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.
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.
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.
The 207th Annual Diocesan Convention will convene Nov. 10 & 11, 2023 in Wooster
Friday, November 10
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.
- Convention Eucharist at the First Presbyterian Church
- Banquet at Greystone Event Center
- 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
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 leadership@theube.org. 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.
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 leadership@theube.org. 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 ataylor@dohio.org with questions.
"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 ataylor@dohio.org 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:
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.
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.
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
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
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'
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.
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.
“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
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 transitioncommittee@dohio.org.
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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 rmercer@dohio.org 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.
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 rmercer@dohio.org 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
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
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.
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.
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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 ww8300@yahoo.com. 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
Clergy Meet and Greet Dates and Times
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:
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 petition@dohio.org. 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 (transitioncommittee@dohio.org) 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 bpurdom@dohio.org The Rev. Margaret D'Anieri Canon for Mission mdanieri@dohio.org "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. |