Together, we are the body of Christ ~ transforming people from members into disciples, moving more deeply into God's call to life and ministry, and extending our mission beyond the status quo. | | |
Post-Hurricane Update From Bishop Russell
Dear Friends,
As we begin to assess the impact of Hurricane Isaias across our diocese, I am grateful to report that, for the most part, we have fared well. We have checked in with all our churches, and everyone appears to be safe and sound. Our church buildings and facilities have sustained only minor damage, although some pockets of our region are still without power.
We are grateful for this good news, especially knowing that some of our neighbors have experienced much more difficult circumstances. And if there is one thing we know about the people of this region, it is that we are resilient. We look out for one another, we care for our neighbors, and we get to work.
The church is being the church. Already, congregations and volunteers are finding ways to respond to the needs around them, offering food, shelter, and practical assistance to their neighbors.
Last year, in preparation for times like these, we co-sponsored and purchased several grill trailers and placed them strategically around the diocese so our congregations can respond quickly when disaster strikes. Now, for the first time, we are putting those resources to work. Teams from Andalusia and Niceville are taking the trailers to Milton, one of the hardest-hit communities, where they will prepare and serve meals Thursday and Friday.
As we learn more about the ways our churches and their members are responding, we will share those stories with the wider diocese. If you know of similar ministries taking place in your congregation or community, please let us know. We want to celebrate these acts of care and help others see how the church is showing up for its neighbors in this time of recovery.
Once again, Episcopal Relief & Development has been a valued companion and an important resource. Its support, including a grant to help fund community ministry, is helping us respond to needs as they emerge.
There is still work ahead, and recovery will take time for some of our neighbors. In the meantime, let us continue to pray for those affected, support one another, and remain attentive to the needs of our communities.
I am thankful for the clergy, lay leaders, volunteers, and congregations who are caring for others in the midst of this storm's aftermath. Thank you for being the church.
+ Russell
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MINISTRY HIGHLIGHT
Loaves and Fish: Kindness Goes a Long Way
By Jill Showers-Chow, member of Christ Church Cathedral, Mobile
At Christ Church Cathedral, the Loaves and Fish ministry, led by Deacon Pratt Paterson, provides food, hygiene products, and other necessities for the Blessing Box on Church Street. Parishioners donate these essentials to help neighbors experiencing food insecurity meet their daily needs.
The ministry has also begun addressing a significant need among students at Bishop State Community College through a weekly feeding program. Each Sunday before church, volunteers gather in the kitchen to prepare 100 sack lunches for students.
But this ministry is about more than making sandwiches.
As we prepare meals together, we fellowship with one another, strengthen relationships, and get to know the people serving alongside us. Most importantly, this work offers another opportunity to extend the ministry of Christ Church Cathedral beyond its walls and into the community we love.
Recently, I experienced firsthand just how much a simple act of kindness can mean.
CONTINUE READING
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Is There a Balm in Gilead?
By Joe McDaniel, Jr., co-chair of the Commission on Racial Justice and Reconciliation, and member of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church
The Rev. Michael Curry, former presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, built many of his sermons around a single, aching question from the prophet Jeremiah: “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored?” (Jeremiah 8:22, New Revised Standard Version). It is one of the rawest lines in Scripture, not a statement of faith but a cry of grief. Jeremiah looked at a nation fractured by injustice, exile, and moral collapse, and he did not pretend the wound was small. He named it. He asked, aloud, whether healing was even possible.
Curry took that ancient lament and turned it toward the present. He knew that the question is really an invitation, that naming the wound honestly is the first act of faith, and that the old spiritual which answers Jeremiah’s despair with a defiant “there IS a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole” was not written by people who had it easy. It was written by the enslaved, by people who had every reason to conclude that no healing was coming, and who sang anyway.
CONTINUE READING
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In Case You Missed It
- September 23 issue of Coastline READ NOW
- Licensed Lay Leader and Evangelism Offerings LEARN MORE
- Commission on the Integrity of Creation October Newsletter READ NOW
| | | Another wonderful BayLights at Beckwith in the books! Be sure to check out the photos captured by Cindy McCrory from Blue Room Photography! | | | |
Generosity in action! Thanks to the support of its donors, customers, volunteers, staff, and clergy, St. Paul’s Thrift Shop is proud to share how its 2025 profits made an impact: Through our community's generosity, we donated to 27 organizations serving our neighbors and making a difference across the region.
Our 2025 recipients include: Alabama Free Clinic, Alabama Sheriff’s Boys Ranch, Anchor Cross Cancer Foundation, Baldwin County Angels, Baldwin Family Village Foundation, Care House, Camp Beckwith, Catholic Social Services, Daphne Fire Department, Neighborhood Bridges, North Baldwin Animal Shelter, Prodisee Pantry, Seaglass Initiative, Spanish Fort Volunteer Fire Department, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Preschool, St. Paul’s Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic, The Dream Center, The Exceptional Foundation, The Lighthouse, The Shoulder for Men, The Shoulder for Women, Under His Wings, William F. Green Veterans Home, Willow Farms Equine Rescue, Wilmer Hall Children’s Home, Women’s Care Medical Center, and Women’s Health Center
Each of these organizations plays an important role in caring for our neighbors, strengthening our communities and offering support to those who need it most. We are grateful to help sustain their ministries and services.
A heartfelt thank you to all who made these gifts possible. Your support allows us to extend hope, compassion, and assistance to so many in need. Together, we are making a difference!
Pictured above: St. Paul's Thrift Shop president, Gaye Wilson, and treasurer, Janet Norman.
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One of the best ways we can celebrate the life of our diocese is by sharing what’s happening in your congregations. From special services and outreach efforts to fellowship gatherings and milestones, your photos help tell the story of our common life together. Use the easy form linked below to share your photos with us!
Submit photos HERE.
| | | Upcoming Ordinations to the Priesthood | | |
The Rev. Ellen Huckabay
Ordination Service
Wednesday, October 28
6 p.m. CT
St. James Episcopal Church
860 North Section Street
Fairhope, Alabama
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The Rev. James Holcomb
Ordination Service
Thursday, November 5
6 p.m. CT
The Episcopal Church of the Nativity
205 Holly Lane
Dothan, Alabama
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The Rev. Jessica Walker
Ordination Service
Wednesday, November 11
6 p.m. CT
Holy Spirit Episcopal Church
616 West Fort Morgan Road
Gulf Shores, Alabama
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Becoming Beloved Community Sacred Conversations
Saturday, November 7, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT
Online via Zoom
Join us for a workshop that will provide insights into the causes and effects of racism. We will explore unconscious bias, prejudice, white privilege, and ways to work together to become the Beloved Community. This offering is required for those in parish leadership (such as vestries) and at the diocesan level (including serving on
commissions, committees, agencies, or boards). It also qualifies for eight hours of clergy training/education for those who complete the full-day course. There is no fee to participate, but it requires the commitment to be engaged for the full day. The workshop is limited to no more than 30 participants, but we must have at least 12 registrants in order to hold the workshop. Please register by November 2.
REGISTER | DOWNLOAD FLYER
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Wilmer Hall's Fifth Annual Movie Night
Sunday, November 8, 5:30 p.m. CT
Wilmer Hall, 3811 Old Shell Rd, Mobile
Sponsored by Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance, a Higginbotham Partner, to benefit Wilmer Hall on Sunday, November 8. Join us on the front lawn (3811 Old Shell Rd) at 5:30 p.m. with your blankets, chairs, drinks, snacks, and whatever you need to get cozy for a night at the movies under the stars! There will be a dinner option on site, as well as a popcorn and candy bar!
The featured movie this year, “The Sandlot,” will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person or $40 MAX per family and are available for advance purchase at wilmerhall.org/events/family-movie-night or Venmo @wilmerhall.
Please plan to join us for a great time and awesome family fun!
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Happening #64
February 12-14, 2027
Beckwith Camp & Conference Center
Registration is open for Happening #64!
Happening is a weekend renewal retreat led by youth for youth in 9-12th grades. High school students put together an incredibly moving weekend filled with learning, sharing, and building relationships. Through videos, skits, talks, and more, Happeners see how God and their faith fit in with the ups and downs of high school life. Happening is designed to help youth feel God's love and the love of their Christian community. We hope that, by the end of the weekend, everyone goes home knowing how to keep growing in their relationship with God and having a group of fellow believers to rely on. It's a weekend full of fun, games, sharing, surprises, and most of all, spiritual renewal and empowerment.
DETAILS AND REGISTRATION
| | Submit a job posting for your church or Episcopal-related organizations HERE. | | | |
Occasional Supply Musician
Church of the Advent, Lillian, is seeking an occasional supply musician to supplement their current part-time paid musician for Sunday services at 10 a.m. The church has an organ but is also looking for someone who can play piano, keyboard, guitar, or another instrument. Payment can be arranged. Contact the Rev. Tina Lockett at 412.400.7400. Church address: 12099 County Rd 99, Lillian, AL.
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October 18
St. Peter's, Bon Secour
St. Peter's, Jackson
October 25
St. Luke's, Mobile
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October 18
Houston County Jail, Dothan
October 25
Butler County Correctional Facility, Greenville
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Episcopal Church Creation Care Grants open
with eco-region oversight
Applications accepted until October 20
The Episcopal Church is relaunching its creation care grant program, now with an emphasis on supporting local ministries connected to the church’s expanding eco-region framework.
The Church will accept proposals from now until Oct. 20 for grants of up to $15,000 to fund projects involved with “nature restoration, regenerative agriculture, climate advocacy, and environmental justice,” according to an Aug. 18 church news release announcing the latest round of grants.
The grant application—and additional information—is available online.
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Magnify: A Women's Justice Retreat
November 16-19
Camp McDowell, Nauvoo, Alabama
All lay and ordained Episcopal women involved in ministries of justice and inclusion are invited to attend this retreat designed to encourage, build connection, and bolster leadership for future women’s ministries. Offered by the church’s Office of Gender Justice in partnership with lay and ordained women from several dioceses, Magnify will include worship, prayer, Bible study, and teaching on women’s leadership.
DETAILS & REGISTRATION
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Subscribe to the Public Affairs Office’s e-mail lists to receive the latest information about The Episcopal Church. “The Episcopal Church Press Release Digest” provides up-to-the-minute information about news, events, and resources from The Episcopal Church. The “Daily Scan” is a daily list of links to news stories in the mass media that highlight The Episcopal Church, Episcopal parishes and dioceses, and Episcopalians.
SUBSCRIBE HERE
| | As a reminder, neither Bishop Russell nor any diocesan staff member will ever contact you via email or text message asking for special favors or gift cards. These types of messages are fraudulent, and you should never click on any links or respond to them. | | |
- Connect with the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast -
MAILING: PO BOX 13330, PENSACOLA, FL 32591-3330
PHYSICAL: 201 N BAYLEN ST, PENSACOLA, FL 32502
PHONE: 850-434-7337 | FAX: 850-434-8577
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