| | View the weekly checklist of important upcoming dates and deadlines for clergy, wardens, and staff. | | |
Convention 2026
Important upcoming dates to prepare for Convention 2026
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9/24/26 - deadline for resolution submissions requiring expenditure
9/29/26 @ 6 p.m. & 9/30/26 @ 1:00 - Virtual Budget Road Tour
10/9/26 - deadline for leadership nominations & resolution submissions
10/19/26 - Vestry Certificates of Election due
10/28/26 - New Delegate Orientation
11/7/26 - Diocesan Convention
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Bishop José's Farewell Party | |
On Saturday, August 1, 2026, hundreds of clergy, parishioners, friends, and family gathered to celebrate and honor the Rt. Rev. José A. McLoughlin and his 10 years of service as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina. Bishop McLoughlin is stepping into a new role as Chief Administrative Officer of the wider Episcopal Church where he will be working closely with Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe.
The event on Saturday was held at Christ School in Arden, NC - a locale that is special to Bishop José as it was the first place he visited during the Bishop Candidate Meet & Greets in the search for the Seventh Bishop. It was a tailgate themed BBQ, paying homage to Bishop José's love for sports and pop culture.
The program was Emceed by the Rev. David Henson and included a 35 minute video tribute to Bishop José featuring video submissions from people around the diocese and beyond. You can watch the full video tribute above.
Gifts were shared with Bishop José from the diocesan staff and the Standing Committee, and to Laurel from the clergy spouses and partners. Bishop José took the stage to offer thanks and a reflection on his tenure as bishop.
The program ended with the liturgy of "The Ending of a Pastoral Relationship" from the Book of Common Prayer. It was a fitting and meaningful moment of worship to conclude Bishop José's time as chief pastor of the Diocese of Western North Carolina.
This event was full of humor and heart, and it was a beautiful tribute to Bishop José's legacy as the Seventh Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina.
Read more & see all the photos from the event on our blog
| | | | Bishop Transition Updates | Landscape Surveys Are Now Live! | |
Here we go! Our Landscape Survey is now launched and ready for you. Please find the link below to take the survey. Your responses will help us discern who we are and the qualities we hope for in our next Bishop. We want to hear from as many people from our diocese as possible and we are grateful for your feedback and time.
We have partnered with Holy Cow Consulting who will help us synthesize and understand the data collected from your survey. The data collected from this survey will help form our diosesan profile and guide who we are looking for as our next bishop.
If you have any questions, please email us at BishopSearch@diocesewnc.org.
| The Standing Committee has worked to assemble a Bishop Transition webpage. Communications, important dates, committee information, and all relevant and pertinent information regarding the bishop transition and search process can be found on this page. | | Join this workshop to explore community resilience and disaster preparedness, from disaster phases and practical tools, to the science of resilience, asset-mapping, and concrete action planning. | | |
August 8 | 9:00-1:00
Grace Church in the Mountains, Waynesville
lunch provided
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August 8 | 3:00-6:00
St. Luke's,
Boone
dinner provided
| | Splash! Pool Party for Youth | |
Join us for a evening of fun and fellowship as we start a new program year! This event is open to our diocese and will be celebrating the Youth, Children and Family Ministry in our diocese!
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August 22 | 6:30 -10:30 p.m.
Elks Lodge #1616 in Hendersonville
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Join us for guided adventures, live music, campfire sing-alongs, and more. Whether you're looking for outdoor exploration or a quiet moment with good company, Young at Heart Camp at Lake Logan has something for everyone.
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August 25-27
Lake Logan Retreat & Conference Center
| | | Middle School Fall Retreat | Middle school is an exciting, and sometimes challenging, season of life. This retreat gives students a chance to unplug, make new friends, grow in their faith, and experience a weekend full of games, worship, small groups, and adventure in God’s beautiful creation. | |
September 25-27
Lake Logan Conference Center
| | To submit an event, please review the submission guidelines and email event details and a photo for consideration to katie@diocesewnc.org. This space is reserved for diocesan, parish, and conference center events. | | |
Weekly Bible Study
& Sermon Prep
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This study and discussion will include exegesis and theological questions that the Lectionary texts pose. We will also explore supplemental texts for inclusion as supportive material.
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Weekly on Wednesdays | 4 p.m.
Zoom
| | | Historic Church Tours in Flat Rock | |
Seasonal tours of the 175-year old church building and historic churchyard (cemetery) continue at the Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock.
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First Saturday Monthly 11 a.m.
St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock
| | | Franciscan Justice Circle | WNC Franciscan Justice Circle is an ecumenical community reflecting on faith, justice, and creation care, and supporting one another in compassionate, justice-minded living. All faith backgrounds welcome. | Third Thursday Monthly | 6–7 p.m. Online | | |
Celebrate the sacredness of creation through Celtic liturgy, hiking Rufus Morgan Trail. Optional communal lunch follows.
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Aug. 8 | 8:45 AM
St. Francis Chapel
| | | The church graveyard is the final resting place of Lorenzo Ferrier who may or may not be Jean Lafitte. Pirate themed costumes optional! | |
August 15 | 7:30 a.m.
St. Luke's, Lincolnton
| | | We honor our rich history tracing our roots from St. Andrew's in Rutherfordton, right up to our current home. Come celebrate with us. | |
August 22 | 11 a.m.
Good Shepherd, Tryon
| | Join us for an inviting supper with sides & desserts! This year's proceeds benefit Calvary's Food Pantry. Suggested Donation: Adults $10, Kids 12 & under $5; $20 max per family. | |
August 22 | 5-7 p.m.
Calvary, Fletcher
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Join the Rev. John Rice in this deep and enlightening exploration of blessing prayer. Cost is free. A donation to cover lunch is invited. The deadline for registration is August 15.
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August 22 | 9-3
Grace, Asheville
| | | Friends of Music & the Arts opens the fall season with BANRIGH (Bahn-ree) — a Celtic harp quartet celebrating traditional Celtic music and culture. Free and open to the public; reservations required. | |
Sept. 20 | 4:00 PM
St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock
| | 5 Day Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat | Please consider joining us for a time of Centering Prayer in a sacred and beautiful setting. Time in Centering Prayer as a group deepens and expands our practice. | |
September 6-10
Lutheridge Conference Center
Arden, NC
| | Mystics of the Rhineland Pilgrimage | The Center for Spiritual Wisdom's sixth international pilgrimage follows European mystic saints from Amsterdam along the Rhine to Strasbourg. | |
October 3-13, 2026
Central Europe
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Celtic Christianity Retreat
| Through meditation, poetry, music, Forest Bathing, yoga, and prayer, join Rev. Bill Livingston for a weekend of discovery. There is a place for all. | |
September 16-18
Kanuga Conference Center
| | The Episcopal Church has a weekly newsletter and other regular communications. We highly recommend subscribing to their newsletter to stay up-to-date with news from the global church, offerings from the wider Episcopal Church, and letters from the Presiding Bishop. | | Have a story or event to share? | | Thank you for being a part of our Diocese! | | | | |
