Companion Diocese, Renk Episcopal Church of Sudan
The Episcopal Church of Sudan is the second largest church in southern Sudan. Renk Diocese, formed in 1995, is on the border between the mostly Islamic north and the mostly Christian and African traditionalist south, and is commonly called the "gateway" between north and south Sudan. Bishop Daniel Deng Bul and the clergy minister to thousands of internally displaced southern Sudanese women, men and children whowere forced to flee to the north in order to escape slavery, starvation and death due to a 21-year civil war. The fundamentalist Islamic government of Sudan imposed Islam on the south through force, denying religious freedom by any means.
By resolution presented by the Commission on Global Ministry to the Diocesan Convention in 2001, the Diocese of Chicago unanimously voted to engage in two companion diocese relationships with the Dioceses of Southeast Mexico, Benito Juarez, bishop, and Renk, Episcopal Church of Sudan, Daniel Deng Bul, bishop.
The Companion Diocese Relationships are intentional and are formed to help strengthen the Anglican Communion through the direct experience of interdependence across cultural and geographical boundaries within the Body of Christ, and to strengthen one another for mission by building a relationship in which each partner is both giver and receiver.
In early 2005, Bishop Daniel Deng Bul welcomed visitors from Chicago. All Saints' was represented by Connie Wilson and by the plentiful contributions of the parishioners. Since that time, now Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul and current Bishop Joseph Garang Atem have made visits to All Saints' and our community has contributed over $70,000 to various ministries with our friends in Africa.
Renk Media Team Trip 2010
In 2010, a four-person team from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, including All Saints' parishioner and professional photographer Charlie Simokaitis, All Saints' parishioner and Friends of Sudan chairperson Connie Wilson, Associate Dean Chicago's St. James' Cathedral and Emmy-winning video producer Kevin Goodman and Bishop Jeffrey Lee will travel to Renk. There they will use their cameras not only to capture the experiences o
f Sudanese who have endured the war, but also to illustrate ways that companion churches can help them rebuild their communities. The team’s final products, two short films and a photo book, will help raise funds to empower Renk’s people in living out the gospel story.
This project has grown out of the Diocese of Chicago’s official diocesan relationship with the Diocese of Renk, a relationship that was established in 2001 and will continue until at least 2011. The partnership is supported by the Commission on Global Ministry and its Renk Subcommittee, which were initiated by former Chicago Bishop William Persell and are now supported by his successor, Bishop Jeffrey Lee. Through the Commission’s efforts, 10 of Renk’s 15 parishes have been partnered with Chicago churches. Five Renk parishes still seek church partners.
The films and storybook the Chicago team creates will be made into DVDs, which the Commission on Global Ministry and the Renk Subcommittee will use to encourage other Chicago churches to partner with Renk’s five unlinked parishes. The DVDs will also be made available to other dioceses to educate fellow Episcopalians about Renk’s needs and to identify sources of support for specific development projects. The American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan and the Anglican Global Relations office of the Episcopal Church of the USA will receive copies as well.