The Episcopal Church

Beginning our search

The Rev. Jessie Dodson Gutgsell Dodson, canon to the ordinary, celebrated the last Sunday of Epiphany on Sunday (March 2) with St. Paul's and outlined with the congregation and at a special Vestry meeting the steps that are coming as we begin our search for the next spiritual leader(s) of our church.

In her position, Canon Jessie is a partner in innovation, collaboration, administration, liturgy, and pastoral care for the Diocese of Ohio, and she works closely with churches throughout the diocese in transtion.

At the time of Canon Jessie's appointment in the summer of 2023, Bishop Anne B. Jolly said, “Throughout her leadership of the transition process, I, along with the rest of the diocese, was able to witness Jessie’s generous spirit, incredible ability to navigate complex situations, deep faith, and abiding commitment to the Diocese of Ohio. Every person who interviewed Jessie affirmed these gifts and saw in her a call to the bishop’s staff."

Canon Jessie holds a bachelor’s of music in harp performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana, and graduated from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. She has served in churches in Indiana, Connecticut, Michigan, and had been at St. Paul’s, Cleveland Heights, from 2018 until her appointment to Bishop Anne Jolly’s staff.

Also working with St. Paul's will be the Rev. Audra Abt, Canon for Innovation and Congregational Development for the Diocese.

The Rev. Abt was vicar of Holy Spirit, Greensboro, and mission developer and pastor and mission developer of Abundant Life Health and Healing in Greensboro before coming to the Diocese of Ohio in early 2024. As a multi-lingual priest in North Carolina, she served congregations with members from Latin America, West Africa, the Caribbean, and Black and White members hailing from around the U.S.

ChurchNext Classes Available for Free in Our Diocese

Our diocese is thrilled to offer a wide range of free ChurchNext online classes. The classes are ideal for individual and group settings. Their new featured courses include: What Is Ash Wednesday?, Introducing Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Coping with Suicide, How Should Christians Protest?, and Resident Aliens: The World Is Not Our Home. The courses are formatted for groups and individuals. If you're a new student and would like access to these and dozens of other online classes for you and/or your faith community, email [email protected] and mention the diocesan membership. This is a free diocesan resource open to all members of our diocesan family.

The Episcopal Church: What We Believe

Episcopal Church joins religious freedom lawsuit challenging ICE enforcement actions in churches

Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs
Feb. 11, 2025

The Episcopal Church is among dozens of multifaith plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. government’s recent rescission of guidelines that limited immigration enforcement in sensitive areas such as churches, schools, and hospitals. The suit was filed this morning in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia by Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.

Faith groups joining this lawsuit claim that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in and around places of worship without a judicial warrant burden religious exercise in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The complaint, filed against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, argues that these enforcement actions interfere with the plaintiffs’ ability to fulfill the religious mandate to welcome and serve immigrants.

Referring to this lawsuit, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said that in God’s kingdom, immigrants and refugees are not at the edges, fearful and alone, but are the very center of God’s story.

“We believe their struggles reveal the heart of God, and we cannot worship freely if some among us live in fear,” he said. “We are seeking the ability to fully gather and follow Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves.”

As alleged in the complaint, there are Episcopal congregations across the United States that have already seen decreased attendance at worship services and social service ministries due to fears of ICE actions. In some places, even congregants with documented legal status are choosing to stay home for fear they may be mistakenly arrested based on their appearance.

“Welcoming the stranger is not a political act—it’s a sacred obligation. When immigrants walk through our church doors, they’re not entering as outsiders; they are stepping into the heart of our faith, where their dignity and stories are embraced as reflections of God’s love,” said Julia Ayala Harris, president of The Episcopal Church’s House of Deputies. “This lawsuit is about protecting our ability to live out the Gospel without fear or interference.”
Co-plaintiffs in the suit include representatives from many Christian and Jewish traditions, including Baptists, Brethren, Disciples, Evangelicals, Lutherans, Mennonites, Methodists, Quakers, Presbyterians, Unitarian Universalists, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Kehilla Community Synagogue, Reconstructing Judaism, and the Union for Reform Judaism.

“We are told by the rulers of our day that the rich shall be first; that compassion is a weakness; that we should regard the migrants and strangers among us with fear and contempt,” Bishop Rowe said. “But I ask us all to see that our true citizenship is in God’s kingdom, where the meek shall inherit the earth, the merciful shall receive mercy, and the captives shall go free.”

As Trump demands apology, Washington bishop
explains her call for mercy toward those living in fear

By David Paulsen
Episcopal News Service
[Episcopal News Service] The sermon’s duration was less than 15 minutes. Its theme – a call for unity grounded in faith at a time of political division – was hardly out of the norm for a post-inauguration service at Washington National Cathedral, which has hosted similar services 10 times before.
It was the sermon’s final four minutes that struck a chord. Washington Bishop Mariann Budde issued a final plea directly to President Donald Trump as he sat in the front row, a moment that would generate national headlines and intense reactions, both positive and negative.
Her calm plea to the president: “Have mercy.”
Later in the day Jan. 21, Trump made clear his distaste for the sermon when asked about it by reporters, saying he “didn’t think it was a good service.” Then early Jan. 22, he amplified his complaints with a social media post that demanded Budde and “her church” apologize. ...

Click here for the entire ENS story on the Bishop's call for mercy

NPR interview with Bishop Mariann Budde

Coming up in the Diocese of Ohio

Seeing the Face of God in Each Other Workshop
The Office for Beloved Community will offer this two-day workshop on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 at Trinity Commons, Cleveland. Dismantling racism training is required for all individuals in elected and appointed diocesan positions and is also open to all members of the diocese. Space is limited. The cost of training materials and refreshments is covered by the Diocese of Ohio. Registration must be completed by Friday, February 28. For questions or more information, please contact Sara Schimelpfenig.

Living the Spirit: Diocese of Ohio Confirmation Retreat
Join us for a Confirmation Retreat on March 28-29, at Bellwether Farm. Hosted by Canon RussTripi, this multi-generational retreat welcomes youth (ages 13+) and adults considering confirmation, reception, reaffirmation, or anyone interested in exploring the Holy Spirit and discernment practices. Discover how the Spirit moves in your life and how you've been uniquely crafted to play a role in the Body of Christ. Participation in a formal confirmation process is not required. If attendance allows, we plan to organize separate groups for adults and youth while incorporating intergenerational programming, prayer, and shared meals. Registration is now open. Use early bird discount "Spirit25" through February 14 for $10 off. Final registration closes on March 7. Scholarships are also available.

The College for Congregational Development
The time has arrived! Come one, come all to Year B of the College for Congregational Development at Bellwether Farm, August 10-15. This immersive learning experience includes opportunities to brainstorm around current issues we face in our faith communities while learning new lenses and strategies to tackle the work of faithful living together. We began learning these models at our diocesan gatherings this year and now we are putting them into practice in full force! In this two-year program, we welcome back returning students as well as new participants who begin this year in the Year B curriculum and complete Year A next summer. Registration is now open! Click here for more details.

In post-election statement, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe calls on Episcopalians work and pray for justice, peace and the dignity of every human being

'Regardless of our political allegiances, we must remember that God has called us in The Episcopal Church to seek and serve Christ in all persons.'

Dear People of God in The Episcopal Church,

Early this morning, we learned that President Trump has been elected to another term as president of the United States. I pray that he will govern wisely and justly.

Regardless of our political allegiances, we must remember that God has called us in The Episcopal Church to seek and serve Christ in all persons. No matter the party in power, we are one church, and we will continue to fulfill our baptismal covenant by proclaiming in word and example the Good News of God in Christ, striving for justice and peace among all people, and protecting the dignity of every human being.

We commit to working with the new administration to advance policies that follow the teachings of Jesus by supporting the most vulnerable among us. Through Episcopal Migration Ministries, we abide by God’s command to welcome the stranger, and since 1988, we have resettled more than 100,000 refugees through a bipartisan program with a strong record of success. We urge President Trump and members of Congress to exercise compassion toward the immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees we serve and to know that, at every turn, we will stand for the dignity and human rights of all of God’s people.

We are Christians who support the dignity, safety, and equality of women and LGBTQ+ people as an expression of our faith. I pray that President Trump and his administration will do the same.

In the coming months, I ask us all to be agents of peace and reconciliation in our communities, both in person and online. As people of faith, we can work and pray for peace and unity among God’s people whether we are joyful, hurting, or afraid. Especially now, when we know of efforts by domestic terrorists and foreign adversaries to undermine our trust in institutions and in one another, we can combat the misinformation and fear by which the Enemy seeks to divide us from one another.

I give thanks for all the ministries in dioceses and congregations across the church that are tangible expressions of our belief in a God of compassion and mercy. In every season, this is the work that God has set before us.

The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe
Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

Bishop Sean Rowe elected the Episcopal Church's 28th presiding bishop; successor to Bishop Michael Curry takes office Nov. 1

Bishop Sean Rowe (left) will succeed Bishop Michael B. Curry as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.. Photo by Janet Kawamoto

BY DAVID PAULSEN
Posted Jun 26, 2024
[Episcopal News Service – Louisville, Kentucky] The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, bishop of Northwest Pennsylvania and bishop provisional of Western New York, was elected and confirmed June 26 at the 81st General Convention to serve as the 28th presiding bishop. His nine-year term as presiding bishop, the face and voice of The Episcopal Church and its chief pastor, begins Nov. 1.

The House of Bishops elected Rowe on their first ballot in a closed session at Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Louisville. The result later was announced publicly in the afternoon session of the House of Deputies, which greeted the news with cheers. The deputies proceeded to confirm him with a nearly unanimous majority, 95% in favor, and the standing-room-only crowd erupted in applause across the hall at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

Rowe was elected from a slate of five nominees chosen through a process led by the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop, which is made up of 20 bishops, clergy and lay leaders. The other presiding bishop nominees were Nebraska Bishop J. Scott Barker, Central New York Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe, Pennsylvania Bishop Daniel G.P. Gutiérrez and Atlanta Bishop Robert Wright.

After the confirmation vote in the House of Deputies, bishops began filing into the hall to join the deputies, and soon Rowe arrived to address the 81st General Convention. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry introduced his successor, and Rowe began by expressing humble gratitude to the four other bishops who had discerned candidacies for presiding bishop.
“I give thanks that the five of us together made this journey together, in solidarity, for the love of this church,” Rowe said.

His speech acknowledged some of the challenges facing The Episcopal Church at a time of membership decline when some dioceses say their ministries are struggling under financial burdens and diminished congregational vitality. Rowe affirmed the concerns raised by some bishops and deputies at this week’s convention, that some aspects of churchwide governance and structure could be hindering the church in adapting to a changing world.

“It’s not too strong to say we’re facing an existential crisis,” Rowe said – not because the church doesn’t have something to offer the world, he said, but “because the world around us is changed and continues to change and is changing all the time. God is calling us ever more deeply into the unknown.”

But Rowe pointed to signs of a more hopeful future in some of the collaborative experiments underway in some dioceses across the church, including his own dioceses of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York.

“We know that we cannot continue being The Episcopal Church in the same way, no matter where we live,” he said. “It’s time to reorient our church … to support dioceses and churches on the ground, where ministry happens.”

Curry, the former bishop of North Carolina, concludes his nine-year term on Oct. 31, and Rowe will take office the following day, with a Nov. 2 installation expected to take place at Washington National Cathedral, the traditional seat of the presiding bishop. Details about the transition and celebration will be announced after General Convention, according to the church’s Office of Public Affairs.

The bishops conducted their election in the morning June 26 after most of them processed to Christ Church Cathedral on foot. To win, Rowe needed at least 82 votes from the 158 bishops who cast handwritten ballots. He received 89 votes, while Barker received 24, Wright received 19, Gutiérrez received 17 and Duncan-Probe received 9.

Rowe, 49, has led the Erie-based Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania since 2007, and also serves as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Western New York through a partnership the dioceses established in 2019. He previously served as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Bethlehem from 2014 to 2018. Originally from western Pennsylvania, Rowe is a Virginia Theological Seminary graduate and was ordained to the priesthood in 2000 in Northwestern Pennsylvania, where he served in congregational ministry until his election as bishop. He currently serves as parliamentarian of the House of Bishops and Executive Council.

Rowe becomes the youngest bishop ever elected to serve as the church’s presiding bishop. He also was the youngest Episcopal priest in the U.S. when he was ordained, at age 24, and he was the youngest member of the House of Bishops when he was ordained and consecrated at age 32.

Rowe is married to Carly Rowe, a Christian educator; they have a daughter named Lauren.
General Convention, the triennial churchwide gathering, splits its authority between the House of Bishops and House of Deputies, and each house plays a distinct role in the selection of a new presiding bishop – with the bishops electing and the deputies confirming.

The presiding bishop has a range of responsibilities, as outlined by The Episcopal Church Constitution and Canons. Those include presiding over the House of Bishops, chairing Executive Council, visiting every Episcopal diocese, participating in the ordination and consecration of bishops, receiving and responding to disciplinary complaints against bishops, making appointments to the church’s interim bodies, and “developing policies and strategies for the church and speaking for the church on the policies, strategies and programs of General Convention.”

There are few canonical requirements for presiding bishop candidates. They must be members of the House of Bishops and cannot yet have reached the church’s mandatory retirement age of 72.

Curry was elected in 2015 as the church’s first Black presiding bishop. Before him, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, elected in 2006, was the church’s first female presiding bishop. Her predecessor, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, was the first to serve a nine-year term, after the church shortened the presiding bishop’s term from 12 years.

At a news conference after the election and confirmation, Curry offered encouragement and praise for the bishop who soon will take his place.

“I couldn’t be happier to be able to present to the House of Deputies the 28th presiding bishop-elect,” Curry said. “If you look at the history of the presiding bishop, they were all elected for a particular season and time and a particular vocation. … My brother sitting to my right was called for, as it says in the book as Esther, ‘for such a time as this.'”

Rowe said it was an honor to be elected to succeed Curry, “who has brought life to this church and a kind of energy and a focus on Jesus and the Gospel in a way that we’ve not seen in a generation.” He continued that he looked forward to helping “usher this church into whatever it is being called into in this next phase and season of life.”

“We don’t exactly know what that is or what it looks like,” Rowe said. “What we know is that God is in the midst of it and that love is the way, and if we continue to live and move ever more deeply into those ways that the world can transformed around us in Jesus.”

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at [email protected].

The Episcopal Church's Triennial Convention and the gathering of the Union of Black Episcopalians

For more photos from Mother Robin of the convention and the meeting of the Union of Black Episcopalians that preceded it, go to our News page.

[Episcopal News Service – Louisville, Kentucky] The triennial Episcopal family reunion, worship extravaganza and legislative session that is General Convention was back in full force during its meeting here after the pandemic had pared down the previous gathering.

This year’s June 20-28 convention, six legislative days that began June 23 with three days of events before, was shorter than most past conventions, where legislative sessions typically spanned eight days or longer.

The 80th General Convention, on the other hand, was postponed from 2021 to 2022 because of the pandemic, was shorted to just four days and had limited face-to-face engagement. That gathering also implemented other health precautions, such as daily testing, to slow the spread of COVID-19.

This week’s 81st General Convention was not without an appearance by COVID-19. Enough participants came down with the virus that some others wore masks and a nearby pharmacy reportedly ran out of Paxlovid, the antiviral used to treat the virus.

General Convention, as the church’s primary governing body, splits its authority between the House of Bishops and House of Deputies. The two houses handled 390 resolutions, many passing via daily, sometimes massive, consent calendars.

While in Louisville, the convention elected the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe to be its the 28th presiding bishop, reelected Julia Ayala Harris as House of Deputies president, elected the Rev. Steve Pankey as deputies’ vice president, passed a $143 million budget for the next triennium, approved a constitutional change to clearly define the Book of Common Prayer, reexamined its clergy disciplinary canons while agreeing to consider how lay leaders might be disciplined for wrongdoing, and supported changes in the structures of seven of its dioceses.

Outside the legislative chambers, several events brought together bishops, deputies and visitors to mingle, socialize, pray, worship and advocate. Convention continued the church’s public witness against gun violence and hosted a panel discussion on the church’s role in Indigenous boarding schools. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s last signature revival service at the KFC Yum! Center drew a crowd of more than 2,000 people who heard him urge everyone to “choose love because love can save us.”

Diocese of Ohio Convention Nov. 8 and 9

Convention is for everyone! In addition to the meaningful and essential work of the delegates regarding diocesan business and elections, we are creating a joyful space for engaging in collective worship, fostering congregational development, and creating and strengthening relationships and camaraderie in our diocese.

This year, we will GATHER together at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg, Ohio on November 8-9. We will be TRANSFORMED by the Holy Spirit through worship, relationships, conversations, and, of course, fun! After the chance to experience many moments of joy and inspiration in our critical work together, we will SEND you back to your parishes to continue the good work of being faithful, healthy, effective, and sustainable sharers of the transformative love of Jesus in your communities.

This gathering promises to be a source of inspiration that deepens our connections with one another, embodying the core values of faith and service that the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio exemplifies and holds dear. Come ready to engage, connect, and enjoy the collaborative and uplifting experience that awaits us all! Registration is now open through October 10. You can find details about the event here.

Words matter: A message on immigrants,
humanity and hate from our sister Diocese

Wearing orange and pushing for holistic solutions to gun violence

June is National Gun Violence Awareness month.

While we are all too aware of the gun violence that continues to trouble us, we are reminded in this season after Pentecost that we are not without the comfort, counsel, and courage of the Holy Spirit to address it. June also sees the Episcopal Church meet for its General Convention.

There are three resolutions before the Convention that address gun violence:
• B004 commends safe gun storage through education and advocacy for laws requiring safe storage, to protect especially children and people in crisis. • D014 once again urges the General Convention to recognize gun violence as a public health crisis to enable a holistic approach to freeing people from the fear and reality of gun violence in their everyday lives.
• D011 asks the General Convention to advocate for and support a new ban on assault, automatic, and semi-automatic weapons.

A look back at the search for a new presiding bishop

Episcopal Church nominating committee announces four candidates for presiding bishop of the church, and a fifth is nominated by petition

From left, Nebraska Bishop J. Scott Barker, Pennsylvania Bishop Daniel G.P. Gutiérrez, Northwestern Pennsylvania Bishop Sean Rowe, who also serves as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Western New York, and Atlanta Bishop Robert Wright.

[Episcopal News Service, David Paulsen], The Episcopal Church’s next presiding bishop will be chosen this June from a slate of four nominees, whose names were released April 2: Nebraska Bishop J. Scott Barker, Pennsylvania Bishop Daniel G.P. Gutiérrez, Atlanta Bishop Robert Wright and Northwestern Pennsylvania Bishop Sean Rowe, who also serves as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Western New York.
Those four bishops – and any additional candidates nominated by petition – will be presented for election at the 81st General Convention, which convenes June 23-28 in Louisville, Kentucky. The nominees’ names will be formally submitted June 25 during a joint session of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies. On June 26, the bishops will elect, and deputies will be asked to confirm, the church’s 28th presiding bishop, who will succeed Presiding Bishop Michael Curry beginning Nov. 1.
“We appreciate the many Episcopalians who prayerfully set us on our way to discerning this slate of nominees,” Alaska Bishop Mark Lattime said in a news release announcing the slate. Lattime and Steve Nishibayashi, a lay leader in the Diocese of Los Angeles, are co-chairs of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. The committee began its work in the fall of 2021.
The committee’s slate is marked by geographical and racial diversity, though it includes no women or LGBTQ+ nominees. The nominee bishops also draw on a range of experiences in seeking to become presiding bishop for the office’s next nine-year term.

Barker, 60, has led the Omaha-based Diocese of Nebraska since 2011. The diocese’s 53 worshipping communities span the full state, where Barker was born and raised. A graduate of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, Barker was ordained to the priesthood in 1992 and served for 10 years in Omaha and 10 more years in the Diocese of New York before returning to Nebraska as bishop.
Gutiérrez, 59, has led the Philadelphia-based Diocese of Pennsylvania since 2016. It is one of five dioceses in the state. A native of New Mexico, Gutiérrez earned a diocesan certificate in Anglican Studies through the Trinity School for Ministry and has a master’s degree in theological studies from St. Norbert College. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2008 in the Albuquerque-based Diocese of the Rio Grande and served there as canon to the ordinary, chief operating officer and chief of staff before he was elected bishop of Pennsylvania.
Rowe, 49, has led the Erie-based Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania since 2007, and he also serves as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Western New York through a partnership the dioceses established in 2019. He previously served as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Bethlehem from 2014 to 2018. Originally from western Pennsylvania, Rowe is a Virginia Theological Seminary graduate and was ordained to the priesthood in 2000 in Northwestern Pennsylvania, where he served in congregational ministry until his election as bishop. He currently serves as parliamentarian of the House of Bishops and Executive Council.
Wright, 60, has led the Diocese of Atlanta since 2012. The diocese, based in Georgia’s capital city, has 120 worshipping communities across the northern half of the state. A Navy veteran and graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary, Wright was ordained to the priesthood in 1999 in the Diocese of New York. At the time of his election as bishop, he had served the previous 10 years as rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta. Since 2020, he also has hosted the popular podcast “For People” on faith and life.

For more on the candidates, search and process, click here to read the rest of Mr. Paulsen's article.
View each nominee’s videos on the General Convention Office website.

After the April 3-15 petition nomination period closed, the JNCPB announced (press release) that it had received one nomination. The bishop below was vetted through the same process of background and reference checks used for its nominees, as required by Canon I.2.1.d. The Episcopal Church’s canons do not allow for nominations from the floor of General Convention.

After the April 3-15 petition nomination period closed, the JNCPB announced (press release) that it had received one nomination. The bishop below was vetted through the same process of background and reference checks used for its nominees, as required by Canon I.2.1.d. The Episcopal Church’s canons do not allow for nominations from the floor of General Convention.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. DeDe Duncan-Probe was elected on August 6, 2016, and consecrated as the 11th Bishop of Central New York on December 3, 2016. The Diocese of Central New York comprises nearly 80 parishes and stretches from Canada in the north to Pennsylvania in the south and from Utica in the east to Elmira in the West.

Bishop DeDe is a person of deep faith for whom contemplative prayer and meditation are essential. Her ministry is rooted in encouraging others to grow in faith, actively supporting diocesan clergy to live into the fullness of their vocations, working collaboratively to ensure a safe and sustainable culture of mutual respect in the diocese and promoting and celebrating vitality among small church communities. Curiosity and learning are core values for Bishop DeDe and as a former educator, she is particularly gifted in and passionate about faith formation and offering tools and information that support people developing a sustaining relationship with God. To that end, in 2023, she launched “Speaking of Faith,” a podcast which aims to create a safe space for people to consider their faith and grow in confidence to speak about faith in their lives.

Since 2019, Bishop DeDe has served as President of Province II and a member of the Presiding Bishop’s Council of Advice. In 2018, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry appointed her to chair the planning committee facilitating the House of Bishop’s Service of Lament and Repentance for sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment that was held during the 2018 General Convention. She has served on various committees, including as co-Chair of the General Convention task force for Building Community Across Difference and currently as Chair of the Committee for Safety, Wellness & Mental Health.
Before entering ordained ministry, Bishop DeDe had a successful career in education and business. As an educator, she taught in public and private schools, including two years working with inner-city at-risk youth in Los Angeles, California, and as adjunct faculty at the Virginia Theological Seminary from 2013-2016. In 1994, she and her husband co-founded a consulting firm, CA AeroComm Corporation, where she continues to serve as Vice President.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Stephen F. Austin State University, a master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University, a Master of Divinity degree from The General Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in theology from The Graduate Theological Foundation, completed at Oxford University. She and her husband, Chris Probe, have three college-aged children. Bishop DeDe enjoys golfing, hiking, music, snowshoeing, tennis, pickleball, and the culinary arts.

An offering from the Diocese: See the face of God in each other

The Commission for Racial Justice will offer this two-day training on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 at St. Paul’s, Canton. This anti-racism training is required for all individuals in elected and appointed diocesan positions, and it is also open to all members of the diocese. Space is limited. The cost of the training materials and food is covered by the Diocese of Ohio. Registration is required. For questions or more information, please contact Sara Schimelpfenig.

Bellwether Farm and the total solar eclipse

The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio retreat, Bellwether Farm, sits directly in the path of totality for Monday's solar eclipse and is celebrating the extraordinary event with a festival this weekend. The celebration includes farm-to-table food, worship, music and fellowship. St. Paul's David Rotthoff captured these images and will be bringing us more, including images of the eclipse itself, which is supposed to occur at Bellwether at 3:15 p.m.

What is Stations of the Cross?
Stations of the Cross, also known as the Way of the Cross, adapts a custom practiced by pilgrims visiting Jerusalem in the early days of Christianity. They stopped at places throughout the city traditionally associated with Jesus’s passion and death.

The number of stations ranges from eight to 14. The eight are based directly on events in the Gospels and the others have been drawn from Gospel accounts and pious legends.

The service is offered at St. Paul’s each Friday night in Lent beginning at 6 p.m. We’ll process together from station-to-station throughout the sanctuary. Douglas Colmery, who presides at our services, leads with an opening versicle (singing a short statement with a response from the congregation) and concludes with the Collect at each station. The Readings at each station are offered by people joining in the procession.

Good Friday Offering from the wider Episcopal Church
The history of the Good Friday Offering reaches back to 1922 when, in the aftermath of World War I, The Episcopal Church sought to create new relationships with and among the Christians of the Middle East.

From these initial efforts which focused on a combination of relief work and the improvement of ecumenical and Anglican relations, the Good Friday Offering was created. Through the years many Episcopalians have found the Good Friday Offering to be an effective way to express their support for the ministries of the dioceses of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. By supporting life-giving ministries in the province, including St. George’s, Baghdad; the eye clinic in Ras Morbat, Yemen; the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza; and numerous other institutions identified by their dioceses, you are ensuring that our siblings in Christ are not forgotten.

The generous donations of Episcopalians help the Christian presence in the Land of the Holy One to be a vital and effective force for peace and understanding among all of God’s children. Details for donating online, by phone, or by check are available here.

A message from Bishop Anne Jolly regarding the Holy Land

Beloved Ones,

Last week I attended a gathering of interfaith leaders in Cleveland to celebrate the Jewish holy day, Sukkot. Rabbis, Imams, and Christian leaders talked about the importance of relationships and community. We shared stories of connection and faith and prayed together for the unity of humanity. Less than a week later, our hearts broke after hearing the reports of violence and war from the Holy Land. Our hearts break because we know we were created in God’s image to live in community, centered in the love of the Divine. Our hearts break because we know that violence comes from fear and hate, which separate us from God. I’m convinced that hearts weigh more when they are broken, and the continuing news can weigh us down and drive us to despair. I encourage you to turn toward your spiritual communities for support and sustenance. When we turn to God in prayer and connect with each other - friends, neighbors, grieving community members, together, we hold onto God’s dream of peace.

Our siblings in the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem are suggesting that if we want to make donations in a way that would be immediately helpful, we direct resources to the Alhi Arab Hospital in Gaza, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Consider making a contribution to the hospital through the Episcopal Relief & Development Middle East Fund. Support of this fund will help provide medicine and other supplies and help partners tend to the physical and psychosocial wounds of all people affected by this conflict.

The Rt. Rev. Deon Johnson, who was ordained in the Diocese of Ohio and is now the 11th Bishop of Missouri, wrote this prayer that articulates the deep angst of our hearts and souls. Together, we pray, we wail, and we hold to each other in the unity of God as we long for an end to violence that can only come through God’s peace and love.

Healer of the Nations,
from the noise of war
and the drumbeat of vengeance,
give us undiminished determination
to wage peace.
Out of brokenness, violence, and destruction
let us plant seeds of hope.
Out of chaos, confusion, and hatred,
build bridges of love.
Out of distrust, disunity, and distance,
walk together in harmony.
Heal our divisions and make us whole. Amen.

We must continue to show up for each other, especially in the midst of heartache and pain. Let us be extra gentle during these times and hold each other in love and prayer.

God’s Peace,
+Anne

The Rt. Rev. Anne B. Jolly

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem unite in a call for peace and justice
We unequivocally condemn any acts that target civilians, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or faith. Such actions go against the fundamental principles of humanity and the teachings of Christ, who implored us to "love your neighbour as yourself" {Mark 12:31).

It is our fervent hope and prayer that all parties involved will heed this call for an immediate cessation of violence. We implore political leaders and authorities to engage in sincere dialogue, seeking lasting solutions that promote justice, peace, and reconciliation for the people of this land, who have endured the burdens of conflict for far too long.

Let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul: "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33). In the spirit of this divine message, we implore all to work tirelessly towards an end to violence and the establishment of a just and lasting peace that will allow the Holy Land to be a beacon of hope, faith, and love for all.

News about the Episocopal Church worldwide
Click here for a link to up-to-date news from the Episocopal News Service

A knock on the Cathedral door
The Rt. Rev. Anne B. Jolly was formally seated as the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Ohio in a unique ceremony at Trinity Cathedral Saturday morning. Click here to view the special service.

Click here for the service on Sept. 9 at Trinity Cathedral seating Bishop Anne B. Jolly as the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Ohio.

The 207th Annual Diocesan Convention convened Nov. 10 & 11, 2023 in Wooster

Friday, November 10

Convention Eucharist at the First Presbyterian Church
Banquet at Greystone Event Center

Saturday, November 11

All convention business and the Episcopal Address at Greystone Event Center

What is the Annual Convention?
The Annual Convention of the Diocese of Ohio is the legislative body that approves the diocesan program and budget, elects persons to various groups, which serve the diocese, adopts resolutions on various issues, and approves changes in the Constitution and Canons of the diocese.
Each congregation in union with the convention, that is, those that are current with payment of diocesan assessments and Church pension requirements, is entitled to be represented by not more than three lay adult delegates in good standing in their respective congregations. Delegates are chosen in accordance with the prescribed Canon, or by special parochial charter or bylaws of the parish. When not a virtual convention, attendance at Annual Convention is not limited to lay delegates and clergy. Youth and adult members of all congregations are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The Diocese of Ohio Annual Convention is held once per year, usually the second weekend in November.

An update on Presiding Bishop Curry

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is resting at home following a hospitalization to address a reoccurrence of internal bleeding. He will undergo surgery to remove his right adrenal gland and an attached mass on Friday, September 8, and his surgeon estimates his recovery period will be two to three weeks, after which Bishop Curry is expected to resume his regular work schedule.

United Black Episcopalians:
Celebrating the Feast Day
of the Rev. Alexander Crummell

Sunday, Sept. 10 is the Feast Day for the Rev. Alexander Crummell, a priest of the church who was the personification of the will to overcome racism during the 19th century, successfully confronting and prevailing over barriers erected because of his race. His work included founding an organization that opposed the creation of a separate missionary district for Black congregations. An outgrowth of his advocacy, the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) marks this day as UBE Sunday, a celebration for the whole church.

Help bring awareness to an important saint of the Church and the work of UBE by observing Sunday, September 10 liturgically. Resources available for your use are bulletin inserts (half page or full page), a prayer litany, and a collect and alternate lectionary readings. Because this is a Sunday in “ordinary time,” you may use the alternate readings without permission of the Bishop (BCP, p. 16).

Send your story on how you are celebrating UBE Sunday and the Feast Day of Alexander Crummell to [email protected]. Then make a special donation to UBE in support of UBE’s continuation of Crummell’s work to overcome racism in society and in the church.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with the Diocese of Ohio

Over the summer months, the Diocese of Ohio held special listening sessions at churches throughout northern Ohio.

"To build and deepen relationships in the diocese and with the Bishop and Bishop’s staff, Bishop Anne is inviting everyone in the diocese to participate in Listening Sessions this summer. We will be able to have facilitated discussions and table conversations about the vision for the diocese and how the Bishop and her staff can support congregations in living out their missions. We will take the information we learn from these sessions and use it for discussion at Diocesan Convention in November."

Each session begins at 6:30 p.m. and is expected to last two hours.

Here's the full schedule:
St. Philips, Akron, Wednesday, June 21
St. Timothy's, Massillon, Thursday, June 22
Grace Church, Sandusky, Tuesday, June 27
Old Trinity, Tiffin, Wednesday, June 28
St. Paul's, Steubenville, Wednesday, July 12
St. John's, Youngstown, Thursday, July 13
St. Peter's Ashtabula, Wednesday, July 26
Christ Church, Kent, Thursday, July 27
St. James, Wooster, Wednesday, Aug. 9
St. Peter's, Lakewood, Thursday, Aug. 10
Christ Church, Shaker Heights, Saturday, Aug. 12
All Saints, Toledo, Monday, Aug. 21
St. Andrews, Toledo, Tuesday, Aug. 22
St. Mark's, Sidney, Wednesday, Aug. 23
Grace Church, Defiance, Thursday, Aug. 24

To register for the gathering at at any of the churches, click on this link.
Please contact Antoinette Taylor at [email protected] with questions.

Innovation Day at Bellwether Farm

Join TryTank and St. Barnabas, Bay Village on September 30 for a Spirit-infused day of exploration for all who are interested. The day will allow time to explore new ideas and new connections about topics relevant to the Jesus Movement, church growth, and social justice. During each breakout, you will work with a facilitator to apply design thinking to these huge questions, using methodology from How to Try by the Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, Executive Director of TryTank, an experimental lab for church growth and innovation, a joint project between Virginia Theological Seminary and the General Theological Seminary. In addition to learning these design thinking and agile practices, attendees are also encouraged to enjoy all that Bellwether Farm has to offer. Worship will be available in the worship barn on Friday night and Saturday morning, and yoga before breakfast on Saturday led by St. Barnabas’ own Sarah Perkins. Cost to register is $25 which includes breakfast and lunch.

If you want to spend the night prior to the event, you have three options:

Stay in a retreat room with your own private bathroom - $110 for single occupancy, $130 for double occupancy.
Stay in a cabin - $20 - 6 bunks are in each cabin, and there is a centralized building for showers/bathrooms nearby. You’ll need to bring your own sheets/sleeping bag.
Stay in a nearby hotel - if the above fill up, you can also stay in a hotel. We will send you information as requested/needed.

If you need transportation to Bellwether or the registration/hotel stay fee is a challenge for you, please let us know and we will make sure you can attend - scholarship funding is available. Contact Halley Marsh for more information.

Up close with the Presiding Bishop

Presiding Bishop Michael Bruce Curry talked about his family's ties to Canton with St. Paul's Deacon-in-Charge, Dr. Robin Woodberry,

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry met with clergy from throughout the Diocese of Ohio at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland today (Friday) on the eve of the ordination and consecration of Anne B. Jolly, the new Bishop Coadjutor of the diocese.

Bishop Curry was elected the 27th presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church in 2015 and is the first African American to served in that role.

He had been bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina. But his roots as an Episcopalian are very much ingrained in Canton.

His father, the Rev. Kenneth Steward Lee Curry was born in Canton in 1924, and graduated from McKinley High School before earning is bachelor's degree from Wilberforce University. It was in Ohio that Fr. Curry and his wife -- who had grown up Baptist -- became Episcopalians.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry met with clergy Friday, including (center standing) St. Paul's Deacon-in-Charge Robin Woodberry, and two of the priests, Maureen Major (seated at Bishop Curry's right) and Jon Coventry (standing far right), who got their starts at St. Paul's, as well as the Rev. Joyce Pennfield, who has been a regular guest celebrant at St. Paul's.

Bishop Anne announces additions at the Diocese

Dear ones,

As we build a bishop’s staff that continues to be dedicated to resourcing our congregations, I’m delighted to announce the Rev. Jessie Gutgsell Dodson has accepted the call to be Canon to the Ordinary, starting on August 1. In this position, she will be a partner in innovation, collaboration, administration, liturgy, and pastoral care.

Jessie holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Harp Performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, graduated from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, and has served in churches in Indiana, Connecticut, Michigan, and has been at St. Paul’s, Cleveland Heights since 2018. Throughout her leadership of the transition process, I, along with the rest of the diocese, was able to witness Jessie’s generous spirit, incredible ability to navigate complex situations, deep faith, and abiding commitment to the Diocese of Ohio. Every person who interviewed Jessie affirmed these gifts and saw in her a call to the bishop’s staff.

Jessie expressed her response to the call by saying, “My experience leading the Transition Committee was personally transformative. I saw the beauty and diversity of this diocese, the commitment of its laity, the creativity of its clergy. Coming together for the ordination and consecration was a beautiful glimpse of what the kin-dom of God looks like. Through all of this, I began to sense in myself a call towards diocesan leadership. I am delighted that I get to continue growing in relationship with Bishop Anne, the bishop’s staff, the parishes, clergy, and people of this diocese now as Canon to the Ordinary.”
I would also like to share the joyful news that Andrea Appling will be joining the bishop’s staff on June 26 as an accountant in the Finance Department. Christina Butterfield, incoming CFO of the Diocese of Ohio, and I agree that Andrea will be an incredible asset to the entire diocese, having more than 10 years of nonprofit accounting experience. She is a fourth-generation Episcopalian and is a current communicant at St. Andrew’s, Cleveland.
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow! I am grateful, excited, and joyful for this blessing from God. I look forward to beginning my new journey as an accountant at the Diocese of Ohio," Andrea shared in regard to accepting this role.

We hope you share in our jubilation at these calls and will keep Jessie, Andrea, and their loved ones in your prayers, along with St. Paul’s, Cleveland Heights and St. Andrew’s, Cleveland, as they navigate this transition. We are continuing in prayerful, thoughtful discernment around other staff positions and will keep you informed as we move through this transition process together.

God’s Peace,

+Anne

The Rt. Rev. Anne B. Jolly
Bishop Coadjutor

Bishop Hollingsworth announces Diocesan retirements

June 6, 2023
Dear colleagues and friends,

Shortly following last month’s Clergy Conference, I wrote Presiding Bishop Curry requesting the canonically required permission from him and the House of Bishops to resign my position as Bishop Diocesan, stating my intention to transfer jurisdiction to Bishop Jolly on July 1. Yesterday, I was informed by his office that this permission would be granted by the end of this week.

Bishop Anne is well prepared to take on the responsibilities of the XII Bishop of Ohio, having begun to put together an effective strategy and talented staff for carrying on the work of episcopal ministry in our Diocese. She has asked me to provide support for a few continuing projects at Bellwether Farm, including the construction of the new animal barn and outdoor amphitheater, which we expect will be completed by the middle of the summer. I am happy to serve at her request in that limited capacity.

The Rev. Percy Grant will also retire on July 1, after 16 years’ service as Canon for Ministry. She, more than anyone else, is responsible for building up the quality and collegiality of the clergy in the Diocese of Ohio. Guiding candidates for Holy Orders, congregations in transition, and clergy searching for new positions, she has brought out the best in us. She has provided leadership to the wider church in a range of positions, both provincial and denominational, including as Deputy to General Convention. We will be indebted to Percy for years to come as our ordained and elected leaders continue to grow in their respective vocations.

On September 1, Canon to the Ordinary Bill Powel will retire following eight years overseeing diocesan governance, human resources, canonical processes of all types, innumerable legal issues, and serving Diocesan Council, Trustees, Finance Committee, and countless individual congregations with his wise and thoughtful counsel. In addition, Bill has served as Chancellor of the Diocese for 12 years, a position in which he has agreed to continue at Bishop Anne’s invitation. Also a Deputy to General Convention and member of denominational commissions, task forces, and interim bodies, Bill has brought and will continue to bring his experience and leadership gifts to bear on the complex challenges the church faces.

I know you will join me in giving thanks to God for the generous and sacrificial service of these two treasured colleagues. They have modeled the very best of lay and clergy leadership in the church. I look forward to joining with many of you on June 17 to thank the Assisting Bishops, our retiring colleagues – Bill, Brad, Percy, and Sue – the entire Bishop’s Staff, and one another, and to celebrate our common ministry in the Diocese of Ohio over the last two decades.

Gratefully,
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio

'Beloved of Ohio,
I am so glad God gave us to each other'

More than a thousand people gathered at Public Auditorium in Cleveland Saturday morning for the ordination and consecration of the Rev. Anne Bryson Jolly as Ohio's bishop coadjutor. She's the first woman elected to the post, and comes to Ohio from Deerfield, Ill., where she's been rector of St. Gregory’s.
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, was the celebrant and preacher. His sermon -- delivered with his signature grin, extemporaneous style and refusal to stay behind the pulpit -- took him back-and-forth across the stage where he noted the Temptations, Beatles and Jimi Hendrix had all performed.

He also noted that April 29 is also the feast day for St. Catherine of Siena, a 15th century mystic, activist and doctor whose most often-quoted words promise: "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."

"We need that fire of love," Bishop Curry said, saying an unselfish, sacrificial love will save our nation and the world.

In Anne Jolly, Bishop Curry said, Ohio is getting a bishop who "not only talks with Jesus, but listens." And he concluded, "Anne, may the fire of God's love though you light the world."

In her first comments as bishop, Bishop Jolly said simply, "Beloved of Ohio, I ams so glad God gave us to each other."

Bishop Curry was assisted by a half-dozen co-consecrating bishops, including the Right Rev. Mark Hollingsworth Jr., the 11th bishop of Ohio whom Jolly will serve with and then succeed. More than a hundred clergy and lay leaders participated in the service, including St. Paul's Deacon-in-Charge, the Rev. Dr. Robin Woodberry, who was among the Eucharistic ministers. Some130 voices from nearly two-dozen choirs in the diocese -- accompanied by trumpets and drums -- led selections as varied as Charles Villiers Standford's "Te Deum in B-flat, Op. 10," "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," "Down in the River to Pray" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

After her consecration, Bishop Jolly was vested with a stole, pectoral cross, cope, mitre and the Episcopal ring, a gift from her mother that includes stones from her grandmothers, "the women on whose faith she was raised."

After the service, Bishop Jolly shared: “When the world is as divided, scared, and hurting as ours is today, we know that the deep, reconciling love of Christ is a balm for wounded souls. It is the gift of the church to share this love through loving our neighbor, learning our neighbor’s story, and caring for each other. ... We know this love does change the world! We are going to have fun serving and working together to share this love in Ohio and beyond.”

Click on this link to view the full service. Click here and scroll down for a more images from the historic day.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry:
Easter 2023 Message

“We are here in a world struggling to find its soul, but the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not, cannot, and will not overcome it,” Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael B. Curry said in his Easter 2023 message. “Jesus lives. He has been raised from the dead. That is the message of Easter, and that is the good news of great tidings.”

The following is the full text of the presiding bishop’s Easter 2023 message, lightly edited for clarity:

This is a different Easter message. I’ve shared Easter messages from Jerusalem some years ago, and I have shared Easter and Christmas messages from a variety of locations. Last year for Christmas, we were in San Diego. Today I’m in Paris, part of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe. We just finished a revival—over 50 young people and some 300-400 people from all over Europe who came for this revival service. It was a remarkable thing to behold and be part of.

The Convocation here in Europe is engaged in incredible ministries, with some joining together with Episcopal Relief & Development to make it possible for resettlement of those who are refugees from war and famine, particularly those who are refugees from Ukraine.

Thinking about it—I realize not only with this view—but with the reality of Easter looming on our horizon, John’s Gospel opens: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Then there is a point in which it says, of Christ coming into the world, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.”

On that early Easter morning, John says in his 20th chapter, that early in the morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene and some of the other women went to the tomb. They went to the tomb after the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. They went to the tomb of their world having fallen apart. They went to the tomb of all their hopes and dreams having collapsed.

But they got up and they went anyway. They went to perform the rites of burial, to do for a loved one what you would want to do for them. They went, following the liturgies of their religion and their tradition, and, lo and behold, when they went, they discovered that, even in the darkness, the light of God's love, the light of Jesus Christ—the light of Christ, as we say in the Great Vigil—in fact, was shining in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Jesus had been raised from the dead. He was alive, and darkness and evil and selfishness could not stop him. Love—as the old song says—love lifted him up.

We are here in Paris, this wonderful city. While there are protests going on in the city—garbage has not been collected, and it’s all over the city—we are here in Paris, in Europe, with refugees streaming into this continent from all over the world, impacted by changes in weather pattern, impacted by war and famine. We are here in a world struggling to find its soul, but the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not, cannot, and will not overcome it. Jesus lives. He has been raised from the dead. That is the message of Easter, and that is the good news of great tidings.

From Paris, I’m Michael Curry. God love you. God bless you, and the light shines in the darkness, wherever there is darkness. This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Amen.

Click here to hear the Presiding Bishop's Easter message

March 17, 2022

Dear Diocesan friends,

I wanted to send a few notes to update you on all the activity that accompanies our bishop transition process. I also want to express my continuing gratitude to the Transition and Standing Committees, the Diocesan staff, our Bishop Mark, Bishop Coadjutor-Elect Anne, and many others for their efforts and partnership. Here are some upcoming opportunities and events to note:

Consecration and Ordination:

Bishop Coadjutor-elect Anne’s Ordination and Consecration will be held on April 29, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Cleveland Public Auditorium. All are invited!
Invitations will be delivered to churches in the last week of March and will also be available in the next issue of Church Life.
We’re seeking ushers and greeters, as well as singers for a diocesan choir. Please complete this Jotform by March 24 to express your interest in these ministries.
You can find a FAQ for all the weekend’s events here.

Celebrating Bishop Mark, our assisting bishops, and staff:

Please save-the-date for a celebration of our bishops and staff on June 17, 2023 from 2-6 p.m. at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights. This party, open to all, will recognize the decades of ministry we’ve enjoyed with Bishops Mark, Arthur, Bill, and David, as well as their spouses, and our diocesan staff.
Stay tuned for more opportunities to honor our bishops and staff.

We’re looking forward to all these celebrations over the next few months. As always, please feel free to reach out to me and any members of the Transition Committee at [email protected].

Peace,
The Rev. Jessie Gutgsell Dodson
Transition Committee, Chair
Associate Rector, St. Paul’s, Cleveland Heights

Transition Committee:
The Rev. Jessie Dodson; St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights (Chair)
Roderick Adams; St. Andrew's, Cleveland
The Rev. Joe Ashby; Grace, Mansfield
Denise Caywood; St. Philip's, Akron
Peter DiMezza; St. Paul's, Akron
Debbie Likins-Fowler; Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland
Carol Franklin; Christ Church, Shaker Heights
The Rev. Rose Anne Lonsway; Grace, Willoughby
Carol Loveless; Grace, Mansfield
Larry Mackey; New Life, Uniontown
Tina Monreal; Christ Church, Hudson
Andrea Porter; St. Andrew's, Cleveland
Richard Pryor; Christ Church, Kent
Susan Quill; St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights
Patty Roberts; Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland
Eva Warren; Harcourt Parish, Gambier

What we believe

We Episcopalians believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As constituent members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church, and are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world.

We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world.
We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being; women and men serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church. Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God, and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of sexual identity or orientation.

We believe that God loves you – no exceptions.

A pastoral word from Presiding Bishop
Michael Curry on the death of Tyre Nichols

January 28, 2023

Sense cannot be made of the murder of a young man at the hands of five men whose vocation and calling are to protect and serve. This was evil and senseless.
There is a passage from the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah, which is later quoted in Matthew’s Gospel when innocent baby boys are killed by an immoral dictator:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more.”
—Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:18
With the murder of Tyre Nichols, another mother, as in the biblical texts, weeps, with the mothers of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others. A family grieves. A community fears. A nation is ashamed. Like the psalmist in the Bible, something in us cries out, “How long, O Lord, how long?” How long violence, how long cruelty, how long the utter disregard for the dignity and worth of every child of God? How long?
As if this wasn’t enough, there is another horrible dimension to what happened. Tyre Nichols was beaten, kicked, and cursed as if he was not a human being. Then, after he was lying on the ground, having called for his mother, they let him stay there for several minutes without anyone, including the police and EMT who were present, providing medical assistance. Not one Good Samaritan.
Jesus once told a story to teach about what it looks like to love one’s neighbor, which Moses and Jesus both said is a commandment of God. It’s a story about a man beaten nearly to death and left on the side of the road to die by people who knew what Moses taught about love for God and neighbor—and what the prophet Micah taught when he said that God requires three things of us: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Only one person stopped to help the man, and he did so without regard for the fact that they were of different religions, nationalities, ethnic groups, and even different politics. This second man was a Samaritan, and he helped because the man on the road was human. He helped because he was a fellow child of God. He helped because the man lying on the side of the road, regardless of race, class, clan, stripe, or type, was his brother. And the man who helped has been called the Good Samaritan.
The fundamental call and vocation of law enforcement officials, and indeed every one of us, is that of the Good Samaritan.
Here is where there is hope: The Good Samaritan in the parable of Jesus was not the last one.
There are Good Samaritans who are government officials in Memphis who, after assessing what happened, fired the offending officers, charged them with crimes against human life and dignity, and have committed to addressing systemic and cultural issues that created an environment in which this evil was enabled.
There are Good Samaritans doing what is necessary to radically reform the environment and culture of law enforcement—to create an atmosphere in which the dignity and worth of every human being is respected, protected, affirmed, and honored.
There are Good Samaritans in law enforcement, and other first responders, who often work while others sleep, laboring to protect and serve, at times risking their own lives for the neighbor they do not even know.
There are Good Samaritans, people of goodwill and human decency, who are peacefully protesting. There are Good Samaritans who are activists working tirelessly for the realization of communities and countries where there is truly, as the Pledge of Allegiance proclaims, “liberty and justice for all.”
While we grieve, we cannot give in or give up. Just throwing up our hands in despair is not an option lest we leave a brother, a sister, a sibling on the side of the road again. No, let more Good Samaritans arise so that Tyre Nichols’ death will not be in vain.
Please pray for Tyre’s family, the whole Memphis community, this nation, and world. But also pray for people to rise up like the Good Samaritan and work to create change so this never happens again.
And may the soul of Tyre, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercies of God, rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

Una palabra pastoral del obispo primado Michael Curry sobre La muerte de Tyre NicholsNo se le puede encontrar sentido al asesinato de un joven a manos de cinco hombres cuya vocación y llamado es proteger y servir. Esto fue una acción malvada y sin sentido.
Hay un pasaje del profeta hebreo Jeremías, que luego se cita en el Evangelio de Mateo cuando un dictador inmoral mata a niños inocentes:
«Voz fue oída en Ramá,
grande lamentación, lloro y gemido;
Raquel que llora a sus hijos,
y no quiso ser consolada,
porque perecieron».
—Jeremías 31:15, Mateo 2:18
Con el asesinato de Tyre Nichols, otra madre, como en los textos bíblicos, llora, con las madres de Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery y tantos otros. Una familia está de duelo. Una comunidad teme. Una nación se siente avergonzada. Como el salmista en la Biblia, algo en nosotros clama: «¿Hasta cuándo, Señor, hasta cuándo?». ¿Hasta cuándo la violencia, hasta cuándo la crueldad, hasta cuándo el absoluto desprecio por la dignidad y el valor de cada hijo de Dios? ¿Hasta cuándo?
Como si esto no fuera suficiente, hay otra dimensión horrible en lo que sucedió. A Tyre Nichols lo golpearon, lo patearon y lo maldijeron como si no fuera un ser humano. Luego, después de que estuvo tirado en el suelo, después de haber clamado por su madre, lo dejaron permanecer allí durante varios minutos sin que nadie, incluidos los policías y los paramédicos que estaban presentes, le prestaran asistencia. Ni un solo buen samaritano.
Una vez, Jesús contó una historia para enseñar en qué consiste amar al prójimo, que tanto Moisés como Jesús dijeron que es un mandamiento de Dios. Es la historia de un hombre al que golpearon casi hasta matarlo y a quien abandonaron al borde del camino, para que muriera, personas que sabían lo que Moisés había enseñado sobre el amor a Dios y al prójimo, y lo que enseñó el profeta Miqueas cuando dijo que Dios exige tres cosas de nosotros: practicar la justicia, amar la misericordia y humillarte ante tu Dios
Sólo una persona se detuvo para socorrer al hombre, y lo hizo sin tener en cuenta el hecho de que eran de diferentes religiones, nacionalidades, grupos étnicos e incluso diferentes posiciones políticas. Este segundo hombre era un samaritano, y lo socorrió porque el hombre tirado en el camino era un ser humano. Lo socorrió porque era un hijo de Dios. Lo socorrió porque el hombre abandonado al borde del camino, sin importar raza, clase, clan, estirpe o tipo, era su hermano. Y al hombre que prestó el socorro se le ha llamado el Buen Samaritano.
El llamado fundamental y la vocación de los funcionarios encargados de hacer cumplir la ley, y de hecho de cada uno de nosotros, es el del Buen Samaritano.
Aquí es donde hay esperanza: El Buen Samaritano de la parábola de Jesús no fue el último.
Hay buenos samaritanos que son funcionarios del gobierno en Memphis que, después de evaluar lo sucedido, despidieron a los agentes infractores, los acusaron de crímenes contra la vida y la dignidad humanas, y se comprometieron a abordar los problemas sistémicos y culturales que crearon un entorno que facilitaba esta maldad.
Hay buenos samaritanos que hacen lo necesario para reformar radicalmente el entorno y la cultura de las fuerzas del orden, para crear una atmósfera en la que se respete, se proteja, se afirme y se honre la dignidad y el valor de cada ser humano.
Hay buenos samaritanos entre los agentes del orden y otros socorristas, que a menudo trabajan mientras otros duermen, laborando para proteger y servir, arriesgando a veces sus propias vidas por el prójimo al que ni siquiera conocen.
Hay buenos samaritanos, gente de buena voluntad y decoro, que protestan pacíficamente. Hay buenos samaritanos que son activistas que trabajan incansablemente por la materialización de comunidades y países donde haya verdaderamente, como proclama el Juramento a la Bandera, «libertad y justicia para todos».
Mientras hacemos duelo, no podemos rendirnos ni darnos por vencidos. Levantar las manos en desesperación no es una opción para abandonar de nuevo a un hermano o a una hermana al borde del camino. No, que surjan otros buenos samaritanos para que la muerte de Tyre Nichols no sea en vano.
Oren por la familia de Tyre, por toda la comunidad de Memphis, por esta nación y por el mundo. Pero también oren para que las personas reaccionen como el Buen Samaritano y se empeñen en provocar un cambio de manera que esto nunca vuelva a suceder.
Y que el alma de Tyre, y las almas de todos los difuntos, por la misericordia de Dios, descansen en paz y se levanten en gloria. Amén.
Rvdmo. Michael B. Curry
Obispo Presidente y Primado
de la Iglesia Episcopal

Dear colleagues and friends,

The Episcopal Church, through Presiding Bishop Curry, is collaborating with Pastor Adam Hamilton of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS (the largest United Methodist Church in the country), inviting faith communities across the country to approach this election cycle with an intentional focus on Micah 6:8. “And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Called The Be Campaign, it encourages us to be just, kind, and humble as we exercise the responsibilities of our precious democracy.

Bishops Mariann Budde and Deon Johnson of the Dioceses of Washington and Missouri, respectively, have produced resources for worship in the month of October, including alternative lectionary readings. Please know that all congregations in the Diocese of Ohio are permitted to use them. They can be accessed through the Diocesan website.

As well, the Diocese of Ohio will provide two yard signs per congregation introducing The Be Campaign. These will be distributed through the Mission Area Deaneries. The graphics can also be printed and used as you find helpful.
I encourage you to consider how you might integrate the baptismal disciplines of love of neighbor and respect of all in your prayer and worship as we approach election day and beyond.

Gratefully,
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr., Bishop of Ohio

News from the Diocese of Ohio

A Message from the Bishop:
Earthquake Relief for Turkey and Syria

News and images of the earthquake devastation in Turkey and Syria are horrifying and heartbreaking. With thousands dead and unknown numbers of injured, it is a humanitarian tragedy of epic proportion.

Along with our prayers, we can send financial support online here or by sending a check to the Diocese of Ohio (2230 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115) marked for Earthquake Relief. All funds will be distributed through Episcopal Relief and Development. I will send support personally and from the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund, and encourage you to join me.

Bishop Hollingsworth on mass shootings in America: We share the responsibility

What happened in Buffalo a week ago Saturday is not an anomaly. Nor is what happened in Laguna Woods and Uvalde in the days following. This who we are.

The shooting of 13 people shopping for food at a supermarket, 10 of whom have died and 11 of whom were Black, was an overtly racist act. It was perpetrated by an avowed white supremacist, livestreamed by him on the internet, at a Tops food market in a predominantly black neighborhood that is a three-and-a-half-hour drive from his home. The murder of one communicant and the critical injury of four others at an Orange County church was another well-planned execution, apparently politically motivated around issues of Taiwanese independence. That shooter traveled almost 300 miles from another state and mingled with churchgoers for 40 minutes before opening fire. And the slaughter of 19 elementary schoolchildren and two adults in Uvalde by an 18-year-old student from a nearby school was an act of such horrific violence against the most innocent of victims that it all but defies contemplation.

All of these were premediated acts of gun violence. Some will argue that each was the action of a deranged individual, which it surely was, and thereby distance themselves from it as aberrant and not reflective of who we are as a country and society, which it just as surely was not. These were three of more than 200 mass shootings in the United States so far this year. We are the most heavily armed and personally weaponized country on earth. It is not simply that the alleged killers should not have had these guns. It is not just about the shooters. We live in a society that makes it possible for them and most citizens to have guns without training, permit, or good reason. This is who we are.

Nor is it simply that these were perpetrated with racist motives or values that do not reflect the morals and ethics enshrined in our Constitution and taught by all but extremist religious traditions. Throughout our history as a nation, we have made room for slavery, prejudice, inequality, inequity, hate, and, thereby, the continued expression of racism and the battle for supremacy of one demographic over another. Even in our religious communities is this so. This reality persists, and we, the people of this country, allow it to do so. This, too, is who we are.

For some, defining ourselves and our country as racist and violent is anathema. Of course, this is not what most of us want to accept about our identity. We cannot help but recoil from it. But such hateful and violent acts are shameful not only for the perpetrators, but for all of us who pledge to support a safe, supportive society wherein self-sacrifice and surrender of privilege assure the rights of others to go safely to school, church, and the market. We promise equality and justice for all, yet refuse to enact laws that provide them. We likely should be more ashamed of not owning our truth and not helping one another to repair the breach. We are quick to claim national pride when something good happens. We must be equally quick to take national responsibility when something shameful does.

As Jesus repeatedly showed, both in his words and his actions, love must be taught. That teaching begins in naming and owning where we have fallen short. It is a matter of confession, accepting what God knows about us. God knows that we fall short and, with God’s help, can do better. We should be indefatigable in giving our schoolchildren something more than successful Active Shooter Drills to be proud of. The violence and racism of our society are not their fault. Its repair, however, is their opportunity. An honest acceptance of where and who we are provides the only stable place from which they, and we, can proceed.

'We are quick to claim national pride when something good happens. We must be equally quick to take national responsibility when something shameful does.'

I don’t like the fact that I belong to a violent and racist society. It is a hard truth for me to accept. But time and again, we find that, without confession, without accepting the truth, we have nowhere to go because we are not starting where we are. Very often it is the realities we are most reluctant to face that provide the place where change begins. These are truths we need to own. Owning them informs our prayer, and prayer informs our action.

I encourage you, in both your personal devotions and corporate worship, to pray the Litany in the Wake of a Mass Shooting, maintained and offered by Bishops United Against Gun Violence, of which the Bishops of Ohio are members. And I invite clergy to wear orange stoles at the ordinations on Saturday and on subsequent Sundays.

God knows, we can change this if we are willing to do the work. God surely does.

The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio

Trinity Cathedral celebrates Absalom Jones on Feb. 11
and encourages contributions to HBCUs

January 28, 2023
Dear colleagues and friends,

On Saturday morning, February 11, at 11 a.m., the Wilma Ruth Combs Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians, Trinity Cathedral, and the Diocese of Ohio will host at Trinity Cathedral our annual celebration of Absalom Jones, whose feast day is February 13.

Following last summer’s action of the 80th General Convention, we will also celebrate the life and ministry of the Rt. Rev. Barbara Clementine Harris, Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Massachusetts. The first woman to be ordained a Bishop in the Anglican Communion, she is celebrated by commemorating the anniversary of her consecration on February 11, 1989.

The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris, the current Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Massachusetts, will preach, and the service will be livestreamed. I write to encourage you to attend this celebration, either in person or online, and to remember these two saints of the church in your prayers and parishes on Sunday, February 12.

The annual Absalom Jones service is an important event in our common journey toward Becoming Beloved Community. This year, it provides an opportunity to remember both the Rev. Absalom Jones, the first African American to be ordained in The Episcopal Church, and Bishop Barbara Harris, the first African-American woman to serve in the episcopate, and to affirm our commitment to racial reconciliation and the disassembling of racism. Their courage, dedication, and deep faith can inspire in us the same spirit necessary to heal the racial division and injustice of our own day. (A flyer describing the service may be downloaded here.)

Presiding Bishop Curry has invited contributions to be made from these observances, whether in special diocesan services or in regular Sunday parish worship on February 12, to St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, NC and Voorhees College in Denmark, SC. He has written, “Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are essential institutions that help prepare people from diverse backgrounds for success in an array of vital professions. As we approach the celebration of Blessed Absalom Jones, the first African-American priest in The Episcopal Church, it is fitting that we honor his memory by lending our support to two schools that continue to form new African-American leaders.”

To this end, you may send any contributions to Sue Leishman at 2230 Euclid Ave, Cleveland OH 44115 or online at this link by selecting Absalom Jones Fund under Designate My Gift. You may also contribute directly to the Absalom Jones Fund online at www.episcopalchurch.org/development/HBCU.

I urge you to remember Blessed Absalom and Bishop Barbara on February 11 at the Cathedral and in your congregations the following day, and to make a gift to the Absalom Jones Fund for HBCUs.

Gratefully,
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio

Watercolors, mysticism and a look toward summer at Bellwether Farms

A Wonderful Watercolor Weekend with Sarah Knoblauch
Bellwether Farm will host a Wonderful Watercolor Weekend with Sarah Knoblauch February 17-19. This will be an easy, efficient exercise in discovering the magical qualities of watercolor. This course will begin by exploring the four basic watercolor techniques. There will be ongoing individual instruction throughout the day. You will learn recipes for different colors and explore new ones on your own. The weekend is $265 for a double room, and $325 for a single room. Registration is available on the Bellwether Farm website.

Exploring Mysticism Retreat
Bellwether Farm will hold a Mystics retreat on March 16 – 19. What is mysticism? Who were/are the Mystics? Do they have any relevance for today’s world and our lives as Christians? The Rev. Sally Goodall will lead the exploration into those questions, then begin to explore Teresa of Avila’s “Interior Castle”, her image to describe the soul’s journey to God. Teresa of Avila lived in 16th century Spain, a time of political instability, religious turmoil, and renewed interest in mystical experiences. Despite the challenges of the Inquisition and suspicion of anything written by a woman, Teresa wrote prolifically about prayer and the spiritual life. We discover, in the midst of her deep theological insights and ecstatic experiences, a person who is down to earth and responds honestly to life’s challenges. As we step into Teresa of Avila’s “Interior Castle” we will taste a little of her rich life of prayer and sample the music of the mystics.
This will be an opportunity to explore what she meant. Registration is available on the Bellwether Farm website. The cost for the retreat is $280 and includes a single occupancy room, meals from Thursday dinner through Saturday lunch, and all materials. For questions, please contact Ruth Mercer at [email protected] or 216.7740.0453.

Bellwether Farm Summer Camp Dates
Bellwether Farm will offer a variety of summer camps from June 18 through July 28. Visit the website to learn more about our various summer offerings for all ages, and to apply to be a camp counselor or nurse. Registration will be available soon.
Bellwether Farm Summer Camp Counselors
Are you ready for a transformational summer? Join an amazing team of staff at Bellwether Farm Camp, Retreat, and Education Center as a camp counselor! The farm, fields, and forests of Bellwether Farm guide everything we do at summer camp. From foraging, harvesting, and cooking, to goat snuggles and chicken chases, to catching crawdads in the creek and fish in the pond, campers and counselors connect with themselves, each other, and Creation every day. Challenge yourself to spend your summer outside on this beautiful land, growing into the person you are called to be. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Apply here.
Bellwether Farm Summer Camp Nurse
Bellwether Farm Summer Camp is a small weekly overnight camp centered on experiencing the divine in the natural world, food, and community. Physical wellness is just as important as spiritual and mental health at Bellwether Farm Camp. The camp nurse ensures that campers and staff receive the proper attention during any health incidents. This includes being aware of and attentive to all medications, allergies, and any health conditions, as well as being on call for scrapes, bruises, bee stings, and any other illnesses. In addition, the camp nurse is the primary responsible person for any health incidents and emergencies. Licensure is not required, although some experience or training in the healthcare field is preferred. Working with the camp staff and counselors, the camp nurse is a vital part of the Bellwether Farm Camp community. More information is available on the Bellwether Farm website.

Volunteer Days
On the 3rd Saturday of every month, beginning January 20, Bellwether Farm will hold volunteer days. Volunteers will have the option to sign up for either 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., or all day. Lunch will be provided for the all day volunteers. Activities will vary based on weather and needs of the farm, but there are opportunities to help for many age groups and abilities. Sign up on the Bellwether Farm website.

A Christmas message from the Bishop of Ohio

Once again, we draw near to the stable where the infant Savior is born and are reminded that the triumph of divine good is borne not by the powerful, but by the vulnerable. Each of us, despite our doubts and shortcomings, is exactly what God needs to meet the pain and brokenness of the world with justice, mercy, and grace.
The nativity of the Christ proclaims that divine love takes on flesh when we are vulnerable to the spirit of holiness, when we open our hearts and let God’s love direct our lives. That is when we become, in St. Paul’s words, the body of Christ.
My prayer is that the twelve days of Christmas will be days of adoration in which we may each hear the angel’s invitation, “Do not be afraid…this will be a sign for you.”
With every blessing of the incarnate Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio
12.25.22

Swathed in birthing cloths;
his tiny nostrils drawing soft breaths,
dilating with the earthy aroma of livestock;
his delicate fingers moving in slow motion,
as if caressing the air he breathes;
his eyes unable to focus on anything
save, perhaps, the mother’s breast;
his ears hearing for the first time
the sounds of the creation he had been born to redeem:
this fragile Messiah,
conceived to bear God’s transforming love to a broken world,
this incarnation of divine affection
come to us in the most vulnerable of all beings,
a living invitation to love as we are loved.
“This will be a sign for you,” the angel said. “For you.”
– Mark Hollingsworth

The Rev. Anne B. Jolly, first woman elected Bishop of Ohio, to be ordained and consecrated on April 29

[Cleveland, OH] - The Rev. Anne B. Jolly was elected as Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio during the 206th annual convention on November 19, 2022, at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower. She was elected on the second ballot after receiving a majority of both clergy and lay votes. The election concludes the year-long process of seeking a successor for Bishop Mark Hollingsworth, Jr., who began his service in the diocese in 2004.

Jolly is the first woman to be elected a bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. She was one of three nominees. The other nominees were the Rev. Dr. Elaine Ellis Thomas and the Rev. Diana L. Wilcox, both from the Diocese of Newark.

Currently serving as the Rector of St. Gregory’s in Deerfield, IL, in the Diocese of Chicago, Jolly feels her call is to shape the church so that God’s people are equipped to live lives of faith and share the love and justice of Christ’s “Kin-dom.” As the President of the Standing Committee in the Diocese of Chicago (since 2019), she served as the head of the ecclesiastical authority for two years while the diocese was in an interim period between bishops. She has previously served at Good Shepherd in Austin, TX; St. Paul’s in Chattanooga, TN; and Christ Church in Greenville, SC. More about The Rev. Anne B. Jolly.

Addressing the convention, Jolly said, "I’m so excited and overwhelmed and ready to be with you…I want to thank everyone who has held us all in prayer…I am eager and ready to get there [Ohio] to get to know you, to listen to you, to help us solidify a vision together about how we can do things and be a part of God’s work in changing the world.”

Pending consent of a majority of the bishops with jurisdiction and the diocesan standing committees, Jolly will be ordained and consecrated on April 29, 2023, at Cleveland Public Auditorium. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will preside. She will succeed Bishop Hollingsworth later next year, becoming the 12th Bishop of Ohio.

The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio was established in 1817 and is part of The Episcopal Church, a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It comprises the northern 48 counties in the State of Ohio, which includes more than 15,000 Episcopalians in 80 worshiping congregations. The current bishop is the Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr., elected on November 15, 2003 and consecrated on April17, 2004.

Preparing for the Nov. 8 election with a prayer and election toolkit

As polls begin to close on Nov. 8 for the U.S. midterm elections, all are invited to join an Election Day Prayers gathering online hosted by The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations.

Tune in from 8 p.m. to midnight EST via The Episcopal Public Policy Network Facebook page or The Episcopal Church Facebook page. Viewers do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

Scheduled guests include Presiding Bishop Michael Curry; House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris; the Rev. Charles Graves IV, missioner for Houston Canterbury; the Rev. Donna Gleaves, an Episcopal Public Policy Network ambassador; and Willis H.A. Moore, an Episcopal Election Activator.

The Office of Government Relations also offers a 2022 Vote Faithfully Midterm Election Engagement Toolkit and other resources for parishes interested in voter advocacy.

Soliciting questions for the candidates for the Bishop of Ohio

Sept. 6, 2022

Dear Friends,
The Meet & Greet sub-committee is soliciting questions from the diocese from which we will formulate a series of questions that address the issues of interest and concern to you. Please know that we value your input and hope to have candidates answer as many of your questions as possible. Please submit your questions by Friday, September 16, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. using this link.

As you know, the Search Committee announced three nominees for the 12th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio on August 15, 2022. The petition process, which takes the place of nominations from the floor, ran from August 15 to August 30, 2022. Once the final slate of nominees is confirmed, we will hold a series of in-person visits (Meet & Greets), including three intended for clergy only. The Meet & Greet list of dates and locations is at the end of this letter.

To ensure that a variety of questions are asked and that the time is as productive as possible, the Meet & Greet sub-committee is soliciting questions in advance from members of the diocese. The Meet & Greet sub-committee will review and consolidate the submitted questions into a set of questions that will be used throughout the Meet & Greet week. We plan to have the candidates answer as wide a range of questions as possible.

All are invited to attend the public Meet & Greet sessions. Upon arrival, every attendee will be offered the opportunity to write a question on an index card. These cards will be collected and reviewed and given to the moderator, and the moderator will ask as many as time allows.

Each of these moderated sessions will follow the same format with each nominee separately being asked the same questions. The moderator will manage the time allotted for each candidate and ensure that the candidate is allowed time to fully answer each question. Given time constraints, we will not be able to entertain questions from the floor.

Diocesan People of Color and Bishop Candidate Meeting
The Wilma Ruth Combs Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians and the Transition Committee of the Diocese of Ohio are collaborating on a meeting for People of Color in the Diocese to engage with the nominees for Bishop Coadjutor. This hybrid event will focus on an in-person gathering of all people of color throughout the diocese but will also make the meeting available by Zoom. It will be held from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 27 at Trinity Cathedral. Questions will be solicited prior to the event and it will include questions from the floor. Attendees will be encouraged to remain for the second Meet and Greet that evening at the Cathedral from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. which will include a reception. All members of the Black, Asian, LatinX, and Indigenous communities throughout the diocese are invited and encouraged to attend and bring questions so that you may have an opportunity to engage the nominees. Wendy Wilson Walker, UBE Midwest Regional Director, will serve as the host for this event. If you have any questions please contact her at [email protected].

Our Meet & Greet time together will also include prayer led by our hosting clergy and a reception with refreshments.

Please submit your questions using the Meet & Greet Candidate Questions form. In order for the Meet and Greet committee to organize the questions we ask that all questions be submitted by Friday, September 16, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

With anticipation,
Meet and Greet Subcommittee
Patty Roberts; Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Chair
Peter DiMezza; St. Paul's, Akron
Carol Franklin; Christ Church, Shaker Heights
Richard Pryor; Christ Church, Kent
The Rev. Jessie Dodson; St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights (Chair, Transition Committee)

Public Meet and Greet Dates and Times

Sunday, October 23 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., Christ Church, Warren
Monday, October 24 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., St. Paul’s Church, Akron (Livestreamed)
Tuesday, October 25 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Grace Church, Mansfield
Wednesday, October 26 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., St. Timothy’s Church, Perrysburg
Thursday, October 27 from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland and on Zoom (for People of Color)
Thursday, October 27 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland (Livestreamed)

Clergy Meet and Greet Dates and Times

Sunday, October 23 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m., St. Paul’s, Akron (for Deacons)
Wednesday, October 26 for 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., St. Paul’s Church, Fremont
Thursday, October 27 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., St. Barnabas Church, Bay Village (Livestream will be made available for clergy not able to attend in-person)

Three women are candidates for 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Ohio

August 15, 2022

Dear Friends,
Over the past 12 months, the Standing Committee, with the assistance of the Office of Pastoral Development, has conducted a process that created a draft profile of our diocese and then selected persons to lead the search for the next Bishop of the Diocese of Ohio. We would like to express our deep gratitude to the members of the Search Committee who have worked diligently and faithfully since last December to bring us a slate of nominees for the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Ohio. Their work has included:

Finalizing the draft developed by the Standing Committee, broadly distributing the diocesan profile, which then generated much interest throughout The Episcopal Church. Based on feedback from our consultant, the Committee received over twice the number of applications they had expected and that have been typical of recent bishop searches.
Actively reaching out to all major groups in The Episcopal Church, representing the breadth and diversity of The Episcopal Church, working to recruit a diverse pool of applicants. Their commitment to diversity included gender, geography, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Conducting 26 listening sessions throughout the diocese, in person and on Zoom, to hear the longings and concerns of our Diocese. Using these responses, the Search Committee condensed this information and used it to develop questions and essay topics for applicants’ responses.
Reviewing applications, essay questions, calling references, conducting interviews on Zoom and in-person.
Conducting a retreat with applicant finalists at which the Search Committee gained more personal and in-depth knowledge of each individual.
Gaining consensus among their members, led by the Holy Spirit to fulfill their charge to bring to the Standing Committee a slate of 3-5 nominees.

The nominees for 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Ohio are:

The Rev. Anne B. Jolly, Rector of St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, Deerfield, IL, Diocese of Chicago
The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox, Rector of Christ Church in Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, NJ, Diocese of New Jersey
The Rev. Dr. Elaine Ellis Thomas, Rector of All Saints Episcopal Parish, Hoboken, NJ, Diocese of Newark

The Petition Process
In The Episcopal Church, a petition process takes the place of nominations from the floor. This process allows the same review, questions and responses, background checks, and other due diligence to be conducted on nominees nominated by petition as for the nominees put forward by the Search Committee. The information and instructions for our petition process can be found here. The petition process opens tomorrow (August 16) and closes at 5:00 p.m. (EST) on August 30. The Standing Committee welcomes those who have discerned a call to this ministry to submit their nominations.

Our commitment to diversity in the Petition Process continues in the same vein as that of the commitment of the Search Committee: diversity in ethnicity, gender, geography, and sexual orientation. Completed petition packets or any questions about the petition process should be emailed to the Rev. Charlotte Collins Reed at
[email protected].

The full slate of nominees, including those approved by the Standing Committee through the Petition Process, will be announced in mid-September once all due diligence has been completed. All nominees will be included in the Meet and Greets in October.

In the coming weeks, the Transition Committee, chaired by the Rev. Jessie Dodson, will further introduce theses bishop co-adjutor nominees to our diocese, along with nominees that come through the petition process. The nominees will be introduced via videos and through “Meet and Greets” which will be both in-person and livestreamed. Please stay tuned for information from the Transition Committee about how to get to know our nominees.

Our commitment to the members of the Diocese of Ohio is to bring a slate of candidates whom we feel will serve well as our 12th Bishop. We encourage you to examine the material provided, attend the Meet and Greets, and submit questions for the nominees. During the time between now and the election on November 19th at Diocesan Convention, please keep the Rev. Anne Jolly, the Rev. Diana Wilcox, and the Rev. Dr. Elaine Ellis Thomas, and those who may join them as petition nominees, in your prayers.

Blessings,
Dianne Audrick Smith
The Rev. Debra Q. Bennett
Dave McCallops
The Rev. Alexander D. Martin
Pamela O’Halloran
The Rev. Dr. Brian K. Wilbert
Jenna Bing, Secretary
The Rev. Charlotte Collins Reed, President

Prayer for the Election of the 12th Bishop of Ohio
Loving Creator, you call us together and you send us forth to be your witnesses in all places. We ask you now to lead us, accompany us, and direct us as we seek that person who is to be our next Bishop. Grant us perception, faithfulness and joy that we may hear your still small voice. And then, give us the courage to follow as you lead us along the way. In the name of Christ Jesus who is the shepherd and bishop of our souls.
Amen.

Update on the search for our new bishop

August 1, 2022

Dear friends,
I’m still humbled to have been appointed by the Standing Committee as chair of our Episcopal Diocese of Ohio Bishop Coadjutor Transition Committee. Our committee brings together lay and clergy members from across the diocese, and we’ve been meeting regularly since the beginning of April. Much of our work is done through the diligence of subcommittees, and I’m especially grateful to the chairs of those subcommittees for their leadership. We’re delighted to share these important updates with you as our bishop search continues.

Presentation of the Slate
The Search Committee, led by Halley Marsh, has been quietly and faithfully working to prepare a slate of candidates for the 12th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. We anticipate the Standing Committee will announce the initial slate in mid-August. From there, the Transition Committee will help everyone get to know the candidates through a variety of means.

Meet and Greets
One way we’ll get to know the slate is through a series of in-person visits the candidates will make across the diocese in late October. I’ve included the “Meet and Greet” schedule here, including options for virtual attendance through livestreaming. My thanks to the Meet and Greet subcommittee for their coordination and to our hosting congregations for opening their doors for these conversations. All public Meet and Greets are open to all. There will be two Meet and Greets that are open to clergy only, as indicated below.

Public Meet and Greets
Sunday, October 23 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Christ Church, Warren
Monday, October 24 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., St. Paul’s, Akron (Livestreamed)
Tuesday, October 25 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.,Grace, Mansfield
Wednesday, October 26 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., St. Timothy’s, Perrysburg
Thursday, October 27 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland (Livestreamed)

Clergy Meet and Greets
Wednesday, October 26 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.,St. Paul’s, Fremont
Thursday, October 27 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., St. Barnabas, Bay Village (Livestream will be made available for clergy not able to attend in-person)

We’ll be in touch in the early fall to solicit your questions for the candidates for the Meet and Greets, and to share with you more fully about what you can expect.

Electing Convention
The election of the next Bishop of Ohio will take place at our 206th Annual Diocesan Convention, which will be held in downtown Cleveland on November 18-19, 2022. The Episcopal Address and all business will be on Saturday, November 19, at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower. Details regarding the Friday schedule will be shared once finalized. You can follow updates on the convention at www.dohio.org/convention.

Consecration
We’ll gather for the Consecration of the 12th Bishop of Ohio on April 29, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Cleveland Public Auditorium. Our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, will serve as the presider and chief consecrator. A reception, also to be held at Public Auditorium, will immediately follow the service. We’ll be in touch with further ways to be involved with the planning and celebration of this day soon. My thanks to the Consecration Subcommittee for their tireless work over the past few months.

Celebrations of Ministries
The other work of our Transition Committee includes planning a celebration of the ministries of Bishop Mark and Sue Hollingsworth among us, as well as ongoing support and recognition for our Assisting Bishops and Diocesan Staff. You can be sure we’ll inform you of opportunities to connect and be a part of these celebrations as those details are solidified.

In addition to marking your calendars and sharing this information, I encourage you to keep this process in your personal and congregational prayers. A tremendous amount of effort and discernment has already gone into this transition, and that will only increase as the details and candidates become more public. I bid your prayers for our soon-to-be-announced slate and their families, for our diocesan staff, for our current bishops, and for all those dedicating their time and energy into this process.

You can follow all our committee updates at https://www.dohio.org/bishop-search and you can reach out via our committee email address ([email protected]) with questions or ideas.

With anticipation,
The Rev. Jessie Gutgsell Dodson
Chair, Bishop Coadjutor Transition Committee
Associate Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland Heights
Transition Committee
The Rev. Jessie Dodson; St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights (Chair)
Roderick Adams; St. Andrew's, Cleveland
The Rev. Joe Ashby; Grace, Mansfield
Denise Caywood; St. Philip's, Akron
Peter DiMezza; St. Paul's, Akron
The Rev. John Drymon; Trinity, Findlay
Debbie Likins-Fowler; Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland
Carol Franklin; Christ Church, Shaker Heights
The Rev. Rose Anne Lonsway; Grace, Willoughby
Larry Mackey; New Life, Uniontown
Tina Monreal; Christ Church, Hudson
Andrea Porter; St. Andrew's, Cleveland
Richard Pryor; Christ Church, Kent
Susan Quill; St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights
Patty Roberts; Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland

Semi-Silent retreat on the message of Matthew

A Semi-Silent Advent Retreat will be held at Bellwether Farm on Dec. 2 - 3. The event will begin at 5 p.m. Friday and end at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The retreat will offer an opportunity to quietly reflect on the Gospel of Matthew. Readings and thoughts and notes will be discussed at meals and the time will be begun and ended with prayers. Silence and a time to prepare for the advent of the Child will be the main offering of the retreat.

This event costs $165 a person for a private retreat room, and $140 a person for a double room. Scholarships are also available for those who need them.

For questions, please contact Rebecca Miller. Registration is required by Nov. 24.

Prayers for Queen Elizabeth II

From the Bishop of Ohio

September 9, 2022

Dear colleagues and friends,

I invite your prayers for the repose of the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, for her successor, Charles, as he takes on the responsibilities of monarch, for her family, her subjects, and all whom she has served in the seven decades of her reign as Queen. The Supreme Governor of the Church of England, she has led by exhibiting a humble and courageous faith, not only to Anglicans, but to people of all spiritual traditions. May God bless her soul.

The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio

From the Presiding Bishop

Today we mourn the passing and celebrate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II. My prayers for peace go out for her, for her loved ones, and for all those who knew and loved her throughout the world.
Her resilience, her dignity, and her model of quiet faith and piety have been—and will continue to be—an example for so many.
May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

Click here for more from the Episcopal News Service on Queen Elizabeth and the Anglican Church.

Fighting the long defeat:
How to do something about gun violence

The Diocese of Ohio recently sponsored three conversations about what can be done about American gun violence beyond "sending thoughts and prayers."
The Rev. Rosalind Hughes, rector of Church of the Epiphany in Euclid, Ohio and an active anti-gun violence advocate led these conversations for us. Rosalind is also the author of Whom Shall I Fear?: Urgent Questions for Christians in an Age of Violence (Upper Room Books).

Here are the recordings from each Gun Violence Conversation:
Conversation 1 - What can we do in our close personal lives?
Conversation 2 - What can we do in our local parish?
Conversation 3 - What can we do as citizens?

Here are the slides from each Conversation:
Conversation 1 Slides
Conversation 2 Slides
Conversation 3 Slides
We hope these conversations may help you consider these three important questions for yourself as an individual, an Episcopalian, and a citizen.

The Rev. Brad Purdom
Canon for Congregations
[email protected]

The Rev. Margaret D'Anieri
Canon for Mission
[email protected]

"We continue to carry out our work and strive for justice. We do not do so because we will win every time, because we won’t. We do not do so because we are assured of progress, because we are not. ... We keep striving for justice because that is what we are called to do."

A letter from Bishop Hollingsworth on the shooting at an Episcopal church in Alabama

Dear colleagues and friends,

As the tragic consequences of gun violence continue to plague our country, we add to our prayers the people of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, and the Diocese of Alabama. We commend to Almighty God the souls of the two victims who have died, and to Jesus’s healing care the one injured and all those who grieve.

As well, may we commit ourselves ever more fully to advocating for effective gun safety legislation and reducing the culture of violence that continues to put God’s beloved at risk. While we hear throughout holy scripture the encouragement that we not be afraid, we pray that our fear may be replaced with the courage to act boldly.

Please consider joining with fellow communicants of the Diocese who are participating in the three Zoom conversations about gun violence. The second conversation will be held on Wednesday,June 22 at 7:00 p.m. and will focus on what to do in our local congregations. This conversation will include participants from across Province V. The third conversation will be on Wednesday, June 29 at 7:00 p.m.and will focus on what can be done in support of community and political initiatives. More information is available. While this event is free, registration is required.

As well, I encourage every congregation to offer a book study of our colleague the Rev. Rosalind Hughes’s excellent book, Whom Shall I Fear? Urgent Questions for Christians in an Age of Violence. I reiterate my offer to reimburse any congregation for the cost of the books.

May the Holy Spirit empower us to act with increasing confidence in God during this season after Pentecost.

Gratefully,
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio

Seeing the Face of God in Each Other:
Anti-racism training coming up in October

Anti-Racism training is required for all individuals in elected and appointed Diocesan positions, and it is also open to all members of the Diocese.

The Commission for Racial Justice will offer this two-day training on October 7 & 8 both days at Bellwether Farm, 4655 OH-60, Wakeman, OH 44889. The cost of the training materials and food is covered by the Diocese of Ohio, but lodging is the responsibility of the participant (or their parish). Lodging options for Bellwether Farm are available.

To register, please click this link.

For question about online registration email Antoinette Taylor. For training information please email the Rev. Margaret D’Anieri.