Venture In Mission Continues Toward Goal
Episcopal News Service. July 25, 1985 [85164]
NEW YORK (DPS, July 25) -- Launched eight years ago, the Venture in Mission renewal and outreach program continues to enhance the work of the Church, as witnessed by two recent letters received at the Stewardship office of the Episcopal Church Center.
The first, a letter sent out to parishes in the Diocese of Iowa by its bishop, the Rt. Rev. Walter C. Righter, read in part:
"St. Paul's Indian Mission, Sioux City, a congregation of Native Americans whose economic poverty is greater than any other people in the Diocese, has raised 116 percent of its goal.
"They did it by making tacos and selling them to themselves.
"They did it by deciding that their apportionment was something they wanted to exceed so they could become givers, not just to an apportionment, but to a need. Their words, not mine.
"They did it because, although poor themselves, they wanted to help the poor.
"And they did it because they are in mission."
The second letter was written from Attica Prison in upstate New York by an inmate, who was, and still is, an active member of the Church. After quoting from the Bible he went on:
"Thank you for the opportunity of being part of 'God's calling' to reach out to our sisters and brothers throughout the world. Although I do not have an income in here, I do have an opportunity to earn up to a dollar a day, or a total of 20 dollars a month. I would be happy to share part of this to a most needed project. Enclosed is my pledge card for a total pledged of $300.00, which I will pay $25.00 quarterly. I will send the first check in next month."
That donation is part of the $170,883,513 total which has been pledged to local, diocesan, national and world missions needs through Venture in Mission. Eighty-two domestic and eight overseas dioceses have completed campaigns, and two or three more may do so before the present program ends formally. Over $30 million of these funds have been sent through the Episcopal Church Center or directly to national projects.
Of the two most recent dioceses to participate fully in this program of renewal and outreach, Central New York celebrated a resounding "Victory in March" hen pledges of over $1.9 million were reported on a goal of $1,835,000. The Diocese of Iowa is reporting pledges of over $1 million toward their goal of $1.5 million.
More and more dioceses are completing their pledges to the national projects, the most recent to do so being the Dioceses of Southern Virginia and Northwestern Pennsylvania - both of which have completed their original pledge in full.