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[Diocese of Lexington] The Diocese of Lexington elected the Rev. David Sibley as its ninth bishop on the second ballot during a special electing convention held on Aug. 1 at Christ Church Cathedral. “I am overwhelmed by the trust that the diocese has placed in me in calling me to live and serve in the Diocese of Lexington as a co-laborer in the vineyard, as we work together for the faith of the gospel,” Sibley said. “It will take years for me to make sense of this call, but I find great comfort in the words of Saint Augustine of Hippo, who said that ‘where I’m terrified by what I am for you, I am given comfort by what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, with you, after all, I am a Christian… I take my rest in the marvelous benefit conferred on all of us in common.’” Sibley serves as rector of St. Paul’s Church, Walla Walla, Washington, in the Diocese of Spokane.  He brings a record of innovative parish leadership, churchwide service, and organizational stewardship, having served congregations in Washington and New York. He has also served in churchwide ministry as a deputy to General Convention, helped lead churchwide efforts to reform the Denominational Health Plan, and currently chairs the Joint Standing Committee on Nominations. Sibley also speaks about his “run-in with prime-time television,” as a four-time champion on the TV show Jeopardy! and a Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions semifinalist in 2024. He and his wife, Emily, have a young daughter. The election of the ninth bishop of the diocese culminates an almost two-year journey that began in October 2024 when then-Bishop Mark Van Koevering announced his intention to retire. “This is an exciting time in the Diocese of Lexington as we look forward to ministering alongside Bishop-elect Sibley for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the benefit of our communities,” said the Ven. Jeff Queen, president of the Standing Committee. “On behalf of the Standing Committee and the Diocese of Lexington, I want to thank the members of the Search Committee and Transition Committee who have worked long and hard to get us to this moment, and Christ Church Cathedral staff and Dean Carol Wade for their ministry of hospitality during this convention. I am also grateful for all the nominees and their families who have been willing to walk with us in this journey of discernment.” Sibley was elected with 24 clergy and 62 lay votes, with 23 and 54 needed respectively for election. The other nominees were: The Rev. Karen Booth, rector of Holy Trinity, Georgetown, Kentucky. The Rev. Benjamin Hart, rector of St. Luke’s, Anchorage, Kentucky. The Rev. Rob Keim, rector of St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church, Arroyo Grande, California. Discernment continues, with the consent process commencing. This 120-day period requires approval from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and a majority of diocesan standing committees. Once approved, Sibley will be consecrated as the ninth bishop of Lexington in a special service at Christ Church Cathedral. In this transition period, Bishop Jeff Lee, retired bishop of Chicago, is serving Lexington as assisting bishop. An ordination date has not yet been finalized. To learn more about the candidates and the search process, visit www.diolex.org/transition-IX-Bishop.

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Imagine That Day Imagine being in the crowd that day. Some would have come out of devotion to their teacher, but others would have just stumbled upon a crowd. Still others would have come out of pure curiosity, just to see what was going on. I can imagine the atmosphere that […]

(The Southern Province PEC Visiting South Florida Congregations) The watchword for the week: The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. Psalm 145:9 How wonderful are your ways, loving God. We look at the wonderful world you have created and are filled with awe. While we marvel at […]

Dear Beloved Community of the Church of the Brethren, I write today with particular concern for our Haitian church members and their families. Following the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on July 27, many now face the possibility of detention, deportation, and family separation. Among those affected are approximately 300 Haitians who are part of Church of the Brethren congregations across the United States.

In this time in which many of our Haitian sisters and brothers no longer have valid work permits due to the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, it is more important than ever that the church give generously to the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund. This fund directly supports our Haitian Church of the Brethren members in the US, among others.

On September 23, United Church communities of faith are invited to raise their voices in solidarity with Grassy Narrows First Nation, who have been devastated by mercury poisoning for six decades

From Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, churches worldwide will mark the Season of Creation, at the invitation of the World Council of Churches. (The Church of the Brethren is one of the founding members of the WCC.) The Season of Creation runs for five weeks, and is given to prayer and action for the care of creation. The theme this year is “Living Water,” drawn from Ezekiel 47.

Once a scourge to conservative Christians, Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games are now sometimes hosted at United Methodist churches, where players say the games can reinforce things they learn in church.

In 2017, Glendale United Methodist Church didn’t look like it was going to survive long. But committed lay people, a dedicated pastor and radical inclusiveness turned things around.

With heavy hearts, we in the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) join our voices with siblings in faith and all people of goodwill around the world to mourn the tragic loss of life and the violence inflicted upon the community gathered at the Pride celebration in Berlin. On Saturday, July 25, a vehicle drove […]

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