Watch the videos below for reflections on the 81st General Convention from Bishop Doug and the EDNIN deputation.

Rev. Cn. Terri Bays,

Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

Mr Evan Doyle,

Gethsemane (Marion)

Rev. TJ Freeman,

Trinity (Fort Wayne)

Rev. Kirsten Guidero

Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

Ms. Pamela Barnes Harris,

St. Andrew (Valparaiso)

Mr. Paul Ricketts,

Trinity (Fort Wayne)

Mr. Timothy Skimina,

St. Timothy (Griffith)

Rev. Kathy Townley,

Trinity (Michigan City)

Bishop Doug invites you to join him on a pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy from April 29-May 9, 2025. Watch his video and read his invitation below.

Dear Siblings in Christ,

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Risen Christ!

Earlier this year, in mid April, I was given a gift that, at the time, didn't seem like a gift but just another excursion on my schedule.

On Saturday, 13 April, I flew from South Bend to Atlanta and then to Rome, landing early Sunday morning. Getting through customs was relatively easy and then I trained into Rome from the airport, making my way to St. Paul's Within the Walls Episcopal Church. Bishop Mark Edington welcomed me for two nights, hoping to get adjusted to the new time zone before making my way by train to Assisi on Tuesday.

I boarded the train to Assisi just after 12 noon on Tuesday. I had to transfer trains in Foligno and then arrived in Assisi just after 3 p.m. I took a taxi to the convent where the Shalem Institute pilgrims were staying for the next 11 days. I was welcomed by one of the sisters. Our first group meeting was at 4 p.m. where we introduced ourselves to our fellow pilgrims and guides, Margaret Benefiel and Chuck McCorkle. We then walked first to the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and then to the Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi as a way of orienting us to the Village of Assisi. We then had a delicious dinner at 7:30 p.m. and then I made my way to my room for the night.

Each day began with an optional simple presence at 7:30 a.m. immediately followed by breakfast at 8 a.m. which always included yogurt, breads, some kind of protein, coffee and tea. Every day but Sunday then began with our Contemplative Practice and then information about the site(s) we would be visiting that day. Most days, we walked but there were several site(s) that required a van or bus. Our midday meal was at 12:45 which was a three course offering. Some afternoons, we met after lunch in our pilgrim circles, to focus on a directed question for reflection for about an hour. The rest of the afternoon was our own free time to walk, rest, pray all around Assisi. I was most delighted by these afternoons of prayer and silence, making my way to the Basilica of St. Francis for the afternoon or the Basilica of St. Clare or the Chapel of San Damiano. Several afternoons, I went for tea and a cannoli and just enjoyed the peace and beauty of Assisi. On Sunday, I made my way along with about 10 others to St. Leonard's Anglican Church for worship. What a delight to gather with other Anglicans / Episcopalians for a Service of Holy Communion. As pilgrims, we always had the option of dining out for the evening meal. We only needed to let the sisters know ahead of time. We also had the option of going to the Basilica of St. Clare for sung vespers at 5:30 p.m. which was also a prayerful time for me.

My time on pilgrimage in Assisi, learning about Francis and Clare, was an unexpected gift that I had hoped for all of my life and I look forward to joining other pilgrims in the spring of 2025.

I look forward to walking and praying in the holy places in Assisi with you!

Bishop Doug 

(he, him, his)

Who: Anyone from the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana, and beyond!  

When: April 29 - May 9, 2025

Where: Assisi, Italy – Staying at a convent of Franciscan sisters in Assisi

Why: Explore, learn, & spend quiet time with God in a holy place with fellow Episcopalians

How much: ~$3,200 (Based on double occupancy, includes 3 meals daily and transport to/from Rome FCO airport on arrival/departure days. Airfare is separate.)

Learn more: ednin.org/assisi-pilgrimage.

Ordination of Thomas Gresik to Sacred Order of Deacons

Date: July 6, 2024

Time: 10 a.m. (EDT)

Where: Cathedral of Saint James (South Bend)

By the Grace of God, The Right Reverend Dr. Douglas E. Sparks, VIII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana, will ordain Thomas Anthony Gresik to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 10 a.m. (EDT).

Your prayers and presence are requested. Reception to follow. Festal color is red.

For those unable to join in person, the service will be live-streamed on the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana's Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Save the Date

2024 Fall Clergy Retreat

Date: October 14-16, 2024

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center

The Reunification Discernment Committee requests your prayers as it continues its work. Click here for options from which to choose.

Survey seeks feedback from, about next generation of Episcopal leaders

Seeking to grow and strengthen The Episcopal Church’s ministries that support members of Generation Z, the Department of Faith Formation is launching a churchwide survey geared toward young people and those who serve them.

“The Episcopal Church Leadership Project: Toward a New Generation of Leaders” is a proposed three-phrase, three-year project to identify the gifts and challenges of ministry with and by Gen Z within the church; and to evaluate, revise, and test resources and practices to help ministers reach and support this generation of leaders.

Generation Z comprises those born between 1997 and 2012. The Faith Formation office works closely with Episcopal leaders of those in that age group through its youth ministries, young adult and campus ministries, and Episcopal Service Corps. As part of this project, it will also partner with many other Episcopal Church offices and ministries that engage with Gen Z.

The survey—funded in part by a $100,000 grant from Trinity Church Wall Street—is the first phase of the project and will be directed by research company Sacred Playgrounds. Data will be gathered through mailings and other outreaches, including at the 81st General Convention this month, through polling of summer staff at Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers, and by surveying Gen Zers this summer and fall.

Clergy will be asked about where Gen Zers are participating in their congregations, as well as their own formation as teens and young adults. Young adults will be asked for their impressions, experiences, and recommendations for ministries within the church. Episcopal youth leaders—including campus chaplains, bishops, young adult ministers, and others—will be asked for their impressions of the “current landscape of young adults coming toward The Episcopal Church” as well as what is working or broken within the ministries that support them, according to the grant application.

Survey results will be compiled into a report—to be shared broadly—that recommends changes to leadership training for those who work with young adults; changes in young adult preparation for leadership in The Episcopal Church; and changes to models for young adult ministry.

Phase 2 of the project will involve developing, testing, and evaluating models of change; Phase 3 will involve wider church roll-out and training on those models.

In its grant application, the Department of Faith Formation cited research that Gen Zers drawn to Christianity are increasingly likely to be immigrants, the children of immigrants, or from American Black or Latino families. They are less likely overall to participate in organized religion and have little trust in institutions represented in mainline denominations. The first generation to grow up as “digital natives,” they are described as the most mental-health-focused generation to date, with high rates of loneliness, anxiety, and depression.

Find “The Episcopal Church Leadership Project” survey for ordained and lay leaders online in English and Spanish.

Questions about the project can be emailed to Bronwyn Clark Skov, manager for Safe Church and special projects.

Content provided by The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs.

Action Alerts

The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations (OGR) identifies opportunities for Episcopalians to participate in our democracy. Click this link to find an action alert that you are passionate about and send a message to your members of Congress.