“Like all Christians, I am called to be an emissary of the Good News. There is another way to live, and it manifests in care for other people and for the planet. Christ teaches us this way. All that we have belongs to God; we are merely stewards. “
“Together, we pushed through and encouraged each other to remember our reasons for coming. On a day hike from base camp, we reached a higher pass, which created space for a draft to come through and give reprieve from the bugs. We sat in awe of the alpine backdrop and exchanged roundtable questions. ‘Do you like yourself?’ someone posed to the group. The chatter stopped.”
Religious News Service: Wheaton, Illinois is home to Anglican Church in North America churches from three ACNA dioceses — the Upper Midwest Diocese, Pittsburgh and Churches for the Sake of Others. The Upper Midwest Diocese, where the abuse allegations have taken place, places few checks and balances on the bishop’s authority.
“Instead, though I find Paul’s language misses the mark of what our Christian vocation is truly about, I turn to the Gospels and find hope in Jesus’ message. This Sunday’s message makes it clear that the life lived while following Jesus is not one of militaristic force and power, but rather one that is freely given, and freely accepted.”
“Jesus, however, reveals a different standard for defining reality. Jesus comes into the world as part of God’s proclamation “God loves, therefore we are.” God freely sends God’s Son into the world as the Incarnate Word through love.”
Each diocese is experiencing challenges of being the church in the 21st century while adapting to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The dioceses of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana are all either recommending or mandating masks for indoor gatherings regardless of vaccination status. The latest guidance is on either the diocese’s main page, or, in the case of Louisiana, under resources/covid.
God is love that lifts the hairs on the back of the neck. God is the love that catches its breath with hope and anxiety and empathy. God is love, compassion that lies alongside the darkness, waiting for the world to turn. God is love, mercy that knows the shape of a broken heart and how to hold it just so, patiently and for as long as it takes for the scars to form.
Each of the bishops of the three Tennessee dioceses are advising greater caution in light of the Delta variant. All are recommending masks in indoor settings, regardless of vaccine status. All make their most recent guidance easily located on the homepages of their dioceses’ websites.
“Bless these pencils to write words of hope and love
bless these erasers as they remind us what it is to forgive and be forgiven
bless these papers and notebooks to be filled with stories, dreams, and unlimited potential…”