Be Curious

Authored by The Rev. Clelia Pinza-Garrity, LCSW – Deacon

Webinar resource for exploring "Ministry in a Conflicted World" through the lens of curiosity

As the diocesan Global Mission Advocate my task is to inform the people and churches of our diocese about current activities throughout the Anglican Communion and to present opportunities for the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast to partner with some of our global brothers and sisters as they make the love of Jesus known through their teaching, preaching, and pastoral activities.

Soon after my appointment as a GMA I began to explore the many wonderful resources available through both the Office of Global Partnerships (OGP), the Global Episcopal Mission Network (GEMN), and resources produced by the Lambeth Conference 2022. My journey through these resources and quite a few Zoom calls with regions such as Diocese of Jerusalem and the Episcopal Church of South Sudan have left me amazed at the faith that is at work in every nook and cranny throughout the globe both in and through our church.

This month I focus on the topic of Ministry in a Conflicted World as experienced by priests in New South Wales, Australia and Cape Town, South Africa. Pastor Minniecon and Rev. August explore this timely topic through the lens of curiosity. Curiosity that seeks to listen, to grow understanding. Curiosity that enables fractures to be healed. Curiosity that exposes assumptions and encourages us to reimagine new ways in which to live the life that Jesus gave us.

I hope that you find these two brilliant servants of Jesus as inspiring as I did. More to come next month… Peace, Clelia

Link to webinar: https://www.lambethconference.org/phase-1/ministry-in-a-conflicted-world/session-2-be-curious/

About the Presenters

‘Uncle’ Pastor Ray Minniecon

Ray is a descendant of the Kabi Kabi nation and the Gureng Gureng nation of South-East Queensland. He is also a descendant of the South Sea Islander people with deep and abiding connections to the people of Ambrym Island.

He is leader of an Aboriginal congregation, Scarred Tree Indigenous Ministries, at St. John’s Anglican Church, Glebe, New South Wales, and Director of Bunji Consultancies. Ray has started and mentored numerous organizations working with indigenous men and youth, maintaining a strong focus on restoring health and opportunities to the stolen generation of Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their homes under past government policies. He is also Founder of ‘NAIITS Indigenous University’, an Indigenous learning community.

The Rev’d René August

Reverend René August lives in the lands of The Khoi and the San Peoples, in a country now known as South Africa, in a city now known as Cape Town. She longs to see the reign of God become a more visible sign of God’s love for all creation. As a strategist, thought leader, disciple maker, speaker, author, co-conspirator, trainer, reconciler and friend, and a peacebuilding specialist at Tearfund, René seeks to mitigate against the systemic causes of poverty, injustice and conflict in the world.