Special Events
Reception for Bishop Daniel Deng Bul
On Sunday, November 5, from 3-5 pm, All Saints hosted a reception for The Rt. Rev. Daniel Deng Bul, Bishop of Renk, The Episcopal Church of Sudan and his wife Deborah. We welcomed all as we celebrated the companion diocesan relationship between Chicago and Renk, 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 he "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.
Bishop Daniel graciously welcomed visitors from Chicago in early 2005 and we are eager to extend a very warm welcome from All Saints and our neighboring communities.
Join us for celebration and meet our neighbors in the companion diocese of Renk Sudan.