|
Beloved of God!
Blessed Epiphany-tide to you all. I apologize that this is late to get out to you. I got back to the office last week, but somehow sitting down to write didn’t make it into my catch-up schedule.
But it’s great to be back. I’ve said this to deans when we met last week: there is something about returning to a still-new position after a break. It feels that much more familiar, that much less new. So it’s been a wonderful time of returning.
Following are some notes about what’s going on for me, and for the diocese. It’s an exciting time!
• Last week I met with the Mission Strategy Committee to learn about the history of that important work in the diocese. Thanks to the Rev. Andi Taylor and Deacon Hilary Greene for putting the meeting together. It was great to learn about our current mission strategy and how we got here, and to imagine how they will be a part of the visioning process which we will undertake with consultants Ministry Architects. Next week I will be meeting with the co-chairs of the Healthy Congregations Task Force to review the feedback from the diocesan survey and discuss how to use that good work in the Ministry Architects process as well.
• Canon to the Ordinary Bill Parnell, the Rev. Chris Wendell, Laura Simons and I also met with the team from Ministry Architects to continue planning a week of visioning sessions in the diocese in March (the week of March 17). There will be many gatherings held at churches throughout the diocese. Each session will be led by two Ministry Architects consultants in a guided discussion format for one hour. Sessions will be capped at 20 participants to ensure everyone’s voice has a chance to be heard. Stay tuned for details about locations and sign-ups. My hope and prayer is that this process will help us to name our greatest priorities for the next chapter of our life together–as a diocese, and for my staff, specifically.
• I was grateful to meet with the co-conveners of the Task Force for Women Clergy in DioMass on Thursday. They sent me the following update to share with you:
“In November 2024, a Task Force for Women Clergy in DioMass was formed with 10 volunteers: The Revs. Zenetta Armstrong, Marya DeCarlen, Kate Ekrem, Hilary Greene, Meghan Holding, Tamra Tucker and Deb Warner, co-convened by the Revs. Mary Beth Emerson and Pam Werntz, and Dr. Maureen VanNiel. The intention of the task force is to identify steps to help DioMass to create an ethos, a structure and a new degree of accountability ensuring equity, parity and respect for women clergy in our diocese. The task force will be recommending multiple long-term, systemic solutions and practices to dismantle and address misogynist tendencies and actions in DioMass, and to support healing. The task force has already completed three-quarters of phase one of its work and will share its findings and recommendations with the Bishop and will ask for input from the wider community.”
• Last week, I had the joy of ordaining the Rev. Molly Minnerath to the Sacred Order of Priests! Thanks for the wonderful hospitality, St. Paul’s, Bedford, and for an amazing turnout even on a snowy morning. This past Sunday I visited St. Mary’s, Dorchester and learned about the great work they are doing with Priest-in-Charge Tamra Tucker. What fun to confirm and/or receive three members of their vestry. On Jan. 5, I was blessed to be with the warm folks at St. Paul’s, Newburyport and their rector, the Rev. Dr. Jarred Mercer. If you are not aware of the work he and Dean Amy McCreath and others are doing with the St. Paul’s Center for Theology, please check it out here. There is a diocesan Ministry Discernment Conference coming up on Feb. 1 which will be oriented not exclusively for those pondering Holy Orders, but for anyone discerning God’s call in their life (register by Jan. 29 here).
• This week, I will be meeting with the Standing Committee, Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers of the diocese, the Rev. Dr. Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski and Jane Redmont, and the Executive Committee of the Allston Abbey. On Friday, I’m touring Sherrill House with the Rev. Tom Kennedy. On Sunday, I will participate in the “Love Casts Out Fear” Inauguration Eve Vigil at our Cathedral Church of St. Paul (details here). Thanks to Dean Amy McCreath for planning this with the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. I hope you can join us. It would be great if you could RSVP for planning purposes, but feel free just to show up.
• Coming up: On Monday, it will be a deep honor to offer the benediction at the 55th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast in Boston, of which the diocese is a sponsor. It was started in 1970 by St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church and Union United Methodist Church. Scholar and activist Angela Davis will deliver the keynote address. Next Tuesday, Jan. 21, I will install the Rev. Sarah Mato as Rector at St. Andrew’s, Framingham.
Finally, I know that we have all been watching with horror the devastation unfolding in Los Angeles as uncontrolled wildfires have swept through communities in the last week. I trust that you all have been praying for all in harm’s way, especially our siblings in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. To date at least one church has been destroyed, two Episcopal schools, several rectories, and countless homes of Episcopalians, as well as of those whom they are committed to serve. Many congregations in that diocese have stepped up to serve evacuees and first responders. If you have not already, I ask you all to remember the people of Los Angeles in your services this Sunday and consider asking for a collection to be gathered to support the work of that suffering diocese. To learn more about their fire response and resource, see their website here.
| 
