The Episcopal Diocese of

North Dakota



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Agnes Tsao Kou Ying, Agatha Lin Zhau, and Lucy Yi Zhenmei

February 5, 2026

Catechists and Martyrs | 1856-1862

Lord Jesus Christ, who willingly walked the way of the cross: Strengthen your church through the witness of your servants Agnes Tsao Kou Ying, Agatha Lin Zhao, and Lucy Yi Zhenmei to hold fast to the path of discipleship even unto death; for with the Father and Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Exodus 23:1-9

Psalm: Psalm 25

Second Lesson: II Corinthians 6:16-18

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13

*Learn more about Agnes Tsao Kou Ying, Agatha Lin Zhau, and Lucy Yi Zhenmei here.

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe's Ash Wednesday Letter to the Church

February 18, 2026 | Episcopal News Service

Dear people of God in The Episcopal Church:

When God told Moses to lead the ancient Israelites out of slavery in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh stood in his way. Pharaoh wanted power and control over God’s people, and Exodus tells us that the more serious the situation got, the more hardened his heart became. Despite locusts and frogs and all manner of chaos in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh remained trapped by his view of the world, which had himself and his power at the center. He could not see that God’s imagination was far bigger and more expansive than his. He could not imagine liberation for God’s people – or for himself.

Today, in the opening collect of our Ash Wednesday service, we ask God to “create and make in us new and contrite hearts.” I think of Pharaoh’s hard heart, and sometimes my own, when I say that prayer, and never more so than this year.

These days, it can seem as if we are living in a wasteland of Pharaoh’s imagination. We see the principalities and powers promulgating violence, dehumanization, and injustice on our streets, and it seems nearly impossible not to react along the lines of the divisions and polarization that our political leaders have championed. It is easy to have a hardened heart. It is tempting to get angry and be governed by outrage, or to grow cold and indifferent.

If we turn from Pharoah’s imagination toward God’s imagination, however, we find a different path. Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. With that great commandment, he is teaching us that we are all one, all part of God’s chosen people, and when we hate and revile each other, we are actually destroying ourselves. Theologian Howard Thurman, whose thinking helped shape the Civil Rights movement, put it like this in “Jesus and the Disinherited”: “The logic of the development of hatred is death to the spirit and disintegration of ethical and moral values.”

It is not easy to leave behind Pharoah’s imagination and its toxic drip of polarization that hardens our hearts and minds. The liberation we seek requires the conversion – the turning – of our hearts. We can begin that process anytime, but Lent gives us an opportunity to undertake the work together.

In the old 1928 Book of Common Prayer Ash Wednesday service, we called on the book of Lamentations: “Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned.” I believe that as we Episcopalians turn, as we fast and pray for the conversion of our hearts, we can make a great witness to a world that has been brought to its knees by the power of hatred and division.

On Monday of Holy Week, a number of my bishop colleagues will hold public liturgies or prayer services to lament the violence and hatred that has come to define our common life and to witness to our conviction that Christians must come together across our unholy divisions. I hope that if you can attend a service nearby, you will.

I will also host a service on Zoom on Palm Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern so that we can pray together for God’s blessing on our witness. Look for more information coming soon.

Like the apostle Paul, the conversion of the heart that we must undertake may start with a blinding light, but the ongoing change it requires is the work of a lifetime, and may require everything we have. This Lent, I pray that God might create and make in us new and contrite hearts that will sustain us as we make our witness to the world.

Faithfully,

The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe

Presiding Bishop

Bishop-Elect Consecration

March 14, 2026

VESTMENT GOAL: $10,000

Amount Received: $3,250

Dear Members and Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota,

With excitement and joy we are quickly approaching the Consecration of The Very Rev. Shay Craig as the 12th Bishop Diocesan of North Dakota. An important part of consecrating a Bishop is the presentation of the vestments and various accoutrements for the Bishop. This includes: Stoles, Chasubles, Prayerbook, Pectoral Cross, Ring, Cope, Mitre, Crozier, and the Bishop Rochet and Chimere. Many of these items have already been ordered and several are currently being created by artisans from our North Dakota Council on Indian Ministry and others connected to the Bishop-elect.

The Standing Committee and the Transition Committee are asking all congregations and members of the Diocese to donate to a fund which will pay for these items and their creation. Any remaining funds will be used to cover the cost of cleaning and general maintenance of these important items and vestments. We have already received funds from Christ Cathedral in Salina, KS, where The Very Rev. Shay Craig served as Dean of the Cathedral, and we look forward to receiving donations from across the diocese to support this project.

Jason Thoms

Standing Committee President 

Online Donations to Bishop-elect Shay's Vestment Fund Fund may be made using the "Donate" option on the website or by following this link. Make sure to select "Bishop Shay's Vestments" from the drop-down menu.

Checks can also be mailed to the Diocesan Office with "Vestments" on the memo line - 3600 25th St S, Fargo, ND 58104.

Have you remembered to RSVP for the Consecration and Reception?! Please do so at your earliest convenience so we can plan accordingly for seating and the meal at the Radisson Blu.

https://forms.gle/xUUK6FAd3b6L4yKA9

The Palm Sunday Path

Dakota Pro Musica Presents:

StoryMakers NYC Offers

Imaginative Easter Resources

February 18, 2026 | Episcopal News Service

This Easter season, StoryMakers NYC invites churches and families to journey into the living story of God’s faithfulness. With three dynamic Easter Adventures designed for kids and their grown-ups, StoryMakers equips families to engage in spiritual formation at home with confidence, while giving ministry leaders ready-to-use resources to support and encourage their congregations.

At the heart of this Easter collection are God’s faithful promises to us and to all creation. With this good news in mind, StoryMakers is offering engaging adventure stories, memory cards, playbooks, social-emotional tools, and digital downloads that help kids and their grown-ups step into the story of resurrection life together — with confidence at church and at home.

Easter One: Holy Spirit follows the life of Jesus and His disciples after the resurrection, helping children understand what happened next. Explore the Gospels and the book of Acts through imaginative storytelling, hands-on activities, and thoughtful reflection. This adventure provides clarity on the resurrection story and reassures children that the Holy Spirit helps us know that Jesus did not leave us on our own — God is always with us and for us.

In Easter Two: Luke’s Story, travel into the ancient world with the apostle Luke as a tour guide. Children and families step inside the story of the early church, experiencing the wonder of eyewitness testimony and the growth of a Spirit-filled community. Luke’s careful storytelling invites young readers to see how the resurrection shaped real lives — and continues to shape ours today.

Easter Three: Pinky Promise is an adventure with Jesus’s friends in the days following his death and resurrection, and the beginning of the early church. Explore amazing stories from John, Luke, and Acts, including Jesus appearing to his disciples, God’s promises poured out through baptism, the future home Jesus is preparing, and the epic arrival of the Holy Spirit! Through these stories, children discover that when Jesus left earth, he didn’t leave us on our own. The Holy Spirit comforts us and assures us of God’s faithfulness to us — and to all creation!

Designed for both church settings and home use, each Easter Adventure includes flexible, liturgically grounded materials that are easy for leaders to implement and accessible for families to continue throughout the week. Whether used in Sunday School, small groups, or around the kitchen table, StoryMakers’ Easter resources help spark meaningful connections about faith.



This Easter, StoryMakers NYC encourages families to embrace the good news: the risen Jesus has not abandoned us. The Holy Spirit comforts us, strengthens us, and reminds us that God is faithfully at work — and meets us exactly where we are.

For more information and to explore StoryMakers’ Easter resources, visit storymakersnyc.com today!

Colorado Youth Event (CYE)

Empowered Disciple | July 7-11, 2026

What does it mean to live life as a Christian teenager in today's world? How do you live your life through acts of faith in a way that resonates with the challenges of the present day and respects the dignity of every human being? How do we model a life that reintroduces a Jesus who is compassionate, nonjudgemental, and humble? Join your fellow high schoolers from around the country at Denver University July 7-11 for the Colorado Youth Event, as we discover what it means to be an empowered disciple. In the same spirit of EYE, we will gather for workshops, worship, faith, and fellowship. The event is for rising high school youth through graduated seniors who have firm grounding in their faith and are looking for a community gathering to learn more about God, themselves, and the Episcopal tradition.

Lenten UTO Panel Discussion

LGBTQ+ Task Force Inviting Survey Input

Episcopalians are invited to complete a 15- to 20-minute survey offered by the Task Force on LGBTQ+ Inclusion to help the church better understand how it honors the dignity of all people and where work remains to be done.

The 80th General Convention established the task force in 2022, charging it with conducting an audit of how The Episcopal Church has lived into its public commitments affirming the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. A survey report will be shared with the 82nd General Convention in 2027.

Members across the church—those who are LGBTQ+ and those who are not—are encouraged to share about their experiences with pastoral care, sacramental access, representation in leadership, and institutional accountability.

Learn more and complete the survey by March 15.

CIVIC SPOTLIGHT

The Prophetic Voice of the Episcopal Church

Submitted by: Amy Phillips, St. Stephen's, Fargo

Image from Pew to the Public Square

On Wednesday February 11, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe was a guest on 1A, a radio program distributed by NPR to stations around the country, including Minnesota Public Radio. This 1A program was titled “How religious leaders are responding to Trump’s immigration crackdown.” 

The voices of Bishop Rowe and other leaders in the Episcopal Church are increasingly present on the national stage, and theirs is a particular kind of voice – the prophetic voice.

What is a prophetic voice?

It is a voice that speaks truth with courage, compassion and clarity, that is rooted in Scripture, is shaped by prayer, and that challenges the status quo for the sake of justice, mercy and love (Rivers, Alban e-newsletter). The parentage of the prophetic voice in the Judeo-Christian tradition is traced back to the prophets of the Hebrew Bible (e.g. Amos, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah) with modern day examples reflected in the lives of, among others, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Martin Luther King, Jr., Desmond Tutu, Oscar Romero, and Pauli Murray.

Just as we need the priestly role to keep us grounded in our personal relationship with God through sacred messages and rituals, so do we need the prophetic voice to keep us grounded in right relationship with others, a relationship infused with God’s preferential option for the poor and oppressed. Ultimately, the prophetic voice reminds us of our moral state: “Few are guilty, but all are responsible” (Rabbi Heschel). 

In the context of our government’s violent and oppressive actions against our immigrant and non-immigrant neighbors, friends, and families, prophetic voices in the Episcopal church remind us of our responsibility and inspire us to action.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6, NIV).

Immigration Resources 

Know your rights training grants available through the Bishop's Office.

Bishop Thom is making grants available through the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund to Episcopal congregations who would like to sponsor “Know Your Rights” trainings. These sessions would provide Know Your Rights information for individuals at risk of being detained or deported by ICE or CBP/Border Patrol and would also be useful for congregations who want to support their at-risk neighbors and understand a congregation’s legal rights. 

Please contact the Diocesan office for more information or to access funds (office.ednd@gmail.com)

THE ACLU OF NORTH DAKOTA OFFERS UPDATED IMMIGRATION RESOURCES IN A CENTRALIZED RESOURCES HUB

Go to http://aclund.org/ImmigrantResourceHub to find information on:

• Immigrant's Rights: A comprehensive set of information on the rights guaranteed under the Constitution for every person, regardless of immigration status.
• Family Safety Planning Guide: A collection of information and documents that can help a family in an emergency.
• Recording and Documenting Police and Federal Agents: You are protected by the First Amendment to record and document law enforcement and federal agents performing their duties in public.
• Encountering Law Enforcement and Military Troops: Regardless of uniform, law enforcement is bound by the Constitution. 
• Know Your Immigration Rights: Printable resource which includes rights of immigrants and bystanders to law enforcement action.
• ICE At Work, Business Checklist: Printable resource for individuals encountering ICE at work and for employers seeking to ensure their employees are protected. (This applies to faith communities, non-profit offices, etc.)
• Warrants: A printable, sharable information page explaining how to identify a valid judicial warrant. (ICE must have a valid judicial warrant signed by a judge to enter your home or business.)
• Red Cards: A link to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center's familiar small, printable "Red Cards" that help immigrants and citizens assert their constitutional rights during interactions with ICE/law enforcement.
• Partner Resources: Amazing work is being done in ND and the region in advocacy for immigrants' rights. ACLU of ND is proud to provide links to our partners and their resources, such as the Immigrant Defense Network and ND Human Rights Coalition.

Diocesan Staff Email Addresses

The Rt. Rev. Brian Thom, Bishop Provisional - bishopthom@ndepiscopal.org

The Very Rev. Shay Craig, Bishop-elect - bishop.ednd@gmail.com

Ashley D. Hubbard, Diocesan Missioner - missioner.ednd@gmail.com

Jessica Krzewina, Diocesan Administrator - office.ednd@gmail.com

Sheila Leier, Bookkeeper - bookkeeper@ndepiscopal.org