The Episcopal Church
in Alabama

News & Updates | July 12, 2023
Anybody who vaguely knows me knows that I love camp.
Every summer for over 50 years I have spent a significant portion of my summer at camp. My well worn line is, “My parents dropped me off at camp, and I’m still waiting for them to pick me up…but I’m just fine waiting!”
Retirement Reception to be Held for
the Rev. Canon Rob Morpeth,
Canon for Mission Support

A retirement reception in honor of Rev. Rob Morpeth will be held on Thursday, September 7 from 2-4 PM in the Refectory at the Cathedral Church of the Advent. All are invited to attend.

Rev. Cn. Morpeth, who has served the the Diocese of Alabama for 26 years, has been part of this diocese since 1990. He previously was the Coordinator of Blackbelt Ministries.

Please join us as we celebrate his time with the diocese and wish him well. If you would like to send him a card it can be mailed to: The Diocese of Alabama, 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35203, attn: Rev. Rob Morpeth.
Dara Miller to Join Diocesan Staff
Please join us in welcoming Dara Miller to the diocesan staff as the Director of Finance and Administration. Dara comes to us from Holy Trinity in Auburn where she has served on staff for the past 18 years in various roles including Bookkeeper, Financial Administrator, and most recently as Director of Parish Operations.

Originally from Atlanta, Dara attended Auburn University and was confirmed at St. Dunstan’s as a college student; she began attending Holy Trinity in 1996. “The Episcopal Church has molded who I am as a person, and has provided a wonderful avenue for me to serve God’s people. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve our entire diocese and I’m grateful to Bishop G for this opportunity,” Dara said. “I look forward to building new relationships with our congregations and supporting our parishes, as well as maintaining the strong history of fiscal responsibility within the Diocese of Alabama. I am thankful for and indebted to Rob Morpeth for all he has done to ensure that this diocese is not only fiscally sound but also poised to step into a vibrant, promising future.” Dara will begin her work in the diocesan office on July 24. 
St. Simon Peter and their special relationship with Lakeside Hospice
On February 17th, St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church in Pell City hosted a Mardi Gras Dinner Dance and Silent Auction to benefit Lakeside Hospice. This is the fifth time in recent years St. Simon Peter has held a dinner dance event to raise money for various ministries, and it has become a popular activity with sellout crowds each year. This year's event was especially meaningful because of the connection of St. Simon Peter to Lakeside Hospice.

Lakeside Hospice: Founded by Members of St. Simon Peter 
In 1991, Dr. Alex and Janis Miller, members of St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church, Pell City, founded Lakeside Hospice, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to care for the terminally ill. 
From the Episcopal News Service:
Episcopalians invited to learn about the remarkable witness of Holy Land Christians with Bearing Witness
Since 1988, through General Convention resolutions, the Episcopal Church has repeatedly called on its members to learn more about the remarkable Christian witness in the Holy Land and the humanitarian ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Three years in the making, a dynamic education program called Bearing Witness: A Journey with Holy Land Christians is now ready.  Continue reading.
Supporting Parish Vitality
Does your church have an Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) of fewer than 150 people? Do you need to update landscaping? Repave a sidewalk? Repair a bathroom? Paint the parish hall? Purchase a new sign?Apply now for a grant of up to $5,000 from the office of the Bishop. Applications will be accepted through Friday, July 21.

Now is the perfect time to plan for your parish's annual stewardship campaign in the fall. Schedule a 30-minute Zoom call with Claire Cotten, Director of Mission Funding for the diocese, to work through a simple checklist and make sure you're ready for stewardship season. Claire is here to share best practices and help your parish create a culture of giving and gratitude.

Please join us on Saturday, August 12, 2023, for the 26th Annual Jonathan Daniels Pilgrimage. We will gather in the courthouse square in Hayneville, Alabama, and begin our pilgrimage procession at 11 am. The procession will travel from the square to the old County Jail where Daniels was among those detained for a week after being arrested in Fort Deposit for picketing white-only businesses. The procession continues to the site of the old Varner’s Cash Store, where Daniels was killed. The procession ends in the Lowndes County Courthouse, where a service of Holy Communion will be celebrated in the courtroom where the man who shot Daniels had been tried and acquitted by an all-white jury. Register for the pilgrimage here.

The youth pilgrimage is a weekend of service and remembrance for youth grades 9th-12th grade. We will gather at Episcopal Church of the Ascension (315 Clanton Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104), with registration from 5:30-6:30pm, on August 11th. The weekend will conclude on August 13th around 2:00pm.


Spread the word! Pilgrimage flyers you can print or share:
CLERGY NEWS
Full-time Clergy Job Postings in our Diocese
For more information about clergy jobs in the Diocese of Alabama please contact
The Rev. Geoff Evans, Diocesan Deployment Officer.
Part-time Clergy Job Postings in our Diocese
Lay Job Openings in our Diocese
Holy Trinity, Auburn seeks a full-time Youth Minister to serve young people in grades 6 - 12. View the job description here.

Holy Spirit, Alabaster seeks a part-time Director of Formation for Children and Youth. View the job description here.

St. John's, Decatur seeks a full-time Director of Communications. You can view the job description here.

Ascension, Vestavia Hills is seeking a part-time Youth Minister. Click here for more information.

Ascension, Montgomery seeks a Children's and Youth Minister. View the job description here. For more information or to submit your resume contact The. Rev. Drew Brislin.

The Church of the Epiphany, Leeds, is in search of a part time Office Administrator to work two four-hour days per week. For more information or to submit a resume and references email epiphanyleedsrector@gmail.com.
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