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Bishop Rob speaking at a service at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Pittsfield.

Encourage Youth Engagement in Convention

Each congregation and gospel-oriented community is entitled to certify one youth delegate, with voice and vote, by October 2, per Canon 1, section 1.3(b) of the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of New Hampshire. A youth delegate must be younger than 26 years of age.

The youth delegate is in addition to the eligible number of delegates per parish, based on the number of active members, as reported in the 2022 parochial report.

Being a youth delegate is a wonderful way for a young person in your church to learn about their voice and how parishes and the diocese work together!

Churches should use this form by the October 2 deadline to add youth delegates for diocesan convention.

St. John’s Great Summer of 2023

Maureen Gillum shares this update from St. John the Baptist in Sanbornville, reflecting on the season that has just passed: 

"Like many in the NH Lakes region, summer is typically the busiest season for The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist (StJB) in Sanbornville, NH. Under the adept leadership of the Reverend Kit Wang and Vestry team, St John’s is having an especially great and eventful summer.

Our 'little white church on the hill’, built in the carpenter gothic style in 1877, was in need of some work. The soaring green steeple and roof saddle required some major restorative and cosmetic work, amounting to a hefty $37,000 maintenance bill. Thanks to a most generous anonymous ‘angel donor’ within our parish, who offered a 2-for-1 match, and many other contributors, we were able to raise the funds in 4-6 weeks to pay for the much-needed work. Thankfully, the steeple and roof work were completed in mid-August and look wonderful! 

StJB has also focused on community building and community outreach this summer. Known for welcoming and feeding all well, St John’s has hosted five community BBQ dinners and three pie sales this season.

Finally, thanks to the kind support of our community partners and supporters, StJB’s EpiscoGolf 2023 Raffle is slated to bring in more than $11,000 to help local Children’s Charities! Since 1995, 100% of St. John’s signature outreach program – EpiscoGolf’s collective proceeds of almost $120,000 – have gone to help local kids in need."

Thank you Maureen for this update on a blessed summer in the Lakes region!

Youth Anti-Racist Online Worship

The Rev. Jay MacLeod of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in New London shares this reflection and video:

"On 23 August 2020, in the midst of the pandemic and in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, our young people created an online worship with the same readings as [a recent] Sunday. I just watched it, and I am stunned by their achievement. It’s a poignant offering of worship and a powerful indictment of racism. Volunteer Suza Lambert Bowser weaved it all together into a polished film...I well remember the bribes I offered to get my family around the kitchen table to sing a capella “Quirky, queer and wonderful,” a hymn that probably hasn’t had a wide circulation. The “sermon slot” features animation written by a New York rabbi.

I think others may be inspired by how a group of young people in rural New Hampshire crafted such inspiring worship that faced hard truths about racism yet lifted our hearts in hope at a very tough time."

Welcome to the Rev. Fred Chisolm!

We recently had the opportunity to learn more about the Rev. Chisolm. We hope you enjoy the short interview below!

What is your current clergy role?

I am a Deacon/Priest-In-Charge at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Walpole, New Hampshire.

What is your career background?

I am trained as an electrical engineer. I spent almost 40 years in manufacturing, mostly in plant-management roles. I am a half-time priest and will continue to work bi-vocationally until I retire from the private sector.

Where were you raised?

I was born and raised in NYC. I received my engineering degree from Yale and my MBA from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. After college, I worked in Southern California and then Chicago before moving to New Hampshire almost fifteen years ago. My wife, Alison, and I currently live in the Hanover, New Hampshire area.

Tell us more about your training and studies.

I started my theological studies online at Montreal Diocesan Theological College and then transitioned to the inaugural class of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire School for Ministry (SFM). I was ordained on June 10, 2023.

I also attended the Episcopal Preaching Foundation’s PEP (Preaching Excellence Program) in May/June of 2023. I am currently attending Backstory Preaching’s Preaching Camp – which is a six-week training course on the process of developing an effective sermon and an effective and efficient sermon writing process.

Prior to becoming an Episcopalian, I served as a Deacon and then as an Elder in the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA).

What do you do for fun?

I am a bit of a sermon nerd so I listen to 5-10 sermons a week across a range of Christian denominations. I have studied and taught both Tai Chi and East Coast Swing/Lindy-Hop dancing. I love big-band jazz and visiting museums. On Sundays after church, you can find us driving the beautiful local routes through small towns in New Hampshire and Vermont.  

Welcome to the Rev. Chris Gregorio!

The Rev. Chris Gregorio joins St. Thomas in Hanover as Curate. Chris was born and raised in the Upper Midwest but comes to St. Thomas and New Hampshire via Connecticut where he attended Berkeley Divinity School at Yale for seminary.

After graduating from seminary in May, Chris was ordained a (transitional) deacon in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut in mid-June. He is excited not only to join St. Thomas as Curate, but also to be a part of the life and work of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire. In his free time, Chris loves to hike, cook, and explore new places.

Welcome Chris! 

Welcome to the Rev. Veronika Travis!

The Rev. Veronika Travis joins All Saints in Littleton as their Rector. Veronika is excited to be returning to Northern New England this month!

She was born in Massachusetts and raised in Western New York. After finishing Smith College, she and her wife Molly joke that they spent the next five years moving up and down US 91 from Northampton, MA to Putney, VT, then Greenfield VT. They settled in Burlington, VT for eight years and then migrated south for Veronika to study at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA. After eight years in the Mid-Atlantic states, both are ready to see more snow and bigger mountains again!

The daughter and sister of Episcopal priests, Veronika spent many years working in communications for various churches, schools, and government agencies before answering the call to ordained ministry. Her great joy is in preaching sermons that encourage and uplift the ministries of lay people, and she seeks to help people see Jesus in all her work and life. Her main theological and spiritual interests are in mission and evangelism, as well as in using narrative to engage listeners in the Gospel message. In her free time, Veronika looks forward to exploring the White Mountains, starting a garden, and enjoying life in small-town New England again.

Welcome Veronika!

Special Event - Celebrating Bishop Gene Robinson

This year, Bishop Gene celebrates his 50th anniversary as a priest and his 20th anniversary as a bishop! 

To celebrate, St. Thomas' Episcopal Church on Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. will be hosting a celebration on the evening of Saturday, October 7, featuring the Washington Gay Men’s Chorus and a group of younger LBGTQ+ singers called GenOut that Bishop Gene has supported over the years

On Sunday, October 8, at 4 p.m. there will be a festive service of the Holy Eucharist at which Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will officiate and preach.

St. Thomas' plans to livestream the October 8 worship for those unable to travel to Washington, D.C.

We will share more information about this festive occasion as we learn more.

Save these dates below! For the full events calendar, click here.

OCTOBER

8 Bishop Gene Robinson Celebration

9 Diocesan Office Closed (Indigenous Peoples Day)

14 Solar Saints Conference

15 Bishop's Visitation: St. James's, Keene

29 Bishop's Visitation: St. James's, Laconia

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