Partnering Parishes Program
In the very early days after the storm, the Diocese of Mississippi was staggered by the sheer number of generous congregations who called wanting to "adopt" one of our coast churches. We very quickly put together a ministry whereby congregations all over the country were linked with one of our eleven affected parishes on the coast. Currently, we have over 200 parishes and missions and dioceses involved at various levels of assistance, from providing prayers to paying for a clergy salary to helping fund significant rebuilding funds for one of our parishes.
For the most part, once a congregation is linked to one of our parishes, the two churches take over communication. The diocese helps facilitate the linking of the two groups based on need, numbers and choice. The Reverend Kyle Dice Seage, now Director of Development for the diocese, is the facilitator of this ministry and is the liaison between the partnered parishes.
We always welcome now congregations, dioceses or groups to join our ministry. There is no financial commitment or time commitment. If you are interested in becoming a partner parish, please contact Kyle in the following ways: by telephone (601) 948-5954 or by email: kyleseage@dioms.org . In the course of the conversation we will ask that you provide the following information so that we can best link you to one of our coast parishes:
• Name of Church
• Address of Church
• Diocese
• Contact Person for Partnered Parish Ministry
(and telephone and email for that person)
• Size of Congregation
• Preferred Parish on Coast (if you have one)
Once you are linked, you are added to a listserve that will enable you to communicate with all the members of the partnered parishes for the parish to whom you are assigned.
There are many ways that the Partnered Parish Ministry has assisted our coast parishes:
• Providing material for a new playground
• Providing clergy salary for one year
• Purchasing and erecting a Quonset hut so that a destroyed parishes had worship space
• Providing vestments, prayer books, hymnals
• Bringing Vacation Bible School to the parish (providing teachers, materials, etc.)
• Inviting members of the congregation to your community to hear about life post-Katrina and the specific needs of the parish
• Including your partnered parish in annual budget for 3-5 years
• Holding raffles, bake sales, car washes, benefit suppers, etc. to assist with rebuilding efforts
