The 127th Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana was held Saturday, November 15 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Michigan City. Thank you to Trinity for being great hosts!

Opening Eucharist and Bishop's Address

Watch the video below.

Resolutions Passed at Convention

• Resolution A - Assessment Rewording
  
• Resolution B - Diaconal Compensation
  
• Resolution C - St. David's Proceeds Amended
  
• Resolution D - Reunification Discernment D Prime Split 1
  
• Resolution D - Reunification Discernment D Prime Split Amended Paragraph Four
  
• Resolution E - Elections

Elections

Deanery Elections - Deans

• Eastern: The Rev. Tom Adamson, Holy Family - Angola (completing unexpired term, 2026)
• Western: The Rev. Catherine Carpenter, St. Andrew - Valparaiso (2028)

Deanery Elections - Diocesan Council (Clergy)

• Eastern: The Rev. Michael Roeske, St. Alban - Fort Wayne (1st term, 2027)
• Central: The Rev. Melissa Renner, St. John the Evangelist - Elkhart (1st term, 2027)
• Western: The Rev. Pamela Thiede, Calumet Episcopal Partnership (2nd term, 2027)

Diocesan Council (At-Large)

• Mr. John Reed, St. Andrew - Kokomo (1st term, 2027)

Standing Committee (Lay)

• Mr. Paul Kincaid, St. Paul - Munster (2nd term, 2028)

Standing Committee (Clergy)

• The Very Rev. Brian Grantz, Cathedral of Saint James - South Bend (1st term, 2028)

Disciplinary Board (Lay)

• Mr. Don Campbell, St. Paul - Munster (1st term, 2028)
• Mr. Stephen Drendall, Cathedral of Saint James - South Bend (2nd term, 2028)

Disciplinary Board (Clergy)

• The Rev. Catherine Carpenter, St. Andrew - Valparaiso (1st term, 2028)
• The Rev. Cn. Michelle Walker, St. Paul - LaPorte (1st term, 2028)

Deputation to 82nd General Convention (Lay)

• Mr. Don Campbell, St. Paul - Munster
• Ms. Denise Stacy, Trinity - Fort Wayne
• Mr. Evan Doyle, Gethsemane - Marion
• Cn. Christopher Hillak, Cathedral of Saint James - South Bend

Deputation to 82nd General Convention (Clergy)

• The Rev. Catherine Carpenter, St. Andrew - Valparaiso
• The Rev. Kathy (Townley) Melendez, Trinity - Michigan City
• The Rev. Jen Fulton, St. Michael and All Angels - South Bend
• The Rev. Cn. Terri Bays, PhD., EDNIN

Diocese of Northern Indiana Foundation

• Mr. Tim Esh, Gethsemane - Marion (2nd term, 2028)
• The Rev. Terri Peterson, St. John the Evangelist - Elkhart (2nd term, 2028)

As of November 24, we have given over $70,000 to our faith communities in their feeding initiatives. Thank you for your good work in caring for those in need. Read below to learn more about some of the work being done.

St. Paul's (LaPorte)

St. Paul's, La Porte used the Feeding Initiative grant to purchase shelf-stable food items which we gave to the attendees of our regular twice monthly free community dinners. The recipients were surprised and extremely grateful for the additional help.

St. Anne's (Warsaw)

On November 16 - 18, St. Anne's distributed 200 Thanksgiving meals that included the ingredients for traditional food items: mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, gravy, applesauce, and cookies. They also receive a $40 voucher from Kroger that can be used only on food items such as their meat, dessert or whatever they need. St. Anne's obtains the names of the families who receive the baskets from the Warsaw School System. This is our 21st year of this Outreach Ministry and it is such an important gift to our community. The Feeding Grant helped us with this ministry and we were also able to give families that were not connected to Warsaw Schools a $50 Aldi gift card to purchase food. Thank you Bishop Doug and the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana for seeing a need and acting upon it with this tremendous gift of a Feeding Grant.

Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Community at Miami Correctional Facility

The next prayer vigil at the Miami Correctional Facility is scheduled for Monday, December 15 at 2 p.m. (EST). In the instance of inclement weather, the prayer vigil will be held at a nearby church.

The conveners from the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church also invite us to join them in fasting on the Mondays in December in solidarity with immigrant detainees and their loved ones.

Bishop's Discretionary Fund - Immigration

Recent developments in the Federal Government’s approach to immigration, including the withdrawal of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from various countries, are affecting the lives of several members of our faith communities. In light of these developments, some of you have asked for us to create a fund through which you might contribute to the legal expenses incurred by those members as they file for different documentation in order to remain in compliance with the law. We have decided that the best way to do so is through the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund, to which anyone interested may contribute by sending a check to the Diocese with Bishop’s Discretionary Fund—Immigration in the memo line.

Episcopal Migration Response Network Advent Vigil

Date: December 15

Time: 3 p.m. (EST)

Where: Zoom; Register here.

Episcopal Migration Ministries hosts an Episcopal Migration Response Network that meets virtually on the fourth Wednesday of every month. The Network’s collaborative work and conversation focus on best practice-sharing in areas of direct service, organizing, advocacy actions, Christian formation and worship resources, and community education to protect asylum, promote humane and dignified alternatives to detention, and support asylum seekers and those harmed by the immigration detention system.

Jr./Sr. High Winter Retreat

Date: January 16-18, 2026

Email Cn. Carol Bianchini for additional information.

Jr./Sr. High Spring Retreat

Date: April 10-12, 2026

Episcopal Youth Camp

Date: June 14-20, 2026

Where: Camp Alexander Mack (Milford, Ind.)

Sr. High Mission Week

Date: July 12-18, 2026

Jr./Sr. High Fall Retreat

Date: October 23-25, 2026

The Rev. Daniel Layden

The Rev. Daniel Layden has accepted a call to serve as priest-in-charge at St. Michael's Episcopal Church Church in Noblesville, Ind. He started December 1. Fr. Dan has been serving as the supply plus priest at St. George's (Berne).

Clergy Gathering

Date: December 11
Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (EST)

Where: Cathedral of Saint James (South Bend)

Please click here and let us know if you are able or unable to attend the clergy gathering.

Ordination of Karla Henderson to the Transitional Diaconate

Date: December 20
Time: 10 a.m. (EST)

Where: Cathedral of Saint James (South Bend)

The River of Dreams 2026 Pre-Lent Retreat

Date: January 18-20, 2026

Where: Camp Lutherwald (Howe)

The Northeast Conference of the ELCA Indiana Kentucky Synod invites all preachers to attend this exciting retreat. In 1993, the prophet (Billy) Joel released “The River of Dreams.” Christians call it “baptism.” The early church established Lent as a period of preparing candidates to take the plunge at Easter, connecting people to the death and resurrection of Christ. This year’s Sunday gospel readings in Lent map a profound journey to the sacred river, and Billy Joel’s song can serve as an insightful guide along the way.

Former pastor, current podcaster, and fellow pilgrim Brian Hiortdahl returns January 18-20, 2026 to explore the Sunday texts for Lent A walking with us through the middle of the night, the mountains of faith, the valley of fear, the jungle of doubt, and the desert of truth toward The River of Dreams.

If you are preaching the Sundays of Lent, you will want to gain Brian’s insight into the Gospel texts. The retreat begins with Sunday dinner and ends with Tuesday lunch. Arrive anytime Sunday afternoon. Cost of $155 includes housing, linens, towels and all meals. Limited to 40. To register, contact Pastor John Roberts at Jardad49@yahoo.com.

Accessible All Saints

REMINDER: December 31 is the final deadline for submitting a CBCP Phase 2 capital grant application this year. Here are links with more information:

• CBCP Phase 2 Capital Grant program OVERVIEW
• Application Form PREVIEW
• Grant Application FORM

Here’s a success story from the capital grant program in the first phase of CBCP:

Accessible All Saints (found in the blog section of our website). It’s about an

extraordinary effort to create a restroom accessible to the sanctuary of the historic

Episcopal Church of All Saints in Indianapolis.

 Information provided by Linda Buskirk, CBCP Project Director.  

Episcopal Relief & Development has launched its annual Holiday Match Campaign, offering donors a powerful opportunity to double their support for communities affected by injustice, poverty, disaster and climate change. This year, every donation made now through December 31, 2025, will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $1,000,000. 

Contributions to this year’s Million Dollar Match Campaign will benefit the Global Needs Fund–a critical resource to help continue work in Episcopal Relief & Development’s priority areas. Support of the campaign will be used by our partners to make a lasting impact through long-term programs in their local communities, focusing on:

• Supporting women farmers from rural communities in Guatemala to build climate and financial resilience
• Equipping young men and women in Ghana to be catalysts for positive change in their communities
• Facilitating economic empowerment in communities around the world through participant-led savings groups 
• Walking alongside caregivers to promote the wellbeing and healthy development of young children 
• Challenging and changing harmful behaviors that put women and girls at risk of violence
• Responding to global disasters, wars and other crises, and accompanying people as they recover

“This Million Dollar Match Campaign is more than just a fundraiser; it’s an invitation to be part of a compassionate community that will maximize generosity at a moment when the needs of the world feel most urgent,” said Betsy Deisroth, Vice President, Advancement, Episcopal Relief & Development. “By making a gift, our supporters aren’t just giving once—they are multiplying the possibility for transformation, ensuring that essential resources reach families striving for stability and hope for a better future. This collective effort, fueled by the dedication of our generous donors, is what makes lasting change possible. We are deeply grateful.”

Contributions made to Episcopal Relief & Development before the end of the year are eligible for matching, including Gifts for Life, and direct contributions online, over the phone, or by mail. Gifts of stocks, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) and from donor advised funds (DAFs) are also included in the Million Dollar Match Campaign.

Donors wishing to take advantage of the dollar-for-dollar match should give their gift between now and December 31. You may receive a 2025 tax deduction. Donate online or call 1.855.312.4325. Gifts can also be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 5121 Boone, IA 50950-0121.

Action Alerts

The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations (OGR) identifies opportunities for Episcopalians to participate in our democracy. Click this link to find an action alert that you are passionate about and send a message to your members of Congress.

Click here to read the Province V newsletter for December 2026.

Building an Inclusive Church Toolkit

Date: Feb. 8, 15, 22; Mar. 1, 8, 15, 2026

Time: 5-6:30 p.m. (EST)

Where: Zoom

The Building an Inclusive Church Toolkit is a step-by-step guide to help facilitate a welcoming journey in faith communities working on extending a specific welcome to people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. A team from ReconcilingWorks will lead a course to give you tools to share this resource with your worshipping community.  

The toolkit is available as a pdf. Province V will provide a color-printed copy of the toolkit for each person registered.

Registration is required. Attend as many sessions as you can.

Registration link if the above doesn't work: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ew0-JwsqT7WCt4PknNKjVQ

Big Provincial Gathering 2026

Date: July 31-August 1, 2026

Where: St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Kalamazoo, MI)

Province V will be hosting the fourth Big Provincial Gathering in the summer of 2026. Planning is underway. There will be information about leading workshops, participating in pre-event trainings, sponsorship, and exhibitors. If you're curious about any of those, please contact Heather Barta. Additional information will be shared in upcoming newsletters and on the Province V website!

Call for Workshops

The Big Provincial Gathering will be full of workshops offered "ministry fair" style. Do you have something to share with others? Are you particularly proud of a project you did or a ministry you support? Start thinking about if you'd like to host a workshop. All information about workshops will be needed by February 1, 2026. See all of the details and fill out the form! Make sure to check out the workshop webinar below!

Provincial Youth Event

There will be a Provincial Youth Event offered as part of the BPG. There will be some time that youth will have dedicated programming and then time that all are gathered together.