News Detail

February 23, 2011, New York, NY – New resources for dioceses and congregations participating in the Rebuild Our Church in Haiti appeal are now available online. In addition to news, video, and progress reports, there are practical tools congregations can use to run successful local campaigns to support the appeal.

The resource page contains over 50 downloadable resources from posters to prayers to bulletin inserts, and a step-by-step guide to executing a campaign. Many of the items can be customized. “The materials available through the website are amazing,” remarked Jeanie Smith, Diocesan Coordinator for the Diocese of Iowa. “I have already used the sample diocesan newsletter article, the sample newsletter article for my own parish, and a couple of the bulletin inserts.”

The Diocese of Haiti is the largest in The Episcopal Church. In just 35 seconds, the January 12, 2010 earthquake leveled the churches and diocesan facilities, including Holy Trinity Cathedral in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The Rebuild Our Church in Haiti appeal is a grassroots, church wide fundraising effort to begin to rebuild Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince, which is the spiritual and cultural heart of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. Before a new cathedral can be built, rubble must be cleared, land must be secured, and fragments of the murals must be salvaged. This campaign is designed so that all individuals, congregations, and dioceses can participate.

“I’m hoping that our brothers and sisters in the United States and all over the world help us as we try to rebuild this cathedral which is so important to the life of the people of Haiti,” says the Rev. Joseph Constant, Haiti Special Coordinator in his moving video tour of Holy Trinity Cathedral. “In the midst of the challenges, in the midst of the struggle, the work of the Church in Haiti is critical to the future of Haiti.”

During last week’s presentation to Executive Council about the progress of the campaign, Terri Mathes, ECF Associate Program Director responsible for leading the Rebuild Our Church in Haiti effort, announced that 54 dioceses have already committed to participating. “I can’t tell you how pleased we are about the incredible response we’ve been seeing,” noted Donald V. Romanik, ECF President. “Once people understand the important role the Episcopal Church plays in the life of the people of Haiti, they are ready to get involved.”

The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is coordinating the church-wide appeal. For more information, visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/haitiappealor contact Terri Mathes at mailto: tmathes@episcopalfoundation.orgor 717-599-0627.