This June is the 19th Anniversary of the beginnings of the Charismatic Episcopal Church. From a small church in San Clemente, California the CEC has grown into an international communion of churches around the globe. Soon we will have additional churches in West Africa as well as East Africa. We will soon be bringing in some churches in India. There is even a church in the Bahamas that will soon join our communion. So the communion continues to grow because God is adding to our numbers. The message of convergence worship and making visible the void is still a word from the Lord.
Back in the early days when churches in America were coming into our communion the major issue facing us was property and buildings. Most of our churches were church plants or congregations that had to walk away from denominational property. Still today we have many small congregations that need adequate facilities to worship and others have outgrown their buildings and need new facilities. This is true around the world.
Early in our history, the Bishops, after prayer, came up with a idea where we could collectively gather resources to purchase land and property. It was decided that every member of the CEC would give 10 dollars in offering to a Foundation Day collection. This money would then be put in a fund for the Patriarch to use to facilitate the purchase of land and property. The offering would be taken the Sunday closest to June 26th - the day Archbishop Randolph Adler was consecrated the first Bishop in the ICCEC.
Once the offering was collected it would be distributed in the following way. One third of the offering would be given in direct grants. One third of the offering would be given in low interest loans. And, one third of the offering would be invested. Over the years the two thirds that has been distributed has help congregations move forward and grow.
A report of the Foundation Offering can be found at www.iccec.org .(Foundation Day link is in the menu) I encourage you to take a look and you will see what we can do together.
I strongly encourage you to take part in this offering. It is a way for your congregation to be part of something much larger than itself. As Christians we are called to be generous and cheerful givers to the work of the Kingdom. This work is certainly in the local congregation, but it also is way beyond our own boarders. By planting seed into a larger vineyard we are also planting seeds of faith for our own congregations.
Join me on Sunday June 26th, along with the people of the Cathedral Church of the Intercessor and all the Cathedrals in the ICCEC, in taking up this special offering. I believe God wants to renew us, refresh us, and grow us. We can thank Him not only with our lips but with our lives, our talents, our time, and our treasure.
Be assured of my continued prayers. I am humbled to be with you as your servant. Pray for me to be responsive to His grace and His will.
Under His mercy, 
The Most Rev. Craig W. Bates
Patriarch, International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church.