Episcopal News Service

[Episcopal News Service] Hawai‘i Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick, who also leads the Episcopal Church in Micronesia, announced April 25 his plans to resign in November 2026, and he has called for the election of his successor. Fitzpatrick is the diocese’s fifth bishop, and after stepping down, he said in a letter to the diocese, “I hope to live in the diocese for the rest of my life and to support my bishop – the next bishop of this diocese – as she/he thinks best.” His letter also includes a tentative timeline for the bishop search as established by the diocese’s standing committee, with a special electing convention expected in May 2026 and consecration in November 2026. “We will have ample time to give thanks for our shared ministry, to talk story, to laugh, and to eat ‘ono’ food,” Fitzpatrick said.

[Episcopal News Service] The disciplinary hearing in two Title IV cases against former Florida Bishop John Howard has been delayed to an unspecified future date, according to an updated scheduling order detailing the next steps in the cases over the coming four months. Howard’s cases previously had been scheduled for a hearing April 30-May 2. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe had hoped negotiations with Howard would produce an accord to resolve the matters without a hearing, though those negotiations have yet to produce any public agreement in the cases, which involve allegations of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and financial improprieties. While accord talks continue, both sides must now follow the new timeline through mid-August for filing documentation and conducting witness depositions in preparation for a hearing. New dates for a hearing “shall be scheduled in a future order,” the hearing panel said. Howard served the Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida for 20 years until his retirement in October 2023, after reaching the church’s mandatory clergy retirement age of 72. One of the two cases filed under the church’s Title IV canons alleges that the diocese, under Howard’s leadership, engaged in a pattern of discrimination against LGBTQ+ clergy and aspirants to ordained ministry, as well as their supporters. Howard, while affirming his conservative theological beliefs, has denied the claims of discrimination. The second case is unrelated and centers on three financial matters. Howard is accused of improperly benefiting from a home loan provided by his Jacksonville-based diocese that the diocese eventually forgave, and he is accused of spending money from a bishop’s discretionary account on home improvements. The case also details concerns about the transparency and propriety of an arrangement between Howard, an anonymous donor and an independent diocesan foundation to boost the bishop’s salary while also fulfilling corresponding pension obligations in the years before his retirement. Howard, in his written responses to these allegations, affirmed many of the underlying facts but denied all wrongdoing. Rowe issued a statement in February explaining that he hoped to reach an accord, or disciplinary agreement, with Howard “that promotes healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life and reconciliation, in accordance with the values that guide the Title IV process.” Such an agreement to resolve the matter, in consultation with the complainants, would be subject to approval by the church’s Disciplinary Board for Bishops. The presiding bishop continues to hope for an accord, and his office will provide updates when possible, according to a church spokesperson. Title IV of The Episcopal Church’s canons sets out standards of conduct for all ordained people in the church and provides a process for addressing misconduct allegations. Most complaints against bishops do not result in extensive Title IV proceedings; when they do, most details typically remain confidential unless public disclosure is required at the hearing panel stage. Hearing panels are made up of members of the larger Disciplinary Board for Bishops. On April 7, the hearing panel in Howard’s cases met with attorneys for both sides to discuss a new scheduling order in the case. The panel ordered both sides to produce relevant documents by May 30 and complete depositions by July 25. The church’s attorney must identify expert witnesses by July 8, and Howard’s attorneys have until July 21 to name their expert witnesses. Deadlines to name rebuttal witness extend into August, and expert depositions must be complete by Aug. 18. – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

[Anglican Communion News Service] A delegation from the Anglican Communion will attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on April 26, representing the prayers and condolences of Anglicans around the world. They will join with other Anglican leaders and pilgrims, and many other representatives from Christian world communions, travelling to Rome in mourning for the Holy Father. The Anglican delegation consists of senior clergy and lay leaders of the Anglican Communion and those who lead the fruitful ecumenical work between Anglicans and Roman Catholics at the international level. The co-chairs of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) will both be present. The delegation will be led by the Most Rev. Marinez Bassotto, the archbishop of the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil. She serves on the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion as the regional primate for the Americas. The five-person Primates’ Standing Committee helps to support the Anglican Communion pastorally and to represent the Communion ecumenically. Bassotto said, “It is an honor to give thanks for the amazing life and ministry of Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American Pope. He was a humble servant who embodied a message of peace and love. His example calls Christians to walk together in unity and to serve the poor and marginalised. At his funeral, we bring with us the prayers and tributes of Anglicans across the globe.” The Anglican delegation will include: The Most Rev. Marinez Bassotto, primate of the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil and regional primate for the Americas. The Most Rev. Stephen Cottrell, archbishop of York and primate of England. The Most Rev. Philip Freier, co-chair of ARCIC and former archbishop of Melbourne. The Rt. Rev. Robert Innes, co-chair of ARCIC and bishop in Europe. Maggie Swinson, chair of the Anglican Consultative Council. The Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, vice-chair of the Anglican Consultative Council and primate of the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo, secretary general of the Anglican Communion. Christopher Wells, director of unity, faith and order, Anglican Communion Office. The Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally, bishop of London and dean of the province of Canterbury. The Rt. Rev. Anthony Ball, director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and the archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Holy See. Anglicans who minister locally in Italy will also be present, including the pastors of the two Anglican parishes in Rome. Ball said, “Anglicans give thanks for the life and ministry of Pope Francis. He was an example to Christians worldwide, unwavering in his dedication to the plight of the poor, the vulnerable and refugees. We are grateful for his work in building relations between Anglicans and Roman Catholics, as part of his deep commitment to working for the unity of God’s church. On behalf of Anglicans around the world, we offer condolences to our sisters and brothers in the Catholic Church.” Cottrell said of the late pontiff, “Pope Francis was a great pope — but above all, he was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. ‘Blessed are the meek,’ said our Lord, ‘for they shall inherit the earth.’ In many ways, Pope Francis lived this truth. His humility and compassion touched hearts around the world. His example calls us all to care more deeply for the poor, the excluded and the vulnerable. The world mourns his passing and gives thanks for his life. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

[Church of England] Churches hoping to build affordable homes for their communities on pockets of land they own – or as part of plans such as rebuilding parish halls– are being invited to apply for grants to pay for expert advice from a new $4.25 million fund. Funding of up to $33,000 toward the cost of architect, consultant and other professional fees needed to assess the feasibility of housing proposals on church land, will be supported through the Church of England plan with some grants contributing to the cost of navigating the planning process. The national initiative aims to help parishes and dioceses work towards achieving the goals set out in the Coming Home report, from the Archbishops’ Commission on Housing, Church and Community. The landmark study, published in 2021 by a team of housing experts and church leaders, called on the Church of England to lead by example in working to solve the housing crisis. The funding comes from an overall grant of $5.6 million over five years to help dioceses and parishes in building homes on their land as a response to the housing crisis. A newly formed Church of England Housing Project team, led by Beki Winter, formerly of the Housing Justice charity, is now actively seeking parishes interested in, or already working on, developing homes that address the needs of their communities. “Many parishes have issues with their buildings or property, but don’t always realize that these problems could be opportunities to provide some housing,” she said. “For example, an outdated church hall could be rebuilt to include a few flats above it, or a surplus car park could be redeveloped to provide some social homes. There are many creative ways to use church land or property to provide housing for people in need, while improving community facilities or bolstering parish finances.” The grants program runs alongside expert guidance for Parochial Church Councils that are interested in exploring how they could manage their property differently and provide homes for those in need. Richard Sudworth, the Church of England’s director of faith and public life, said, “This housing initiative is a simple response to a biblical mandate to God’s people towards justice: where a true fast involves bringing the homeless poor into our house (Isaiah 58:7), and where serving Christ demands that we welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35).” A 60-year-old parish hall site at St Martin’s Church in Fulwood, Preston, has been developed into 14 affordable homes and a new energy-efficient parish center, providing just one example of how churches could contribute to helping solve the housing crisis. Project manager Canon Andrea Titterington said, “The St. Martin’s chapel/parish center project fulfills twin objectives of the Church of England – to use its land to provide good quality, affordable housing and to offer community space for fellowship, service and worship.”

[Episcopal News Service] The Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice in Durham, North Carolina, has announced that a multi-year, $330,800 grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services authorized in 2024 has been withdrawn. A news release from the Murray Center said the money would have been used for a new staff position and the development of new exhibitions, programs and educational curriculum that would have helped the center reach more people. The center, housed in the Murray Family Home, is dedicated to promoting the life and legacy of the Rev. Pauli Murray, a pioneering attorney who fought against racial and gender discrimination. In 1977 Murray was the first Black woman to be ordained a priest in The Episcopal Church. They died in 1985. Born Anna Pauline Murray, they shortened their name to “Pauli” after college to reflect a less-gendered identity. General Convention added Murray to the calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts in 2018; their feast day is observed on July 1. The center’s grant was among those designated for African American history and culture made through the institute. On March 14, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that terminated the institute’s work. The Institute for Museum and Library Services is an independent federal agency that supports libraries, archives and museums in all U.S. states and territories. Its website says it awarded $266 million in grants and research funding to cultural institutions in 2024. The American Library Association has said that cuts to the institute’s funding also put public libraries at risk. The Murray Center said that the termination of its grant “is included in a devastating wave of federal disinvestment from museums, cultural spaces and libraries across the nation” and that the termination notice says that “[the] grant is no longer consistent with the [IMLS’s] priorities and no longer serves the interest of the United States and the IMLS program.” The loss of this federal funding follows the removal in March of Murray’s biography from the National Park Service website about the Murray Family Home, a National Historic Landmark, “due to their queer and transgender identity,” according to the center. “It is clear that the federal government is making a targeted, intentional effort to erase the histories and contributions of Black people, queer people, women and other marginalized groups from the historical record,” Angela Thorpe Mason, the center’s executive director, said in the release. She added, “The notion that the Rev. Pauli Murray’s lived experience as a Southerner, and work as a Black, gender non-confirming civil, women’s and human rights activist is against national interest, and essentially un-American, is abhorrent and indicative of the violent federal censorship the center has been navigating over the course of the last month.” Jesse Huddleston, chair of the center’s board, said, “We will not stop. Our assignments are clear, and our work continues. …We have overcome much and have come so far, not just by faith but also by the cooperative actions of countless people, rooted in a shared understanding that the legacy of Pauli Murray must be preserved and amplified, despite every oppressive attempt to render it invisible.” — Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.

[Episcopal News Service] Episcopalians from Michigan’s three dioceses – Northern Michigan, Michigan and the Great Lakes – joined hundreds of others at the state capitol in Lansing April 22 to rally for gun violence prevention. Many also met privately with legislators, asking them not to weaken laws aimed at reducing gun deaths that went into effect in February 2024. Those laws, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told rallygoers, have made the state safer, resulting in the lowest overall crime rate since 2015. It also allowed authorities to remove guns from nearly 300 people who posed a threat to themselves or others. Legislators passed those laws in the wake of two mass school shootings – the 2021 shooting at Oxford High School, where four students were killed, and the 2023 shooting at Michigan State University, where three students were killed. Michigan Bishop Bonnie A. Perry attended the rally. In information provided to Episcopal News Service by the diocese, Perry said, “We know that people everywhere in the state of Michigan can be safer, and that it is up to us to invite our leaders to remember their call, to remember their duty, to remember their humanity.” The Diocese of Michigan co-sponsored the event, which it called Lansing Lobby Day. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lansing, located across the street from the Capitol, served as a gathering place for Episcopalians before the rally, where Perry delivered remarks. Perry is one of the conveners of Bishops United Against Gun Violence, a network of more than 100 Episcopal bishops working to curtail gun violence, and also is a cofounder of End Gun Violence Michigan, which has fought for the past two years for passage of gun violence prevention laws. She also moderated a “Faith Leadership for Gun Violence Prevention” panel session at a virtual gun violence prevention summit on Jan. 30, 2024, just before the new Michigan laws went into effect. For Northern Michigan Bishop Rayford Ray, who also attended the rally, the issue of gun violence is personal, having known people who took their lives with a gun. “Suicide is really an issue for the Upper Peninsula [of Michigan],” he said. “It’s kind of silent, but it’s there.” For the Rev. Barry Randolph, priest and pastor at Detroit’s Church of the Messiah, reducing gun violence is a major emphasis in his ministry. He and 30 members of his congregation attended the rally. “This is about making sure our government leaders understand the importance of keeping people safe,” he said. For 18 years Randolph and the church have sponsored “Silence the Violence” rallies that have become a major part of the statewide gun violence prevention movement. The march in 2024 drew hundreds of people, including then-U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who now is a U.S. senator; Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist; Detroit Police Chief James White and Detroit City Councilman James Tate. — Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.  

[Church of Ireland] A special program of events is planned for Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on May 8 for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. Enniskillen’s program of events – the most westerly location for the VE Day 80 Commemorations in the United Kingdom – balances remembrance with celebration, including a VE Day 80 commemorative church service, beacon lighting ceremony, pipers’ tribute, beating retreat and concert. On May 8, Gary Wilson will be joining town criers and toastmasters throughout the country to read the VE Day 80 proclamation at The Watergate, outside Enniskillen Castle, marking the official start of the day’s commemorations. As part of the nationwide celebrations, the bells of St. Macartin’s Cathedral will ring at 6:30 p.m., in a symbolic act of remembrance and unity. This will be followed at 7:30 p.m. when the Inniskillings Museum and four churches on the island of Enniskillen will come together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a service of peace. It will start in St. Macartin’s Cathedral with a spectacular parade of 80 pipers and drummers from local bands to form a community–massed band to support the service. The band will gather on Church Street, guiding the congregation to St. Michael’s Church for the continuation of the service. Lanterns will be produced, having been presented to Enniskillen’s churches in 2018, marking the 100th anniversary of the World War II armistice. These lanterns, in line with the official VE Day 80 promotion of “Lamping Lights of Peace,” will light the way from St. Michael’s Church back to St. Macartin’s Cathedral. There, the service will conclude with the lighting of a ceremonial beacon by Viscount Brookeborough, lord lieutenant for County Fermanagh. The beacon will symbolize hope as the light that emerged from the darkness of war. On May 10 at 3 p.m., the band, bugles, pipes and drums of the Royal Irish Regiment will perform a “beating retreat” at the Cathedral Hall Car Park to include a special performance by the Erne Highland Dancers. This event is free, with an invitation extended to everyone and no tickets or pre–booking is required. At 7 p.m., the VE Day 80 commemorative concert comprising the musicians from the Royal Irish Regiment will perform a special concert in St. Macartin’s Cathedral hosted by the Royal Air Forces Association (Fermanagh Branch).  It will be compered by Gary Wilson with guest soloists Lauren Kells and Clara Wilson. This event is free, with an invitation extended to everyone and no tickets or pre–booking is required.

[Scottish Episcopal Church] First Minister John Swinney MSP spent time at St John’s, Princes Street, in the Diocese of Edinburgh on April 21, hearing about the Warm Welcome space that has been set up in St. John’s. As first minister, Swinney heads the Scottish government. Swinney said, “Projects like the one at St. John’s in Edinburgh demonstrate this exactly – the compassion and resilience of our local communities in Scotland has the ability to bring people together, particularly in times of hardship and division. “It was a privilege to meet guests and volunteers at St. John’s – one of over 5,250 Warm Welcome Spaces across the U.K. Spaces like this can be a lifeline to people who are struggling to keep warm and those feeling lonely.” The Rev. David Bagnall, associate rector of St John’s said, “We’re located right in the heart of the city, and there’s a growing homeless community in the area. About 18 months ago, we created this space to provide food and hospitality to those who were naturally coming through our doors and it has continued to grow ever since. “Originally, it was intended as a winter initiative, but when that first winter ended, the community asked if we could keep it going. It had become their space: a place where they gather, share a bowl of soup, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, and have meaningful conversations with one another.” You can read more about Swinney’s visit on the Warm Welcome campaign website here.

[Diocese of Central Florida] The Rt. Rev. Justin S. Holcomb, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, recently appointed the Rt. Rev. María Griselda Delgado del Carpio, retired bishop of Cuba, as assisting bishop for Latino Ministries. She was the first woman to serve as a diocesan bishop in Cuba and in Latin America, and she was one of the co-consecrating bishops in Holcomb’s June 10, 2023, consecration. After leading the Diocese of Cuba for more than 12 years, Delgado retired in 2023 and now lives in Fort Myers, Florida. This year, she also has begun serving as assisting bishop in residence alongside the Rt. Rev. Douglas Scharf in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, where she is working to unify and expand Hispanic ministry efforts amid growing challenges for immigrant communities. “This is the first time the diocese has had an assisting bishop dedicated specifically to the Hispanic community,” Delgado said of her role in Southwest Florida. “It creates a new opportunity to provide pastoral support and strengthen the Episcopal presence among Latinos.” As assisting bishop in residence, she will oversee pastoral visits, Spanish-language confirmations and leadership development programs for Latino clergy and laity, carrying out similar functions in Central Florida, where she will be available for five visitations per year and also serve the Latino Ministries Commission with regard to ministry and leadership development. “The new presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, is reorienting the churchwide structure to support dioceses and congregations on the ground where ministry happens, and that’s exactly what’s happening with the Diocese of Southwest Florida and the Diocese of Central Florida,” Holcomb said. “Bishop Doug Scharf and I have been exploring what it would look like for Bishop Griselda to have shared episcopal ministry in two dioceses – Southwest Florida, where she lives, and Central Florida, where she has good relationships and connections. We’re both heartened by the ministry opportunities Bishop Griselda will provide for our dioceses, and we’re thankful for the vision of our presiding bishop.” Delgado emphasized the importance of providing faith spaces for Latino immigrants. “Even if they live in a different country and speak a different language, Latinos need a place where they can nurture their faith in their native tongue,” she said. More information about Delgado’s work in Central Florida is available in English and Spanish.

[Episcopal News Service] April 22 is Earth Day, and many Episcopal congregations and ministries are observing the day by organizing and participating in various creation care-themed events through the coming weeks, including recycling collections, festivals, educational activities and more. “Now is not the time for The Episcopal Church to either falter or step away from our love and passion for God’s creation, rather it is a time for prophetic, visionary action,” the Green Caucus of The Episcopal Church said in a written statement for Earth Day 2025. Episcopalians can learn more about the church’s support for the environment and public health here. The Episcopal Church’s Creation Care ministry also offers Earth Day 2025 resources on its website. Anyone participating in an Earth Day event is encouraged to share prayers, photos and stories on social media using the hashtags #EpiscopalEarthDay, #EarthDay2025, #CreationCare and #EpiscopalClimate, or via email with creation@episcopalchurch.org. About 20 million Americans observed the first Earth Day in 1970, helping to launch the modern environmental movement. It led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Water and Endangered Species acts. These laws and the EPA’s regulatory oversight addressed many environmental concerns of the time — pesticide usage, oil spills, toxic waste dumps, pollution resulting from agriculture and industry. Environmental regulations have reduced pollution and contamination in some areas. Meanwhile, global dependence and investment in fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy sector over renewable sources. At the same time, temperatures continue to reach record levels, resulting in more frequent extreme weather events, including heatwaves, hurricanes, severe rain events, increased flooding and wildfires. Additionally, humans’ exponential increase in plastic production and use over more than a half century has contributed to a worldwide pollution crisis, killing millions of animals every year and dumping 12 tons of plastic waste into oceans every year. Today, Earth Day is said to be the largest secular observance in the world. “Recognizing that the church and global affairs are in times of transition and uncertainty, The Episcopal Church can continue to be a beacon of hope for our congregations and communities,” the Green Caucus said in its statement. The Green Caucus is an independent voluntary organization dedicated to the advocacy, monitoring and implementation of creation care and creation justice initiatives and resolutions passed by General Convention and Executive Council. “We celebrate all the actions The Episcopal Church has taken for over 50 years to preserve and protect God’s creation, and the Green Caucus urges The Episcopal Church to implement creation care resolutions passed by General Conventions and subsequently funded.” The following is a list of some Episcopal ministries and affiliates, dioceses and parishes hosting Earth Day events. Check online for additional events in your area. All events listed are free and open to the public unless otherwise specified. All times are local. Diocese of Chicago — Eco DioChicago, a creation care group in the Diocese of Chicago in Illinois, will share how it’s engaging churches and communities in environmental work at 6 p.m. via Zoom. The group will explain how individuals and congregations can also engage in environmental work. Click here to join the Zoom meeting. Davis, California — The Episcopal Church of St. Martin will host an Earth Day gathering on April 22 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The Rev. Pamela Dolan, rector of St. Martin’s and dean of the Diocese of Northern California’s Wingfield Deanery, will lead the gathering and share the importance of caring for creation and how participants can help. Click here to join the Zoom gathering. Diocese of Newark — On April 22 and 27, the Community of St. John the Baptist in Mendham, New Jersey, will ring its bells and pray or meditate for 427 seconds. That number represents the global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration of 427 parts per million as measured by the Kneeling Curve, a daily record maintained by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. Earth’s carbon dioxide levels are significantly higher than pre-industrial levels and continue to increase, leading to more frequent and devastating extreme weather events. Diocese of California — Between now and April 27, congregations throughout the San Francisco-based Diocese of California are participating in the California Interfaith Power and Light’s Faith Climate Action Week. This year’s action week theme is Grounded & Growing: Planting the Seeds for Change. The 2025 faith climate action tool kit includes information on the importance of trees and how deforestation, wildfires and other climate disruptions threaten their extinction. The tool kit also includes prayers, activities for children, group discussion questions and other resources. Cincinnati, Ohio — On April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer’s creation care team will collect items listed for reuse on the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub’s website from the church’s parking lot. Listed items include binders, real corks, egg cartons, eyewear, fabric, clean and dry garden pots, greeting cards, batteries, hangers, non-power tools, office supplies, Styrofoam and prescription bottles with labels removed. Austin, Texas — St. David’s Episcopal Church’s environmental guild is hosting an Earth Day celebration 8:30-11:30 a.m. April 22. The celebration will feature sustainable garden information, environmental resources, advocacy information, exhibits from Barking Dog Ranch and the Refugee Collective Farm, children’s activities and more. Seward, Nebraska — On April 27 from 12:30 to 4 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will host an Earth Day festival, which will start with a brief worship service. Volunteers from the Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery will give a presentation featuring live raptors for families. Festival participants will also learn how to properly plant trees and meet animals from Blue River Pet Rescue. The festival will include a bake sale, storytelling, activities for children and more. Garden City, New York — The Diocese of Long Island will host the “Fight for Earth” Day Retreat and Spring festival on May 3 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Mercer School of Theology. The free event will focus on climate action, justice and community. After breakfast, […]

[Religion News Service] As more than a billion Catholics mourn the death of Pope Francis, cardinals around the world are preparing to travel to Rome to begin the solemn tradition of choosing a new pontiff. And when the prelates gather at the Vatican in the coming weeks to elect a new Bishop of Rome, Francis, who died at age 88 on April 21, stands to have an outsize impact on the vote. That’s because, unlike some of his predecessors, Francis has appointed the overwhelming majority of clerics who can cast a ballot in the conclave — namely, members of the College of Cardinals who are under age 80. He crossed a crucial threshold in September 2023, when he finally appointed enough voting-eligible cardinals over the course of his papacy to constitute more than two-thirds of voting members in a conclave, the margin required to elect a pope under the current rules. And according to an analysis by Religion News Service, as of April 21, of the 135 members of the College of Cardinals eligible to vote, 108 — 80% — were appointed by Francis. An additional 16.3% were appointed by Pope Benedict, and only 3.7% were tapped by Pope John Paul II. By comparison, when Francis was elected pope in 2013, 57.9% had been appointed by his recently retired processor, Pope Benedict. An additional 42.1% were appointed by Pope John Paul II. The current electorate is also more geographically diverse than in years past. In 2013, for instance, Italian cardinals alone made up nearly a quarter of voting members at the conclave, but they only constitute 12.6% of those eligible in the coming conclave. Meanwhile, prelates hailing from Asia expanded from 8.8% in 2013 to 17% today, and representatives from Africa have also increased their numbers from 8.8% to 13.3%. Outside of Italy, Europe has roughly maintained its influence, representing around 28% of the conclave in 2013, compared to around 26.7% today. North America has lost ground, dropping in representation from 17.5% to 14.1%, while South American prelates have slightly increased their numbers under Francis, the first Argentinian pope, rising from 11.4% to 13.3%. How these changes will impact the vote remains to be seen. Francis’ 12-year papacy was marked by a focus on the poor, immigrants and the effects of climate change, and he has tended to select like-minded cardinals. But cardinals aren’t the same as members of Congress with specific party loyalties, and voting outcomes can sometimes be difficult to predict. It’s also possible some of the numbers could shift in small ways before voting begins, as past conclaves have seen some surprise last-minute changes. Even so, whoever becomes the next pope will be chosen by a group largely hand-selected by Pope Francis himself.

[Anglican Communion News Service] In recent days, provinces and dioceses of the global Anglican Communion have been sharing Easter messages of hope. Here is a selection of messages from around the world. The Anglican Communion signs joint Easter Message The Anglican Communion is one of 12 world Christian communions that have released a unified message to mark the joint celebration of Easter and the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed. The joint letter can be found here. A message from Sudan The Most Rev. Ezekiel Kumir Kondo, archbishop of the province of Sudan and bishop of Khartoum, shared a message of lamentation about the continued conflict in Sudan, writing: “This is the second Easter and the second anniversary many of us still celebrate Easter outside our country, churches and our homes. Many still celebrate Easter separated from their families and their loved ones.” His message also celebrated the hope Jesus brings: “May you know the love and the power of the Risen Christ this Easter. It is also my prayer and hope that we will celebrate Easter in our country, in our churches and with our families, friends and our loved ones the coming year 2026. May the Divine intervention bring peace to our beloved Sudan.” His message can be read here. Messages from Australia The Most Rev. Geoffrey Smith, archbishop of Adelaide and primate of Australia, shared a message of hope amid the recent turbulence in the world’s economy. “Our world desperately needs hope. But we also need a reason to have different attitudes and to live in a loving, generous, forgiving, gracious, and peace-filled way today.  The reason is what happened at Easter: the self-offering of Jesus, through which peace with God is possible, and the resurrection of Jesus, to prove that reconciliation is real and to begin the invasion of darkness by light and life.” Read his Easter message here. The Most Rev. Kay Goldsworthy, archbishop of Perth, shared a story about the parallels between the Easter story of resurrection and transformation and that of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis. She said, “It was a lovely, lovely reminder of the promise of Easter. Of the hope that sits within us who are believers, followers, disciples of Jesus.” She went on to encourage local communities to engage with the Anglican Church of Australia’s evangelism initiative, HOPE 25, between Easter and Pentecost. Watch her full address here. Find out more about HOPE 25 here. The Most Rev. Jeremy Greaves, archbishop of Brisbane, shared a hope-filled message in which he said, “Easter reminds us that God is not finished, that death and despair don’t have the final word. The resurrection is not an escape from the world’s pain but a defiant proclamation that love is stronger than hate, life is stronger than death, and hope is never in vain.” Watch his address here. A message from Jerusalem The Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, the Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East states, “Divine justice is found at the core of the Resurrection. This is not a justice measured by earthly standards, but one that lifts the oppressed and liberates the captive. For while we witness the climax of injustice on the cross, we see the pinnacle of justice in the Resurrection. God did not leave Christ in the tomb. Likewise, God will not leave God’s people in oppression.” Read his message here. The province recently spoke out about the air strike on the al-Ahli hospital on Palm Sunday. Read it here. Messages from North America The Most Rev. Anne Germond, acting primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, and the Rt. Rev. Susan Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, shared a joint message about the wonder of the Resurrection. Watch the joint message here. The Rt. Rev. Mary Irwin Gibson, bishop of Montreal, Canada, shared a reflective message for Easter. In her video address, she said, “I want to encourage you on your journey following Jesus to not be afraid […] but also to understand that the journey takes various turns and that sometimes we’re aware of Jesus’ presence and sometimes we’re not. And yet, He is with us always until the end of time.” Watch her address here. Messages from the Diocese in Europe The Rt. Rev.  Andrew Norman, shared his first Easter message as suffragan bishop in Europe. He highlights the repeated and hopeful use of the word “but” in the book of Acts in speeches by the Apostles. He encourages Christians to consider that word as they look around at the world this Easter. “Let’s keep in mind that ‘but.’ Destructive forces killed Jesus of Nazareth, but God raised him from the dead.” See his full address here Messages from Ireland The Most Rev. John McDowell (the archbishop of Armagh and primate of All Ireland) and the Most Rev. Eamon Martin (the archbishop of Armagh and primate of All Ireland in the Roman Catholic Church) reflect on the hope that springtime brings in terms of new life and growth and encourage followers of Jesus to “nurture the green shoots of reconciliation and peace.” They also highlighted that the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the common date of Easter this year reminds us that “despite long-lasting tensions and divisions at the time between Christians of different traditions, the council was able to find agreement on a common ‘Creed’ or statement of belief.” Read their full statement here. The Most Rev. Michael Jackson, the archbishop of Dublin, shared a message exploring how Christians can share Easter hope with a “disinterested world.” He reflects, “We are to start small and to start sincere. We are to continue strong and to share generously. We are to identify with the people we do not know or understand. We are to let ourselves be tested in the encounters that will be sprung upon us. We are to let God talk […]

[Episcopal News Service] Old North Church, the historic Episcopal church in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, celebrated its connection to the American Revolution on April 18 when it hosted an event marking the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous ride. “On this night 250 years ago, two men climbed Old North Church’s steeple. They held high two lanterns as a signal for Paul Revere that the British were heading to Concord by way of the Charles River,” the church said in a Facebook post for the occasion. The commemorative events included an evening lantern lighting in Old North Church’s steeple. A crowd gathered for speeches in a space adjacent to the church in the Paul Revere Mall, where a statue depicts Revere in action atop his horse. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu were among those who spoke. “Boston is a city where the past, present and future of our nation begin,” Wu said. “Revolution wasn’t just something we started. It’s how we’ve lived every day of the last two and a half centuries.” Revere is known for riding his horse, with other colonists, to alert their compatriots to the approach of British solders after a lantern-based signal was hung from Old North Church – “one if by land, two if by sea.” (The British came by the Charles River, therefore two lanterns.) The event was described most famously in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride” from 1861. “Those two signal lanterns set a complex alarm system into motion, a system that included many messengers fanning out across Massachusetts to spread the warning that night,” Old North Church said in an online description of that pivotal episode. “Once Revere got across the river, he began his own famous Midnight Ride as part of this system. Ultimately, when the British arrived in Lexington the next morning, they were met by local militia members, and the shots fired that morning ignited the American Revolutionary War.” The 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord were celebrated the next day, on April 19. Additional historical commemorations are planned in the coming years as other Revolutionary War battles and key mileposts in the nation’s founding reach their semiquincentennial. Old North Church’s history dates even earlier, to its founding in 1723 as Christ Church. It remains open both as an active Episcopal congregation and a popular historic site for tourists. The congregation also is in the middle of a restoration project, which is bringing back to life colonial-era artwork depicting angels high above the nave. The 16 cherubic figures were painted by early Old North Church member John Gibbs and are believed to be among the earliest surviving art from colonial Boston. They had been painted over in a 1912 renovation but were rediscovered several years ago and, starting last year, now uncovered. – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

[Episcopal News Service] Pope Francis, who led the Roman Catholic Church and its 1.3 billion members worldwide since 2013, died the morning of April 21 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. He was 88. A day earlier, from a balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica, seated in a wheelchair, Francis blessed a crowd of tens of thousands gathered in the square to celebrate Easter. He spent Holy Thursday with inmates at a Rome prison, one he’d previously visited to perform the washing of the feet. Francis died of a cerebral stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible heart failure, according to the Vatican. He will be buried in a simple tomb in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighborhood. The papacy will remain vacant until a conclave convenes in Rome to elect the new pontiff. “My heart is heavy at the death of our brother in Christ, Pope Francis,” Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said in an April 21 statement. “Throughout his life and ministry, he has been a witness for the Gospel and a champion for the poor and marginalized. Especially in this season, I give thanks for his powerful advocacy on behalf of migrants and refugees. “Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pope, understood these siblings in Christ are never at the edges, fearful and alone. As he once wrote, ‘In the faces of the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, strangers and prisoners, we are called to see the face of Christ who pleads with us to help.’” Francis, a Jesuit, was known for his humility and for standing with people living outside the mainstream, those excluded from social, economic and political systems, including the poor and migrants, as well as for his steadfast commitment to the environment. The Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo, the Anglican Communion’s secretary general, expressed the communion’s appreciation for the pope’s leadership of the Catholic Church and his witness to the wider world. “Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis has consistently demonstrated a profound commitment to evangelization, to show justice, mercy, love and reconciliation. His words and actions have touched the hearts of millions, transcending the boundaries of Christian divisions and inspiring people of all faiths to join hands in pursuit of a more just and compassionate world,” Poggo said in an April 21 statement. “The late pope’s unwavering dedication to the plight of the poor, the refugee and the vulnerable has been an inspiration to us all. His calls for global solidarity, for the protection of our common home and for the pursuit of peace have resonated deeply within the hearts of people across continents and cultures, especially in my home country of South Sudan.” Francis called repeatedly for an end to civil war in South Sudan, last visiting in 2023 with the archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of Scotland’s moderator. That first-ever, historic visit bore “witness to his willingness to work with the Anglican Communion for the sake of peace and reconciliation in a world torn by war and violence,” the Rt. Rev. Ian Ernest, former director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and the personal representative of the archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See, told Episcopal News Service. Throughout his papacy, Francis remained true to his writings and acted with a compassionate and understanding heart, and he will be remembered as an imitator of Jesus, Ernest said, adding it was “his Christ-like attitude that enabled him to emerge as the most respected world leader, transcending the frontiers of all religions.” Francis was born Dec. 17, 1936, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina; he was one of five children born to Italian immigrants. He studied chemistry and worked as a chemist before he entered the Society of Jesus as a novice in 1958. Before ordination to the priesthood, he earned a philosophy degree and taught literature and psychology. He also earned a degree in theology; in 1969, he was ordained a priest and made his final profession with the Jesuits in 1973. He became a bishop, cardinal and then archbishop of Buenos Aires. The College of Cardinals gathered in a papal conclave on March 12, 2013, and elected Bergoglio pope the following day. He chose to be called Francis, the first pontiff to take his papal name from St. Francis of Assisi, who dedicated his life to piety, the poor and rebuilding the church. Tributes came from leaders worldwide and mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square during what is a jubilee year, or a special time of spiritual renewal, reconciliation and forgiveness occurring every 25 years and drawing thousands of Catholic pilgrims to Rome. “With millions around the world, I mourn the death of His Holiness Pope Francis and give thanks for his extraordinary ministry,” said the Rt. Rev. Anthony Ball, director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, in a statement. “His tireless efforts to work to promote the flourishing of the most marginalized, to reach out to those who feel forgotten and to advocate for the proper stewardship of God’s creation are amongst the charisms that have led him to be held in such affection.” Francis challenged Christians to examine the places where practices and governmental and institutional policies did not align with the Gospel’s call to respect the dignity of every human being, “and to work to close the gaps,” the Rt. Rev. Mark Edington, bishop in charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, said in a written statement. “We in the Convocation saw Pope Francis not only as a preeminent Christian leader, but as the bishop of Rome as a neighbor and friend,” he said. “Through the work of the Anglican Centre in Rome, we know the blessing of close and cordial contacts with the Vatican, and throughout his papacy we have been deeply touched by the pope’s eager engagement with the Anglican Communion.” Saint Paul’s Within the Walls, the Episcopal church in Rome, planned to hold a […]

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe sent the following Easter message to the church on April 19. Dear Friends in Christ: Luke’s Gospel tells us that on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Joanna went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. When they got there, the stone had been rolled away, and they heard the message that transformed their world—and ours: “He is not here. He is risen.” On that Easter morning, the women who had been the last protectors and pastors at the cross on Good Friday became the first to witness and proclaim the resurrection. Scripture tells us, however, that their good news was not met with joy. The news that Jesus had risen from the dead was received as an idle tale, as nonsense—in one dynamic translation, as nothing more than women’s trinkets. In the fraught and divided world in which these first evangelists lived, they were on the margins, and their word counted for nothing. How quickly the apostles forgot what Jesus had modeled days before on Palm Sunday and at the Last Supper. The long-awaited Messiah fashioned himself not as a political conqueror but as a peacemaker. Our Savior upended notions of worldly power by taking on the role of a servant and washing the feet of his followers. For Jesus, the vulnerable and the marginalized are in focus, and his ears are attuned to their voices. As we proclaim the resurrection in our own time and place, let us always remember that the kingdom of God is revealed to us most clearly by those who are dispossessed by the powers and principalities of this world. Let us celebrate the joy of Easter by seeking and serving the resurrected Christ in the lives and the witness of those who have been silenced, persecuted, and marginalized. May God bless you and all those you love this Easter. The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church

[Episcopal News Service] The Diocese of Florida is calling for prayer after a gunman shot multiple people at Florida State University in Tallahassee, the state’s capital, this afternoon. At least two people are reported dead and at least five are receiving treatment at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. A suspect is in custody. The campus is closed as several buildings are still an active crime scene, though law enforcement “has neutralized the threat,” according to the latest alert from Florida State. The Jacksonville-based Diocese of Florida’s Episcopal University Center of FSU at Ruge Hall serves Florida State and the Tallahassee community. Anyone in need of pastoral support may contact the ministry center at jacob@rugehall.org. As of April 17, 4,064 people have died from gun violence nationwide this year, including 81 from mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive, an American nonprofit that catalogs every gun-related death in the United States. The organization defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot either fatally or non-fatally, excluding the shooter. The Episcopal diocese shared a prayer April 17 in response to the day’s violence in an email newsletter and on Facebook: “Gracious God, our strength and consolation, be present with all students, faculty and staff that are part of the Florida State University community and their families. Dispatch your angels to any families whose loved ones have been affected; help them to feel your love and care even at this dark hour. Heal those who have been hospitalized through the care of skilled professionals and restore them to health. Bless the first responders and law enforcement officers who run towards danger on our behalf.  And finally, we pray for the one who committed this violence that they would repent and live the rest of their days as your healing instrument, this we pray in the name of Jesus, Lord and friend. Amen.” St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, located less than a mile east of Florida State’s campus, announced on Facebook that it will remain open April 17 into the evening for anyone in need of a quiet space. A priest will be available in the sanctuary for pastoral care until 6 p.m. Eastern and from 8 p.m. to midnight.  St. John’s Maundy Thursday service will take place this evening at 6:30. Security will be at the church beginning at 8 p.m. “You do not have to walk through this night alone,” the Facebook post says. “Come find peace, light a candle, or sit in stillness. You are welcome here.”

[Episcopal News Service] April 19 marks 30 years since 168 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in a truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the deadliest domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history. The explosion extensively damaged St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral two blocks away, causing a two-year closure and $7.5 million in renovations. The congregation, however, remained close. Parishioners worshiped in the parish hall as they collectively grieved and healed physically, emotionally and spiritually. Because the bombing anniversary falls on Holy Saturday this year, St. Paul’s will dedicate its Easter Vigil service to commemorating the victims and survivors. The service will begin at 8 p.m. Central. “There are years that the anniversary comes and slips up on me, and some years are smoother than others. But I have noticed that I’m feeling a little more tender [this year] with it being the week of Easter,” Dianne Dooley, a survivor and co-director of St. Paul’s altar guild, told Episcopal News Service. Dooley was working at the Department of Veterans Affairs office in the Murrah Federal Building when the bomb went off three days after Easter, and suffered a compound fracture to her right wrist. “Thirty years is a lifetime that a lot of people didn’t get when they passed away in 1995, and I’ve had a second lifetime,” Dooley said. “I think back on all that transpired in those 30 years, and it just reminds me how fragile life is.” Dooley and her husband learned about and later joined St. Paul’s and The Episcopal Church after attending a grief workshop following the attack for survivors at St. Crispin’s Conference Center + Camp in Wewoka, which is owned by the Diocese of Oklahoma. St. Paul’s Easter Vigil service will commence at the Survivor Tree within the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, where the Murrah Federal Building once stood. The Survivor Tree is an American elm that survived the bomb’s blast; it stands in what was the parking lot between the Murrah Federal Building and the Journal Record Building – now named The Heritage – which houses the museum. The congregation will light a Paschal candle and 168 luminarias with the names and pictures of those who died in the bombing. They will then process to the cathedral with the luminarias and candle. The rest of the service will be livestreamed once everyone is inside the cathedral. Susan Urbach – a verger, lay Eucharistic minister and assistant treasurer of St. Paul’s, as well as the president of the Diocese of Oklahoma’s Standing Committee – was working as director of the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center on the third floor of the Journal Record Building when the bomb exploded. She suffered injuries throughout her body and spent several hours in surgery. “Whenever a tragedy happens, everybody wants life to go back to normal, the way it was before that bad event happened. But it can’t, and that’s probably one of the hardest things to begin to say,” Urbach told ENS. “Ultimately, there will be a new normal, and it won’t be the same. … Healing is different for everyone. We would like for healing to come quickly, but it doesn’t happen that way.” Urbach said St. Paul’s was crucial to her physical, spiritual and emotional recovery. After she was discharged from the hospital, parishioners provided food, took care of her cats, helped change her dressings and washed her hair. “I am just so grateful for my church family,” said Urbach, who previously served as senior warden of St. Paul’s. Immediately after the bombing, at least 100 volunteer clergy and lay leaders from St. Paul’s worked together to feed first responders and rescue workers as they cleaned debris and recovered bodies from the rubble. That sense of helping people affected by the bombing remains instilled in cathedral members today. For example, many of them volunteer every year at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, the largest fundraiser for the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Their actions abide by the “Oklahoma Standard,” a statewide initiative borne from the bombing to promote a culture of service, honor and kindness.  For Oklahoma Bishop Poulson Reed, “that just sums up the Christian faith of the cathedral.” “As bishop, I have been so impressed in the five years that I have been here with the deep faith of our cathedral members, and I believe that, in some respects, it is due to how faithfully they responded to that incredible tragedy,” Reed told ENS. “We had members of our cathedral community who were directly impacted by that horrible day – by that violence – and yet they were able to rely on their faith to overcome the trauma of that day to bring healing and hope not only to the cathedral, but to the city.” Reed and St. Paul’s clergy will lead the cathedral’s Easter Vigil service, when 14 people will be baptized. Forty people will be confirmed, including Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt’s children, George and Margaret. A lifelong Episcopalian and a member of the Osage Nation, Holt and his family are parishioners of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City. “Like all members of the OKC faith community, The Episcopal Church stepped up in 1995 to help our community heal,” Holt told ENS in an email. “We all continue to work together in OKC to support those who lost a loved one and those who survived, while also working to make sure that the lessons of April 19th are never forgotten. Christian love is the purest answer to hatred, dehumanization and violence.” On the morning of the anniversary, Holt will speak at the annual memorial service downtown. Since he took office in 2018, Holt has addressed the direct challenges of extremism in every speech. In the case of the Oklahoma City bombing, two anti-government extremists – mastermind Timothy McVeigh and accomplice Terry Nichols – retaliated against the […]

[Religion News Service] American organized religion is a bit like a scene from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” It has been on the decline for decades, but churches aren’t dead yet. A new survey from Nashville-based Lifeway Research found that 94% of Protestant pastors believe their church will still be open in 10 years, with 78% strongly agreeing that will be true. Four percent of pastors say their church will close, with the other 2% saying they don’t know, according to the survey released April 15. Conducted over the phone, it surveyed 1,003 randomly selected Protestant pastors between Aug. 8 and Sept. 3, 2024. Those pastors may be right, say researchers who study the American religious landscape. Duke University sociologist Mark Chaves, who runs the National Congregations Study, said past studies found that about 1 in 100 churches close each year. So, the idea that most churches will be around in 10 years isn’t surprising. “An interesting thing about churches as organizations is that they have ways of staying alive in a very weakened state,” Chaves said in an email. “Other organizations would close, but weak churches have ways of staying alive.” Scott Thumma, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, said the long-term trends for congregations are more worrisome. But in the short term, congregations have become more optimistic. In a 2021 study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on congregations, 7% of church respondents reported their existence was threatened, and 5% said their church was in serious financial difficulty. By 2023, 3% of churches surveyed said they were in serious financial difficulty. That same year, in a study about how the pandemic has affected churches, 2% of church leaders said they were feeling very negative about their church’s future, while 9% were somewhat negative. Lifeway’s findings that few pastors thought their churches would be closing, Thumma said, were “within the ballpark.” He also said small churches that have few staff members and have paid off their building can keep going for a long time. They may have already seen some decline and know how to cope with it. Things are harder, he said, for midsize churches that no longer have enough people or money to sustain themselves. “Small churches can be resilient for a long time, especially when their building is paid for,” said Scott McConnell, director of Lifeway Research. While many churches may survive the next decade, the 20-year outlook is bleaker. “People who are in their 70s now won’t be gone in 10 years, but they will be gone in 20 years,” Thumma said. “That’s where you’re going to see the real drop.” Count the Rev. Nic Mather of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Longview, Washington, among the pastors who are optimistic for the future. The church has seen a slow but steady stream of newcomers in the last few years, mostly people who are seeking spiritual meaning and the kind of close-knit community the church offers. “There’s a power of being in community with others,” he said, “and that ethos and sense of community is so strong here that it continues to attract people.” Mather said his congregation is aware that people don’t come to church in the way they did in the past. That’s made it focus more on reaching out to neighbors. The church also allows a number of community groups to use its building, seeing it as a resource for those neighbors. “We are truly hub for our community. So many people come into our building for things that aren’t church that I can’t imagine this place not being here,” he said. Bob Stevenson, pastor of Village Baptist Church in Aurora, Illinois, is also optimistic about his congregation’s prospects. “We’re 40 years old and we have weathered quite a bit, and so unless there is some scandal or some major change socioeconomically in our area, I don’t see anything changing in terms of the church itself,” he said. Stevenson said the church, which draws about 120 worshippers and is ethnically diverse, has taken steps to “future-proof” itself. That includes paying attention to the integrity of its leadership, something some churches have ignored to their peril. He also said the church has a strong, committed core of members, which will help it continue for the long term. Still, he said, COVID-19 taught him and other church leaders that no one can predict the future. Ryan Burge, a former pastor and author of “The American Religious Landscape,” said it’s hard to know when a church is ready to close. Burge, a political scientist at Eastern Illinois University, was the longtime pastor of First Baptist Church in downstate Mount Vernon, which closed last summer. His church, which was more than 150 years old when it closed, had been on the decline for years but rallied more than a few times. Eventually, as older members of the congregation died, there were no young people to take their place. “All it takes is two or three people to die in close succession, and it’s game over for a lot of those churches,” he said. The new Pew Religious Landscape Study found that 85% of Americans ages 65 and older identify with a religion, and 78% identify as Christian. However, only 54% of Americans under 30 identify with a religion, including 45% who say they are Christian. Lifeway Research found some indication that the rate of churches closing might have increased. The survey includes a look at data from the Southern Baptist Convention showing that 1.8% of congregations disbanded or closed in 2022, the last year with data available. If that annual percentage were to hold steady over the next decade, it would mean about 18% of churches would close during that time, which is more than than pastors surveyed would have predicted. McConnell also said some of the churches that closed may not have had a pastor, which could explain the difference between how pastors feel and the statistics. “But if we assume the […]

[Melbourne Anglican]  Zaki Haidari was only 17 when he fled persecution in Afghanistan. He is now a refugee rights campaigner with Amnesty International Australia, a key contributor to Melbourne’s Palm Sunday March for Refugees. Zaki sought asylum by sea in 2012. He was trying to find a safe country. The Taliban was committing mass murders among the Hazara community to which Zaki belonged. Hazara voices were silenced, and there was no freedom of movement. “The decision wasn’t easy,” he said. “Leaving your country, your family and friends, the place you grew up.” On arriving in Australia, Zaki was denied work rights for three years. There was no funding for him to study or learn English. “It was a bit harsh on me being that age and not having any rights…rights I strongly believe every human being deserves, rights to education…to have freedom to find employment and sustain yourself,” he said. Zaki said refugees were required to sign a contract with the immigration department not to speak publicly about their experiences. He said this silencing was similar to the silencing of the Hazara people in Afghanistan. But Zaki chose to speak out. As a result, he received a scholarship to study English and went on to complete diplomas in information technology and graphic design. On a surprisingly warm Palm Sunday, masses of people gathered to march in support of asylum seekers like Zaki. Led across Princes Bridge by Riff Raff Marching Band, grandparents, students, children, and faith and community organizations made their voices heard, calling on Australia to welcome refugees with justice and kindness. Grandmothers for Refugees member Sue was thinking of the refugees stranded in Papua New Guinea. “They have done nothing wrong except claim refugee status,” she said. Medical Students for Refugees representatives Farah and Julia were marching to call out the poor healthcare available to refugees. “As future healthcare professionals we’re taught not to do any harm, and healthcare is a human right,” Farah said. “As medical students we’re here to rally for the rights of refugees.” Julia said they represented a body of medical students who supported health equity for all refugees and asylum seekers. St. Mary’s North Melbourne parishioner Michael said he believed in justice for refugees. “If you want to make things better…first you pray for it, and then you act on it,” he said. “That’s how prayer works.” The dean of Melbourne, the Very Rev. Andreas Loewe, reflected in his address to the march that St. Paul’s Cathedral’s commitment to welcoming refugees had transformed the community. “Our congregation grew more international, with members from across the globe, displaced people, migrants, those who fled persecution for their faith,” he said. Loewe said the congregation changed and grew from listening to the stories from the refugees, hearing their traditions and supporting one another with their gifts. “As a cathedral we’re significantly enriched,” he said. “This exchange is something we want to see in our nation as well.” Former United Nations assistant secretary-general Gillian Triggs said she was pleased to be a part of the Palm Sunday march, which emphasized welcoming the stranger. She said there was an increased global willingness to deny the legal standards of the Refugee Convention. Triggs said faith groups were vital to the U.N.’s work with displaced people. “They don’t go away when the money runs out,” she said. “They’re always there in the community, and they’re the ones that deliver a lot of the humanitarian responses.”

[Church in Wales] Two ministry areas in Mid Wales are working together to bring the Easter story to their communities. A joint project by the Black Mountains and St. Catwg ministry areas is taking modern art paintings that tell the Easter story, usually seen in art galleries or cathedrals, and placing them in shops, cafés and pubs in towns and villages along the rivers Usk and Wye. The paintings tell the traditional Easter narrative but with a twist – every picture is set in modern London. By taking part in the project, businesses in Crickhowell, Talgarth, Llangors and Hay-on-Wye are enabling the public to see these dramatic Passion pictures in everyday settings. Locations for the 15 pictures, painted by Mark Cazalet, include London Underground tube stations, a scrap yard and the streets outside Wormwood Scrubs prison. The works depicting the trial, humiliation, torture, crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus can be seen until Good Friday in two pubs, two butchers’ shops, cafes, a bookshop, a college office, a petrol station forecourt and an architectural salvage yard. Fr. David Wyatt, priest at Hay-on-Wye, has four paintings in the busy market town, including the opening scene depicting the trial of Jesus. This picture is hanging in one of the town’s barbershops, another painting is in a butcher’s window and one is shown in a local pub. “The placing of the Passion of our Lord into contemporary backdrops, familiar to many, is quite striking and effective. Being offered an opportunity to reflect is an important part of a good Lent,” he said. The project is the initiative of the same team who brought camels to Brecon on Christmas Eve in 2023 in a live public nativity. “We’re hoping that people will see Jesus and the traditional Easter story in a clear and fresh way while out shopping and relaxing in their local towns and villages,” said the Rev. Anna Bessant, who has helped to bring the Easter paintings project to life and looks after churches around Llangors Lake. “The paintings are very immediate and shocking and, because the scenes are set in modern Britain, we hope it will move people to think about the relevance of Easter today and encounter the story of God’s transforming love.” The project also offers a re-telling of the traditional Easter story in a simple way, to allow people who are not familiar with Jesus’s journey an opportunity to discover more about the Christian faith. In Talgarth, the window of the butcher W. J. George’s is displaying one of the paintings until Good Friday. Georgina George, who runs the Deli Pot in Talgarth’s village butcher shop, said, “It’s a privilege to be hosting one of these important pictures. We’re delighted to be telling part of the story here in Talgarth, and people can see some of the other paintings just a few yards away at the Black Mountain College office and in the cafes.” The 15 paintings together are called “West London Stations of The Cross.” The picture called “Women of Jerusalem Weep” shows Jesus travelling to his death surrounded by soldiers among market stalls on Portobello Road in West London. Until Good Friday it is on display at Llangynidr’s Walnut Tree Café. “Our business is mainly run by women, so it’s very apt for us to be hosting this painting,” Claire Preece, who runs the café, said. “It’s a pleasure to be taking part in telling the Easter story in the area, collaborating with local businesses and churches. Walnut Tree Café customers are intrigued by this painting and the meaning behind it. It’s certainly different from lots of the artwork usually found in cafes in the Usk Valley.” The paintings have been loaned to the project by John and Liz Gibbs. Richard Parry from the New Library, Llantwit Major, who is working with the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon ministry areas this year to bring the project to life, organized a similar project last year in pubs and cafes on the south Wales coast. Richard said, “These paintings in Powys are very important. They remind us of the everyday compassion of people on pavements in the face of cruel violence in the world. As we re-visit the Easter Passion and Resurrection of Jesus, we look directly into the heart of the Christian faith. This project deals with our modern predicament today and links it to the Passion, degradation and transformation of the Easter story.” All the paintings remain on display in Powys cafes, pubs and shops until Good Friday, April 18, when the full 15 will be brought together for public viewing as a public offer at the small Celtic church at Llanywern, near Llangors Lake, starting on Saturday, April 19. A full list of the pubs, shops and cafes displaying the paintings can be found here.