This week, Hurricane Ian devastated parts of the Eastern United States including Florida, the Cayman Islands, and Cuba.

If you are interested in helping the dioceses impacted by Hurricane Ian, please consider giving to the Hurricane Relief Fund through Episcopal Relief and Development. The donations will go towards providing critical supplies, such as food and water, pastoral care, and other urgent needs. 

Donate by clicking here.

Starting October 1, Bishop Owensby will be out on vacation. He will return in late October for visitations and other Diocesan events. Diocesan Staff are still available to assist you while the bishop is out. Click here to contact a member of the bishop's staff. 

The fall season brings with it many exciting diocesan events. Please mark your calendars for the following dates and make plans to join in the fun! 

November 5

Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate (Katy Campbell, John Henson and Benjamin Thoms)

St. James, Alexandria

11:00 a.m. 

November 26

Ordination to the Diaconate (Brian Warner)

St. Timothy's, Alexandria

11:00 a.m.

December 9-10

Adaptive Leadership Conference with Bishop Sean Rowe

The Wesley Center, Woodworth

February 24-25, 2023

Diocesan Convention

Feb. 24: Opening Eucharist and Reception at St. James, Alexandria

Feb. 25: Convention at Pineville Convention Center

Have you seen the calendar of events on the new diocesan website? Find diocesan events for various categories: Bishop's Visitation, Youth Events, Christian Formation Workshops, and more. Explore the diocesan calendar of events by clicking here.

With the fall season starting, St. Alban's in Monroe wanted to commemorate the beginning with a service and special lunch. The bilingual service was attended by both the English and Spanish speaking crowds at St. Alban's. After the service, everyone went to the parish hall to enjoy a barbecue luncheon and fellowship. 

Care of Creation, a grassroots ministry in our Diocese, made a new post to their blog which talks about how we use renewable energy in Louisiana and how we can make this system better. You can read more here.

St. Paul's is planning to host a workshop for Centering Prayer, a method of silent prayer rooted in the Christian Contemplative tradition that opens us to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit.

Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. James in Shreveport wants to return to its roots and revive some traditions. On October 16, St. James is planning to hold its Fall Festival and Homecoming celebration. It will start with a church service and it will follow with the picnic and festival. Make sure to join them!

If you enjoy hearing live music, St. James in Alexandria has a treat for you. The first concert of their 2022-2023 season, the All Hallows' Eve Extravaganza, will be held on October 24 at 7:00 p.m.

In a throwback to the silent movie era of the early 20th century, guest organist and jazz artist, Dorothy Papadakos, will improvise the soundtrack to the screened 1925 film, Phantom of the Opera, on the Church pipe organ. This audio/visual extravaganza is free and open to the public.

The Secretariat of Western Louisiana is planning to host a Welcome Back Party for Diocesan Ultreya and Cursillo. This will be held on October 29 at The Wesley in Woodworth.

Bring your Book of Common Prayer, De Colores Attire, Cursillo Name tags, and/or a musical instrument and join the fun! You can sign up for the event here.

If you wish to reserve an overnight room at the Wesley, registration is due October 14.

If you have a dog, chances are that you like to spoil them from time to time. There is a fun way to do that and help provide employment opportunities for those who are re-entering the workforce after battles with mental health or addiction.

In honor of the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi (October 4), Father Bernard;'s Blessed Biscuits wants to give away free treats! The biscuits are made with only a few ingredients and no preservatives.

Click here to go to their website.

'Jeopardy!' is a game show that has captured the hearts of many since the 1960s. This week, a new contestant has done well in the game, starting a winning streak of his own.

Who is the Rev. David Sibley?

Coming from Walla Walla, Washington, the Episcopal priest showed his expertise in knowledge. During his first game, he talked about how he was studying to be an organic chemist in college. However, some of his colleagues told him he would be good at ministry. He was surprised when he won his his first game and began a streak.

Read more by clicking here.

Photo: One of the hosts of 'Jeopardy!', Ken Jennings, and the Rev. David Sibley