Rounding the Globe

Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.

Mark 16:15

Rounding the Globe

Photo: Bellah Zulu. Zulu is the former Africa correspondent for the Anglican Communion News Service. He lives in Lusaka, Zambia.

THE WORLD MISSION BOARD ADVANCES ITS EFFORTS WITH COMPANION DIOCESES

The Episcopal Diocese of Texas’ World Mission Board welcomed the new Global Relations Officer from the Episcopal Church, Jenny Grant, during their annual retreat at Camp Allen in 2019. The laity and clergy who make up the World Mission Board also focused on reorganizing and expanding— as they’re now comprised of 15 members appointed from across the diocese. The Rt. Rev. Jeff Fisher serves as their Chair ex officio, and the Rev. Meredith Hold Clinger serves as the President. The main focus of the Board is to encourage and support mutually transformative partnerships in God’s

mission between our diocese and its churches, communities and institutions and those in the wider Anglican Communion. The World Mission Board also oversees grants to ministries around the globe and supports other global missional partnerships. The Diocese of Texas has a formal companion relationship with the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi in Africa, the Diocese of Costa Rica in the Anglican Church of Central America and the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota. The Diocese of Southern Malawi After significant flooding and famine in 2019, the World Mission Board partnered with Southern Malawi in an experimental and innovative irrigation approach to break the cycle. So far, the $50,000 investment is saving lives, bringing greater sustainability to communities within the diocese, and is on track to be a model that may be expanded in other regions beyond the diocese. The World Mission Board will welcome the Rt. Rev. Alinafe Kalemba in 2020. He will visit regions of Austin, Tyler and Waco. The Diocese of Costa Rica The World Mission Board continues to support the vision of the new Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Orlando GomezSegura, in his episcopate, through providing funds for him to attend the College of Bishops and partnering with him in his vision for a better diocesan presence in the Limón region. The Board also worked with the Commission on Hispanic Ministry as they hosted Bishop Orlando and members of the Costa Rica delegation to the Hispanic Lay Leadership Conference at Camp Allen in June 2019. In 2020, Susan Fisher will be making a pastoral visit to Costa Rica, and the Board is working to host a Latino Lay Leadership Conference there. The Diocese of North Dakota The World Mission Board is currently providing support to the standing committee of the Diocese of North Dakota after the retirement of their Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Michael Smith. The Board also matched the Diocese of North Dakota’s support of $50,000 to our ministries at our border with Mexico. In 2020, the World Mission Board looks forward to continuing to support one another in creating missional responses to our changing church.

To learn more about World Mission Board, visit epicenter.org/get-involved/world-mission.

Connection in Sri Lanka

Retired Rev. Desmond Goonesekera says, “I don’t twiddle my thumbs and stay at home … I’m 73 and I want to have that freedom!” Since 2013, he has been visiting Sri Lanka, building connection through ministry between our diocese and the Dioceses of Culombo and Kurunegala. This past summer, he led retreats and joined a number of communities in worship. According to Goonesekera, “When God opens the lid, there’s no telling what happens.”