This past Friday and Saturday, The Episcopal Church, via CREDO, brought a wellness program to the Diocese of Pittsburgh. “Strength for the Journey” is designed for the four diocese of the church that have undergone splits. The diocesan newsletter reports:
The Rev. Rick Cluett, one of the Presiding Bishop’s deputies and a CREDO project manager, noted that while the Episcopal Church has other programs to take care of diocesan structures, this conference was meant “to look after the well-being of people.”
The presentations and discussions focused on finding meaning and hope in recent events.
“The search for meaning is always intensified during disasters,” said CREDO’s Associate Director, the Rev. Gay Jennings, as she drew parallels between natural disasters and ecclesiastical divisions. She charted how people respond as they come together, work through their grief, and rebuild.
Nearly 120 diocesan and parish leaders participated.
Lionel Deimel was among the participants. He writes,
Irrespective of how “useful” I ultimately find SFTJ to have been, I am grateful to The Episcopal Church for recognizing the stresses on the people in “reorganizing” dioceses and for its willingness to invest in trying to ameliorate the burdens those loyal Episcopalians have taken on. We who carried the standard of The Episcopal Church during the dark days of the Bob Duncan episcopate did not always feel supported, appreciated, or even heard by our church.
…
My purpose here is neither to describe fully nor to evaluate SFTJ. Instead, I want to make others in the church aware of what their church is doing for those of us who have experienced schism in our dioceses. I also want to express our gratitude for that effort and encourage our brothers and sisters in the dioceses of San Joaquin, Quincy, and Fort Worth to take advantage of the opportunity that the church is offering.
Father Jake adds this commentary.
Pray for the Church.