Weekly News & Updates

April 15, 2026

Diocesan News

From Bishop Stephen Lane

Dear Friends in Christ,

It’s been just about six months since I was elected your Bishop Provisional, and I thought you might be interested in some of what I’ve learned about the Diocese of Western New York.

I really like the Diocese and its people. I enjoy being with you. I enjoy visiting our parishes. I’ve been welcomed wherever I go, and I’ve had good conversations with parish leaders. Some parishes are in difficult straits, and all our parishes – city, suburban and country – are feeling the pressure of declining attendance and finances, but we’ve been able to talk about that frankly and to consider possibilities.

The folks I’ve met are deeply committed to their worshiping communities and eager to sustain and strengthen their ministries. You want to do well and are open to new ways of thinking and doing. The very enthusiastic group that participated in the Wardens and Vestry training day in early March is a sign of that devotion.

We have some very capable leaders, both among the clergy and the laity. Those leaders are paying close attention to what happens in their parishes and in the world around them. I get a sense that parish leaders are very focused on what needs to be done in their places.

At the same time, I’ve discovered that there is not much sense of “us” – of the Diocese. We tend to see ourselves in isolation from the Episcopal churches around us and from the Diocese as a whole. There are some good examples of collaboration in the diocese, i.e., the Genesee Regional Initiative, the ministry of our deacons, collaboration around the feeding program at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Genesis Center – but there are not many. And the Diocese as a whole has just a couple of ministries: YUM, CDRD and…

The clergy shortage and the lack of full time clergy positions in the Diocese have created a situation in which more than a third of our worshiping communities have no priest-in-charge. We cover worship pretty well through a combination of supply priests, deacons, and lay worship leaders, but too many parishes lack the support of a designated priest. I’ve directed the Deans to offer support to the clergy and parishes of their Deaneries, and the early signs are positive, but there is much more to be done.

It’s also clear to me that there is considerable tension around leadership. We want our leaders to act. In fact, we WAIT for our leaders to act. But we don’t trust leaders very much. We tend to be critical of the decisions that are made. And we don’t lend enthusiastic support. At the diocesan level, this leads to slow, cautious decision-making. We aren’t sure we are empowered to make decisions. We wonder if the parishes will support us. We wonder if the bishop will support us. And this means that we are not moving boldly and sharing resources and ministries in ways that would strengthen all of us.

This last piece is a cultural reality that has taken root in the diocese over a number of years, perhaps, decades. It impacts everything we do and will be a major challenge for the next bishop diocesan. Given the economic and generational challenges of our day, we need lots of ideas, lots of contributions, lots of healthy discussion, so we can build creatively, sharing our resources and supporting one another, both locally and across our Diocese. The challenges are too great for any one worshiping community to sustain itself without the help of its neighbors and the Diocese. And, if those larger pressures continue to push dioceses together, we will need a strong sense of us to participate in collaboration with other dioceses.

I’m hopeful about our future. I believe that the world needs followers of Jesus more than ever and that God is walking with us. I also believe we have the capacity to make course adjustments and adjust our structures and our budgets to address our needs. There is real urgency. We can’t sit back and wait to see what happens. God is inviting us forward and is awaiting our hopeful and energetic response.

Peace,

Bishop Steve

Invitation to Dignity Book Study

Dear Colleagues:

One of the most potent ways to combat the spirit of division, which seems to characterize our time, is to learn some deeper ways to respect the dignity of every human being – to learn how to appreciate and honor the experiences of those with whom we differ. I’d like to invite you to invest some time deepening your appreciation of the dignity of every human being.

Donna Hicks, PhD, was a faculty member at Harvard University, and gained a certain fame when she assisted The Most Rev Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of Capetown, South Africa, with the Peace and Reconciliation process in Northern Ireland. The purpose of that process was to create an environment where all the participants in that terrible conflict could face one another and tell one another their truth. The purpose was not to shame or justify, but to hear and to develop an understanding of what caused people to act as they did. In hearing one another, the people of Northern Ireland came to a greater respect for one another and began the process of healing and forgiveness.

Out of her experiences, Dr Hicks has written a book entitled Dignity: Its Essential Role In Resolving Conflict. As Bishop in Maine, I read the book with the clergy, and Dr Hicks came and spoke with us.

I invite you to read the book with me during the Season of Easter. You may read alone or with a small group in your parish. We’ll have a couple of Zoom sessions for everyone while we read. I’ve purchased a number of books, and I will share them with you at $5 per book, while they last. I think you might find what Dr Hicks has to say of great help in wrestling with the dilemmas we face in our congregations and in our communities.

If you’d like to be part of this book study, please be in touch with Cathy Dempesy-Sims by April 20 and let her know how many books you will need. If we run out, you can purchase additional copies from Amazon. Once we know who is interested, I’ll share a schedule for our conversations.

Thanks in advance for your interest.

Peace,

Bishop Steve

CDRD Virtual Workshop Series with the Rev. Isaiah "Shaneequa" Brokenleg

What does it mean to be Two-Spirit and why are they given a revered role as healers and spiritual leaders? Episcopal Indigenous Ministries speak of "living in right relationship with humanity and all of creation." What is meant by the theology of relationship? Have you ever reflected on your personal theology of relationship?

The WNY & NWPA Commission to Dismantle Racism & Discrimination invites you to join us April 30 and May 28 from 7pm-8:30pm to explore these questions and more.

For more information, CLICK HERE

To register for the Virtual Workshop Series and receive a Zoom link, REGISTER HERE

Regional Confirmations

On Saturday, September 19 at 10:30am at St Paul's Cathedral.

The Rt. Rev. Stephen T. Lane (Bishop Provisional of WNY) Presiding

If your congregation has anyone to be confirmed, received, or reaffirming their baptismal vows; please send their name(s) to Shawn Slother to register and provide certificates.

April EpiscoPints

Our March gathering is on April 30 at 7pm at Fattey Beer Company in Kenmore.

The Rev. Bonnie Morris will lead our discussion, Exploring Faith Together.

Pull up a chair and join an open, relaxed conversation about what it means to be Episcopal. No pressure, no prep work — just thoughtful questions, shared stories, and space to wonder together.

Episcopal Church Educational Scholarships

Applications are being accepted for a variety of educational scholarships from The Episcopal Church for the 2026–2027 academic year.

The deadline to apply online is Friday, May 15. All applicants must be Episcopalians.

For more information and to apply, CLICK HERE

Episcopal News Service

Stay informed on everything in the wider Church by visiting and/or subscribing to the Episcopal News Service (ENS).

ENS WEBSITE

Prayer for the Bishop Search

Gracious God, we give thanks for your loving care for the people of the Diocese of WNY and the members of the Bishop’s Search and Transition Committees. Give us wisdom and understanding as we discern your will. We

ask for the gifts of honesty, to speak the truth in love; openness to the gifts and ideas of others and to the Holy Spirit; and willingness, to see your Light shining among us and on the path ahead. Prepare for our Diocese a bishop who will be a faithful pastor, and equip us for the ministries to which we are

called in these changing times. Help us to love and serve your world and one another in the Spirit of Christ, trusting in you to be our steadfast helper and guide; let us pray to the Lord. AMEN.

Ordination Anniversary

The Rev. Frieda Van Baalen Webb: April 15

We give you thanks, almighty and gracious God, that you have blessed us with their ministry, and we pray that they may continue to exemplify in word and deed the Gospel of your Son. Amen

Youth & Children Ministry

YUM Schedule

Join Wendy Schumacher for Youth United in Ministry (YUM) for these upcoming events.

For details and to participate, please contact:

Wendy Schumacher

Missioner for Youth & Children

EMAIL or 716-830-5443

Sleep Away Camp 2026

Summer Camp is a long-standing tradition in the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, and we are delighted to share that planning is underway for this year’s camp.

Sleep Away Camp will be held August 9–12 at the Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center in Bemus Point. Camp is open to all youth currently in 2nd through 12th grade, and campers will be divided into three groups based on grade level to ensure age-appropriate programming and activities.

Registration

To register a camper, REGISTER HERE 

Camp Staff Opportunities

We may be in need of additional staff this summer. If you are 18 or older and feel called to serve at diocesan camp, please reach out to Youth Missioner, Wendy Schumacher, to explore whether this ministry might be a good fit.

For more information, CLICK HERE

Church Profile

St. John's-Grace, Buffalo

What are the most vibrant ministries or strengths of your parish today?

A primary goal for our church is to be a diverse, open-minded and supportive space for all those who come through our doors. All are welcome at Jesus’ table ! We are particularly fond and embrace our ministry with Friends of Night People (FONP) in Buffalo. We make a special noise in church through our Noisy Collection where a bucket with bells is passed around for donations to the pantry. As soon as we hear the bells, we are eagerly pulling out our coins we have saved up for this ministry. We also support FONP with our annual Jeans Drive in November which also includes winter gear – warm socks, gloves and hats. We also are known for our annual Spaghetti Dinner...READ MORE

Congregational Events

Blue Note Concert

Trinity, Buffalo - Join us on April 17 for Krista Seddon's Jazz Series presenting Blue Note at 7pm.

Shades of Blue!

Tickets: $30

Students: $10 with valid ID

The Psychology of Christian Nationalism

St. Paul's Cathedral - Join us on zoom for a conversation with The Rev. Dr. Pamela Cooper-White on April 18 from 10am-Noon.

Presented by:

St Paul's Cathedral

Episcopal Diocese of WNY

Upstate NY Synod

Holy Trinity Lutheran

To register for the Zoom link, CLICK HERE

Photo of: Amber Sastry, founder of A Storied Life

Common Ground Lecture:

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself – It Starts With Listening

Calvary, Williamsville - A free community lecture on the simple, profound act of being there. Join us to explore the practice of offering attention without the impulse to interrupt, fix, or advise. Through teaching and hands-on practice, you'll discover how this simple, profound act can help you experience being deeply heard, create space to listen to your own story with compassion and curiosity, transform your most important relationships, and build the trust and connection we all long for in this uncertain time in which we live.

A light lunch will be offered at 11:30am preceding the 12:15pm lecture on April 19.