On Thursday, we learned that Episcopal Relief & Development is sending a relief grant of $15,000 to the Diocese of Northern Indiana to be used in response to the storms and their aftermath! The stipulations of the grant include giving $250 to households of two or less and $500 to households of 3 or more. The distribution can be in gift cards purchased from local stores in the affected area. These disbursements are intended to cover the cost of lost food and other expenses. Bishop Doug will be coordinating with Pastor Pamela, Pastor Charlie, and the Calumet Episcopal Ministry Partnership (CEMP) wardens regarding how best to disburse these relief funds. Thank you, ERD!

The EDNIN School for Faith and Ministry (ESFM) offers monthly classes to a blend of in-person and online students. Gathering in person one Saturday a month, mostly at the Wawasee Retreat Center in Syracuse, this semester of ESFM will offer courses on academic topics in in Hebrew Scriptures (in English Translation!), Applied Theology, Church History, and the History of the Prayer Book. The materials have been created by the Iona Collaborative at Seminary of the Southwest and classes will be led by local facilitators. Whether you are a lay person pursuing spiritual and intellectual enrichment, someone engaged in the process for ordination, or an ordained person seeking to continue your education, you are welcome to become a part of ESFM!

New this semester is Faithful Foundations for Buildings and Grounds. If you want to strengthen your ability to experience God’s loving presence in your work to maintain and repair the structure, mechanicals, furnishings and landscape of your church, this discussion group may be for you! We will address topics like Finding God in the (return to) Functioning, Refurbishment as an Act of Hospitality, Seeking and Serving Christ both in the One who Reports and the One who Repairs, Faithful Planning, and How to Keep your Head when Things Fall Apart. This class will meet on Zoom at a time that works for all enrolled.

ESFM dates for the Fall-Winter Semester will be: Oct 3, Nov 14, Dec 4, Jan 8, and Feb 6. The October and December - February sessions will be held in-person at the Wawasee Episcopal Center in Syracuse, IN and the November session at the Cathedral of St. James in South Bend, IN. Zoom participation is always an option whenever weather or illness or the impossibility of bi-location require it! There will be two classes running at the same time in each of three slots:

10 a.m.-12 p.m. (ET)

A—Hebrew Scriptures I: Exodus through Jeremiah ($250)

B—Applied Theology: God, Scripture, Creation, Sin, and Redemption ($250)

1-3 p.m. (ET)

A—Church History: Early Church through the Reformation ($250)

B—Prayer Book History and Practice ($250)

3:30-5:30 p.m. (ET)

A—Historical-Critical Theory and Practice – Hebrew Scriptures ($250)

B—Faithful Foundations for Buildings and Grounds* ($250)

*Online; After the first session, times will be decided upon by the class

For each session, participants will read assigned texts and watch video lectures beforehand. They then will come together at Wawasee (or the Cathedral or online) for facilitated discussion and other activities aimed at engaging the material more deeply. Afterwards, a written assignment will help learning take root and grow. Those completing the five sessions and their related assignments will receive a certificate of participation.

Register by September 20 so that you may receive log in credentials in time to prepare for the first class. Some financial assistance is available.

Jr./Sr. High Fall Youth Retreat

When: October 23, 7 p.m. - October 25, 11 a.m. (EDT)
Where: Wawasee Episcopal Center (Syracuse, Ind.)

Cost: $25

The Fall Retreat for the Diocese of Northern Indiana is for all youth in the diocese in sixth through twelfth grade. This two-night retreat will focus on faith, friendship, and fellowship. If you have any questions, please call or text Carol Bianchini 574-551-3087.

You will need:

• Comfortable clothing
• Modest pajamas
• Sweatshirt in case we plan to do outdoor activities
• Clothing for church on Sunday morning
• Toiletries and bath towel
• Sleeping bag and pillow
• Snack to share

Please register using the link below. Don’t forget to fill out the Medical Release Forms and Prescription Forms. We must have your completed medical forms in order for you to participate in the retreat.

Assessment calculations for 2027 are complete and available at the link below. In 2023, the Finance Committee recommended and Diocesan Council supported the reduction of each parish's assessment percentage by 1%, down to 14% (as calculated against the average of 3 years' worth of Operating Income). This is due in part to the sale of property and the reception of unexpected bequests. We are grateful for these blessings and are glad to be sharing them across the diocese, with each parish.

2027 Parish Assessments

Should you decide to request an assessment reduction, please review the links, timelines, and processes noted below.

Please send your completed forms to Missioner Carol

by Monday, September 14th.  

Assessment amounts and reduction request forms can be found at https://ednin.org/docs, under Assessments (Diocesan). Please note there are TWO forms to complete, along with several supporting documents, for a reduction request: 

• Application for Aid Through Assessment Reduction (Word document)
• Financial History Form (Excel spreadsheet).

Please contact Canon Carol Bianchini if you have any questions or need assistance.

Upcoming Convention Deadlines

Below is a list of upcoming deadlines for our 128th Diocesan Convention.

• September 1 - Diocesan office sends notice for various written reports.
• September 14 - Deadline for treasurer to deliver diocesan budget to Diocesan Council.
• September 14 - Deadline for written applications for modification of diocesan assessment.
• October 1 - Written reports due. Nominations due. Resolutions due to missioner.bianchini@ednin.org.



Visit the convention webpage for additional information.

Diocesan Leadership Position Nominations

Please consider nominating yourself or someone else (with their permission) to run for election to one or more of the following diocesan leadership positions. Elections will be held at our 128th Diocesan Convention on November 7.

• Diocesan Council At Large (1 person, lay or clergy)
• Province V Delegates (1 clergy, 2 lay)
• Province V Executive Board (1 person lay or clergy)
• Standing Committee (1 presbyter, 1 lay)

If making more than one nomination, please submit one form for each nomination. Nominations are due by October 1. In addition to the elections above, deaneries will each elect one lay person to represent them at Diocesan Council.

Call for Reports

The 128^th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Northern Indiana will occur on Saturday, November 7 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. If you are the chair of a diocesan committee or ministry, we are requesting that your yearly written committee report be emailed to Missioner Bianchini by October 1. If you would also like to make a three to five minute in-person presentation at convention, contact Missioner Bianchini.

Two new positions have just been posted! Please share the profiles linked below with anyone you think may be interested in serving in one of these faith communities.

• Rector (full-time) at Trinity Episcopal Church Fort Wayne
• Priest-in-charge (half-time) at Trinity Episcopal Church Michigan City

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

2026 Fall Clergy Retreat

When: October 12-14
Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson, IN)

Cost: $75

Strength for the Journey is the theme for the 2026 Fall Clergy Retreat. Led by The Rev. E. Suzanne Willie, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Chicago, we’ll discuss:

• Authority - Claim and Inhabit Your Authority
• Humility - Willing to Say I’m Sorry
• Beauty - How are you Fed…Immerse Yourself in God’s Beauty

The retreat is open to all EDNIN clergy--parochial, non-parochial, licensed, and retired. All parochial clergy are expected to attend. Please register by September 24. If you are unable to attend, please let us know using this Google Form.

The Rev. Cn. Terri Bays Named Candidate for Bishop in The Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes

The Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes will have Bishop Candidate Meet and Greets on September 21-25. Please keep Canon Terri Bays and the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes in your prayers as they journey through this discernment process together.

Save the Date

2027 Spring Clergy Conference

When: May 10-12, 2027

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson, IN)

2027 Fall Clergy Retreat

When: October 11-13, 2027

Where: Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center (Donaldson, IN)

Faith communities are invited to help us celebrate six years of CBCP by sharing a “Partnership Pitch” – a brief statement about the blessings of space-use partnerships at your church. Doing so could result in a $500 cash prize and shine a spotlight on your congregation at Diocesan Convention. For more information about how to make a qualifying Partnership Pitch, read our latest website blog post HERE.

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

A Reflection for the Season of Creation

The Season of Creation invites us to see the world not as a resource to be consumed, but as a sacred gift entrusted to our care. From the beginning, God’s generosity overflowed in creation: light and darkness, seas and dry land, birds and fish, creatures of every kind, and finally humanity, blessed to live in harmony with it all. The first chapter of Genesis resounds with God’s refrain: “It is good.”

The spiritual Plenty Good Room proclaims the same truth. There is space for every creature in God’s design, and the table of creation is wide enough to welcome all. Yet we confess that too often, we have lived as if creation is scarce and fragile only because of our own misuse. Pollution, climate change, and exploitation reveal the consequences of a mindset of scarcity – taking without giving, grasping without gratitude.

The Season of Creation calls us back to the truth of abundance. In the great economy of God, there is enough: enough food, enough clean water, enough beauty, enough shelter, if we steward these gifts wisely and share them justly. Creation is not a closed system of competition, but a community of interdependence, where every part plays its role and thrives in balance.

As stewards, we are called to generosity not just with our money, but with our choices: the way we consume, the way we share, the way we advocate for justice for the earth and its peoples. Every gift we return to God – whether planting a tree, reducing waste, investing in clean energy, or pledging financial support for the mission of the Church – is a testimony that we believe there is plenty good room in God’s kingdom for all creation to flourish. [Spanish … we believe that in God’s invitation all creation may flourish]

The Season of Creation is a chance to remember that stewardship is not just about sustaining the church, but about sustaining the world that God so loves. Together, may we proclaim with our words, our lives, and our gifts that creation is good, abundant, and holy.

“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” — Psalm 24:1

For Reflection: What is your role and responsibility in stewarding the Earth for future generations?

This reflection is a part of the Seasonal Reflections, which you may download in this year's Annual Stewardship Campaign materials.

Download the 2026/27 Annual Campaign Materials and prepare for a successful Pledge Campaign!

In God’s house there is always room for more: more ideas, more people, more ways to share, more stories to tell. And in the world that God created, there is more needed: more love, more connection, more peace, more creativity. Plenty Good Roomreminds us that there is always room in God’s house; we just need to make ourselves at home and invite others to join us. The ways we steward our relationships, resources, and responses to grow ministry and serve our neighbors are the ways we connect our gratitude to our generosity. There’s Plenty Good Room in God’s House; pull up a chair and sit down. Want to know the inspiration behind this year's theme? Here's the talented Lynda Randle singing the spiritual Plenty Good Room.

Our theme for the annual campaign this year focuses on our hospitality and how, if we ask members to be generous, we can always find a way to increase our work in God's kingdom.

Our 2026/27 campaign materials are ready for download now. As always, we offer our campaign materials in English and Spanish. This year's package includes:

• Seasonal Reflections and Questions - Advent through Christ the King
• Sample letters from clergy, wardens, and committee members
• Sample thank-you letter
• Logos and artwork for the Plenty Good Room / Invitados a la Mesa campaign
• Liturgical resources - Prayers of the People and Offertory blessings
• Pledge cards in Word and .pdf
• Campaign timeline for ideal implementation

Grace Episcopal Church’s Social Justice Committee invites you to the Larry Hayes First Amendment Forum. Episcopal priest and religion historian, Randall Balmer, is the main speaker at the second Larry Hayes First Amendment Forum on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at the First Presbyterian Church theater at 300 West Wayne Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Rev. Dr. Balmer will speak on his latest book, “America’s Best Idea: The Separation of Church and State.” The program will run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (EDT). There is no cost to attend. 

Also, all Episcopal clergy are invited to attend a private “Meet and Greet” book-signing for the Rev. Dr. Balmer, Friday evening, September 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Sunbound Books, 3215 N. Anthony Blvd., Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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.

Click here to read the September newsletter from Province V.