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[Diocese of West Texas] The Rt. Rev. Angela Maria Cortiñas was ordained and consecrated bishop suffragan of the Diocese of West Texas on March 15 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in McAllen. Cortiñas will work alongside West Texas Bishop David G. Read.  Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe was the chief consecrator. Co-consecrators were Texas Bishop C. Andrew Doyle; former El Camino Real Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, who now serves as managing director of the College of Bishops; Texas Assistant Bishop Héctor Monterroso; Alabama Assistant Bishop Brian N. Prior; and Texas Bishop Suffragan Kathryn M. Ryan. A total of 15 bishops were in attendance for the traditional laying-on of hands. Over 450 in-person attendees participated in the service, with more than 1,300 people joining the livestream concurrently from across the diocese and the country. This was the first consecration of an Episcopal bishop to be held in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. The service incorporated Spanish throughout. In his sermon, Read reflected on living and serving in challenging times: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is what our nation needs. We have this gift of life from God. We know and have experienced how amazing is the gift of grace,” Read said. “We know and have experienced the power of being forgiven, and the power of forgiving others. We know and have experienced the support of blessed, beloved community. We have all that we need, and today, the Holy Spirit gives to Angela all that she will need to do the ministry she has been called to do in this time.”  Cortiñas was elected bishop suffragan for the Diocese of West Texas during a special council at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Corpus Christi Oct. 19, 2024. She is the seventh bishop suffragan to serve West Texas. In her role, she will celebrate the sacraments of the new covenant and confirm, receive and reaffirm individuals within the 87 congregations throughout the diocese. Additionally, she will assist Read in the pastoral care of clergy, clergy families, and retired clergy and their families, and the development and on-boarding of new clergy, curates and seminarians. She will oversee the development of lay ministry, Christian formation and discipleship. “My heart is full of gratitude and love at seeing all the wonderful people who have gathered both near and far to be here for this special day. I am grateful for the God who has called me and the people who have so persuaded me to take on this new ministry. I am particularly grateful for all the people who have formed me as a priest and now as a bishop of God’s church,” Cortiñas said. “I am looking forward to sharing this ministry with Bishop Read and the clergy of the Diocese of West Texas. I have felt the love and the hand of God throughout this entire process and am excited to share God’s redeeming and reconciling love with all of God’s people here in West Texas and beyond.”   Born to Cuban immigrants, Cortiñas is a Florida-native who grew up in Miami in a family of eight children.  She was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of Southeast Florida in 2009 and a priest in 2010. From 2010-12, she was associate priest at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale and then served as associate rector of St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Boca Raton from 2012-2017. She served in the Diocese of Texas as rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in College Station from 2017-2021 and as associate rector of St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin from 2021-2024. Cortiñas has a 23-year-old daughter, Victoria Fletcher.

These are the unofficial notes from meetings of the Council of General Synod (CoGS), the church’s governing body between national meetings of General Synod.

The post Highlights from the Council of General Synod: March 7-9, 2025 appeared first on The Anglican Church of Canada.

Today, March 17, 2025, marks the 45th anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980, a landmark piece of legislation that solidified the United States’ leadership in refugee protection. For decades, this legislation has upheld our nation’s commitment to welcoming those in need, providing a vital pathway to safety for the world’s most vulnerable.  However, recent executive orders from the Trump ... Read More

Sylvia Raulo, who has been seconded by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission to work with the World Council of Churches, was honored with the Cross of St Henry by Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Awarded once annually to one person, the Cross of St Henry is the highest ecclesiastical decoration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Raulo took time to reflect on the award and her inspiration for her work in pursuit of Christian unity and a just world. 

For neurodiversity celebration week, Triona Brading shares her experience of church as an autistic Christian – and tips for making church a place autistic people feel welcome

Washington, D.C.—Today, Church World Service decries President Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Last invoked during World War II, it remains a stain on our nation’s history, leading to the detainment of 31,000 Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants based solely on their ancestry. Church World Service calls on President Trump to rescind the invocation of the Act ... Read More

Second Sunday in Lent Jesus’ Grieving and Ours Even Jesus did not have a life free from grief or sadness. Along with the Old Testament prophets, in whose footsteps he walked, his wisdom in evaluating the current state of affairs brought him sadness, and his knowledge of the consequences of human actions caused him grief. […]

The Rev. João Sambo, an elder in Mozambique, was elected a United Methodist bishop on the 14th ballot at the Africa Central Conference.

The pastor in Zimbabwe was elected a United Methodist bishop on the 12th ballot at the Africa Central Conference.

The pastor from Angola was elected a United Methodist bishop on the ninth ballot of the Africa Central Conference.