Some were filled with coins from children's allowances and piggy banks and others contained $100 bills or checks for hundreds and thousands of dollars. Some came from large parishes and many came from small congregations, but they all had one thing in common: they were coming in response to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's call to the church to live into the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); and they were coming so that communities around the world could have access to clean drinking water.
 
The original goal of the water bottle project was to raise $2,250 -- enough for Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) to dig three wells: one each in India, Africa, and Latin America. The final deposit was more than $21,000, which means the Diocese of Oregon will be able to provide 28 wells to communities around the world.
 
The water bottle project was a collaborative effort. The vision to do something about water came from two priests in the diocese: the Rev. Anne Bartlett, rector of Trinity, Ashland; and the Rev. Sara Fischer, rector of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukie. Cindra Gray of St. Michael/San Miguel in Newberg came up with the idea of filling water bottles with coins. The project was pulled together by a group of women representing various ministries in the diocese: Leslie Sackett of the Peace & Justice Commission; Alice Speers of the Environmental Commission; Ellen Nesbitt, diocesan coordinator for ERD; and Catherine Healy, missioner with Youth, Young Adults, and Higher Education. Nearly 60 congregations of the diocese and other groups, including the Episcopal Church Women and members of the bishop's staff, participated in the convention outreach projects.

Water was a theme throughout this year's convention weekend. It was incorporated into the evening opening Eucharist; the prayer cards created by J.T. Quanbeck of St. Michael and All Angels, Portland; several of the various display tables; and a U2charist and the unConventional Youth event at St. Paul's, Salem.
 
In addition to the water bottle project, congregations supported Church World Service by assembling hygiene kits. Some 350 kits valued at $12 each were collected as was $700 to help defray the costs of shipping and handling. The hygiene kits sent this year joined the thousands of school kits and hygiene kits that have been contributed to Church World Service in the past several years.