Announcements

Upcoming Office Closure

The Office of the Bishop will be closed Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

A Full-Hearted Life by Bishop Owensby

Join Bishop Owensby on January 16 for an online reading of A Full-Hearted Life hosted by Sewanee: The University of the South. Click the photo above to register and learn more.

The audiobook for A Full-Hearted Life will be released on January 28 wherever audiobooks are sold.

Diocesan Events

Clergy Day

Register for Clergy Day by clicking here.

Save the Date: 46th Annual Diocesan Convention

46th Annual Diocesan Convention

Knowing Jesus: Live the Gospel, Spread the Gospel

April 4-5, 2025



  • The 46th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana will open Friday, April 4, at 5:00 p.m., with Eucharist at St. James, Alexandria, followed by a catered reception in the Parish Hall.
  • On Saturday, April 5, Convention check-in will commence at 9:00 a.m. at Best Western of Alexandria Inn & Suites & Conference Center, 2720 N MacArthur Drive, Alexandria, Louisiana 71303, 318-445-5530. The business meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.
  • Childcare will be available for all Convention events.
  • Convention delegates and alternates should be elected at each church’s annual meeting in January and their names submitted to the diocese for certification no later than January 27. An online certification form will be made available in early January.
  • Stay informed on the latest updates by visiting the Convention Hub on the diocesan website. 
Around the Diocese

Bishop's Visit to St. James, Alexandria

Congratulations to those who were confirmed this past week at St. James in Alexandria.


Pictured above with the clergy of St. James and Bishop Owensby are Noah Bordelon, Debra Guy, Shepard Searcy, Cullen Theus, Kaysie Busby, and Michael Brunet.

Want to see your congregation or organization featured?

Share your ministry stories, announcements, and events with us through the Digital Hub on the diocesan website.

Outside the Diocese

Montana church's wood bank ministry warms rural, low-income households

In rural Eureka, a small town nine miles south of the U.S.-Canada border in northwest Montana's Tobacco Valley region, St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church's wood bank ministry helps keep families warm every winter.


“In the very beginning, we didn’t know what was ahead at all. …St. Michael is a tiny church,” the Rev. Pattiann Bennett, the church’s retired rector who still leads the wood bank ministry, said. “But as it unfolded, community involvement has grown all these years, and some of the original volunteers still show up every Saturday.”


Bennett said she was inspired to start the ministry at St. Michael after learning about Beaverhead Community Wood Bank, Inc., a former ministry of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Dillon that’s now an independent nonprofit.

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Resources & Formation

Winterizing Tips from Church Insurance Agency

Much of the nation will be experiencing a significant freeze event in the coming days. With this in mind, Church Insurance Agency reached out to recommend the following basic preventive measures to protect church property from loss.


  1. Open cabinets and let faucets drip to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting. If your building will be unoccupied for a period of time, consider turning off the water and draining your pipes to decrease the risk of freezing.
  2. Drain outside faucets. Remove garden hoses from outside faucets; if possible, turn off the water and drain the faucets.
  3. Designate someone to walk through the buildings daily to verify the heat is on so you can spot any issues as soon as they occur.
  4. Take special care with space heaters. Keep them at least 3 feet away from flammable materials. Leave them on the floor. Never leave them running unattended. Unplug when not using, and never use them on the same circuit as other high-wattage electronics.


If you have questions or concerns about winterizing your property or regarding your current church insurance property and casualty insurance policy, please do not hesitate to contact them at 800-293-3525.

From Bishop Owensby

Accidental Contemplative

Practicing the Presence of God with a Floor Buffer

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The Episcopal Church Newsletter is handled by Thomas Stodghill, IV. Click here to submit a story.

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