The 128th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana takes place this weekend. Please keep all clergy, lay leaders, and delegates in your prayers.

Dove Faith Cafe: Stories of Resilience

When: Friday, November 6, 7 p.m. (EST)
Where: Trinity Episcopal Church (Fort Wayne)

Join us for a night of stories of resilience. Hear stories from fellow Northern Indiana Episcopalians of where and how the Holy Spirit is moving among us as we offer our life and labors in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Opening Eucharist of the
128th Diocesan Convention

When: Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m. (EST)
Where: Trinity Episcopal Church (Fort Wayne)

The Opening Eucharist of the 128th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana will be held on Saturday, November 7 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Wayne. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks, VIII bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana, will preside. The Rt. Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, the 27th presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church, will preach. We will also be honoring The Rt. Rev. Francis Campbell Gray in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of his consecration and ordination as the VI bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana.

All are welcome to attend. Clergy are invited to process. The festal color is white.

Business Meeting of the 128th Diocesan Convention

When: Saturday, November 7, 11:30 a.m. (EST)
Where: Trinity Episcopal Church (Fort Wayne)

Registration: Registration begins at 9 a.m. (EST)

Parking: Parking is available in Trinity’s lot on the south side of the church off of Wayne St. (also accessible via alley off of Fulton St. and Broadway). Additionally, street parking is available on Berry St., Fulton St. and Wayne St. Street parking is free on weekdays after 5p.m. and all day on weekends.

Voting: During Diocesan Convention, simple votes will be taken by voice. If a voice vote is not clear or requires ranking or a 2/3rd majority, it will be taken electronically. This will be done using your email address, which you will need to be able to access on a device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) that you bring with you to convention. There is no website or application, the only thing necessary is access to your email.

Visit the convention webpage for additional information.

Congratulations to Iglesia Episcopal de Santiago/St. James Episcopal Church - Goshen for receiving a $20,000 New Episcopal Community Grant from The Episcopal Church!

Under a fresh approach to grant-funding for new Episcopal communities, The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council approved a $565,500 investment in 29 diverse projects during its October 2026 meeting. The recipients—who include multicultural and inclusive communities across the U.S. and in Europe—have defined their “next faithful step” in growing their outreach, ranging from resource development to establishing ministry and worship spaces. Read summaries of all the grant projects.

Rooted in and funded through General Convention resolutions A045 and A046, New Episcopal Community grants are designed to support developing communities that seek to reach new people, respond to their local contexts, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ in meaningful ways.

Informed by a year of listening and assessment across The Episcopal Church, the 2026 grant cycle introduced a new approach to accompanying these communities, inviting dioceses and leaders to share who they are serving; what they are learning in their context; and what resources will help them take the next faithful step in growing.

Eighty-five communities applied. The Advisory Group on Church Planting and Revitalization oversaw the review of 82 eligible applications representing 44 Episcopal dioceses, for a total request of $1.57 million in support. Evaluators intentionally considered whether ministries were reaching people not already connected to an Episcopal congregration or historically underrepresented in the church. 

“The response to this year’s grant cycle reflects both the vitality of this work and the significant need across the church,” wrote the advisory group in its recommendation to the Executive Council. “The 2026 grant cycle reveals something deeply hopeful about the church: There is more faithful imagination, more missional energy, and more possibility emerging across The Episcopal Church than our current grant resources can fund.”

Iglesia Episcopal de Santiago is a new Spanish-speaking Episcopal community taking root in Goshen, Indiana, where a large and growing Latino population has had limited access to an affirming, sacramental, and liturgical Episcopal community.

Content provided by The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs.

Election Day Prayer Vigil

When: November 3, 9/8 a.m.-9/8 p.m. (EST/CST)
Where: Livestreamed Incarnation Monastery

Join The Benedictine Way, Contemplative Underground, and members of The Episcopal Church in prayer for our democracy and for justice, mercy, and peace in our nation on Election Day. At an anxious time, come and enter into silence and contemplative prayer - for some of the day, all of the day, or check back in throughout the day. Please note that times listed on the flyer above are in Central time.

Veterans Day Service

When: November 11, 10:30/9:30 p.m. (EST/CST)
Where: Livestreamed from Honolulu, Hawaii

Mark your calendar to join Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and Bishop Suffragan of Armed Forces and Federal Ministries Ann Ritonia for a livestreamed Veterans Day service at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Bishop Rowe will preside and Bishop Ritonia will preach at a Nov. 11 Evensong service at the cathedral that will also be livestreamed. Bishop Rowe’s trip to Hawaii will include visits to troops at Okinawa and Pearl Harbor.

Episcopal Armed Forces and Federal Ministries recruits and supports chaplains discerning a call to serve in military and federal ministries. With 50% of military members being between ages 18 and 26, chaplains supporting U.S. troops are part of our church’s largest young adult ministry. 

In partnership with dioceses and the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, the AFFM team is building a churchwide network of Episcopalians committed to supporting veterans. All are invited to complete a brief survey to help the office strengthen ministry with veterans and support chaplaincy discernment.

Learn more about Armed Forces and Federal Ministries, and download the AFFM Cycle of Prayer to pray for our chaplains, our military members and their families, and for weekly special intentions.

Those wishing to support Episcopal chaplains and those helping veterans are invited to give a gift online. 

Content provided by The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs.

Support Curacy Initiative at St. John's - Elkhart

Friend and Family of St. John’s Episcopal Church, 

“Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord! Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;”  This hymn is our stewardship - Mary’s proclamation of God’s work of salvation.  Each of us has many blessings for which we rejoice in God.  One such blessing is our ministry with our Curate, Father Nolan.  He serves St. John’s and St. James’ faithfully in leading worship and preaching the good news. Fr. Nolan created a Young Adult Ministry with Augustana and Grace Lutheran Churches and serves with Father Jerry and Deacon Edith to create ministry for Spanish speakers in Goshen.   

The Diocesan Curacy program brings newly ordained priests to Northern Indiana to serve for three years with a mentor priest.  St. John’s and St. James’ called Fr. Nolan for his three-year curacy with financial assistance from the Diocese Curacy fund and other grants.  We had hoped to receive additional grant funds to cover all three years.  Due to a number of reasons, funding beyond the Curacy Grant is not available.   

We are committed to the three-year curacy for Fr. Nolan and are raising money to cover the costs.  To this end, we are inviting members, friends, and family to donate to our Curacy Initiative.  It is our hope to raise $130,000 to cover the next year and a half.  A generous donor has pledged up to $65,000 in matching funds.  All monies pledged or given will be matched! 

Please consider giving a gift to the Curacy Initiative at St. John’s in support of Fr. Nolan and in support of ongoing training of a priest that will serve the Episcopal Church for many years to come.  The last verse of the hymn, Tell Out My Soul, ends with “Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord to children’s children and for evermore.”  This initiative is a step of faith for the future of the church and sharing the Good News well into the future. 

Pledges must be received by January 15, 2027, to receive matching funds.  There are a couple of ways you can donate – 1) Pledge a monthly or quarterly gift through May 2028 or 2) Pledge or give a one-time gift.   

Click here to pledge or here to donate through our website.  All gifts are appreciated and designated gifts to the Curacy Initiative are matched through January 15, 2027. 

In hope and gratitude, 

Pastor Terri Peterson and St. John’s Vestry 

2027 Clergy Compensation Minimum Guidelines

Updated Clergy Compensation Minimum Guidelines, reflecting a three percent increase, were approved by Diocesan Council at their September meeting. Please review these guidelines as you prepare your 2027 budget. If you have any question, email Canon Carol Bianchini.

Learn about all open positions at https://www.ednin.org/employment.

Save the Date

2027 Deacon and Postulants Retreat

When: April 16-17, 2027

Where: Wawasee Episcopal Center (Syracuse)

2027 Spring Clergy Conference

When: May 10-12, 2027

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson)

2027 Fall Clergy Retreat

When: October 11-13, 2027

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson)

2028 Spring Clergy Conference

When: May 8-10, 2028

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson)

2028 Fall Clergy Retreat

When: October 9-11, 2028

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson)

The Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnerships (CBCP) is celebrating six years of learning, sharing and congregational strengthening.  Click HERE to read our final annual report to the dioceses of Northern Indiana and Indianapolis.

Questions? Contact Cn. Linda Buskirk, CBCP Project Director, at info@cbcpindiana.org.

Action Alerts

The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations (OGR) identifies opportunities for Episcopalians to participate in our democracy. Click this link to find an action alert that you are passionate about and send a message to your members of Congress.