A Shepherd In The Field

  My Siblings in Christ, Since the beginning of this year, I have had 131 meetings with our churches, with you. I spend every waking hour and many sleepless nights thinking about how we can strengthen our churches, deepen our faith, and make your prayers a reality. At each visitation, I deeply listen to your dreams, fears, and challenges.  The number one question I am asked is:  How can we grow? Beginning this Advent, and continuing for the next three to four years, the diocesan offices will not launch new initiatives. Once again, all our financial, spiritual, and physical resources will be used to grow our churches, empower your ministries, connect churches, and build up the resources you need to meet the challenges ahead. (See the list of resources we have and are continuing to build for you:  https://www.diopa.org/help . ) I believe our parishes and their ministries are the direct connection between the world and the Gospel. The purpose of the diocese is to w...

  My Siblings in Christ, This has been a trying time for our country. The election results have left some joyous and others despondent and fearful. Our public discourse made the darkest parts of our human interactions painfully evident. The willingness, ease, and capacity to hurt people should unsettle our collective consciousness. Our light as a people seems somewhat diminished. There is a growing sense of bitterness and distrust—a gnawing despair in the realization that we do not know our neighbor or community. Yet we hope when all seems hopeless. That hope is not in institutions or governments. It stems from our true identity. While we rejoice when the values we hold dear as Christians align with those of our elected officials and despair when they do not, our identity rests in Christ. Through the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been adopted into a family that transcends earthly governments and politics. (John 1:12) Jesus taught us true humanity and ho...