Episcopal schools yearly celebration underway

October 09, 2008 [Episcopal News Service] More than 1,000 Episcopal schools in the United States, Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific Basin, are in the midst of a week-long celebration of their ministry.

Sponsored by the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), Episcopal Schools Celebration (ESC) is the annual celebration of the ministry of Episcopal schools, Early Childhood Education programs, school establishment committees, and their sponsoring institutions, throughout the Episcopal Church. "Whether at a school, parish, cathedral, diocesan-wide service or event, ECS is the time for giving thanks and proclaiming to the Church and the world the good news that is the ministry of Episcopal schools," says an announcement on the NAES website.

Each year, the gathering highlights a different aspect of Episcopal school identity and mission through the event's theme, which this year is "Last of All and Servant of All (Mark 9:35)".

A letter from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's, published in the ECS brochure, tells Episcopal educators that "the varied gifts and perspectives you bring to your leadership are outstanding examples to each of us in the church and beyond."

The Rev. Daniel R. Heischman, NAES president, said in the brochure, "We are at our best in Episcopal schools when we are able to cut through some of the inevitable comparisons and get to the heart of why we are here, namely to equip students and ourselves in order to serve those who may be invisible in the world."

NAES is an independently incorporated, voluntary membership organization that supports, serves, and advocates for the vital work and ministry of those who serve Episcopal schools. Chartered in 1965, with historic roots dating to the 1930s, NAES is the only pre-collegiate educational association that is both national in scope and Episcopal in character. The association offers a variety of services, publications, resources, and conferences consonant with its mission and focused principally on Episcopal school identity, leadership and governance, and on the spiritual and professional development of school leaders.

ESC continues through October 11.

Further information is available here.

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