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Last night during Compline, I read aloud these words from Matthew 11:28-30:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
This passage reminds me that I can trust Christ with my burdens or heavy lifts. I also love that the Episcopal Church encourages us to read this particular Gospel passage before going to bed.
If you are looking for a way to pray daily or more regularly, I suggest using Forward Day by Day. I primarily use the Forward Day by Day app, which features daily prayers and scripture readings from The Book of Common Prayer.
– Richard
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We invite you to join us for the ordination of Julia Gray Sanford to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Thursday, October 15, at the Chapel of St. Francis at Camp McDowell.
The service will be livestreamed on the diocesan YouTube channel. Click the link below to join us virtually.
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Experience worship with a different beat at Rock ’n Roll Eucharist, featuring live music from Mojo Trio. This unique service blends the familiar rhythms and lyrics of popular songs with prayer, reflection and Holy Eucharist.
Free and open to the entire community. All are welcome.
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Notre-Dame organist to play celebratory concert at Saint Luke’s in Birmingham
World-renowned organist Vincent Dubois, one of only four titular organists at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, will perform at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Birmingham on Tuesday, October 13, at 6:00 p.m., to celebrate the installation of the church’s new pipe organ. The one-hour concert, featuring works by Bach, Liszt, Saint-Saens, Poulenc, and Durufle, is free and open to the public.
Dubois, considered one of the finest organists of our time, has performed in major concert venues around the globe. His appearance in Birmingham not only offers music lovers an opportunity to hear a virtuoso, but also underscores Saint Luke’s commitment to continuing its rich history of outstanding liturgical music.
The Casavant Freres company, headquartered in Quebec, Canada, constructed the new Saint Luke’s organ, which has 57 stops, 69 ranks, and 3,980 pipes. Casavant has been building organs for customers throughout the world for almost 150 years.
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Fall Festival at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Alabaster
The Church of the Holy Spirit will celebrate the visioning work we’ve done as a parish and introduce a new mission and vision for the future of Holy Spirit on October 25. The fun will include Trunk-or-Treat, yard games, a bouncy castle, and live music! It will be a day to celebrate our church family and welcome our neighbors. All are welcome.
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The Cathedral Choir will sing Choral Evensong for Michaelmas this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Michaelmas is the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, the Archangel Michael being considered the greatest of all the angels.
The choir will sing the motet "Factus est silentium" by Richard Dering, which tells the story of Michael slaying the dragon. All are invited to come and worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and find rest in the gospel message.
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The Music at St. Mary’s series continues with a CONCERT featuring Anna Dodd (French horn) and John Lowe (organ) on Sunday, October 11 at 4:30 p.m. Music of J. S. Bach, Reinhold Gliere, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The half-hour concert is followed by CHORAL EVENSONG at 5:00 PM, with The St. Mary’s Choir, directed by John Lowe. Music of Charles Wood, John Bertalot, George Elvey, Roland E. Martin, and Sidney Campbell.
A reception (wine and hors d'oeuvres) follows the evensong. The event is live-streamed.
| | We are excited to introduce a jobs page as an additional resource on the diocesan website. Looking for job openings across the diocese? Explore clergy and lay opportunities at the link below. | | |
A Day of Faith and Justice in Scottsboro
Join us for a special, one-time joint gathering in Scottsboro bringing together two meaningful annual events: the Red Mass service and the Scottsboro Boys Pilgrimage. This unified day of reflection and remembrance honors the pursuit of equity, legal integrity, and the enduring legacy of the 1931 trials. We are excited to welcome as our guest preacher the 27th Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry. We hope you will join us.
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As part of the Fall Conference, the Diocesan ECW asks that parish priests, administrators and/or officers send the names (first, maiden and last) of their parish women who died between September 1, 2025 and September 1, 2026 to Lissa Weathers at:
lissaweathers@yahoo.com
or 5793 County Road 87, Roanoke, AL 36274. The deadline for submitting names is October 21.
MEMORIAL GIFTS*,
In honor of these women, are welcome and encouraged (they can come from individuals, churches, or parish ECWs). Please make checks payable to Episcopal Church Women, with Memorial Roll on the memo line, and send to:
Episcopal Church Women
Diocese of Alabama
521 North 20th St.
Birmingham, AL 35203-2611
*All Memorial Gifts will go to the ECW College Scholarship Fund.
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Fall College Retreat 2026: "An All Hallow’s Eve Fall College Retreat”
John 1:5 – “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
Join the Youth and Campus Ministry on Oct 30-Nov 1 at Camp McDowell for discussions and activities exploring the origin of All Hallow’s Eve, saints and spooky stories, and oddities of the Bible in a program led by students from Auburn University.
This retreat is for those who have graduated high school and are age 24 & under, whether you attend an institute of higher education or not. The cost is $50, and financial assistance is available upon request. For additional information, contact Campus Ministry Events Coordinator Jack Mann.
| | CLERGY NEWS AND JOB OPENINGS | | LAY JOB OPENINGS ACROSS OUR DIOCESE | | |
The Diocese is hiring a Finance and Administrative Assistant to support the organization's accounting and financial operations by maintaining accurate financial records, preparing reports, and assisting with month-end and year-end close processes. View job description here. Send resumes to Makenzie Oeder.
St. Matthew's Church in Madison is seeking a part-time Music Director to work under the direct supervision of the rector and lead and shape the parish's music ministry. Job description available here. Please send a cover letter, resume, three references, and links to any recordings of your musical leadership to the Rev. Emily Rowell Brown at rector@stmatthewsmadison.org.
The Church of the Nativity in Huntsville is seeking a creative and energetic Director of Youth Ministry. The ideal candidate is an effective communicator with experience in social media and digital tools, is well organized, has a spirit of collaboration and teamwork, a sense of humor, and a sincere love for all people. Full job description available here. Please send your resume to Austin Cook at acook@nativity-hsv.org
St. Luke's Jacksonville is hiring a part-time Parish Secretary who provides essential administrative and communication support to ensure the smooth operation of the parish. Full job description here. Please email your resume and cover letter to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Attn: The Rev. Robert Fowler, Robfowler3@gmail.com
St. Joseph’s on-the-Mountain in Mentone is seeking a Director of Music & Pianist. This part-time position is responsible for music planning, scheduling practices and rehearsals, and providing piano music for Sunday morning worship service and other services where music is an essential part of worship. Full job description available HERE. Send applications to the Rev. Drew Brislin at drew@stjom.church
St. John's Church in Decatur is seeking a dynamic, faithful, and visionary leader to serve as our Director of Youth and Family Ministries. This individual will shape and lead a vibrant, Christ-centered ministry for children, youth, and families. Please submit a resume, cover letter, and three references to: The Rev. Chase Ackerman, Rector, chase@stjohnsdecatur.org. Job description available here.
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