Episcopal News Service

Note: The Church in Wales has issued the following statement about Anthony Pierce, the former bishop of Swansea and Brecon, who in February admitted to five counts of indecent assault on a male child under the age of 16. The offenses took place between 1985 and 1990, when Pierce was a parish priest in West Cross, Swansea. On March 12 Pierce was sentenced to four years and one month, half of which he will serve in jail. [Church in Wales] The sentence which has been handed down reflects the shocking nature of these offences and the gross breach of trust which they represent. Anthony Pierce has abused his position, disgraced his church and, worst of all, has inflicted appalling and lasting trauma on his victim. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim in this case, who has shown immense courage in reporting what are deeply painful experiences. We offer him the most heartfelt apology for what he has had to endure. When these offenses were disclosed to the Church in Wales in 2023, we immediately reported the matter to the police, and we worked closely with our statutory partners as the case was investigated and prosecuted. In court today, the victim commended the work of the Provincial Safeguarding Officer assigned to his case. Anthony Pierce will now be referred to the Church in Wales Disciplinary Tribunal, via an accelerated process for post-conviction disciplinary matters. In his pastoral letter to the diocese following the court case, the present bishop of Swansea and Brecon, the Rt. Rev. John Lomas, has made it clear that he will be asking the Tribunal to consider deposing Pierce from Holy Orders, the most severe sanction available. When Anthony Pierce appeared in court on Feb. 7  and admitted these offenses, we issued a statement giving details of what had been discovered in an internal inquiry prompted by the 2023 report. That inquiry found that a previous report of abuse against a different victim had been received in 1993 by a small number of senior figures in the church but had not been reported to police until 2010, by which time the victim had died and Anthony Pierce had been appointed to, and had retired from, the position of bishop. As a result of this information, the Church in Wales Safeguarding Committee has commissioned an independent external review of the Church in Wales’s handling of the 1993 allegation, which has already commenced and which will be published upon completion. The review will also consider how safeguarding allegations are handled in the church’s current systems for the appointment of archdeacons and bishops and whether any changes to these processes are necessary. Full terms of reference were published in February. The Church in Wales is determined to demonstrate that it is a safe place, and that anyone coming forward will have their concerns or disclosures taken seriously, treated with compassion, and taken forward according to the highest current standards. If our people and processes have failed victims and survivors of abuse in the past, we intend to take responsibility for that fact and to fully apply the lessons which have been learned. We feel the most profound shame at the dreadful offenses which have resulted in today’s court case, but we hope the swift and decisive way with which the case was handled when it was reported in 2023, and the fact that we have proactively and disclosed the issues relating to the 1993 report will give confidence that we are determined to do everything possible to ensure the church is safe, that abuse is discovered and dealt with and that victims are respected and supported. We encourage anyone with safeguarding concerns to contact a member of our team via the Church in Wales website: https://www.churchinwales.org.uk/en/safeguarding/reporting-safeguarding-concern/ Alternatively, Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with either the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales.​ You can contact the Safe Spaces team on the website www.safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk​ or by email at safespaces@firstlight.org.uk. Anyone with concerns or information about this case should contact South Wales Police on 101.

[World Council of Churches] World Council of Churches general secretary the Rev. Jerry Pillay expressed deep sorrow and grave concern over the recent tragic developments in Syria, where, according to some sources, more than 1,000 civilians, primarily from the Alawite community, have been massacred. “We underscore the joint statement issued by the Heads of Churches in Syria on Dec. 29, 2024, which expressed a vision for a new Syria based on reconciliation, dialogue, partnership, and hope,” Pillay said on March 10. “Their call for a culture of dialogue and national unity remains more urgent than ever in the face of the ongoing violence and suffering.” He reaffirmed that violence only begets more violence and called on all Syrians to break free from this destructive cycle and work toward a future rooted in justice, healing, and peace. “Syria’s tragic history reminds us that repeating past atrocities will only perpetuate suffering and division,” Pillay said. “Instead, we must strive for a reconciled society where the dignity of all is upheld.” Read the entire article here.

[Episcopal News Service] The Rev. Lauren Grubaugh Thomas is in the early stages of forming a new worshiping community in Sterling Ranch, Colorado. It would seem to be an ideal location – a rapidly growing suburb of Denver with a high concentration of young families. Grubaugh Thomas says she couldn’t hope to do it alone. The same goes for the Rev. Carl Adair, who is developing a new Episcopal congregation in the diverse neighborhood of Sunnyside, Queens, five years after the Diocese of Long Island closed a longtime church there. Like Grubaugh Thomas, Adair’s initial efforts at church planting have been nourished by local and denominational grants, guidance from churchwide staff members and his participation in a grassroots network of enthusiastic church planters. As a churchwide realignment begins to take shape, however, Adair, Grubaugh Thomas and others who spoke to ENS say they are worried about the future of their network and denominational support. “That network has been absolutely crucial in my ongoing formation as a priest, as a disciple, and I can’t imagine myself doing any of the things we’re trying here without the ongoing support of this nationwide cohort,” Adair told Episcopal News Service in a phone interview. Recent examples of church-planting starts are plentiful across The Episcopal Church, from a family-friendly dinner church in the Diocese of Georgia to an Episcopal community serving the unhoused in the Diocese of Western Oregon. Innovative Episcopal clergy have launched more than 200 new worshiping communities since 2000 – many of them in the past decade, during which The Episcopal Church has awarded more than $9 million in grants to support that work while developing and expanding its churchwide infrastructure. No figures were immediately available on how many of those new worshiping communities remain active today. This triennium, changes are underway. The priests involved in this work, who already were uncertain about the status of an additional $2.2 million budgeted for church planting and revitalization in 2025-27, told ENS they are eager for clarifying details about Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s plan to realign churchwide operations to better serve dioceses. Last month, Rowe laid off 14 churchwide staff members in the first phase of his restructuring plan, including the two church employees who have developed and overseen the network of Episcopal church planters: the Rev. Tom Brackett, manager for church planting and mission development, and the Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers, staff officer for church planting. Though church planting is one of the departments being reorganized or phased out, “our commitment to church planting and redevelopment is undiminished,” Rowe said in a Feb. 20 letter to the church outlining the structural realignment. “In the months to come, we will be reorganizing this ministry and the ways it supports and serves our dioceses.” The changes also could impact the churchwide grant program that invests in new congregations. It is facilitated each triennium by an advisory board, which has not yet been appointed for this cycle. Rowe says he and House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris are now working on those appointments, which were on hold until the staff realignment. In a March 10 Zoom interview with ENS, Rowe affirmed that he is not abandoning the church’s ongoing investment in church planting. He said the detailed way forward will be worked out through collaborative conversations with dioceses and the priests who have been active in the churchwide network. “Part of the plan for the future is convening people, consulting widely, hearing what the needs are and then pivoting to those,” Rowe said, to “begin to think about how are we going to meet these needs differently.” When asked whether the former structure had not been meeting the church’s needs, Rowe emphasized a new diocese-centered approach “rather than us running some kind of parallel structure” at the churchwide level. “How can we help dioceses realize their local vision for church planting, for redevelopment at the local level?” Rowe said. “I think it will allow for more effective use of resources over the long run. … That’s to be determined, but I think what we want to do is have more integration.” After Rowe released the initial details of his realignment plan, ENS invited general comment on the plan from members of Executive Council, the church’s governing body between General Convention. Many of those who responded acknowledged some anxiety across the church over the staffing changes but pledged their support for Rowe’s focus on assisting Episcopal dioceses and congregations. Other Executive Council members suggested to ENS that Rowe had not yet been sufficiently forthcoming with details, including about church planting. “Who will take on that mission work, or are we abandoning this area entirely?” Joe McDaniel, a lay member from the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, said about church planting in an email to ENS. ENS also sought comment on Rowe’s realignment plan from the Rev. Tim Baer, the rector of a well-known and successful church plant, Grace Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Oklahoma. Baer said he is in favor of efforts to change church structures to support mission and ministry at the diocesan level. At the same time, he said he would welcome more clarity about how church planting will be affected. “I’m eager to hear what that plan is,” Baer said, adding that some churchwide coordination is necessary. Without that support, he said, the capacity for church planting “is near zero in most dioceses.” In his Feb. 20 letter to the church, Rowe said The Episcopal Church can “make an even stronger and more effective witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ” by changing some core staff priorities. Under the new operational structure, church planting becomes part of the expansive portfolio of the Rev. Lester Mackenzie, whom Rowe hired as his chief of mission program, a newly created position. “Church planting cannot be about institutional survival. I believe it must also be about discipleship, deep community and the Spirit’s movement,” Mackenzie said […]

[Church in Wales] Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral in Bangor, Wales, has been awarded “The Freedom of the City of Bangor,” the highest honor the city council can bestow, in recognition of its substantial contributions to the community throughout its long history. The award comes as the city celebrates its 1500th anniversary in 2025. In a unanimous decision during a recent meeting, Bangor City Council voted  to honor the cathedral with the civic award, making it the first organization to receive this recognition in over a decade. Previous recipients include the British Broadcasting Corporation, RAF Valley, and David Lloyd George, who was British prime minster during World War I. The award acknowledges the cathedral’s historical significance and ongoing role in Bangor’s cultural and spiritual life as the city approaches this momentous milestone. Founded by Saint Deiniol in 525 AD, Bangor is recognized as Wales’ oldest city in recorded history.

[Office of the Archbishop of York] Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell began his Lord’s Prayer tour across northern England with a service of choral evensong at York Minster on March 7. The tour will visit cathedrals and churches, exploring the words of the Lord’s Prayer through teaching, reflection and music. At the heart of the archbishop’s tour is a simple but powerful invitation: to pray the Lord’s Prayer by heart and align our lives with God’s will. This call is beautifully echoed in the prayer’s central plea, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ Using the metaphor of music, Cottrell’s sermon at the evensong service encouraged people to think of God’s will as the single perfect note that resonates throughout the universe — a note to which our lives can be tuned. Through prayer, we learn to hear this note, bringing harmony to our hearts and aligning with God’s purpose for the world. The service at York Minster also featured a musical performance of a new setting of the Lord’s Prayer, composed by Lucy Walker. Sung by the choir of York Minster, the piece highlighted how the Lord’s Prayer continues to resonate with people today. The tour and newly commissioned music are part of “Faith in the North,” which has been developed to encourage prayer, storytelling and church planting, inspired by the northern Saints such as Hild, Cuthbert, Bede and Paulinus. The goal is to deepen connections with the Christian faith and renew the church’s mission to share God’s love with all. Free resources are available for schools and churches to help explore this.

[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal priest and poet the Rev. Spencer Reece last week was awarded the John Updike Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The award, which comes with a prize of $20,000, is given every two years to recognize a midcareer writer whose contributions to American literature have demonstrated consistent excellence. It was established by Updike’s widow, Martha. Reece is the vicar of St. Paul’s in Wickford, Rhode Island, where he has served since late 2022. The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to “foster, assist and sustain excellence” in American literature, music and art. It is congressionally chartered, and is headquartered in New York. Reece told Episcopal News Service that when he got the email on March 6 telling him of the award, it came as a shock. “I kind of couldn’t believe it for a day or two,” he said. But, he added, “Being involved in a community of writers means a lot to me.” This isn’t the only award Reece has received for his work. His first book of poems, “The Clerk’s Tale,” written in 2004 when he was 41, received the Bread Loaf Writers Conference Bakeless Poetry Prize. Many of the poems draw on his previous career as an assistant manager for Brooks Brothers. After the book was published, The New Yorker devoted an entire page to its opening poem, which later served as the basis for a 2010 film by actor and director James Franco that debuted at a section of the Cannes Film Festival. He has written two other books of poetry – “The Road to Emmaus” in 2013, which was a longlist nominee for the National Book Award, and “Acts” in 2024. In addition to writing his own poetry, in 2017 he edited an anthology of poems, “Counting Time Like People Count Stars,” written by girls at Our Little Roses, an Episcopal-affiliated orphanage in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where Reece taught poetry for two years. It was the basis for the documentary “Voices Beyond the Wall: 12 Love Poems from the Murder Capital of the World.” In 2021 he published two works – a book of watercolors, “All the Beauty Still Left: A Poet’s Painted Book of Hours,” and a memoir, “The Secret Gospel of Mark.” He has received a variety of other honors, including fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, grants from the Fulbright Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Council, a Witter Bynner fellowship from the Library of Congress, the Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship, and a Whiting Writers’ Award. Reece was ordained a priest in 2011 and has served in Spain and New York City in addition to his work in Honduras and Rhode Island. When asked about overlap in his roles as priest and poet, he said that while poetry and sermon preparation are done mostly in isolation, sermons are different in that they appear in the public setting of worship. But in both instances, they are about how those words interact with their audience. He also said that in recent years he has found his sermons and the research he does in writing them spilling over more into his poems. Calling poetry his “great passion and great love,” Reece said that after the initial recognition that came his way two decades ago, he had begun to feel that the doors to the literary world had mostly closed to him. Getting word of the John Updike award left him not only surprised but “encouraged about my writing life.” As if to validate that encouragement, he learned on March 10 that The New Yorker had picked up one of his poems – 21 years after his first appearance in the magazine and 10 years after it printed “My Great Grandmother’s Bible,” which also was included in the newly released “A Century of Poetry in The New Yorker.” — Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.

[Episcopal News Service] Beginning today, March 10, six Episcopal leaders will represent Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe at the 69th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women – CSW69 – meeting in New York City. They will join representatives of U.N. member states, U.N. entities and accredited nongovernmental organizations worldwide March 10-21 to advocate for women’s equality and empowerment and to learn how to make those goals a reality. “UNCSW gives us the opportunity to lift up the voices of Episcopalians and Anglicans to advocate for gender justice, women’s rights and the dignity of all people of different sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions,” Rebecca Blachly, The Episcopal Church’s chief of public policy witness, told Episcopal News Service in a written statement. “We learn from fellow advocates from around the world, share our values and priorities with governments and multilateral institutions, and prepare ourselves to continue our advocacy when we return to our own communities,” she said. Blachly is one of the church’s six delegates, alongside Julia Ayala Harris, president of the House of Deputies; the Rev. Margaret Rose, the presiding bishop’s ecumenical and interreligious deputy and former director of The Episcopal Church’s women’s ministries; Lynnaia Main, the church’s representative to the United Nations; Nicole Hosein, director of Episcopal Relief & Development’s gender initiatives; and Troy Collazo, policy adviser with the church’s Office of Government Relations. Because The Episcopal Church has been in a transitional phase since mid-2024 and going through leadership changes – Rowe took office as presiding bishop on Nov. 1 – this year’s delegation to the UNCSW meeting is smaller than usual. 2025 marks 30 years since the U.N. adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action during the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace in Beijing, China. The declaration is a resolution that promotes gender equality and women’s rights through a set of principles addressing 12 critical areas of concern, including economic empowerment and political participation. CSW69 and Beijing+30 will mostly focus on reviewing the implementation and outcomes of the Beijing Declaration. It will also address current challenges women and girls continue to face, including gender-based violence, wage gaps, economic barriers and lack of access to education and health care. Women and girls of color and LGBTQ+ women are disproportionately affected by these challenges. “The broader the circle, the more we can be effective in answering our own Gospel call to work for justice and respect for all, and the presence of The Episcopal Church at UNCSW allows us to learn from partners who are committed to this same work,” Rose told ENS in a written statement. “This gathering of a worldwide community of civil society and faith-based groups highlights both our progress and the distance we have yet to travel; the Beijing Platform for Action offers a roadmap and an infrastructure for the journey.” In October 2024, his last month as presiding bishop before retiring, Bishop Michael Curry submitted The Episcopal Church’s CSW69 written statement in preparation for the conference this month. The statement outlines the church’s goals for the meeting: Prioritize resources and programs for marginalized women and girls, including LGBTQ+ women, women of color, women with disabilities, migrant women, elderly women and others. Increase access to resources, public services, social protections and infrastructure. Increase access to economic and political power and decision-making. Eliminate all forms of gender-based violence. Address climate change and environmental issues, which disproportionately harm women and girls. “While celebrating progress for and by women and girls in all their diversity in the 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and platform for action, we lament persistent injustices and call for change,” the statement says. One third of women worldwide are known to have experienced physical or sexual violence, according to data compiled by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as U.N. Women. The intentional killing of women and girls, or femicide, is also a global crisis. In 2022, nearly 89,000 known women and girls were murdered, the highest number recorded in 20 years. Femicide targeting transgender women and women of color has particularly been increasing every year. Worldwide, women are paid about 80% of what men are paid, even if they do the same work. The average gender wage gap is not as wide in the United States, where women earn about 83% of men’s earnings on average, but the gap is much bigger for women of color. For every dollar a white man earns, Black women earn 63.7 cents, Indigenous women earn 59 cents and Latinas earn 57 cents. During the 80th General Convention in 2022, the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies adopted A062, “Require Diocesan Plan to Narrow Gender Equity Gaps,” which required all dioceses to examine the demographics of parish leadership and gender pay equity while devising plans to reduce gender equity gaps before the 81st General Convention in 2024. Ayala Harris, the fourth woman and first woman of color to serve as president of the House of Deputies, told ENS in an email that advocacy work must prioritize marginalized women, direct resources to grassroots efforts and challenge policies that sustain inequality. She mentioned that the Bible places marginalized women – Hagar, Ruth, Mary Magdalene and the Samaritan woman at the well – “at the heart of the Gospel.”  “Those stories reveal a pattern of justice beginning with those most at risk of being silenced. Too often, gender justice work centers those with the most privilege. That must change,” Ayala Harris said. “Justice that excludes the most vulnerable is not justice at all. As The Episcopal Church continues this work together, we must ensure our advocacy moves beyond words to real structural change.” In 2018, Ayala Harris co-authored D016, “Create a Task Force for Women, Truth, and Reconciliation.” The resolution calls on The Episcopal Church to “engage in truth-telling, confession, and reconciliation regarding gender-based discrimination, harassment and violence against women and girls” […]

[Episcopal News Service] The Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice in Durham, North Carolina, has denounced the removal of a biography of Murray from the National Park Service website about the Murray Family Home, a National Historic Landmark. Murray, who was a pioneering attorney who fought against racial and gender discrimination, was the first Black woman to be ordained a priest in The Episcopal Church, in 1977. They died in 1985. A press release from the center said it “condemns the federal government’s efforts to erase Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, and their invaluable contributions to our society, from the digital record.” It added, “The federal government has disabled at least one webpage, and scrubbed language related to Murray’s transgender and queer identities on others, on the National Park Service website,” alongside “other figures and sites recognized by NPS, including the Stonewall National Monument, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and others.” After taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders aimed at removing references across federal agencies and departments to issues of diversity and “gender ideology.” By early February, agency websites began to remove mention of transgender or queer people and changed the acronym LGBTQ (for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) to LGB. The center’s statement noted, “Members of the LGBTQIA+ community have always been a part of the rich fabric of our society. Rev. Dr. Murray exists in a lineage of LGBTQIA+ Southerners who have advanced social justice work on a national scale, and whose contributions have gone on to shape history. Erasing this truth at the federal level censures American history and compromises the work of transgender and queer activists who stand in Murray’s wake today.” Angela Thorpe Mason, the center’s executive director, said in the statement, “We will not be deterred from uplifting Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray’s identity, life and legacy as we work toward addressing today’s inequities and injustices. We equally condemn the federal government’s actions and stand firm in ours. The Pauli Murray Center will be a space for us to continue to articulate what we know to be true.” Last September the center celebrated the grand opening of the former Murray home, which serves as the space where the center conducts a variety of programs. Murray, who was born Anna Pauline Murray in Baltimore, Maryland, shortened her name to “Pauli” after college to reflect a less-gendered identity. As described in an ENS story from 2022, Murray went on to study law at Howard University, the only woman enrolled, and graduated first in the class of 1944. Murray was the first African American to earn a doctor of the science of laws degree from Yale University Law School. They were a co-founder of the National Organization for Women and the Congress of Racial Equality. As a lawyer, Murray argued against “Jane Crow,” in recognition of their struggle against both racial segregation and gender discrimination. In 1940, Murray was arrested for disorderly conduct for refusing to move to the back of a bus in Petersburg, Virginia, 15 years before Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama. Murray also organized restaurant and lunch counter sit-ins in Washington, D.C., 20 years before the famous Greensboro, North Carolina, protests. Former NAACP President and future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall called Murray’s book, “States’ Laws on Race and Color,” the bible of the civil rights movement. Another future Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, named Murray as coauthor of a brief on the 1971 case Reed v. Reed, in recognition of her pioneering work on gender discrimination. Murray was also one of five pioneering women selected to be featured in the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters program. By action of General Convention in 2018, Murray  was added to the calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts; their feast day is observed on July 1. The Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska will host a special Pauli Murray weekend in April, including an April 4 screening of the documentary film “My Name is Pauli Murray” followed by a panel discussion, and the world premiere on April 5 of a new choral work, “Sincerely Yours, Pauli Murray,” sung by the River City Mixed Chorus. — Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.

[Anglican Journal] The Anglican Church of Canada should consider making major cuts to the size of its governance gatherings and committees, says the report of a commission tasked with reimagining its future. The church is about a quarter the size it was in 1967, but its governance groups remain the same size, the commission’s chair, Archdeacon Monique Stone, told Council of General Synod March 7. The report makes the same point and asks, “How can the size of church governance structures in the Anglican Church of Canada be reduced by 75 per cent?” Stone told CoGS this figure was intended more as a conversation-starter than a fixed target — but maintained that the report envisaged serious transformation. “This is not just tweaks, this is big change,” she said. Archdeacon Alan Perry, general secretary of General Synod, contacted the Journal after the original version of this piece was posted to offer a different perspective on the size of the church’s structures. In some ways, Perry said, they have grown since 1967 — with, for example, the addition of two new Newfoundland dioceses in 1975 — but in general the trend since then has been toward smaller structures as the church has changed with the times. CoGS, for example, has fewer members than its predecessor, the National Executive Council; and some committees are also smaller. “Yes, dioceses (30 rather than 28), provinces (still four), and a General Synod still exist, but they all look different and in general they are all smaller in their structures of governance than they were in 1967,” he said in an email. “The structures have been in constant flux since the beginning. They have evolved, are evolving and will evolve.” The document Stone presented to CoGS recommended General Synod 2025 give the officers of General Synod — including the primate, general secretary, chancellor, prolocutor and deputy prolocutor — the mandate and resources to propose a major revision to the church’s organization which they would present and begin implementing at the following General Synod in 2028. “Current institutional structures are larger than necessary at every level (General Synod, ecclesiastical provinces, and the number of dioceses),” the document, titled Creating Pathways, reads. “This top-heavy structure focuses human and financial resources on maintaining outsized institutions rather than proclaiming the gospel in local communities.” The cuts called for in this section of the document, Stone told the Anglican Journal, are intended to apply to the number of members on committees and to the number of church members at governance gatherings like CoGS and General Synod. They are not, she said, necessarily intended to apply to the relatively small number of church staff. The commission, convened by former primate Archbishop Linda Nicholls in 2023, recommends six processes for the church to begin work on to fulfill the mandate of adapting the church to the needs of a smaller membership and a 21st century social and political landscape. Its report is based on feedback — in the form of 297 responses to an online survey as well as interviews and Zoom meetings with staff at church house and Anglicans across the country — regarding a set of seven conversation-starting “hypotheses” for the future of the Anglican Church of Canada that the commission put forward in 2023. CoGS voted March 7 to commend the six pathways to June’s General Synod gathering for discussion and action. The central question of these recommendations is what form the church’s governance structures would take if they were being designed for the first time to meet the needs of the church today, said Stone. In addition to changes at the General Synod level, that may involve restructuring at the diocesan and provincial levels, which General Synod does not have the authority to mandate directly, she notes. What it can do, however, is play a leadership role in the conversation, encouraging regional governance bodies in the church to cooperate on a unified vision for what the new shape of the church will be. The six pathways along which the document recommends the church proceed are: Organizational structure, dealing with the governance gatherings and committees of the church; Management overview and restructuring, with suggestions for the transparency, accountability and organization of the office of General Synod and its staff; Inclusion and diversity in decision making, responding to calls for greater and more equal accessibility of participation in church governance; Communications, involving discussions on the future of the Anglican Journal as well as the national church’s overall strategy for disseminating information and connecting members across the country; Walking in partnership with the Indigenous church; Ministry in remote northern communities. During the consultation process, the report states, it became apparent many Anglicans were unclear as to the jurisdiction, responsibilities, functions and accountability mechanisms of General Synod (which is the name both of the church’s once-every-three-years gathering and the national church as a legal entity, which has its own office at Church House in Toronto). As a result, it continues, “Deep frustrations exist amongst members of the wider church who are asked to share their own declining financial resources with the office of General Synod without a clear understanding of what takes place there or where accountability lies.” Meanwhile, staff have experienced frustration as mandates from CoGS, General Synod, department heads and individual Anglicans conflict, the document says. To solve these problems, the second pathway proposes a managerial review of the office’s departments and mandates to align their work with the current needs of the church, clarify mandates and clarify the scope of responsibilities to staff, leadership and Anglicans across the country. The third pathway describes the current format and procedures of General Synod meetings as failing to be inclusive to people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, incomes, ages and other social and cultural classes. “It was felt” the legislative debate format of meetings has left many people feeling left out and created barriers to participation, the report says, resulting in a system that “continues to attract […]

[Anglican Communion News Service] The Anglican Communion’s United Nations representative in Geneva, the Rev. Glen Ruffle, spoke to the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council in late February about the need for politicians in South Sudan to show more commitment to the nation’s peace process. Tensions in South Sudan are rising, and on March 5 the embassies of the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany the Netherlands and Norway issued an “Urgent Call for Peace” deploring the violence in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State and increased tensions among national politicians Ruffle spoke from the insights of Anglican churches in South Sudan to call for attention on subnational violence, including widespread violence against women and girls. The mediation work done by churches was highlighted and a plea was made for South Sudanese politicians to work with the South Sudan Council of Churches on dialogue to reduce tensions. Alongside this, he called for renewed commitment by politicians to South Sudan’s revitalized peace process, which will enable security reform and help diffuse tensions among the national elite. This echoes calls made by Pope Francis, former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the Rt. Rev. Iain Greenshields, former moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, to South Sudanese political leaders during their Pilgrimage of Peace in 2023. Ruffle also emphasized the suffering experienced by many women and girls across South Sudan and the need for more reliable prosecution of violence against them as well as the need for investment in microfinance and literacy opportunities — like those offered by the Mothers’ Union — recognizing women and girls’ equal value with men and boys. Ruffle said, “It is important that we encourage South Sudan’s politicians to be serious in engaging with the peace process, and that we keep highlighting the immense suffering and violence to stop South Sudan slipping from the world’s radar.” Since 2013, South Sudan has experienced cycles of civil war, which are estimated to have taken the lives of over 400,000 people and displaced millions from their homes. In 2018, politicians signed a revitalized peace agreement which set a course for a transitional government, united army and elections. The agreement holds and progress is being made, but significant reforms are years behind schedule and violence outside the capital has continued. Recent clashes inside Juba’s political elite have raised concerns that the agreement may be in greater danger. The Anglican Communion’s U.N. advocacy team has urged people to pray with all South Sudanese Christians that the agreement holds. The full text of Ruffle’s statement is available here.

[Episcopal News Service] An Episcopal church in Michigan was featured on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” for a humorous segment about a very serious issue: gun violence. Desi Lydic, a correspondent on the satirical news show, interviewed the Rev. Chris Yaw, rector of St. David’s Episcopal Church in Southfield, about the congregation’s efforts to dispose of relinquished guns in the state. The church has organized eight gun buyback and disposal events across the Detroit area in the past three years, resulting in the destruction of 650 firearms. “There are millions of unwanted guns in the possession of reluctant owners all across the U.S. posing unknown health risks to individuals and communities,” Yaw said in a March 7 news release, “And every weapon we help take out of circulation has the potential to avert a tragedy.” On the show, Lydic interviewed Yaw while seated in a pew of his church. “How does a priest get involved with getting guns off the streets?” she asked. “In America, it’s a lot easier to get a gun than to get rid of a gun,” Yaw said, adding that it takes more than “thoughts and prayers.” Video of the full segment is available here. (Warning; some profane language.) St. David’s gun buybacks started with an event offering $5,000 worth of gift cards in exchange for the firearms. It was so successful that the line of cars was two miles long, Yaw said, and they ran out of gift cards in 20 minutes. When asked what kind of gift cards, Yaw said they were mostly to Target. “Target?!” Lydic responded, with an expression of mock shock. The segment ends with Yaw bringing Lydic to a workshop where the firearms are sawed in half before disposal. St. David’s has partnered with the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, the University of Michigan’s Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, the Southfield Police Department and others in its gun buyback efforts. It is also part of a statewide effort led by faith leaders, including from Michigan’s three Episcopal dioceses, to raise awareness of gun violence and to advocate for policy changes to improve gun safety. In January 2025, they celebrated the passage of the state’s newest gun safety law, requiring police to completely destroy all guns turned in during community buyback events. Gun safety has been a growing issue of concern in Michigan in recent years, especially after deadly mass shootings at Oxford High School in Oxford Township in 2021 and at Michigan State University in East Lansing in 2023. On average, 1,421 Michiganders die annually from gun violence, and the nationwide average is more than 45,000, according to data compiled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Episcopalians can learn more about the church’s gun safety legislation dating to 1976 here. – 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] Ten states; 1,560 miles. Eleven parishes and a seminary student; 14 adult volunteers and a baby. Total time: two weeks. That’s what it took for a team of Episcopalians to transport a baptismal font, a processional cross and an altar cross from Fryeburg, Maine, to their new permanent home in McCalla, Alabama. “Every single volunteer was a total stranger to each other before the relay. …Now we’ve really become friends,” Melissa Headrick Bailey, a member of the bishop’s committee for Riverside Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Alabama’s newest church plant, told Episcopal News Service. Bailey is a parishioner of St. Mary’s-on-the Highlands Episcopal Church in Birmingham. Riverside was named after the “river of life,” which is mentioned throughout Scripture, including Revelation 22. In January, Bailey reached out to Episcopalians on Facebook, a public group with close to 86,000 members, asking to purchase sacramental items, furniture and other supplies from churches that no longer needed them. Many people nationwide responded, including the Rev. Sinclair “Skippy” Ender, rector of Christ Episcopal Church in North Conway, New Hampshire. Ender had been storing a baptismal font, a processional cross and an altar cross in his home for a few years, waiting to find the perfect new home for them. “I answered the Facebook post, and they asked how much I wanted for the font, and I said, ‘Oh, I don’t want anything. I just want it used for the glory of God,’” Ender, a resident of Fryeburg, Maine, which is just across the state line, told ENS. Ender, a U.S. Navy veteran, said he obtained the baptismal font and other church supplies from the Episcopal Church of Saints Matthew and Barnabas in Hallowell, Maine, when it closed in 2021. He planned to use the items at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, where he was a command chaplain at the time. However, shortly after obtaining the baptismal font, which dates to 1888, the naval shipyard received a donated ship bell from a decommissioned destroyer and began using it for baptisms instead. In several military branches worldwide, including the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, upside-down ship bells traditionally serve as baptismal fonts. The custom dates back centuries to the British Royal Navy. “The antique font Fr. Skippy gave us is lovely, and it’s also very small and perfect for us,” the Rev. Geoff Evans, pastor of Riverside and the Diocese of Alabama’s canon to the ordinary, told ENS. “Everything has been serendipitous; providential, even.” The altar cross was originally used at St. Katherine’s Episcopal School for Girls in Bettendorf, Iowa, before it became a secular, coeducational college preparatory school decades ago. The cross had been stored in the undercroft of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Davenport since then. The damaged altar cross was about to be thrown away before Ender, who was a priest at the cathedral between 2018 and 2020, climbed into the dumpster to salvage the cross and restore it. Around that time, the Very Rev. John Hall, dean emeritus of Trinity, gave the processional cross and other sacramental items to Ender, which he used while enlisted in the Navy. Ender initially offered to pay to ship the sacramental items to Riverside, but the shipping fee was much higher than he could afford. Bailey reached out to Episcopalians on Facebook again asking if anyone living along the route between Fryeburg and McCalla would be willing to help drive part of the way to the next driver until the items reached their destination. Many people offered to help, and after some careful logistics planning and regular communications, 11 volunteers were selected to be a part of the “font relay.” Facebook users were able to read the relay’s progress by following the hashtag #FontRelay and the Episcopalians on Facebook group. The relay: Feb 3: Ender drove 222 miles from Fryeburg to Springfield, Massachusetts. That same day, Leslie Williams, a parishioner of St. Andrew’s Church, Northford, Connecticut, picked up the sacramental items and drove 83 miles from Springfield to Danbury, Connecticut. Feb 6: Williams drove an additional 35 miles from Danbury to New Haven, Connecticut. That same day, Nancy Pierson and Diane Goodman, parishioners of St. John’s Church Episcopal Church in Larchmont, New York, drove 82 miles from New Haven to Secaucus, New Jersey. Feb 9: Vivian Roston, a parishioner of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in New York City, drove 239 miles from Secaucus to Hagerstown, Maryland. That same day, Kyle, Lauren and William Munroe, parishioners of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Auburn, Alabama – temporarily residing in Alexandria, Virginia, while Kyle Munroe attends Virginia Theological Seminary – drove 133 miles from Hagerstown to Staunton, Virginia. Feb. 10: Susan Palmer, senior warden of Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton, drove 225 miles from Staunton to Bristol, Tennessee. That same day, Candace Armstrong, music director St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, drove 115 miles from Bristol to Knoxville.  Feb 13: Maryjo Latham, a parishioner of St. James Episcopal Church in Knoxville, drove 111 miles from Knoxville to Chattanooga, Tennessee. That same day, Ola Williams and Cathy Struntz, parishioners of the Church of the Resurrection in Rainbow City, Alabama, drove 110 miles from Chattanooga to Gadsden, Alabama. Feb. 14: Williams and Struntz drive 58 miles from Gadsden to Trussville, Alabama. That same day, Lane Oden, who’s not a member of a church, drove 11 miles from Trussville to Irondale, Alabama. Feb. 15: Oden drove 11 miles from Irondale to Homewood, Alabama. That same day, Bailey drove 16 miles from Homewood to Helena, Alabama, then 15 more miles to McCalla. To document the journey, Ender purchased a notebook for drivers to record their traveling details and reflections. “We are grateful to be on this journey with y’all. It is nice to think about all of these items going to their new home in our home state and diocese of Alabama,” Kyle, Lauren and William Munroe wrote in the notebook. “We hope these items help lead […]

[Episcopal News Service] Saint Augustine’s University, the historically Black college with Episcopal roots in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been dealt another setback in its ongoing fight for survival after its accrediting agency denied the school’s latest appeal. The accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC, is in the process of removing Saint Augustine’s as a member institution for failing to meet accreditation standards related to its finances. Saint Augustine’s appealed a December 2024 decision by SACSCOC, but the agency’s appeals committee recently ruled against Saint Augustine’s, according to a March 6 news release from the school. Saint Augustine’s has at least one more option, a 90-day arbitration process, as it attempts to remain an accredited university. Loss of accreditation could threaten the school’s viability despite university leaders’ insistence that they have secured the funding needed to continue operating. “We have made substantial progress and are confident that our strengthened financial position and governance will ensure a positive outcome,” Board of Trustees Chairman Brian Boulware said in the news release. “SAU is resilient, and we are resolute in our commitment to academic excellence.” The release also emphasizes that the university’s failed appeal does not mean it is closing. Accreditation will remain active during the 90-day arbitration, meaning that all students who graduate in May 2025 will receive degrees from an accredited institution. The university “remains dedicated to providing high-quality education and student support services as it evaluates all available pathways forward,” according to the news release, which adds that the university expects to close later this month on an agreement with unnamed partners for $70 million in “sustainability focused funding at competitive market rates and terms.” Saint Augustine’s and the much smaller Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina, are the two remaining historically Black higher education institutions with Episcopal roots. The pair of colleges has received several million dollars from The Episcopal Church in recent years while also accepting the church’s guidance on administrative and fundraising matters. Saint Augustine’s history dates to 1867, when it was established by Episcopalians in the Diocese of North Carolina. Though still rooted in the Episcopal tradition, it now operates as an independent institution. Under federal guidelines, colleges and universities seek accreditation by an approved governmental or nongovernmental agency like SACSCOC to ensure they meet “acceptable levels of quality,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation, for example, is a minimum standard typically verified by managers when assessing graduates for potential employment. An academic institution that fails to retain accreditation also could be disqualified from federal grants and student aid programs, potentially jeopardizing the school’s ability to remain open. – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

[Diocese of Los Angeles] Members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Pomona, California, launched a ministry to help dress young girls around the world and revitalized community in their own backyard. On a recent Saturday, about a dozen women and men in the church’s Sophia room were busily laying out patterns, cutting, stitching and ironing vibrant animal print and flowered materials to make sleeveless dresses to send to Dress A Girl Around the World. “When we have finished 100 dresses, we send them off to be distributed,” said Jo Ann Newton, St. Paul’s senior warden. Newton inspired the ministry, which began in June 2024. “Dress A Girl” is a campaign of Hope for Women International, a Christian nonprofit women’s empowerment organization. The sleeveless, zipper-less, buttonless dresses, made to specification, bear the organization’s labels which, Newton hopes, could help prevent young girls from becoming victims of human trafficking. “Young girls in need have always been near and dear to my heart. Many people in this country don’t realize there are children without clothes,” she said, affirming the organization’s mission to raising awareness of human trafficking while distributing the dresses. Newton shared her vision with Sandra Martinez-Moore, chair of the church’s chapter of the Daughters of the King, an international order of women of Episcopal and other denominations who dedicate themselves to a life of prayer and service. Martinez-Moore embraced the ministry, and it has continued to expand. The women – and a few men – gather on the first Saturday of each month to sew, using donated materials and machines. They also work at home, according to Martinez-Moore. She said she was there with her mother, Anna Toledo, who makes about 14 dresses each week. “The wonderful thing is, the men in the church were excited by what we were doing, so they formed a men’s ministry,” Newton said. “They wanted to work alongside us in some way and in December, we had a joint project.” By Christmas, members were making stockings for the children attending a preschool renting space on their campus. The men’s ministry purchased small toys to put in the stockings “and we had a party for the children,” Newton said. “We’d never had a relationship with the preschool before. Now, the men’s ministry is activated, and they are planning other things for this year.” Extra stockings were taken to a nearby shelter; now the church is planning an Easter outreach to the shelter as well. Enthusiasm has continued to build. Another plan in the works is to create a quilted reversible bag and other fundraisers to celebrate St. Paul’s 150th anniversary in 2026. “We are planning a year’s worth of activities,” said Patricia Hernandez, who attends the monthly gatherings. “People come and do what they can.” Dress A Girl has “brought new life” to the parish which, like some 40 other churches in the Diocese of Los Angeles, has been without permanent clergy. St. Paul’s had both lay and supply clergy leadership, but until recently had seemed to be floundering, according to Hernandez. Now, there is hope, and there are plans for the future. “We are still going to be here,” Hernandez said. “I joined the church because of this ministry,” said Diana Bermudez, a teacher and new vestry member, who brought along a friend March 1 to help with the sewing. “I like to make a difference, and this has already made one. Coming to the sewing ministry was, for me, a calling.” Bill Laws, St. Paul’s administrator, said he needed a lot of “hand-holding” while learning to make bias tape to finish the neckline and armholes of the dress he was working on. The dresses are an A-line pattern with front, back, side panels and no fastenings, and made of cotton, with pockets. Sizes range from toddlers up to 12 or 14, according to Louise Barbee. “Once buttons or zippers are lost or broken, the garment isn’t usable anymore” so the dresses slip on easily over the head, she said. Bolts of donated material fill a nearby closet where the machines and other accessories are stored between gatherings. Bright-colored dresses are on hangers, and laughter fills the room as the members gather. The ministry has also attracted people from the local community, said Martinez-Moore, adding, “We want to see Dress A Girl in every church in the diocese.”

[Episcopal News Service] Inside St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in River Hills, Wisconsin, a short walk down a flight of stairs gets you to a small but inviting basement room with plain gray walls and black rafters. Professional-grade spotlights hang from a grid above, and risers spaced around the edges of the room can be configured to accommodate up to 100 fans of local theater. While Sunday mornings in the nave at St. Christopher’s are still about preaching the Gospel, the congregation has expanded its reach into the community by reimaging this former storage space and developing a partnership with Acacia Theatre Company, a 45-year-old theater troupe that is rooted in the Christian tradition. “Everyone who hears there’s a theater in the basement, they walk in and go, ‘Oh, this is kind of nice!” Janet Peterson, Acacia’s artistic director, told Episcopal News Service. “I love it. I think it works really well for the size of theater that we are.” Episcopalians have gathered for nearly 70 years to worship at St. Christopher’s in River Hills, a bucolic northern Milwaukee suburb. Acacia has rented the basement theater at St. Christopher’s for its productions since 2019, staging several shows a year in this unique, intimate space, now named the Norvell Commons. Acacia’s shows, such as the Jane Austin-inspired “Christmas at Pemberley” last December and “A Sleep of Prisoners” opening March 7, draw theater fans from around the region, some of whom are new to The Episcopal Church. Members of St. Christopher’s also often attend the shows and have welcomed this transformation of what had been a little-used room on the church’s campus. “It brings people from a wide variety of interests, which we love,” the Rev. Geoffrey Ward, St. Christopher’s rector, said in an ENS interview. “We really believe that a multiple-entry-point and multiple-generational approach to things is what leads us to congregational vitality.” St. Christopher’s had some key ingredients in forming a successful partnership with Acacia, starting with Ward’s educational background. He has a bachelor’s degree in theater and a master’s degree in children’s theater education. Ordained a priest in 2009, Ward began serving at St. Christopher’s in 2017, and before long, he was engaging with leaders in the local theater community while assessing the church’s facilities for possible new uses. The church, built in the late 1950s, had undergone an expansion in 2006 to add facilities for church administration and fellowship. The space under that addition, however, had been left unfinished and became a kind of congregational junk room, Ward said, sometimes referred to as “the cave.” “We decided this is not the optimum use of this space,” he said. He thought it seemed ideal for a theater. At the same time, Acadia had been producing shows at a series of different locations in the region, none quite perfect for its smaller productions and modest but loyal audiences. Peterson connected with Ward through a mutual acquaintance, who happened to be working on props for Acacia, and they agreed that the basement at St. Christopher’s could be turned into a fitting new home for the theater company. Acacia, named for a tree that symbolizes stability and resistance, describes itself as “an independent, non-profit, interdenominational Christian theatre company.” It was founded to integrate art and faith, and though its productions are not overly didactic, they typically develop themes that align with Christian teachings. The theme of the 2024-25 season, for example, is “Making Peace,” based on the Bible verse from Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Acacia has “a really solid reputation” in the local theater community, Ward said, so bringing the troupe on board to use the basement at St. Christopher’s helped solidify the congregation’s efforts to turn it into Norvell Commons, named for a former rector. The project cost about $150,000, raised from a mix of sources, including the church’s endowment, grants and church member contributions. Acacia also pays a building use fee for its productions. Much of the development cost was for the theater’s state-of-the-art technology, from the lighting to movable seating. “Everything is flexible and changeable,” Ward said. The theater also provides opportunities for church-based events, such as movie nights. Part of the budget covered a 12-foot screen, a high-quality projector and surround sound. The congregation also has hosted speakers and is looking for other community groups interested in renting the space. Acacia began staging its productions there in fall 2019, but that first season soon was halted early the next year by the initial outbreaks of COVID-19. The church and the theater have since put pandemic restrictions on gathering behind them, and both are looking forward to increasing use of the theater at Norvell Commons. “I haven’t figured out how to do a musical in there, but I’m OK with that,” Peterson said. Instead, Acacia’s productions are more actor-focused, with the audience close to the action on three sides. “I like that you could reach out and touch the person in the first row,” she said. – 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] Churches across The Episcopal Church marked Ash Wednesday with services and the imposition of ashes in churches, parks, online, on city streets and other locations. Some churches and clergy offered “Ashes to Go,” in which ashes are available for people on-the-go to receive in various locations beyond church buildings. The practice of placing ashes – made from burning the prior year’s Palm Sunday fronds – in the sign of the cross on the foreheads of worshippers is to remind them of their mortality and serves as a mark of penitence. It also gives the day its name. The Book of Common Prayer makes the imposition of ashes optional, although most Episcopal churches offer it. The ashes are imposed with the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period in which Christians engage in penitence and often acts of self-denial, including fasting, suggested by Christ’s 40 days in the desert. Among the earliest Christians, it was the time when people who wanted to join the church were prepared for Baptism, which would take place at Easter. Here are some places across The Episcopal Church where Ash Wednesday was observed, as noted on social media. St. Paul’s Within the Walls in Rome offered a service online. Puerto Rico Bishop Rafael Morales and other clergy of the Diocese of Puerto Rico took ashes to drivers and pedestrians on the streets of Rio Piedras. Clergy from St. John’s, Tallahassee, Florida, offered ashes at the State Capitol, also in Tallahassee.   View on Threads   New York Bishop Matthew Hyde imposes ashes at New York City’s Grand Central Station. A variety of other churches also offered Ashes to Go in their communities. — Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.

[Anglican Taonga] The 2025 Anglican Missions’ Lenten Appeal offers Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia donors a chance to support climate resilience in the Solomon Islands – notably on the climate change-affected Pacific atoll of Ontong Java – and the humanitarian work of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East in Gaza and the West Bank. This year Anglican Missions’ Pacific project for the Lenten Appeal works through the Anglican Church of Melanesia to help residents of Ontong Java build resilience to the impacts of climate change, so that their communities not only survive, but thrive. Anglican Missions is working on this project linked to a New Zealand government aid allocation, which will maximize donations by matching every $1 New Zealand donated to the Ontong Java project with another $5. With Gaza’s ceasefire holding, more people are seeking help from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem’s Al Ahli Hospital, as they return to the devastation of their former neighborhoods in northern Gaza. The Anglican-run Al Ahli hospital offers shelter and support for people in need of medical care, with triage tents set up in its courtyard to receive the those arriving back. Chronic illnesses are a serious concern with Gazan people’s conditions going untreated during the months of bombing attacks, leading to severe consequences — for example, amputations of limbs due to lack of diabetes treatment. Al Ahli Hospital’s ability to respond has now increased with the ceasefire in Gaza, enabling the hospital to get fuel and supplies so that staff can offer healthcare to more than 600 outpatients a day. The hospital has also begun to repair some of its damaged infrastructure. This year the Anglican Missions’ Lenten Appeal supports the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East’s work in Gaza and in the West Bank to provide emergency health services and rehabilitation; education services, including psychosocial support to children facing trauma; and emergency support to affected communities.

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church is one of 45 religious groups to initially sign Church World Service’s declaration calling on faith communities nationwide to stand against anti-immigrant policies through advocacy and prayer. Church World Service, of which The Episcopal Church is a “covenant member,” is an ecumenical organization that provides international disaster relief and assistance for refugees and asylum-seekers. The organization issued the Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge on March 4, one day before the start of Lent, a time of reflection, prayer and penance. “With our nation now facing critical decisions about how it will uphold its most cherished values in relation to vulnerable immigrants and refugees, the ecumenical declaration urges the church to ground itself in Scripture,” the declaration says. “It also challenges our political leaders to remember that we are largely a nation of immigrants, and that how we treat the most vulnerable among us speaks volumes about our power and values on the global stage.” The declaration is open for signatures through Lent. The declaration was written in response to President Donald Trump’s executive orders restricting immigration issued since he retook office on Jan. 20. The policy changes effectively halted the United States’ 45-year-old program of refugee resettlement, which had been facilitated by Episcopal Migration Ministries and nine other agencies with federal contracts to do that work. “Guided by our faith, we stand together against the sweeping measures that are devastating vulnerable families and jeopardizing their futures. These actions not only cause immediate harm but also threaten our country’s long-term ability to welcome and support those in need,” the declaration says. “We grieve for the families who have been torn apart, had years-long reunification plans cancelled, been detained and deported, have been unjustly blocked from accessing asylum protections, and have been left without access to the basic assistance they need to thrive.” The declaration lists seven pledges: Advocate for the Trump administration to reverse anti-immigration executive orders. Call on local, state and national policymakers to renounce the federal government’s anti-immigration policies while supporting policies that welcome and back immigrants. Encourage congregations to educate communities about the “biblical call to welcome” and honor immigrants through Sunday worship services and church activities at least once during Lent and during World Refugee Day on June 20. Provide resources, assistance and encouragement to congregations as they organize public educational events and advocacy actions. Work with immigration leaders to help identify and address community needs. Defend places of worship amid increasing immigration enforcement by speaking up for immigration and educating individuals and congregations on their constitutional rights. Invite other religious communities to make the same commitments supporting immigrants. “Against a backdrop of cuts to essential programs, a seeming push toward isolationism and rhetoric that encourages us to distrust our neighbors, this declaration is an urgent reminder of our values,” Rick Santos, president and CEO of Church World Service, said in a press release. “As followers of Jesus Christ, we welcome, we don’t turn away. We cherish inclusivity, we don’t spurn it. And, ultimately, our values lead us to community instead of division.” -Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.

[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal congregations churchwide will begin Lent by offering Ashes to Go on Ash Wednesday, March 5, as a convenience for people unable to attend worship services in the middle of the week. Ashes to Go, is open to all branches of Christianity and “creates opportunities for people to take a fresh look at the church and the gospel.” Episcopal churches began participating in 2010, when Chicago, Illinois, and Missouri-area clergy and lay Episcopalians began imposing ashes on people in public areas, including suburban train platforms, coffee shops and outside grocery stores and laundromats. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, 40 days of penance, fasting, contemplation and prayer leading up to Easter. On Ash Wednesday, Christians receive blessed ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead to symbolize mortality and penitence. The ashes are made from burning the dried palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. The following is a list of some Episcopal parishes offering Ashes to Go. Check for additional offerings hosted by local dioceses and parishes in your area. All times are local. Washington, D.C. — St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lafayette Square will offer Ashes to Go twice, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m. Colorado Springs, Colorado — St. Michael’s Episcopal Church will impose Ashes to Go from 7 to 9 a.m. in the church’s parking lot. Bethesda, Maryland — St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church will impose Ashes to Go from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the church’s lower parking lot. Brownsburg, Indiana — Good Samaritan Episcopal Church will impose Ashes to Go at 7 a.m. in the church’s parking lot. Canton, Connecticut — Trinity Episcopal Church Collinsville will offer Ashes to Go from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Diocese of Los Angeles — Several churches throughout the Diocese of Los Angeles will host Ashes to Go events throughout the day. Click here for more information. Hillsdale, New Jersey — The Diocese of Newark will offer Ashes to Go at the Hillsdale Train Station from 6 to 8 a.m. Tallahassee, Florida — St. John’s Episcopal Church will offer Ashes to Go and one-on-one blessings from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Florida State Capitol rotunda. “The church rightly expects all practicing and able-bodied Christians to participate in the solemn Mass and Imposition of Ashes on this sacred day. We hope all who are far from home know they are welcome at our tables!” Bulverde, Texas — St. Nicholas Episcopal Church will offer Ashes to Go in the church’s sanctuary and front yard from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sacramento, California — St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will impose Ashes to Go from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the sidewalk outside the church at the corner of 15th and J streets. “As the Episcopal Church in the heart of downtown, St. Paul’s community will meet people where they are – on their way or during a break in the workday – just as Jesus went into the streets to find, teach and heal people. Ashes to Go moves the encounter with God out of the church building and into the spaces of everyday life where we live out our response to God. Please stop by for this brief encounter!” Roswell, Georgia — St. David’s Episcopal Church will offer a drive-thru Ashes to Go service from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Seattle, Washington — The Episcopal Church of the Ascension will impose Ashes to Go from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Astoria, Oregon — Grace Episcopal Church will offer a curbside Ashes to Go service from noon to 1 p.m.  Anthony, New Mexico — St. Luke’s Episcopal Church will offer a drive-thru Ashes to Go service from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Elgin, Illinois — St. Hugh of Lincoln Episcopal Church will offer a drive-thru Ashes to Go service from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Omaha, Nebraska — St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will impose Ashes to Go twice at the northwest corner of Elmwood Park at the drive into the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s campus, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Daphne, Alabama — St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will impose Ashes to Go between 2 to 5 p.m. in the church’s parking lot and the St. Paul’s Thrift Shop parking lot. Chandler, Arizona — St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church will offer Ashes to Go and prayers from 7 to 8 a.m. in the church’s parking lot. De Pere, Wisconsin — St. Anne’s Episcopal Church will offer drive-thru Ashes to Go services twice, from 7 to 8 a.m. and from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Crestwood, Missouri — The Episcopal Church of the Advent and the St. Thomas Deaf Church will offer Ashes to Go and prayers from 6 to 10 a.m. from the circle driveway off Buxton Dr.  -Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.

[Church of England] A church in the heart of one of the country’s most underprivileged areas is bringing local people together and helping them with their mental health and wellbeing, thanks to the launch of a series of environmental projects. Ten thousand people live in East Marsh in Grimsby. For many years it was home to those working in the fishing industry and at the port. But with the collapse of the fishing industry, things have changed in this community. East Marsh is now one of the poorest places in England on every metric: income, health, crime and education. More than a third of children in the area live in poverty, according to the End Child Poverty coalition, and within one square mile in the area, there are six food banks. One of them is linked to St. John and St. Stephen’s Church. It provides food for over 150 people three times a week. But the church is doing more than this; through changing its environment inside and out, it is aiming to bring people together, help with their mental health and wellbeing, and change the mindset of what’s possible, as well as greening the environment. Big ambitions for one church community. “We want to show people what can be done in a small place,” said the priest-in-charge, the Rev. Kay Jones. “So, we started with the church environment being different.” Inside the building, a bequest provided for LED lighting and thermal boards. ‘It’s not freezing anymore,” said Jones. “We can have warm-space activities. People like being here.” The church runs a dinner providing a main course and a pudding for £2.50 — or about $3 — which is “becoming more popular,” according to Jones. Outside, things have changed too. A gardening project has led to planters providing vegetables for the church kitchen, a potting shed and attractive planting. Nearby, the church plans to use a piece of waste ground to create a small orchard and a meadow. This was all funded through partnerships with grant-making bodies. The church was first approached by East Marsh United community group to build the potting shed using grant money from Grow Wild, the national outreach initiative of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Further funding was also given by the Royal Horticulture Society to build the planters at the front of the church. And a desolate patch on the street corner at the church will be transformed into a wildflower meadow and orchard thanks to the Native Species Project funding by Kew Gardens. “We have 0.07% tree cover,” said Jones. “It should be 15%, and the national requirement from the Tree Equity Score UK tool will be 30%, so we need people to buy into that. They need to see something small that they can connect with.” And people are connecting with it. An open day to launch the potting shed brought 17 adults and 27 children together. “It was hard to get rid of them at the end,” Jones joked. “It is changing things for lots of people,” she added. Those people included local youths, who destroyed the planters several times and threw things at people doing the gardening. But in the end, curiosity overcame them, and they helped “grafting” in the garden to help get the landscaping done. Older members of the church community are becoming grandparent figures to younger people who aren’t well-parented. “What I’m seeing is people wanting to be part of what we do,” said Jones. People are trying different foods grown in the garden, learning how – and what – to recycle in the church’s recycling bins, and crucially, learning where food comes from, helping to reduce their food bills. Many people live their whole lives in East Marsh, she said, unable to access the beautiful countryside around Grimsby, so greening the area is really important. “We have to be able to see that the natural world is beautiful, and the artificial world isn’t always working as well as it might for us,” she said. “If we can talk enough about that, people will see things differently.” Plans are afoot for a foraging garden, where you can touch and smell the plants, and pick raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and herbs. “If you sit among the plants, you will learn,” said Jones. “It won’t be forced. Our ethos is not about doing this to people, it’s working with them.” Local resident Melissa, who is recovering from drug addiction, regularly visits the church and enjoys the gardening club. She said, “I first came into the church when I was in a really vulnerable place. I was going back into active addiction and was in a bad way. This is a hard area to live and sometimes you can come here and be in a bad way – mentally and emotionally – but you will be cared about here and met where you are at.” East Marsh United Community Group member and local resident Rachel enjoys the church’s gardening club. She added, “When you are digging away or planting it gives you a chance to switch off, it’s so good for my mental health.” The enterprise shows that lives can be improved by simply enhancing the environment and naturally, people will come together, join in, and benefit from the changes.