November 2024

Diocesan Convention takes up its work as

"One Body in Christ, Members One of Another"

Clergy and lay delegates from eastern Massachusetts Episcopal congregations gathered in Quincy for the 239th annual Diocesan Convention on Nov. 9, with their new bishop, the Rt. Rev. Julia E. Whitworth, in the chair and an invitation to consider together what it means to be "One Body in Christ, Members One of Another"–this year's convention theme. 

As part of the day's business, the convention approved the $9.2-million diocesan budget proposed for 2025, and passed resolutions adopting a new antiracism formation program for the diocese and marking the 300th anniversary of the Boston Episcopal Charitable Society.

Convention recognized Bishop Carol J.W.T. Gallagher, who has served the diocese as assistant bishop for two years, and was a regional canon for four years prior to that. She will be concluding her work in the diocese as of Dec. 31 in preparation for retirement. Convention gave its approval for Bishop Whitworth, at her discretion, to appoint an assistant bishop in the year to come.

Convention also elected David Sullivan of Emmanuel Church in Wakefield to the Standing Committee, and Gabriel Colombo of the Episcopal Chaplaincy at Harvard as a deputy to the Provincial Conference.

Find the text of resolutions and other convention actions here.

More highlights from Diocesan Convention:

"Grace and peace to you, Beloved Diocese of Massachusetts": Bishop Julia E. Whitworth gave her first Diocesan Convention address: "We belong to the Creator God who made us in God's image, who made everyone in God's image, and loves us with a grace beyond measure. And in that belonging, we belong one to another, bound by love as a Church, bound by love to every being in this world, especially those whom we are called to serve and to protect in the face of danger and oppression."

Watch the address here.

During the convention's morning service of Holy Eucharist, an offering of $3,954 was collected for Episcopal Relief & Development's Hurricane Relief Fund.

The Rev. Dr. Maggie Arnold, Pam Mathews and the Rev. Tom Kennedy reported on the legacy and ongoing work of the Boston Episcopal Charitable Society.

Boston Episcopal Charitable Society's 300 years of "humble but profound work" recognized: Diocesan Convention also recognized the 300th anniversary of the Boston Episcopal Charitable Society–reported to be the second oldest continuously operating charity in North America–with a resolution encouraging ongoing membership and support to continue the society's work. 

Established in 1724 by a group of Anglicans in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, the society continues to provide grant assistance, through the clergy, to individuals in Episcopal congregations in this diocese who are facing financial hardship. The society also makes block grants annually to congregations located in areas of need.

The Rev. Will Mebane, with the Rev. James Hairston and Deborah Gardner Walker, presented the Racial Justice Commission's report and a resolution to adopt a new antiracism formation program created for the diocese. Watch the presentation here.

"Dismantling Racism through Racial Healing": Diocesan Convention adopted a resolution on a new antiracism formation program for the diocese, developed by the diocesan Racial Justice Commission and its Subcommittee on Forming Antiracist Episcopal Communities.

The resolution designated it "the preferred and primary instrument for antiracist training because of the care in crafting training specific to the context of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts." It commends use of the curriculum over the coming year as a trial period, after which a final version will be made ready "for adoption for required use for all clergy and lay leaders of the diocese and encouraged for all members of the diocese for our growth in Christ and for living out of our commitment to the Baptismal Covenant."

Representing the Diocesan Youth Council, Eli Baldwin of St. Anne's Church in North Billerica, Gabriella Entrican of St. James's Church in Amesbury, Juliet Stewart of St. Luke's Church in Scituate and St. James's Church in Cambridge, and Geneva Kelleher of St. Peter's-San Pedro Church in Salem reported to the convention on how they are learning, leading and advocating in the diocese and wider Episcopal Church. Watch their presentation here.

Retirement celebration to honor Bishop Carol Gallagher

The Rt. Rev. Carol Joy W.T. Gallagher

Photo: Bethany Versoy

Bishop Julia E. Whitworth and the Farewell Committee for the Assistant Bishop warmly invite the diocesan community for a celebration of Bishop Carol Joy W.T. Gallagher on the occasion of her retirement.

St. Elizabeth's Church in Sudbury will host the celebration, to be held on Sunday, Dec. 15, with open house from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and a program beginning at 5 p.m. All are welcome. RSVP by Dec. 6 here.

Parking is available at the church. Those using public transportation can indicate on the RSVP form if they need a ride from the Riverside stop on the Green "D" Line. 

Donations in Bishop Gallagher's honor are invited, here, and will be designated, at her preference, for the Bishop Alan M. Gates African Anglican-Episcopal Mission Center in Everett and the Episcopal Church in Navajoland. A gift of travel funds also will be made for Bishop Gallagher and her husband, Mark, to enjoy in retirement.

After six years of service in the Diocese of Massachusetts–two as assistant bishop and four prior to that as a regional canon–Bishop Gallagher will complete her work in the diocese as of Dec. 31 and then take sabbatical time ahead of her official retirement date in March.

Diocesan staff transitions announced

Bishop Julia E. Whitworth announced on Nov. 20 that Canon to the Ordinary Bill Parnell is preparing to retire in Spring 2025.

He joined the diocesan staff in 2016 and has been a critical member of the executive leadership of the diocese. His work has included oversight of the diocesan budget process; integration of mission strategy, governance and grants; management of legal affairs, real estate and Title IV disciplinary processes; and supervision of many diocesan staff and consultants. His last day on staff will be May 31.

The Rev. Canon Bill Parnell and The Rev. Chris Wendell

Courtesy photos

"I hope you join me in celebrating and giving thanks for his dedicated leadership to the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts," Bishop Whitworth said in her letter of announcement.

She also announced that the Rev. Chris Wendell, who has served as the rector of St. Paul's Church in Bedford for the past 13 years, has accepted her invitation to join the diocesan staff as Chief of Staff and Canon to the Ordinary-designate. He will join the staff on Feb. 23, immediately assuming oversight of Congregational Support staff previously reporting to Bishop Carol Gallagher, who will retire in December. He will also manage the diocese-wide visioning process with consultants Ministry Architects, assisting Bishop Whitworth in strategic realignment of diocesan operations and programming.

"Since I arrived in the diocese, it has become increasingly clear that Chris+ would make an amazing addition to our executive leadership. A period of overlap between Chris+ and Bill+ will serve the diocese well during a season of larger transition, providing coherent institutional knowledge and wisdom as we look to the future," she said.

Read Bishop Whitworth's full announcement letter here.

It was announced on Nov. 1 that Missioner for Networking and Formation Martha Gardner is retiring from the diocesan staff, with her last work day to be Dec. 6.

She came to her newly created position in 2018 and has been responsible for creating and supporting ministry partnerships and networks, as well as organizing and furthering the reach of educational, advocacy, and training events and resources, particularly as they relate to diocesan mission strategy. 

Bishop Julia E. Whitworth said in the announcement that she plans to distribute active projects among existing staff, while taking time to discern the future diocesan staff structure. 

Martha S. Gardner

Photo: Bridget K. Wood

"Please join me in thanking Martha for her dedicated service to the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts and wishing her every blessing in her retirement." Read more.

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe takes office, proclaims ‘one church in Christ’ for a changing world

The 27th Presiding Bishop Michael Curry presents 28th Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe with the primatial staff during Rowe’s investiture Nov. 2 at Chapel of Christ the Lord at the church’s New York headquarters. Photo: David Rider/The Episcopal Church

[Episcopal News Service]: The Most Rev. Sean Rowe began his nine-year term as the 28th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church with an intimate but festive investiture service on Nov. 2 in New York that was livestreamed to close to 20,000 viewers in homes, churches and dioceses in the United States and around the world.

Rowe’s two living predecessors as presiding bishop, the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, elected in 2006, and the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, elected in 2015, were among the small group of attendees celebrating the new presiding bishop’s primacy at an in-person Holy Eucharist in the Chapel of Christ the Lord at the church’s Manhattan headquarters. Participants in watch parties across the church joined in the festivities, as Rowe preached a message of Christian unity and purpose.

“We need to become one church, one church in Jesus Christ,” Rowe said in his 10-minute sermon. He emphasized the importance of supporting the church’s ministries at the congregational and diocesan levels–already a central theme of his nascent term, which officially began Nov. 1.

Rowe, 49, was elected in June on the first ballot by the House of Bishops and confirmed by the House of Deputies at the 81st General Convention in Louisville, Ky. He was partly chosen for his experience overseeing adaptive responses to the challenges of denominational decline, as bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania and bishop provisional of Western New York. In his investiture sermon, he sought to prepare the church for what is expected to be a time of great change.

Read more here.

Creation justice project helps churches find efforts that are right for them [Episcopal News Service]: A congregation that wants to be engaged in creation care has many things it can do–pollinator gardens, solar panels, energy audits, legislative advocacy, recycling, composting–but the Rev. Rachel Field says that having so many options can make it hard, if not impossible, for a church to find the approach that is best for it.

Screenshot: www.episcopalcreationpath.org

That is part of the rationale for the creation of An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice, which completed a pilot project earlier this year and now has expanded this fall. Rather than provide the 12 participating churches with a list of environmentally friendly activities, they each were assigned a trained companion–someone other than their parish priest–who helped church members discern what they felt called to do.

The "Path" grew out of the grassroots Creation Care Justice Network in the dioceses of Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts, and 10 of the pilot churches were in those two dioceses, with others from Connecticut and Maine. Its initial six-month pilot was made possible in part by a $20,000 grant in 2023 from The Episcopal Church’s Task Force on Creation Care and Environmental Racism.

This fall the Episcopal Path to Creation Justice was opened to additional churches in Province 1, with eight churches taking part. Field said they also have lengthened the program from six months to nine. “This [program] moves at the speed of relationship rather than just working through a document or assuming one size fits all,” she said, and that can take time.

Read more here.

New priests to be ordained: Everyone's prayers and presence are invited for these upcoming services of ordination to the priesthood:

• The Rev. Faith Mbuthia on Saturday, Dec. 7, 10:30 a.m., at Grace Church in New Bedford;
• The Rev. Amanda Rice on Saturday, Dec. 7, 3 p.m. Central, at Grace Church in Kirkwood, Mo.;
• The Rev. Silas Kotnour on Saturday, Dec. 14, 10 a.m., at Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield;
• The Rev. Sarah Neumann on Saturday, Dec. 14, 4 p.m., at Christ Church in Cambridge;
• The Rev. Molly Minnerath on Saturday, Jan. 11, 10:30 a.m., at St. Paul’s Church in Bedford.

Please contact the hosting congregation with questions regarding service details.

“How Is God Calling Me? A Day of Resources for Vocations of All Kinds": 

The annual diocesan Ministry Discernment Conference will broaden its focus in 2025 to include anyone looking for resources for discerning God's call in their life.  

Those interested in discerning calls to ministry in the church and in the world, both lay and ordained, are warmly invited to gather at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston for the Ministry Discernment Conference on Saturday, Feb. 1, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The gathering, jointly hosted by the Commission on Ministry and the St. Paul Center for Theology and Prayer, will feature Bishop Julia E. Whitworth’s reflections on discernment, a panel discussion with people serving in a variety of Christian vocations and an introduction to resources for individual reflection, communal discernment in congregations and churchwide discernment programs. After lunch, participants will be invited, in smaller groups, to learn more about the programs that most interest them. 

People who want to learn about the ordination process in the Diocese of Massachusetts are especially encouraged to attend, along with their sponsoring clergy, potential parish discernment committee members and family members. 

Online pre-registration is required and will open on Dec. 1 here.

Registration remains open for “Fostering a Future with Leaders of Color in The Episcopal Church in New England”: Are you a person of color, wondering about how God is calling you to move more deeply into leadership in The Episcopal Church, or considering how God might be calling you to grow your ministry, deepen your vocation and offer your gifts in the church as a lay or ordained person? Are you desiring a deeper connection with leaders of color in church? If you’re curious about the variety of spaces where lay and ordained ministry is more deeply connected within the church, plan to gather with leaders of color from around The Episcopal Church in New England for a day of discernment, story sharing and empowerment. The gathering takes place on Saturday, Dec. 14, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at Bethany House of Prayer in Arlington. Find details and register here.

“You Are Not Alone: Responding to Grief and Trauma by Building Relationships": The Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, N.H., will host this Dec. 20-22 retreat weekend, structured around Saturday presentations on facing loneliness and isolation; overcoming grief and trauma; and building relationships and social connection.

Retreat co-presenters are the Rev. Bob Davidson, an Episcopal priest and social worker who has served as a hospice chaplain and trauma counselor, and Dr. Anthony Valdini, Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine. Find registration information here, or contact the center at info@bchcenter.org or 603-547-3400.

It's not too early to be planning for summer camp fun: Registration has just opened for summer camp at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, N.H. 

The 2025 summer schedule includes Family Camp, June 27-30–an extended weekend of shared play, worship, community and rejuvenation that welcomes all family configurations–as well as four one-week youth camp sessions between July 6 and Aug. 1 that are open to campers completing 2nd through 11th grades.

Camperships are available to family and youth campers; anyone can apply when registering, here. Questions are welcome to kate@bchcenter.org or 603-547-3400.

Summer camps at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center are inclusive Christian formation ministries of the Diocese of Massachusetts, in partnership with the dioceses of New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts.

Nov 24: Bishop Gallagher visits Christ Church in Needham

Nov 27: Extended Advent Season Evening Prayer, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:15pm

Nov 28: MANNA Day of Gratitude, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 11:00am

Dec 1: Bishop Whitworth visits Church of St. John the Evangelist in Duxbury

Dec 4: Advent Evening Prayer, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:15pm

Dec 6: Cathedral Church of St. Paul hosts Zoom Compline Celebrating St. Nicholas, 7:00pm

Dec 7: Ordination to the Priesthood: The Rev. Faith Mbuthia, Grace Church, New Bedford, 10:30am

Dec 7: Ordination to the Priesthood: The Rev. Amanda Rice, Grace Church, Kirkwood, Mo., 3:00pm Central

Dec 8: Bishop Whitworth visits St. Peter's-San Pedro Church in Salem

Dec 8: Bishop Gallagher visits St. Paul's Church in Bedford

Dec 8: Advent Lessons and Carols, St. Michael's Church, Marblehead, 5:00pm

Dec 11: Advent Evening Prayer, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:15pm

Dec 11: Celebration of New Ministry: The Rev. Lynn Campbell, Church of the Advent, Medfield, 7:00pm

Dec 14: Province I "Fostering a Future with Leaders of Color" Gathering, Bethany House of Prayer, Arlington, 9:00am

Dec 14: Ordination to the Priesthood: The Rev. Silas Kotnour, Christ Church Cathedral, Springfield, 10:00am

Dec 14: Ordination to the Priesthood: The Rev. Sarah Neumann, Christ Church, Cambridge, 4:00pm

Dec 15: Bishop Whitworth visits Parish of St. Chrysostom in Quincy

Dec 15: Bishop Gallagher visits St. Luke's Church in Scituate

Dec 15: Retirement Celebration Honoring Bishop Gallagher, St. Elizabeth's Church, Sudbury, 4:00pm

Dec 18: Messiah Sing, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 5:15pm

Dec 19: Diocesan Council Meeting, via Zoom, 6:00pm

Dec 20-22: Retreat Weekend: "You Are Not Alone: Responding to Grief and Trauma by Building Relationships," Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, Greenfield, N.H.

Dec 21: Longest Night Service, Emmanuel Church, Boston, 7:30pm

Dec 22: Bishop Whitworth visits St. Mark's Church in Dorchester

Dec 22: Bishop Gallagher visits Christ Church in Andover

Dec 24: Christmas Eve at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul: Candlelight Mass, 7:00pm