So much has changed in the two weeks since I first wrote to the Diocese about the COVID-19 virus. Most of us are staying home and we watch the news in amazement at the dramatic changes unfolding around us. 

An important update and announcement from Archbishop Beach on behalf of the College of Bishops.

Times of trial can also present evidence of spiritual formation.

Please come virtually to the first ever welcome brunch for the Franconia-Springfield Mission!

We believe this is a unique time in which the Lord may use us to enter into the soft places of students' hearts with the hope of the gospel. Their security is compromised. Their plans, for the most part, have gone by the wayside. Many of them have a growing amount of material need. Many of them are afraid.

The need will get worse. Who will come to rescue? Who will come to lift them up? Who will share what they have for those who have lost everything? We who are comfortable or wealthy must find ways to help those who are poor in this time of great need.

It’s been a great way to keep connected when thousands of miles lie between us. 

In summary, we’ve been blessed to have some very talented and committed people working very hard to make sure we “stay connected.”

We had been meeting for only two weeks, when the spread of the coronavirus called us to isolate. What should we do – cancel or try to meet using an online platform?

The Diocesan newsletter typically shares the good news of what the ministries and churches of the Diocese are doing and are going to do for God's glory: a joyful compilation of articles, photos, and upcoming events. (And quite possibly the best part of this communicator's job!)

We are having the first ever welcome brunch for the Franconia-Springfield Mission! Come enjoy good food, community, and discover more about the vision for this new church. The brunch is potluck style, so bring a brunch favorite, but if you cannot bring anything please come anyway!

As we passed by the house, Ashley looked at me and said, “Wouldn’t it be crazy if we raised a family where my mom grew up?” That question, although it was said half-jokingly, was actually prophetic. Little did we know that years later God would call us to begin a new work in this region with a fresh vision for a church!

It is the tradition of the church to offer alms during Lent. The Anglian Relief & Development Fund (ARDF) wants to partner with you in this discipline by sharing the stories of those who need our prayers, our encouragement, and our help. The stories in the 2020 Lent Prayer Guide highlight the vital role the church has in providing the most basic of needs: reliable electricity and clean water, while simultaneously bringing the love and hope of Jesus!

As God’s creation, we long to be loved and known by our Creator and those he’s given us to do life with. Because we live in a fractured world, this isn’t always easy. Oftentimes, we find ourselves going through life with broken hearts and broken images – of ourselves and God

The global spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus, has become a focus of attention and concern for many of us. I have been reading extensively about it. I have consulted with diocesan leaders, including doctors and scientists with advanced degrees and expertise in virology, immunology and infectious diseases. Drawing on their wisdom, I offer these points: 

In an age that leans increasingly strongly towards images and memes rather than rhetoric and words, more viewers will remember the bulk of the show rather than a smaller segment towards the end.