Dear Friends:
In John’s gospel, just after Jesus’ resurrection, he comes looking for the disciples even as they are hiding from the world and he brings them two gifts in one. First, he says, “Peace Be with you”, then as he breathes on them, he says, “as the Father sent me, now I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
His breath recalls the creation story in Genesis, where God breathes into Adam and Eve and they become living souls. Jesus’ breath makes the disciples new creations, able to forgive sins, able to retain sins, amazing power and new life all given by something that can’t be seen with our eyes or touched with our hands, only felt. In Jesus, God comes to show us we’re forgiven.
On the cross, Jesus’ final request to God was for those who crucified him. “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they do.” His prayer demands that God enter into our sinful state, into the mess we’ve made, and bring us back to him. As far as I can tell, God answers Jesus’ prayer. He resurrects Him, sends His Spirit to be with us. From the cross, God saw more of us than our failure to love him, more than our bad choices. And He forgave us. Any chance we have at forgiving each other comes first from God forgiving us.
And forgiveness will hurt as it happens. As Christians, we’re called to forgive anyway. The families of Bart Rainey, Jane Pounds and Sharon Yeager have lived out their faith with enormous grace. With the support and love of their community at St. Stephen’s and beyond, they have, in their words, confirmed that “a senseless act of evil has been drowned out and lost among hundreds of acts of kindness and love.” As these families have extended mercy to Mr. Smith, the shooter, they’ve been witnesses for the legacy of our three martyrs.
Loving Jesus and our neighbors is what Christians aspire to do. As our Diocese approaches the first anniversary of June 16, please join me in continuing to pray for Bart, Jane and Sharon’s families, for St. Stephen’s and for Mr. Smith. As we pray to forgive, may we release Mr. Smith to God’s loving care and find that in doing so, we’ve also been set free. May we seek always to forgive the sins of any, as we have been forgiven and give thanks for the grace of God in all things. May we always trust that the love of Jesus will heal us.
I hope I see you at church soon, Blessings, +G
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The Rev. Canon Rob Morpeth to Retire in 2023
The Rev. Canon Rob Morpeth, who has faithfully served the diocese since 1998, will retire later this year. We are grateful for his many gifts, commitment, and leadership. Details about an event to celebrate Rob and his ministry with us will be announced in the next several months.
We are currently accepting applications for the Cannon for Mission Support position. The Canon for Mission Support provides day to day financial oversight of the Diocese, serves as Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of the Diocese, has key roles in administration of church insurance and church pension fund administration, is responsible for property management and to the fullest extent supports the implementation of the vision of the Bishop and diocesan leadership, building a strong connection with the Bishop, staff, clergy, and lay leaders. This position is open to lay and ordained candidates, reporting directly to the Bishop. Applications will be accepted through June 15, 2023 and can be emailed to Dr. Jordan Rippy. The job description can be found here.
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May 4 - 6
Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center
Rotary International, in partnership with The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the Institute for Human Rights at the University of Alabama Birmingham, presents the 2023 International Peace Conference (IPC). IPC will bring together people from across our nation and the globe to highlight the pursuit of peace at all levels of society. One of the speakers will be the Rev. Becca Stevens, Founder & CEO of Thistle Farms in Nashville, TN. For more information about the conference and Peace Concert on May 6 click here.
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Rise Against Hunger
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Birmingham
May 13, 2023
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
You are invited to join a Meal Packaging Experience with St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Birmingham, in the movement to end hunger. We will come together to package as many as 50,112 meals to help serve this need. Anyone is welcome to pack meals with us, both people from Saint Stephen’s and from the wider Birmingham community. This event is a great way to involve your family and children, ages 4+.
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May 7, 4:00pm
Please join us for poetry and prose readings from Matthew Layne's Miracle Strip and Barbara Sloan's Theater Is My Life!, followed by book signings.
Learn more about
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May 13, 9:00am - noon
Everyone is invited for children's activities, art, a plant sale, eco-stewardship, live animals, and more!
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Sunday, May 14 at 5:00 p.m.
This service was created to celebrate the Great Fifty Days of Easter and the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please join us for beautiful Easter hymns offered by The ASO String Quartet, St. Mary’s-on-the Highlands Parish Choir, and organ. Following the service of lessons, congregational singing, choir anthems, solos, duets, and instrumental music, please join us for a parish-wide reception in the garden. We hope to see you there!
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Calling all camp counselors!
Foothills Day Camp in Anniston is calling you for this awesome ministry opportunity, July 17 - July 22. Camp Staff are youths ages 15 and up. Modeled after Sawyerville, this is a great place to serve in the love of Jesus. The children who attend FDC are ages 6-10, and the majority of these campers would not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in a summer camp.
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The deadline is May 5!
Parish-based outreach grants applications are now being accepted.
Parish-based Outreach Grants, offered by the Department of Mission and Outreach, enable parishes in the Diocese of Alabama to engage in new and creative ways of being Christ's hands and feet in the world. Parishes are invited to apply for new outreach programs, new projects within an existing program, or a new cost associated with an existing program. Find out more here.
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Diocese seeks Missioner for Youth, Campus, and Young Adult Ministries
Please submit resume and cover letter by May 5
The diocese is now accepting applications for this position, and the job description is available here. The missioner organizes diocesan level ministry for youth, college students, and young adults and provides resources for parish ministry to the same age groups. Those interested should email a cover letter and resume to the Rev. Cn. Kelley Hudlow.
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Summer camp has been taking place in the diocese for 100 years! We are celebrating by inviting everyone to Camp McDowell from May 26-28th for many fun activities. This is the same weekend as Primary 1 and we will be joining them for an epic Pasture Party on Saturday night and a celebratory closing church service on Sunday morning.
This weekend will be an amazing opportunity to connect with old and new camp friends, and reminiscence about your Camp McDowell memories while making new ones. We are offering many different registration options for those who want day passes as well as those who would like to come for the whole weekend.
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Clergy Transitions
Please join the diocese in celebrating the calling of clergy
to several new positions:
- The Rev. Richard Ahlquist has been called to be the Transitional Deacon in Charge of Holy Cross in Trussville.
- The Rev. William “Pete” Burgess has been called as Rector of Holy Trinity in Auburn. Pete previously served as Associate Rector at St. Paul’s in Mobile in the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast.
- The Rev. David Hodnett has been called to be the Transitional Deacon in Charge of St. Michael’s and All Angels in Anniston.
- The Rev. Jane Major has been called to be the Transitional Deacon in Charge of St. Paul’s in Greensboro.
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Full-time Clergy Job Postings in our Diocese
For more information about clergy jobs in the Diocese of Alabama please contact
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Part-time Clergy Job Postings in our Diocese |
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Lay Job Openings in our Diocese |
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