Board and participated in both the national Happening Conference and Episcopal Youth Event. Cursillo is an important renewal movement in the diocese. A Cursillo weekend is held once a year at Camp Pioneer in Angola, about 30 minutes south of Buffalo. Persons come together to live in a Christian community, sharing worship, music, instruction, prayer, and fellowship. It is a retreat-like setting, yet it is not a retreat. It is a time of regrouping, renewal, and fun leading participants to be faithful witnesses for Christ in the world. Cursillo participants throughout the Diocese meet monthly in small Ultreya groups, providing opportunities for community and apostolic action. Prison Ministries have three aspects in the diocese: We sponsor several weekend retreats for inmates in prisons throughout our Diocese, we minister to those making the transition from prison back into the mainstream of society, and we provide hospitality to families of inmates and other visitors. The Order of St. Luke is an interdenominational group of clergy and lay people who believe in the apostolic practice of healing as taught by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Order believes that God uses many spiritual and medical avenues for healing, and that these should be supportive of one another. Members learn how to pray for healing for themselves and others through prayer, anointing and the laying on of hands. Two chapters exist in our diocese: at St. Peter's-Eggertsville and at St. Martin's in the Fields-Grand Island. Police, Fire, and Emergency Chaplains serve local first responder organizations throughout the diocese. An annual memorial service is held for all officers of Niagara and Erie Counties at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Lewiston where the rector serves as police chaplain.
The Liturgy Commission helps congregations enhance their existing liturgies to make worship an experience that positively shapes our relationship with God and with each other. Liturgy Commission members are available to visit congregations and meet with representatives to discuss liturgy possibilities and to loan a variety of liturgical resources that will make services more intelligible and welcoming to non-Episcopalians and affirm the ministry of laity. The Bishop Brent School for Ministry is the primary educational ministry in the diocese. Its mission is to further the development and affirmation of the ministry of all baptized persons. Taught by clergy and lay professionals, courses are offered in various locations throughout the diocese and are designed both for lay adults and for those preparing for ordination to the vocational diaconate. The Brent School offers courses that are required for licensure in lay ministries, in addition to the required Safe Church & Diversity Training. Episcopal Church Home and Afffiliates has been providing healthcare and related services to the Western New York community since 1858. Episcopal Community Housing operates 6 projects (300 apartment units) for low-income, elderly, and disabled people in Western New York. Working with Community Housing Development Organization (CHODO), it has partnered with parishes on real estate development projects: Partnerships are in operation with St. Paul's-Angola and St. Mark's-Riverside, and projects in partnership are in development with All Saints-Amherst and St. Paul's Cathedral. With the sponsorship of Episcopal Church Home and Affiliates, Canterbury Woods opened in 1999 to be the first senior living community in Western New York to offer a Life Care continuum. The Bishop of Western New York and several diocesan leaders serve on the Board. Continue Reading ...
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Youth Ministry is a vital part of the mission of the diocese. The Diocesan Youth Missioner works with the Youth Commission and Deanery Youth Missioners to develop programs, plan for the year, and maintain current ministries. The Youth Revitalization Team began work in the fall of 2008 to develop new ways to minister to young people. Current diocesan youth programs include the Bishop's Ball, which is a Mardi Gras dance, and three Diocesan Summer Camps:
Junior High Camp
The Music Commission provides education and leadership for congregations developing choirs and seeking new musical resources by organizing diocesan-wide day-long conferences on music and liturgy for adults and youth. Members of the Commission offer courses through the Bishop Brent School and provide consultants and scholarships for training in congregations. They encourage children's participation in the life and worship of the church, and they provide opportunities for personal and professional growth for music leaders, choirs, and clergy.
