Parishioners from St. Anne's Parish, Annapolis, have been strong members of the interfaith team that is helping to build several homes in the Clay Street area of Annapolis. Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake's Clay Street Project, in partnership with the Housing Authority of Annapolis, began in the summer of 2010 when foundations were laid for 10 homes.

The three homes on Pleasant Street have now been completed and those homeowners have started to move in. Another old house on the same street has been gutted and is being rebuilt. All the homes are expected to be completed by the fall.

Prior to this project, the largest Habitat project in the County was the construction or renovation of thirteen homes on Clay Street. These projects help to encourage home-ownership and support ongoing revitalization.

Habitat's Volunteer Appreciation Week in April ended with a special visit from Governor Martin O'Malley and Delegate Ron George. Members of the Interfaith Coalition worked alongside the Governor and Delegate George on the house sponsored by the Coalition.  Wanda Mitchell, the future owner of this house, was there as she has been working very diligently to complete her 250 hours of sweat equity, one of the requirements to get her home.     

Governor O'Malley said, "Here we are, Delegate George and I...a Republican and a Democrat working side by side to build walls for these houses. And we can do that because you have set the example by having Jews, Christians and Muslims working side by side building homes and understanding."

The Interfaith Coalition was the idea of a parishioner of St. Anne's Episcopal Church. He felt that having Jews, Muslims and Christians work side by side would give participants a chance to build up the walls of the homes while tearing down the walls of ignorance about each other's faith.

Members of the Annapolis Interfaith Coalition include:

Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church (Odenton)

Annapolis Jewish Young Professionals

Anne Arundel County Muslim Council

First Baptist Church-Annapolis

First Presbyterian Church- Annapolis

Islamic Society of Annapolis

St. Anne's Episcopal Church- Annapolis 

St. Mary's Catholic Church

Temple Beth Shalom-Arnold

GAIN-Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network (supporting organization)

The 2011 session of the General Assembly adjourned April 22. This year's session's primary concerns were about the budget and immigrants. We testified on 23 bills relating to immigrants and how Maryland will treat them. They ranged from allowing all high school graduates in-state tuition at community colleges regardless of immigration status to a bill to change the state constitution to allow only those residents who are citizens of both the United States and of Maryland to be counted in redistricting. The diocese supported the in-state tuition bill and we are happy that it passed and the governor signed it. A group of legislators who opposed the bill have sought signatures for a referendum on the 2012 ballot to undo the Maryland Dream Act. The diocese strongly opposes any efforts to overturn this legislation.

The beginning of the session was dominated by the effort to enact a civil marriage act. Toward the end of the session we testified on a bill to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It passed the House but did not come out of the Senate committee. After a tragic incident in Baltimore County in April, proponents believe it has a good chance of passage in the 2012 session.

We were pleased that child neglect penalties have been enhanced. Protecting Maryland's children is an important part of work. Legislation was passed to provide additional protections for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. We will continue to support similar legislation.

A bill to repeal the death penalty was introduced but died in committee. Next year we will again join with others in the ecumenical effort to repeal the death penalty in Maryland.

The list of bills (and outcomes) to which we testified is at meppn.ang-md.org. The 90-Day Report can be read online at mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/90-Day-report/The90DayReport.pdf.

As constitutionally required following the census, the Assembly will redistrict and reapportion the State. Work on this has begun. When the Assembly reconvenes in January 2012, it will redistrict the state. Information on the process can be found at mlis.state.md.us/Other/Redistricting/redistricting.htm.

The diocese works in Annapolis in response to diocesan and General Convention resolutions and because the Baptismal Covenant calls on us all to "seek and serve Christ in all persons....and strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."

 

To learn more about MEPPN visit: http://www.meppn.ang-md.org.

St. Margaret's has issued 204 grants totaling $1,513,305 from endowment earnings since 1998. In the early years of the grants program, most applicants were locally based averaging a request size of $5,000. As the grants program has become better known and accessible throughout the world via our website, the number of applicants has increased, as has the average size of the grant request. The largest grant we have ever issued was $40,000. Nine is the fewest number grants awarded in one year and 25 the most (the very first year).

The Guatemala Human Rights Commission - $5,000 to support the continued education and emergency care for children of Human Rights Defenders who are living in fear for their lives.

CCD-USA (Christian Care Foundation for Children with Disabilities) - $10,000 for Food for Rainbow House and Rainbow Daycare Center serving disabled orphans and special needs children in Thailand, coordinated by parishioner from Christ Episcopal Church, Columbia MD.

Partners In Care (PIC) ­­- $5,000 for the New Economic Security/Care Management Initiative for Older Adults in Anne Arundel County navigating low-income senior citizens through assistance opportunities for financial security.

Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) ­- $5,000 for Village Women's Microfinance Program in the Thylo District of Malawi investing in the livelihoods of widowed and abandoned women supporting families.

Formation de Formateurs (Episcopal missioner Kyle Evans) - $9,000 for Phase II of training teachers to train teachers in Haiti in conjunction with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and their 250 schools.

He Opens Paths to Everyone, Inc. (H.O.P.E.) - $10,000 for leasing distribution space and purchase of basic household needs for families with children in Anne Arundel County transitioning out of shelters and into homes.

St. Etienne Mission Building Reconstruction (submitted as a mission project of St. John's Episcopal Church, Glyndon MD) - $10,000 for reconstruction of the worship and community center destroyed by the earthquake.

The Bates/Annapolis Middle School Chess Program (Jeff Macris parent volunteer) - $5,000 to fund a world-class chess master for instruction and coaching, expanding the piloted program to all grades at two schools giving access to poverty level children.

Advocates for Homeless Families ­­(founded by All Saints Episcopal Church)-$4,500 for essential maintenance and utilities at multiple properties used to house homeless families in the Frederick, Maryland area.

La Resurrection School, Gros Morne Haiti (submitted as a long term mission project of St. Martin's-in-the-Field, Severna Park) -$10,000 for construction of a post earthquake new and larger school building operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.

Episcopal Community Services of Maryland (ECSM) -$10,000 operating support for The Ark Preschool that serves homeless children in Baltimore.

Samaritan House -$15,000 for renovation to replace a full bathroom in a house used for the live-in treatment program for homeless men with alcohol and drug addictions in Annapolis.

Engineers Without Borders­-Student Chapter, University of Maryland College Park - $8,500 for the water purification project in Ilha Das Pecas, Brazil providing sanitary conditions at the local school and potable water for the island during the dry season.

OCHAN - $8,000 to support safe women's and maternal health at the community clinic in Opac Village, northern Uganda, a long term mission of a Johns Hopkins doctor and his wife.

Recognizing Awareness Months is one way to remind and educate parishioners as well as reach out to the community. Here are a few awareness months you might plan for in the coming months.

June

• Men's Health http://www.menshealthmonth.org/
• Home Safety http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/AboutUs/HSM/hsm_resources_w001.asp
• National HIV Testing Day--27th http://www.napwa.org/

July

• UV Safety Month http://www.healthfinder.gov/nho/PDFs/JulyNHOtoolkit.pdf

August

• Children's Eye Health and Safety http://www.preventblindness.org/
• Stroke Awareness

September

• National Hispanic Heritage Month
• National Sickle Cell Month http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/

October

• National Observance of Children's Sabbaths
• National Bullying Prevention Month
• Domestic Violence Awareness
• Breast Cancer Awareness
• Jubilee Sunday - 16th
• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - 17th

November

• National Adoption, Alzheimer's and Diabetes Awareness

December

• World AIDS Day - 1st