Dear ,
I and my colleagues in the General Convention Office are inspired by and grateful for the creative and faithful ways you and the other congregations of The Episcopal Church have responded to meet the enormous challenges of the pandemic. I’m sure that filling out the annual Parochial Report is far from the top of the list among the many demands on you.
This year there is a special edition of the Parochial Report, and rather than a burden, I hope it will be an occasion to pause and reflect upon the amazing ministry you have accomplished amid the most difficult circumstances many of us have faced. So, to see how congregations are responding to the pandemic while living into such continuing priorities as racial reconciliation, you will notice that there are new questions for 2020. These questions provide an opportunity to tell the story of the inspiring ministry and determination of this year.
The information you provide is valuable: it shares your stories with the whole church, provides an informed context to mission planning, and affords us all an opportunity to thank God for the many blessings that occur even in a times of great challenge. Thank you for your leadership and for your service.
In the peace of this holy season,
