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Everyone, Everywhere Conference “The heartbeat of the Church is mission.” -- Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori


and domestic mission work of the Episcopal Church at the special four-day conference, Everyone Everywhere 2011, held October 13- 16 at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado.


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Our world is constantly changing and becoming smaller as in-person and on- line interaction becomes easier and more common and provides us with a myriad of opportunities that enable us to share mutual ministries, compare cultures, and experience how God is working in throughout the Body of Christ. How do we as Episcopalians deepen our diverse relationships with our neighbors – those halfway around the world and those just around the corner – to better understand our collective mission as children of God and discover our individual place in God’s wider mission?


We recognize that, as followers of Christ, we desire to share God’s love and bring about shalom within God’s world, which asks us to create more just, equitable and sustainable societies.


ongregations, individuals and dioceses can gain much from the extensive global


Gifted speakers from throughout the Episcopal Church and other provinces of the Anglican Communion will lead discussions exploring relationships in the context of mission.


“Everyone Everywhere 2011 is the key forum for mission, whether you are involved in domestic or global mission, or want to become more involved, or want to share your experiences,” said conference coordinator the Rev. David Copley. Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori will preach at the opening Eucharist with Bishop Robert O’Neill of Colorado celebrating.


Registration is available through October 5. For more information contact Elizabeth Boe, eboe@episcopalchurch.org. X


New Denominational Health Plan


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he Episcopal Church Pension Group offers health insurance for the entire


denomination through a self-funded program called the Episcopal Church Medical Trust. The soon-to-be implemented, mandatory Denominational Health Plan (DHP) will help dioceses, parishes and institutions control the rising costs of health care by increasing the number of participants. The plan was established by General Convention in 2009 with the historic passage of Resolution A177 and its associated canonical change, directing the Episcopal Church Medical Trust as administrator.


A Word from Development


Bishop’s Appeal By Paulette Glauser, St. Mark’s, City Heights


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s we ponder the theme of “Reaching Out Beyond Our Borders,” we


remember that Christ calls us to service beyond our own communities. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor,” (Luke 4:18). In response to this anointing, our diocese is already involved in life-giving work all over the world, while supporting the efforts of our international Church.


Our annual Bishop’s Appeal channels funds through effective development efforts already in place in areas of need. The appeal supports congregations just south of the border, provide essential tutoring to refugees from around the world, and bring doctors to those with no access to medical care in Maseno North, Kenya. By working together, we strengthen the relationships between our diocese and other global dioceses. By reaching out, we form new communities, learn from one another and assist each other in times of need.


Donations to the Bishop’s Appeal help us bring good news to the poor and set free those who are oppressed. Every year we are able to address the causes of poverty, reach out to those who need our help, and educate the church at home about the needs and concerns of people in the less developed world. Won’t you join the hundreds of other Episcopalians in our diocese who give of their abundance every year? Visit the diocesan web site to make your gift today: edsd.org/bishopsappeal. X


Generous Seniors Benefit from IRA Rollover to


Charity By Gina McBride, Planned Giving Task Force Chair


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any generous seniors are planning their IRA distributions and


charitable giving together due to the IRA Rollover to Charity provision, a powerful, temporary tax benefit scheduled to expire at the end of 2011. An IRA owner over 70½ can make an outright non-deductible gift of up to $100,000 from IRA assets by direct transfer to one or more qualified public charitable organizations, without claiming the amount as taxable income. This distribution to charity counts toward the annual Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), making current gifting from IRA assets even more attractive.


This popular tax measure is useful to donors who wish to give beyond the annual limit, to perhaps pay off a multi- year pledge or fund a capital gift. It can be especially helpful to those aiming to minimize or avoid paying tax on Social Security income and to the majority of senior taxpayers who do not itemize on their tax returns, thus receiving no off-setting tax benefits for gifting from taxable income received from their required distributions.


Please consult your tax advisor to determine how you might benefit from a gift to your church, ministry, or other non- profit entity before the end of the year. X


The Spirit behind the Resolution The resolution speaks to social justice issues around adequate benefits for the Church’s lay employees. While cost concerns around these initiatives are real, so is the need of lay employees to have adequate pension and healthcare benefits. The support and dedication of lay employees make many ministries possible and providing them with adequate benefits is not only necessary, but essential. Thanks to the actions of General Convention, the Church’s eligible lay employees now will be assured of the safety net of healthcare benefits.


Currently some lay employees do not have access to healthcare benefits, and others have a higher cost share than clergy for the same benefits. Resolution A177 requires that a cost-sharing policy called “parity,” be established by each diocese, and that the access, plan design and cost-share for the healthcare benefits be the same for eligible clergy and lay employees. The resolution requires compliance with the DHP by January 1, 2013.


Cost Savings Already Realized Since 2009, the Episcopal Church Medical Trust has experienced material cost savings through economies-of-scale purchasing, and the optimization of provider and prescription drug discounts. These savings have been directly shared with the Church through lower annual premium increases in 2010 and 2011 than national averages. They expect such savings to continue as we move toward full implementation.


Gradual Implementation Implementation is happening gradually; the Diocese of San Diego’s will take effect January 1, 2013. It is anticipated that the Church will realize significant cost-savings, and all eligible clergy and lay employees will enjoy the Medical Trust’s superior benefits and services. In our diocese, the DHP Task Force has created customized guidelines and will hold educational meetings this fall to help congregations begin implementing the plan.


If you have further questions, visit the DHP Resource Center at cpg.org/dhp, or call 800- 480-9967, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST. X


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