Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe receives the primatial staff from former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry on Nov. 2, 2024. Photo by David Rider

Episcopalians around the world and in various time zones gathered to welcome the Most Rev. Sean Rowe as the church’s 28th presiding bishop in a first-of-its-kind virtual investiture service, livestreamed Nov. 2 from the Chapel of Christ the Lord at The Episcopal Church Center in New York City.

Find links to the recorded service; worship service booklet; Bishop Rowe’s sermon; and event photos.

Rowe, formerly bishop of the Episcopal Dioceses of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York, was elected and confirmed as the next presiding bishop at the 81st General Convention on June 26.

Soon after his election, Bishop Rowe requested a simpler, scaled-down ceremony of Holy Eucharist and Investiture to encourage wider church engagement and reduce carbon footprint. A limited number of in-person attendees participated from inside the chapel.

The rich diversity within the multinational Episcopal Church was highlighted in several ways. A special “roll call” preceding the 11 a.m. ET ceremony featured video greetings from many of the church’s 106 dioceses. Water gathered from various provinces of the church was combined in the baptismal font. The Litany for the Mission of the Church featured 15 intercessors who shared prayers in the following languages: Eastern Shoshone, Mandarin, Juba, German, Arabic, Hebrew, French, Anishinaabemowin, Spanish, English, French, and Xhosa.

The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, who served as the church’s 27th presiding bishop from 2015-2024, presided over the first half of the service, which included a land acknowledgment from the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, who served as 26th presiding bishop; a welcome from diocesan and investiture committee representatives and House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris; the renewal of baptismal vows; and the presentation of the primatial staff.

Bishop Jefferts Schori joined youth presentative Maya Lattimer in offering prayers for the new presiding bishop, whom Bishop Curry presented along with Bishop Rowe’s family.

Bishop Rowe presided over the service of Holy Eucharist and delivered a sermon based on the Gospel passage of John 11:32-44.

“I believe that it is in our gathered communities across our church where we come closest to glimpsing the real power of the story of Lazarus,” he said. “Every time we feed the hungry, care for the sick, and welcome the stranger, we are reaching for life in the face of death. As we baptize and bury God’s people, as we make disciples and proclaim the gospel, as we soothe the suffering and shield the joyous, we are unbinding our congregations and setting our hurting world free.”

Read the full text of Bishop Rowe’s investiture sermon.

The service also included greetings from the Anglican Communion Office. Bishop Rowe encouraged donations to Episcopal Migration Ministries during the offertory through a QR code in the worship service booklet. Per the Canons of The Episcopal Church, Rowe became presiding bishop and primate on Nov. 1. He also will serve as chief pastor, president and executive officer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (the church’s corporate body), and chair of the church’s Executive Council, which next meets Nov. 7-9 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. All are welcome to watch livestreams of the plenary sessions.

Article from The Office of Public Affairs.

Join Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Diocese of Indianapolis and Bishop Doug Sparks, Diocese of Northern Indiana, online for a Pre-Election Prayer Service on November 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Join us on Election Night for a time of silence and prayer led by The Episcopal Church. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe will kick off the evening with a reflection at 8 p.m. ET, followed by prayers for our nation and all people.

The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations has put together several resources and ideas for how we can help everyone eligible vote faithfully. Getting souls to the polls isn’t just about casting our own vote but helping everyone eligible vote faithfully. We can empower every voice in our congregations in this work. There are A LOT of resources, ideas, and ways to act captured on this page. Doing election engagement well does not mean taking on everything there is to do and being overwhelmed. Effective election engagement begins with looking at what your community’s needs are, what resources, skills, and interests you and your church have, and then proceeding based on how that capacity can help meet those needs.

Our 126th Diocesan Convention was held October 25-26, 2024. Thank you to St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Warsaw for hosting us this year. All Diocesan Convention related information may be found at ednin.org/conv. We have recently added content from some of the workshops presented as well as the text of the keynote address given by The Rev. Rochelle Stackhouse from Partners for Sacred Places.

The following people were elected at Deanery meetings or at Diocesan Convention.

• Dean of Central Deanery
• The Rev. Jen Fulton - St. Michael and All Angles, South Bend
• Diocesan Council (lay)
• Western Deanery - Ms. Valerie Schlink - St. Andrew's, Valparaiso
• Central Deanery - Mr. Larry Fullhart - St. John of the Cross, Bristol
• Eastern Deanery - Mr. Brice Vinson-Schisler - Trinity, Fort Wayne
• Diocesan Council At-Large (clergy or lay)
• Ms. Cheryl Hastings - St. Anne's, Warsaw
• Dr. Steven Wietstock - Cathedral of Saint James, South Bend
• Standing Committee (clergy)
• The Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Adishian - St. Paul's, Mishawaka
• Standing Committee (lay)
• Ms. Denise Stacy - Trinity, Fort Wayne

The following people were confirmed as foundation directors.

• The Rev. Canon Clay Berkley - Cathedral of Saint James, South Bend
• Ms. Jane Hunter - Cathedral of Saint James, South Bend

Parish Engagement Packet

Coming Mid-November

The Reunification Discernment Committee needs YOU, the parishes of our dioceses, to engage this discernment, to talk with one another and to us too. Your experiences and thoughts are essential to informing and helping us guide this process. This Engagement Packet contains all you need to participate.

We invite you to talk about the challenges you’re facing as a congregation, the impact your parish has on lives and in your community, ideas for how a reunified diocese could strengthen your ministries and callings, what you feel you need to know to make an informed decision on reunification, and whatever else you’d like to share with us at this point in the discernment process. We look forward to hearing from you!

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

Just Announced! Save the Date!

Fall Youth Retreat with The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis

Date: November 22-24, 2024

Where: Waycross Camp and Conference Center (Morgantown, IN)

Contact Carol Bianchini for more info.

2025 Winter Youth Retreat

Date: January 17-19, 2025

Where: Wawasee Retreat Center (Syracuse, IN)

Who: Teens sixth through twelfth grade

2025 Spring Youth Retreat

Date: May 16-18, 2025

Where: Wawasee Retreat Center (Syracuse, IN)

Who: Teens sixth through twelfth grade

2025 Youth Summer Camp

Date: June 8-14, 2025

Where: Camp Alexander Mack (Milford, IN)

Who: Campers entering third through ninth grade

2025 Sr. High Mission Week

Date: TBD

Where: TBD

Who: Teens entering tenth grade through graduating seniors

2025 Fall Youth Retreat

Date: October 24-26, 2025

Where: Wawasee Retreat Center (Syracuse, IN)

Who: Teens sixth through twelfth grade

Save the Date

2025 Spring Clergy Conference with The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis

Date: March 10-12, 2025

Where: Waycross Camp and Conference Center (Morgantown, IN)

2025 Fall Clergy Retreat

Date: October 13-15, 2025

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson, IN)

Access to the great Stewardship Ministry resources of TENS, The Episcopal Network for Stewardship, is again available for your use thanks to our diocese’s purchase of a TENS membership.

Click here to access this year’s TENS annual pledge campaign. When prompted, enter this year’s password:  Ephesians5:2  (Please note, this is case sensitive, and there are no spaces.) 

The TENS theme this year is “Walk in Love,” an invitation to recognize the gratitude and joy we have for God and our community that lead us to share our stories, our journeys, and our gifts. Note:  NOW is the time to organize your Annual Giving Campaign committee and start planning your success! 

To help you deepen your stewardship formation, TENS offers free webinars on basic best practices and deeper topics. The TENS Resource Library is full of teaching tools, liturgical practices, and practical tips for making the most out of your faith-based fundraising. All the articles are free to download and use in your ministry.

You can also sign up for TENS monthly newsletter to keep you apprised of upcoming trainings, opportunities, and inspiration for your mission and ministry.

May your Walk In Love be fruitful ~

Linda Buskirk

Faithful Stewards Commission representative

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.

Recent action alerts include:

• Call for a Ceasefire Now
• Tell Congress to Protect Dreamers
• Tell Congress to Help Welcome our Afghan Allies
• Call on Congress to Block Military Sales to Israel

Click here to read the Province V November newsletter.

SoulShop Suicide Awareness Training

Date: November 7, 2024

Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Eastern; 8:00 - 3:00 Central

Location: Berrien Springs, Michigan

Register Now

Suicide awareness within faith communities is critical for providing support, hope, and resources to those in need. Faith communities often play a key role in recognizing warning signs and offering guidance. By fostering open conversations about mental helath, faith communities can create a compassionate environment where individuals feel safe to seek help. Soul Shop is a training specific for faith communities to help start the conversation about suicidal desperation, respond with support and help facilitate connections to maintain safety.

This training is 7 hours and registration costs include participant manual and supplemental materials of community resources.

Lunch will be provided, graciously sponsored by the Andreasen Center for Wellness.

This training will not equip you to be a mental health specialist.

If you can’t attend this one in person, contact Marna Franson marna@upepiscopal.org to schedule a training closer to you.

Agrarian Ministry Certificate

The Agrarian Ministry Certificate will be a new, hybrid program with the Stevenson School of Ministry and the Procter Center. Its purpose is to prepare church leaders to teach, lead, and inspire their faith communities to steward the land in a way that is faithful to our call as disciples of Jesus.

Brian Sellers Petersen of the Faithful Agrarian and Jerusalem Greer of the Procter Center, co-founders of the Good News Garden Movement, will convene the certificate program.

This certificate combines online convenings, a directed final project, and an in-person retreat at the Procter Center. Learn more.