The highlight of this year's joint meeting of the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) and the African Descent Lutheran Association (ADLA) was a standing room only service celebrating 225 Years of Black Presence and Church Leadership that coincides with the 225th Anniversary of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. The Diocese of Pennsylvania was blessed and privileged to host this event.
We give thanks to The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas and the Church of the Holy Communion for hosting our worship services and look forward to many years of mutual cooperation as we go forward. It was a blessing to the Diocese of Pennsylvania and provided a platform for national visibility of all of the good work that is being done here in the name of Christ.
Bishop Daniel G.P. Gutiérrez, Lutheran Bishop Claire Burkat, the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elizabeth Eaton, and Father Martini Shaw joined Presiding Bishop Michael Curry in leading worship that filled the nave and continued into the Great Hall at St. Thomas.
This was the first joint meeting of the UBE and ADLA and participants quickly found ties that united them based in their parallel experiences. Worship was rich and inspirational from Sunday night Eucharist at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion and building in spirit to Tuesday night's Eucharist at St. Thomas.
Bishop Curry's homily was based in scripture, our church history, the Black Experience in the USA, and the challenges we face going forward. The musicians and choir rose to the occasion and the congregation caught the spirit and was clearly inspired by the liturgy and message that Bishop Curry shared.
For those who attended it was a night to be remembered for years to come and was as thought provoking as it was inspirational. To a person, we all felt the presence of the Holy Spirit among us and left knowing that God has done so much that has enabled us to come this far and will give us strength to face the challenges ahead.
