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Serving Together: A Diocesan Day of Service
Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
@ The Chapel of the Holy Spirit
| | On Monday, January 19, the diocese gathered for a fantastic Day of Service, marked by generosity, teamwork, and joyful participation. Thank you to everyone who helped organize the day and to all who gave their time and energy. As Pastor Anders reminded us, may we continue carrying this spirit of service forward together in our daily lives. | | |
Check EDOLA's online calendar often to stay up to date—
from the St. Mark's concert series sponsored by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation to engaging webinars, retreats, and our Earth Day celebration—
you might be surprised by all that’s happening!
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Join Us on the Journey
Toward Beloved Community
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Registration Deadline: Feb 16, 2026
EDOLA invites you to join a pilgrimage to Jackson, Mississippi—a city that stood at the heart of both the Jim Crow South and the Civil Rights Movement.
Together, we’ll journey through our shared history and reflect on what it means for us today as citizens and children of God.
Our pilgrimage includes visits to the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. We’ll also be welcomed into courageous conversations by the faithful community at St. James Episcopal Church, the home church of our own Bishop Duckworth!
This isn’t just about looking back—it’s about understanding how the past shapes us now and discerning how we can move forward in faith, justice, and love.
| | For Parish Administrators & those who prepare the bulletin/digital newsletter: | | Yes, you read that right — HAPPENING is happening! | | |
HAPPENING is a youth-led weekend renewal retreat created by youth, for youth in grades 10–12. This powerful experience invites young people to deepen their relationship with Christ, ask real questions about faith, and explore what Christianity looks like in their everyday lives—all in a supportive, welcoming community.
We’re thrilled to be renewing HAPPENING in a way that truly meets the needs of the young people in our diocese. The energy of this group is electric—and there’s always room for more! Whether your young person is deeply rooted in their faith or just beginning to explore, HAPPENING is a space where they can belong, grow, and be encouraged.
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EDOLA Youth has its own Instagram—follow, share, and spread the word!
It’s your go-to spot for all things EDOLA youth: created by youth, for youth, and all about EDOLA youth. A great way for young people (and parents!) to stay connected.
| | For Parish Administrators & those who prepare the bulletin/digital newsletter: | | Cookies for Kairos Prison Ministry | | The Kairos Prison Ministry is collecting cookies for an upcoming Kairos weekend; the cookies are a tangible way incarcerated participants experience God’s love, the strength of Christian community, and the gift of grace and forgiveness. Your contribution helps make this powerful ministry of hope and transformation possible. Thank you for being a part of Kairos Prison Ministry for Women! | | |
Kairos Cookie Contact:
Deacon Alyce Jefferson at alyce02@att.net
Please communicate with Deacon Alyce by April 10-12, if you want to bake cookies. They can be frozen.
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Cookie Directions:
1. Make any kind of cookies you like, but no fruit, raisins, molasses, powdered sugar, or bar cookies. For example, chocolate chip, M &M’s, peanut butter, snickerdoodles, or sugar cookies are great. Make the cookies about 2 ¾” in diameter.
2. Please place cookies in a quart-size bag.
3. Place 12 in a bag, packaged in 4 stacks of three. They should fit tightly to allow them to travel well. Let the cookies cool completely before bagging. Cookies can be made ahead and frozen.
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We are grateful to have our diocesan treasurer, Keith Crawford, sharing church financial best practices with us. While this series is designed especially for parish treasurers and vestry members, it is open to anyone who would like to better understand strong, responsible financial practices in the church.
These skills are essential to sustaining and strengthening the good work we do together.
| | Save the Date: ECW Gathering | | | Pilgrimage to the Holy Land | | |
A pilgrimage to the Holy Land is one of the most powerful experiences in Christian life. Technology allows us to explore these places through video and books, which is a gift. But, when possible, an in-person pilgrimage is different. It changes the pilgrim, and it deepens the faith of those who hear the stories brought home.
In Lent 2027, we will have the chance to make such a pilgrimage together. Our Diocese has organized Holy Land pilgrimages since 2012. They were paused in 2020, and now, by God’s grace, they will resume. The pilgrimage is scheduled for March 3 through March 6, 2027. We will visit the Church of the Nativity, marking the place of Jesus’ birth; the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, marking his death and resurrection; and the many sacred sites in between.
Registration for this pilgrimage will open in late March and the capacity is limited to 35 participants.
Two Zoom information meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on March 11 and
March 16. These sessions will explain the itinerary, costs, and expectations, and will help you decide whether this pilgrimage is right for you. If you would like to participate in one of these sessions, please contact Lisa Sibal (lsibal@cccnola.org) to get the zoom link. If neither date works for you, but you would still like to consider participating, Lisa will take your contact information, and will arrange an alternative time to share the information.
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Beginning February 1, 2026, the access code for EDOLA churches will be: IWC2026_M25:35
This access code replaces the current one and should be shared with anyone in your congregation who wants to activate or renew their personal access to Invite Welcome Connect On Demand.
To get started or renew access, visit the Invite Welcome Connect On Demand site and follow the prompts.
How individuals activate or renew access
Individuals activate their own personal access by:
1. Visiting the On Demand training page
2. Clicking “Begin Training”
3. Creating a personal account
4. Entering the current access code when prompted
This short article and video walk through the process step by step:
https://www.invitewelcomeconnect.com/post/video-how-to-activate-your-on-demand-subscription
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LISTEN to the podcast HERE
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For Parish Administrators and those who prepare the bulletin: please add this QR code so parents can easily access our weekly podcast.
Hosts Grace and Lauren talk thoughtfully about Christian parenting, offer practical ways to use the seasons to guide formation, and keep things lively with plenty of humor.
| | Check out Fr. Ron's Clingenpeel's new song "Peace in Our Hearts" created for the Peace Box! (The Spanish version is also viewable on the Little Box of Good News Youtube channel.) Video by Tucker Manning. | | Happenings Around the Diocese | | |
Blessed Frances Joseph-Gaudet Mural Celebration & Blessing
@ Historic St. Luke's, New Orleans
January 11, 2026
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On January 11, the Historic St. Luke's community and neighborhood gathered to celebrate and bless the new Blessed Francis–Gaudet Mural, which now dramatically covers the front of Gaudet Hall.
The Rev. Dr. Jane-Allison Wiggin, Rector, led a jubilant procession from the church and offered a joyful blessing of the mural. Artist Keith Duncan, joined by his creative team JoLean Barkley and Wendo Brunious, introduced the stunning work. Soloist Joshua Stewart sang a beautiful rendition of "The Lord’s Prayer," adding to the spirit of celebration.
Historic St. Luke’s invites you to come by and experience the magnificence of the mural for yourself.
| | Pancakes with Santa @ Solomon Center
Dec. 13, 2025 | | | |
Pancakes with Santa
@ Christ Episcopal, Slidell
Nov. 29, 2025
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We'd love to feature your happenings, church, and parishioners here, too!
Please share photos of your ministries and community events so we can all see and celebrate the good work that is happening all around the diocese. Send photos to Nicole Eiden at neiden@edola.org.
| | New Employment Opportunities | | |
Rector, St. Augustine Episcopal Church, Metairie
Read OTM Portfolio HERE.
| | Brand new Job Opportunities at Trinity, New Orleans and Grace Episcopal, Hammond + many other openings. | | JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY | | Sign up to stay informed, learn more, and get involved. We send a diocesan newsletter once/month and occasional updates. | | | | |
