Beloved in Christ,
At ECMN Convention in September I introduced the Four Priorities, rooted in the findings of the Bishop Search Process and formally adopted by Council, that I see guiding us as a Diocese in this next chapter.
During my address, I mentioned that the next step for us living into these priorities would be to gather groups of people to begin praying, dreaming, and imagining. With ECMN Council leading this initiative, we have now launched five initial Discernment Committees: Discipleship, Faithful Innovation, Racial Justice & Healing, Latinx Ministries, and Team Ministry & Rural Congregations. Each of these committees has now met for the first time. Our Youth Commission is also engaging each of these priorities, and will be an important part of our discernment.
Click here to find a roster of each discernment committee and to learn a bit more about its purpose.
I hasten to add that these discernment committees represent the very beginning of the process. I expect they will consult broadly beyond their current membership, and in the years to come, there will be many, many opportunities for everyone around ECMN to continue engaging with this work.
While the output of each committee will be unique, common to all of them is that this work of discernment is both prayerful and creative. Each committee is listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit and imagining bold new possibilities. This work of discernment incorporates both deep listening and audacious brainstorming.
Participating in these initial meetings has been an immense privilege. I knew before being elected as your Bishop that ECMN was filled with incredible, prayerful, talented folks, but these meetings have been such an exemplary opportunity to see, hear, and experience that in a deeper way. These folks are coming together from diverse backgrounds, from across the state, many of whom have had no previous connection to one another, and yet, the energy was immediate, the ideas were immediate, the deep, challenging questioning and thoughtful, holy creativity were immediate.
I look forward to sharing the work of these teams in the months to come, but for now, I welcome your prayers for them and their work, and encourage you to begin to make space in your own hearts and minds for the prayerful, bold, and creative ideas that they will bring.
If you'd like to learn more about the structure of this process, we've linked below to a video of the presentation I made to the ECMN Elected Bodies a few weeks ago:
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The Right Reverend Craig Loya
X Bishop
Episcopal Church in Minnesota
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(FREE) 2021 Courses Open Soon For Registration Through the School for Formation
The School for Formation (SFF) offers a monthly email filled with resources, including one day workshops, 7 week online courses and links to tons of resources for your faith journey.
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Self-Guided Civil Discourse Classes
Make Me An Instrument of Thy Peace: Civil Discourse
Designed by the Office of Government Relations of The Episcopal Church, Make Me an Instrument is a free, 5-week course designed to help us bridge the divides that keep us from moving forward.
This course includes these five classes:
Civil Discourse in Context with Ranjit Matthews
Tenets for Civil Discourse with Shannon Ferguson
Values-Based Conversations with Alan Yarborough
The Complexities of Policy with Rebecca Linder Blachly
Sacred Space for Debate with Marcus Halley
Make Me an Instrument is ideal for those who want to take dialog between polarized people or parties seriously.
Bridging the Political Divide with Parker Palmer
Learn how to walk through our divisive political climate with grace and peace. Author and activist Parker J. Palmer shares inspirational and practical knowledge on how Christians might approach deep political division.
Faithful Dissent: Loving Our Way into a Brighter Tomorrow with Ed Bacon and Stanley Hauerwas.
We live in increasingly divisive times. From politics to sports, the gift of human difference can quickly become a chasm of serious discord and division. What does it mean for good Christians to disagree? How do we do so faithfully? Should Christians protest? How should they do so? In this class, we get answers from two prominent and, in many ways, opposing camps. Social activist Ed Bacon believes Christians should be at the cutting edge of social protest. Ethicist Stanley Hauerwas believes Christians best shine their light by living faithful lives, as people distinct from the world.
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Leading Beyond the Blizzard
Tuesdays, 2pm
Each week, all of ECMN is invited to gather online with Bishop Loya to stay connected to the latest updates relevant to faith communities, and to engage in formation together. Click here to register (once you register for one gathering, you have the link for all upcoming gatherings).
Nov. 17: Faithful Innovation: Navigating Annual Meetings Safely and Creatively in 2021
Annual meetings are non-negotiable, so ECMN faith communities have some choices to make about how best to do so, weighing best legal practice, community health and safety, and, most importantly, how to foster joy. How will you tell the story of God's faithfulness over the past year? How will you turn toward wonder about where your faith community might be called to meet God's ongoing mission in the world in the coming year?
Nov. 24: Bishop’s Book Club: Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace, and Healing by Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice
In Reconciling All Things, Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice, codirectors of the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School, cast a comprehensive vision for reconciliation that is biblical, transformative, holistic, and global. They draw on the resources of the Christian story, including their own individual experiences in Uganda and Mississippi, to bring solid, theological reflection to bear on the work of reconciling individuals, groups, and societies. They recover distinctively Christian practices that will help the church be both a sign and an agent of God's reconciling love in the fragmented world of the twenty-first century.
Grab your copy and get started reading now, then join us on November 24 for discussion.
December 1: Learning from Gen Z: Relationship and Inclusivity
with Sarah Barnett, Missioner for Children, Youth, Camp, and Young Adults.
While each generation is unique, with Gen Z (those born between about 1995 and 2012), we’re seeing the values previous generations held flipped on their heads. This generation values relationships and inclusivity above all else. We’ve seen this right here in ECMN! In 2012, the oldest kids in this generation were in middle school, and they were the ones who began asking for collaborative, statewide faith experiences. It is so important to be learning more about the values and skills that these young people are bringing to God’s work in the world, as well as growing our financial ability to support them through the Youth Scholarship Fund.
Upcoming Bishop’s Book Club titles:
December: The Wisdom Pattern by Richard Rohr

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Safe Church Trainings
In our Baptismal Covenant, we promise to respect the dignity of every human being. One way that we live out that value in ECMN is through the implementation of our Safe Church Policies.
Our Safe Church Policies establish and maintain standards intended to ensure that our faith communities are safe places where all of God’s people are loved and encouraged to grow into the people God calls us to be. These policies provide specific recommendations, best practices, and guidelines that seek to protect children, youth, and vulnerable adults.
Tier 1 training is required to be offered community-wide by each faith community annually. Tier 2 training, Safe Church for God's Children, is required for anyone who has access to facilities and/or is in ministry with children, youth, or vulnerable adults. Tier 3 Training, Safe Church for God's People, is required for lay staff and clergy involved in the management of youth or adult ministry.
Upcoming Trainings
Safe Church for God’s Children
- Thursday, December 3, 9am-12pm
- Thursday, January 7, 9am-12pm
- Saturday, February 6, 9am-12pm
Safe Church for God’s People
- Thursday, November 19, 9am-12pm
- Saturday, December 5, 9am-12pm
- Saturday, January 9, 9am-12pm
- Thursday, February 18, 9am-12pm

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Summit to Support Parents and Caregivers
December 6th, 4pm, Zoom
On December 6th, all those caring for children and youth in this difficult time are invited to come together to share, learn, and find inspiration and encouragement from one another. We need to feel and know that we are in this together. Many of us are feeling that we’ve pulled out all the tools in our toolbelt, and that we’re isolated from the village that usually supports us alongside our young people.
At this meeting you will be able to:
- Share your experience with others
- Meet other Episcopal parents in small group breakout room conversations
- Learn more about ECMN’s priorities and collaborative work to support youth
- Learn about and give to the Youth Scholarship Fund which sustains our inclusive ministries with young people for the long haul

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TEC in MN: Teens Encounter Christ on Pilgrimage
November 22, February 7, May 9
Our ECMN Youth Community is going on a hybrid virtual and outdoor pilgrimage for its TEC experience for this 2020-2021 school year!
Our middle school and high school retreat programs are joining forces for three amazing weekends full of online and outdoor gatherings, plus mailed surprises.
Each weekend will focus on one of the three major spiritual themes of the TEC experience through a ‘choose your own adventure’-style program. Youth will opt into small groups with their same-age peers around the things that best suit them. They can choose a group that is online only, outdoor only, or a hybrid.

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ECMN Earth Stories: An Environmental Listening Session
Tuesday, December 1, 7-8:30pm
Zoom
How has your congregation been involved in the Fifth Mark of Mission—to safeguard the integrity of creation? Join other ECMN faith communities with St. Mark's Cathedral and Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light to tell your creation care story, hear from others, and learn about a new program that can help your congregation increase its work for the environment.
As Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said recently, "We know that caring for God's creation by engaging climate change is not only good for the environment, but also good for the health and welfare of our people." He and other bishops interrupted their House of Bishops meeting last fall to join the Global Climate Strike calling for climate justice.
Perhaps your faith community also marched last fall, or perhaps you have been doing other creative things to respond to the climate crisis. Or perhaps you are just beginning to get involved. In any case, this gathering is designed to inspire hope for our creation care and to connect your congregation to resources that can help you grow your work.
We'll begin with a special Advent evening prayer devotional, then enjoy open storytelling from those who wish to share, and close with information about a new program offered by St. Mark's Cathedral in partnership with Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light that can help your congregation get more involved in climate justice ministry.
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ECMN Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Streams Live - Christmas Eve - 7pm
Re-Streams - Christmas Day - 10am
This Christmas, ECMN will be putting together a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service that will be live streamed on Facebook and Vimeo both on Christmas Eve at 7pm, and then again on Christmas Day at 10am.
This vibrant, festive service will bring us closer as an ECMN family, and feature faces and voices from across the state. Stay tuned for more details and links in the weeks to come.

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Advent Intercessory Calendar Available
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ECMN Called to Learn, Act, Pray for Racial Justice
In our webinar with members of the Presiding Bishop's staff discussing responses to racial violence in June, the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers helpfully framed the work as threefold: learn, act, pray. You can find resources to engage these practices by clicking the link below.
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Stories from the First Cathedral in Faribault, MN
By the Rev. Canon James C. Zotalis
The Cathedral is Built and Consecrated
I want to dwell on the First Cathedral's structure for future stories through the Advent season. The construction of the Cathedral started in 1862 and it was consecrated in 1869. Because of the custom of the church, the building could not be consecrated until everything had been paid for. ( Ironically the Cathedral Cloister built in 2005 to 2006 was paid for at its completion.) The cost of the Cathedral's building was under $100,000 with gifts coming from many people around the country. The first service was held on May 16, 1869 and Bishop Whipple baptized 15 people. The building of the First Cathedral was a great undertaking of faith by many led by our first bishop Henry Whipple. Click here to continue reading . . .
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The Episcopal Church Resources
The Episcopal Church Evangelism Grants are now open and available for local and regional evangelism efforts. Applications are due November 15th. Learn more here.
The Episcopal Church offers resources for faith communities and individuals. These resources are curated on the Episcopal Church website here, and include the Presiding Bishop's weekly Habits of Grace videos and daily morning meditations.

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Now that we've all begun adjusting to life online, we invite you once again to share your faith community's local events, and find out about others', on the Episcopal Exchange. As we're learning, one unanticipated gift of this time of distancing is the ways it affords us to connect closely regardless of geography. Check out what's happening in the next couple of weeks below, and share your events, at episcopalexchange.com.
Evening Compline Service
Please join Church of the Epiphany and The Rev. Lisa White Smith for a daily evening compline service each evening at 6pm. Compline, also known as Complin, Night Prayer, or the Prayers at the End of the Day, is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition. Please CLICK HERE to join.
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The Episcopal Church in Minnesota | 612-871-5311 | info@episcopalmn.org episcopalmn.org |
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