From the Office of the Bishop |
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A Message from Bishop San
Difference: The Power of Faith in a Conflicted World
Three Pillars of the Difference Movement:
Be Curious! Be Present! Reimagine!
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Explore this Topic Further:
Join Bishop San for a Lenten Book Study:
Living Reconciliation by Phil Grover and Angharad Parry Jones
Thursdays at Noon during Lent starting on Thursday, February 18th.
Register in advance for this meeting by clicking here.
Purchase the book online here.
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The fundamental message promulgated in the Difference movement is the overwhelming acknowledgement that all comes from God who has settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.
This call is at the center of our faith. The cross is the story of God's reconciling us to himself, healing what is broken and calling us to be caught up in this work as well. It is for this reason that Archbishop Justin Welby and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry have made reconciliation one of their priorities. They both have a vision for the Church to be a reconciling presence in the midst of conflict. Justin Welby said, “to see this vision realized, we want to mobilize a generation to live out their calling as peacemakers and reconcilers so that we might see a just and flourishing society. There's nothing more personally exciting to me than seeing a movement of Christians flourish in this call to reconcile”. Michael Curry defines this transformation through the wholistic practice of what he termed the ‘Habit of Grace’.
Difference is a movement that is based around our everyday discipleship in a world that has become accustomed to indifference about others and conflict. By developing habits for peaceful engagement with those who do not share our perspective, we believe that a different way is possible. We want to explore what it means to follow Jesus in the face of conflict, and to invite God to be at work in our relationships on every level. It's our hope, through Difference, to share a framework and a language that helps us consider the practices that make this possible.
The Diocese of Easton is already well underway with our plans to engage the Difference movement, including the completion of a pilot Difference Course and identifying Ambassadors to assist in the roll-out. The Bishop’s Lenten book study is another opportunity for anyone in our Diocese to engage this work.
This Fall we hope to have Difference Course offerings throughout the Eastern Shore. The Course is designed for community-based groups to go deeper into learning how we cross divides, disagree well, and practice forgiveness in our relationships. We'll be offering training events in late Spring and Summer for those who would be interested in running the course in their own context...
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Faithful Fridays
Bishop San will be creating and posting a devotional video every Friday during Lent (beginning February 19th). The videos will be available via the Bishop’s Blog on the Diocesan website as well as on our Facebook page. Be sure to bookmark these links and tune in every Friday for inspiration and spiritual reflection.
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Noonday Prayers During Lent |
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Pray With Us
The Diocese of Easton will be offering noonday prayer every weekday, Monday thru Friday, during Lent (February 17th - April 2nd) on Facebook. Please join us by visiting our Facebook page daily at 12:00pm. Please take a moment in order to join with others from around the diocese as we lift our thoughts and concerns to God in prayer.
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Sign Up to Lead
Anyone interested is welcome to sign-up to lead noonday prayers (pre-recorded or live streamed) during lent. Send us an email if you are interested in being on the list.
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Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday
Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) has designated Sunday, February 21st (First Sunday of Lent) as Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday. This is ERD’s annual effort in encouraging dioceses, parishes and the wider church community (both national and global) to focus, highlight and financially support the work of this critical servant ministry.
Episcopal Relief and Development is recognized across the church for its humanitarian work, especially in its timely response to situations of natural disaster. In the wider communion it is known for its work in the depressed and challenging areas of the world struggling with health care issues, clean potable water, economic sustainability and other areas of basic human needs.
Episcopal Relief and Development is oftentimes the first to arrive and later, the only relief agency still around when the spotlight is removed from a place that had undergone tragic and catastrophic life-changing events.
The Diocese of Easton has been a beneficiary of this ministry on several occasions and so have many other dioceses across the Episcopal Church and global Anglican Communion.
Parish leadership is encouraged to vigorously promote the Sunday designated ERD Sunday through prayers and financial commitment. Donations may be sent to the Diocese of Easton, 314 North Street, Easton, MD 21601 earmarked for ERD or send them to your parish indicating the same notation.
Bishop San
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More From the Office of the Bishop |
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Bishop’s Epiphany and Lenten Appeal 2021
“…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me…” (Matthew 23: 40)
‘Hunger isn’t a deferred option’
(Bishop San)
My beloved Diocesan Family,
Every baptized Christian, as a faithful follower of Jesus, is called to that undeniable role as a missionary of righteous living. Each of us is a prototype and/or derivative of the one living resurrected Christ who was the quintessential ‘burden bearer'. As Jesus demonstrated selfless love by embodying care and concern for the world, likewise as modern-day disciples, our call is to continue his missional message of love: pursuing justice for all, bringing healing to this broken world, and giving generously to the needs of the poor, disenfranchised and helpless. The aforementioned gospel text of Jesus is a clear indication of his identification with the ‘invisible and underrepresented’ of the world and society. Our Lord’s church is constantly reminded of its ministry to identify with the beloved living and surviving in what the Latin American theologians termed ‘people in the underside of society’.
In the interest of contributing to the alleviation of human suffering in the face of unexpected and unforeseeable events, events that have already and inevitably will again diminish the integrity of our sisters and brothers, I write to appeal to members of our diocesan family to make a generous donation to the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund. It is customary for this fund to be serviced from the special offering taken at the Bishop’s Annual Visitation to parishes. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 Pandemic has significantly restricted visitation to parishes. Yet at the same time the care, concerns and needs of God’s beloved has continued unabated, and even more so in a time of pandemic. As a result, the fund is severely depleted. The bishop doesn’t anticipate resuming regular parish visitation until either most of our sisters and brothers are vaccinated, or by, God’s grace, the overwhelming threat posed by the virus to health and safety has significantly diminished.
Over the years I have seen the generosity of our Diocesan family as we have tended to one another, our communities, and our global brothers and sisters. It is with a grateful heart that I mail this letter, confident that our Episcopal family on the Eastern shore of Maryland will open their hearts and give generously to this year’s Epiphany and Lenten Appeal.
May this generous effort remain a powerful demonstration of support and solidarity. A sign of our commitment and empathy with the efforts envisioned in helping to return the lives of God’s beloved to some semblance of normalcy.
In the Seasons of Light, Hope, Self-emptying and Penitence, the gospel is clear and poignant in its admonition to “love our neighbors as ourselves” and reach out with a ‘helping hand’ to those who need our assistance, and that when we do so for ‘the least of these’ we are doing so for Christ, our Savior himself. As faithful baptized Christians, we are sanctified to live out this call “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself.”
My beloved in Christ, I implore your generosity and encourage you to give lavishly to this remarkably noble and hopeful cause. You may do so through your parish or send checks to Diocese of Easton, 314 North Street, Easton, MD 21601, with a notation indicating “Bishop’s Epiphany and Lenten Appeal”. You may also choose to give online by clicking here.
I encourage all rectors, priests-in-charge, supply clergy, wardens, worship leaders and vestries to make this appeal one of the priorities in their Epiphany and Lenten parochial activity.
As your brother in Christ and bishop, I am genuinely confident in the generosity of this caring and loving diocese, supporters and well-wishers who find our churches a place of hope and grace.
Every blessing and love!
Together in Christ’s service,
+San
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Thank you for your continued support of the mission and ministries of our Diocese.
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PPP Loan – SECOND CHANCE
The Federal Government is providing another round of assistance through the SBA with PPP loans.
If you did not file for the first round last year, YOU CAN STILL FILE. The same rules will apply as they did initially.
If you received a loan last year, YOU CAN APPLY AGAIN for a second draw amount. Not all recipients of previous loans will qualify. You will have to be able to show a reduction of income for a 2020 quarter compared to the same corresponding quarter in 2019 by 25%. There may be other factors that apply.
But HURRY! The last day to apply for and receive a PPP loan is March 31, 2021. We advise you to talk to your banker as soon as possible.
Attached is a document form the SBA concerning this program.
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IONA Collaborative - Deadline Approaching
The Diocese of Easton is beginning a partnership with the IONA Collaborative. "Iona Collaborative provides high-quality theological education for the formation of priests and deacons in their local diocesan settings, educating a new generation of ordained leaders who for various reasons cannot attend a residential seminary." If you are feeling called to ordained ministry please contact your parish clergy person (or Senior Warden if you do not have a clergy person) so that they can forward your interest to Bishop San. You may also email Bishop San directly. Candidates must have an undergraduate degree. Please be sure to indicate your intention to apply no later than April 5th. Classes will begin in the Fall of 2021.
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Lenten Book Study with Bishop San
"Living Reconciliation"
Join Bishop San for a Book Study on Zoom every Thursday at 12 noon, during Lent. We will be discussing the book "Living Reconciliation" and all are welcome. The study starts on Thursday, February 17th and continues through March 31st.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email
containing information about joining the meeting.
Purchase the book online here.
"Living Reconciliation" also serves as a foundational book for the Difference Course that will be offered by our church communities in the coming year. Anyone interested in leading a Difference Course is also encouraged to register for this book study.
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Mental Health Sessions Offered
The Diocese has offered to sponsor, for any interested church, a two-hour session with The Rev. Dr. Ileana Lindstrom (ELCA) on the subject of mental health. This session can be offered, for a group of up to 20 people, at any point in the coming year either on Zoom or in-person following COVID re-gathering protocols.
"While certain factors might make some individuals more resilient than others, resilience is not necessarily a personality trait that only some people possess. Resilience involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that anyone can learn and develop. Resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. Like building a muscle, increasing resilience takes time and intentionality."
Church leadership should contact Illeana directly in order to learn more details, and to take advantage of this offer.
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Vaccination Deployment
At this time, the federal government is giving Maryland approximately 10,000 doses per day for over 2 million people who are eligible. SUPPLY IS VERY LIMITED, especially as the vaccine is becoming available to more people. PLEASE BE PATIENT as the available supply of the vaccine in Maryland works to catch up to the demand. The vaccine will eventually be available to all Marylanders.
We encourage parishes to help get the word out about dates and distribution centers of the Covid-19 vaccine as a service to your parishioners. Currently, the State of Maryland is in Phase 1C - Adults age 65 and older, essential workers in lab services, agriculture, manufacturing, postal service, clergy and other essential support for houses of worship.
To read more about Maryland’s Phased COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and frequently asked questions and resources click here.
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Prayers of the People
Please continue to keep in your prayers those infected with Coronavirus, those who have died as a result of the virus, and medical personnel and first responders.
Please continue to include over the next several Sundays prayers for healing, reconciliation and unity among all God's beloved people in our nation and particularly for those involved in government work.
Let us pray:
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered together under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one God and Creator of us all; to whom be dominion and glory, now and forever.
– For Peace, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815
Oh God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your son. Look now with compassion on the entire human family; and particularly this part of the family, in the United States, and those in our nation’s capital; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
– For the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815
We ask God to heal us, to show us the way to healing, to show us the way to be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
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153rd Diocesan Convention To Be Virtual
Saturday, March 6th, 2021
Each church in the Diocese selects delegates and alternates to represent them, along with clergy, on behalf of their parish. Delegates and canonically resident clergy are authorized to vote. All these individuals participate in the 2021 Convention via zoom meeting. Others are welcome to watch the livestream on the Episcopal Diocese of Easton Facebook page as non-voting guests.
Our next virtual Convocation Meeting will be
this Tuesday, February 9th @ 7:00 pm
You must REGISTER IN ADVANCE for this meeting.
Registration link was emailed to voting members
Others are invited to view the Convocation meeting live via our Facebook page. |
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Camp Wright
Will Open for Summer 2021!
Get ready to jump right in!
This is a friendly reminder that
More information is available on our website.
We have reduced our session capacity,
so please register early to ensure your spot.
We can't wait to see you this summer!
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Happenings Around The Diocese |
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Christ Church, Cambridge MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR SOUP DAYS - Thursday, February 11th Pick up from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Due to Covid-19, we will only have carryout quarts for sale - no biscuits or desserts. Vegetable, Chicken Noodle, Chili QUARTS ONLY FOR $7.00 MUST PICK UP AT THE WHATLEY HALL KITCHEN DOOR You may call ahead at 410-228-3161 (CHURCH OFFICE) to place your order in advance and pick up at Christ Church Parish Hall kitchen door, 607 Church Street, Cambridge. Thank you for all your support!
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POST YOUR EVENT!
Send an email with a short description plus links or attachments to Joanne. Churches are also encouraged to add joanne@dioceseofeaston.org to their local enews.
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Seeing the Word: Women of the Bible
Mondays, March 1-22
6:30-7:30 pm, via Zoom
This Wisdom Circle is a contemplative prayer practice using illuminations from the St John’s Bible. These beautiful images bring to life passages from Scripture, helping us to engage with the Word, encounter the Divine, and enact the Message in our daily lives.
Journey with us through the Lenten season and explore the often-overlooked women of the Bible. We will get to see their faith, hope, courage, and love highlighted in the St John’s Bible.
Creative Spirit Wisdom Circle
Thursdays thru February 18
6:30-8:00pm, via Zoom
Join us for this unique opportunity to dialogue with the Divine in new ways.
Our souls speak many languages: words, sights & sounds, textures or movement, just to name a few. While writers, composers, artists and performers may speak these languages more eloquently, we all possess a Creative Spirit.
Each week, we’ll explore a different medium: storytelling, visual arts, lyrics & poetry, voice & rhythm, and prayer in motion. Learn to access your Creative Spirit and discover the message God is sharing with you.
Penning Your Prayers Wisdom Circle
Wednesdays thru February 24
6:00-7:30pm, via Zoom
In this Wisdom Circle, we will explore how putting pen to paper can be a form of prayer. When we share our hopes, ideas, or uncertainties with God in writing, we may relate to God in a different way.
Using writing prompts and thought-provoking questions, we will let our minds wander back and forth in time. The companionship of the group will help us discover new insights as we practice the art of spiritual journaling. The only requirements are paper, a pen, and an open mind.
Hermitage Overnights
Do you have a deep longing to get away and rest for a time? Consider a hermitage stay at The Retreat House where you can be still and enjoy quiet solitude.
A Hermitage at the Retreat House is very special -- a place where one can experience the peaceful connection of nature and spirit. The grounds include a Chartres-style labyrinth, a historic cemetery and church, and many beautiful trees. The small town of Hillsboro, bordering the Tuckahoe River, is friendly and very walkable.
The Retreat House offers comfortable, safe, and private accommodations for one or two people. Contact us at info@retreathousehillsboro.org or call (410) 364-7069 to make a reservation.
Day's End Evening Meditation Listen, breathe, be still. A peaceful way to move into your evening.
Pause
This Friday afternoon message is intended to give you a moment of reflection in the form of a poem, quote, and image. These messages will also be shared via email, in our social media and archived on the website. If you missed last week's edition, please click here to read it.
In-person AA meetings meet in St. Paul's Church, next door to the Retreat House at 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro MD 21641. Masks and social distancing will be required. Feel free to bring your own book and beverage. All meetings continue to be offered on Zoom per the Midshore Intergroup meeting schedule.
The Retreat House gates are always open.
Please come for a visit soon!
All are welcome at The Retreat House to take quiet walks among the beautiful old trees, to visit historic St. Paul's Cemetery, or enjoy a labyrinth meditation. At this time, we are not hosting indoor gatherings. Thank you for observing safety protocols while you are here, by wearing masks and maintaining social distance. Please stay safe and be well!
See our calendar for programs and special events. For more information, call (410) 364-7069, click the buttons below or contact Francie Thayer.
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Pastoral Concerns
We pray for the repose of the soul of the following people and for comfort for their families:
The Rev. Bruce Byrolly
Margaret Hudson - mother of Ellen Bunting.
We pray for continued healing and comfort for the following people and their families: for Bishop San's sisters - Padmini (Paddy) Marray and Sandra Marray, both battling breast cancer. Bryan Glancey, Vicar, St. Andrew's, Hurlock. Rev. Kevin Cross, Rector, Church of the Holy Trinity, Oxford. The Rev. Dr. Lisa Webb. The Rev. Pete Stanton. Larry Samuels, spouse of Deacon Candidate, Peggy Samuels. Art Leiby. Becky Richardson. Weasie Kamihachi.
We pray for the many lives that have been affected by the Coronavirus. For those who have died; for the family members that mourn their loss. For those who continue to heal and for the skilled
caregivers that continue to fight this disease – we pray for you.
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Diocesan Prayer Calendar
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
(February 7th)
We give thanks for the witness of God’s people at St. Philip’s, Quantico, and their Vicar, the Rev. Ken Thom and his spouse, Arlene.
Last Sunday after the Epiphany
(February 14th)
We give thanks for the witness of God’s people at St. Paul’s, Kent,
Chestertown, and for their Rector, the Rev. Frank St. Amour, and his
spouse, Sue.
First Sunday in Lent
(February 21st)
We give thanks for the witness of God’s people at Augustine Parish, Chesapeake City, and for their lay leadership.
For additional weeks, please visit our website.
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Communication from the
Office of the Presiding Bishop
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Presiding Bishop met with members of Congress for virtual Morning Prayer Presiding Bishop Michael Curry held a virtual Morning Prayer service with nine members of Congress and some of their staffers on Jan. 26, sharing memories and stories that he hoped would inspire the kind of faith that might guide them through these challenging times.
The attendees, including members of both houses of Congress and both major political parties, joined via Zoom for Morning Prayer and then met with Curry privately in a virtual breakout room.
Curry preached on Hebrews 11, which lays out the powerful feats that Old Testament figures accomplished through faith, even when circumstances seemed insurmountable.
He recalled meeting Archbishop Desmond Tutu and being inspired by his campaign to end apartheid in South Africa and bring reconciliation to the country, and Curry also remembered another personal hero: his grandmother, who would sing the hymn “O for a Faith That Will Not Shrink.”
The “faith that will not shrink, though pressed by many a foe,” is what will carry Americans through crises that may seem impossible to solve, he said. He also put it in more contemporary terms, paraphrasing the actor John Wayne: “Courage means being afraid but getting back up on the horse.”
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Suicide Intervention Training
Since the last General Convention the Department of Faith Formation staff have been convening a working group to address the Suicide Prevention initiative named and funded in resolution GC#2018-C014.
We have contracted with LivingWorks for 1000 enrollments in their LivingWorks Start training. We are offering this training free of charge to folks who work with individuals in our highest risk communities, including LGBTQ+, BIPOC, veterans, youth, and young adults. If you would like to take this free training, click here to register before March 1st. If you have any issues registering please contact Joanne Fisher in the Diocesan Office.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration and your action. Together we can make a difference in the lives of many.
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Fourth season of ‘The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry’ podcast continues - The Blessing of Mercy with Bryan Stevenson Season 4, Episode 4
In this episode, Bishop Curry talks with Bryan Stevenson – author, lawyer, and founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama – about what it means to remember, reorient, and renew an active faith in Jesus and his Way of Love.
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Life Transformed - The Way of Love in Lent revised for 2021
New and updated resources available for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter
New and updated Lent and Easter resources for congregations, dioceses, and communities of faith are available from The Episcopal Church, with additional offerings coming soon. Available and upcoming resources include: Updated Life Transformed – The Way of Love in Lent curriculum; Sermons That Work for Holy Week and Easter; a new podcast series, Prophetic Voices: Preaching and Teaching Beloved Community. Find resources here. Read more 2021 Lent Resources
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The Episcopal Church offers a new Global Mission Digital Toolkit for World Mission Sunday - Available on February 14, 2021
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Episcopal Relief & Development Receives Spotlight Initiative Grant
Episcopal Relief & Development has received a $188,436 three-year grant from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund), in partnership and with funding through the European Union and United Nations Spotlight Initiative. The grant will focus on strengthening the organization’s existing program partnership with the Episcopal Church of Liberia Relief & Development (ECLRD) to address violence against women and girls in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.
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Presiding Bishop’s opening remarks to Episcopal Church’s Executive Council Click here for the transcript of the opening remarks of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry at the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church.
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House of Deputies president’s opening remarks to Episcopal Church’s Executive Council - President of the House of Deputies Gay Clark Jennings at the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. Read here.
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Executive Council reflects on events in Washington, reaffirms church’s reconciliation work Reactions to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and this week’s inauguration of President Joe Biden dominated the opening remarks of The Episcopal Church’s presiding officers on Jan. 22, as Executive Council gathered online for the start of a four-day meeting.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, both mixed expressions of hope for the future with acknowledgments that the church has much work to do in affirming Jesus’ way of love and rejecting the divisive threat of Christian nationalism. Curry quoted Biden’s inaugural address – “‘we must end this uncivil war’” – and then connected that political imperative to the Christian call to love one’s enemy. Read more here.
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Washington National Cathedral hosts online National Prayer Service after Biden inauguration Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21 resumed its tradition of, every four years, hosting an interfaith prayer service the day after the presidential inauguration, but this time the thousands of people who attended followed along from the comfort of their homes.
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Archbishop of Canterbury launches Lambeth Conference prayer journey - sharing prayers of Hope for the World. At a time where the world still faces the challenge of COVID-19 alongside ongoing issues like climate crisis, poverty, economic injustice, conflict and inequality, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has launched a Lambeth Conference prayer journey to share “prayers of hope for the world.”
The prayer journey invites Christians around the world to join in praying for world issues. It features a wide range of prayers that have been shared by Anglican bishops, clergy and laity. Often recorded via virtual technology during times of lockdown – these prayers have been sent from dioceses and nations from across the global Anglican Communion.
Prayers will focus on daily themes of hope, proclaiming good news, pandemic response, people, planet, peace, politics, justice and poverty. The Anglican Cycle of Prayer is also featured.
We invite you to join with our global Anglican Community in prayer.
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EPISCOPAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT FOCUSES ON LAMENT IN 2021 LENTEN MEDITATIONS
In response to the unprecedented events of the past year, Episcopal Relief & Development’s 2021 Lenten Meditations share deeply personal reflections on the theme of lament from a diverse group of writers. Many of the authors share experiences related to a variety of issues including disease, violence, racial injustice and poverty.
“2020 was a deeply challenging year for many, filled with losses,” said Sean McConnell, Senior Director, Engagement, Episcopal Relief & Development. “We hope our supporters will use the 2021 Lenten Meditations to guide them through the four steps of lament and to help them heal and grow.” Read more here.
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Church Pension Group Launches New Podcast Series ‘Choose Well: Helpful Conversations About Well-Being’
The Church Pension Group (CPG), a financial services organization that serves The Episcopal Church, announced that it recently launched Choose Well, a new podcast series featuring interviews with health and finance experts who provide insights and suggestions on topics that are particularly relevant today: financial wellness, cultivating healthy behaviors, and leading a balanced life. Individuals can access Choose Well through their favorite podcast app or CPG’s website (cpg.org/podcast). Read more here.
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From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference
Starting January 18 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), The Episcopal Church launches “From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference,” a campaign urging Episcopalians and our neighbors to engage in the spiritual practice of listening and honest conversation across the many differences that separate us. Read more here.
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Episcopal Church Young Adult Service Corps applications open for 2021-2022 placements - Deadline: Feb. 19, 2021
Applications are now being accepted for 2021-2022 placements with the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC), the international missionary program of The Episcopal Church. YASC offers Episcopalians ages 21-30 the opportunity to follow the Way of Love into deeper relationship with God and the global Anglican Church while spending a year living and working with communities around the world.
All new YASC placements were suspended in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is still uncertainty about where placements may be possible in 2021, the program will accept applications and have its first ever virtual discernment retreat. Using a mixture of pre-recorded video and live Zoom sessions, applicants will be able to learn more about the program, possible placements, and partners around the Anglican Communion. Read more here.
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The Episcopal Church launches 2021 Absalom Jones Fund Campaign to assist Episcopal historically black colleges and universities
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites Episcopalians to deepen their participation in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation by dedicating offerings at observances of the Feast of Absalom Jones (February 13) and making individual donations to support St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, NC, and Voorhees College in Denmark, SC, two historically black Episcopal institutions of higher education.
St. Augustine’s and Voorhees provide a liberal arts education to thousands of students, the vast majority of whom come from low-income households, and over 40% of whom are the first in their families to attend a four-year college. These schools also provide robust campus ministries which both evangelize and form young adults as followers of Jesus and his way of love. Read more here.
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CEEP Network Announces 2021 Digital Conference; Archbishop of Canterbury, Presiding Bishop among keynote speakers, March 3-5, 2021 Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry will be among the keynote speakers at the 36th annual conference of The CEEP Network, meeting digitally for the first time in 2021, according to Joe Swimmer, executive director.
Other keynote speakers at the conference will include Dr. Catherine Meeks, executive director, Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing (Atlanta); Darren Walker, president, Ford Foundation (New York); and the Rev. Sam Wells, vicar, St. Martin-in-the Fields (London).
“The CEEP Network is honored to present the most influential thought leaders in the church today to share their wisdom and insights on the future of the church in the context of the dramatic social and economic changes taking place in our country and around the world today,” said Swimmer. Read more here.
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Save the Date SUMMA Theological Debate Summer Camp, July 20–28, 2021
The SUMMA Theological Debate Summer Camp brings together high school students from across the country to one of the largest and most beautiful college campuses anywhere – the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. By exploring life’s biggest questions through theological debate, we broaden students’ understanding of Christianity and its enduring power to speak the truth in love.
SUMMA Camp will be held July 20–28, 2021 at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
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Welcome to For People, a conversation with Bishop Rob Wright, spiritual leader to the more than 50,000 people in the 117 worshipping communities of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. In this podcast, Bishop Wright meets listeners at the crossroads of faith and life to explore the challenges of an ever-changing world. Listen in to find out how he expands on his For Faith devotional, drawing inspiration from the life of Jesus to answer 21st-century questions. Listen Now
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