By Aisha Heurtas In my lifelong Christian journey, I have at times been disappointed with the church. I see injustices in the world—senseless violence, racism, gender discrimination, bigotry, poverty, hunger, and more. It would be easy to get lost in the ways in which we, the church and its people, have been complicit. It is true…

By Troy Collazo As we reflect on the legacy of slavery in the United States, it’s crucial to recognize how its echoes persist in the form of modern human trafficking. While the Emancipation Proclamation marked a significant turning point, the reality is that millions today still suffer from exploitation reminiscent of those dark times. Human…

By Dan Ries Seventy of us at Old Donation Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, completed Sacred Ground, and many were troubled by what we learned. We wondered, “How can we empower our grief to further the Beloved Community?” We decided first to tell the truth about Old Donation, founded in 1637 as Lynnhaven Parish….

by the Rev. Tom Hampson The Immigration Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin (also known as SJRAISE, San Joaquin Refugee and Immigrant Support and Empowerment) educates about, allies with, and advocates for the diverse immigrant communities of the Central Valley of California. Since its creation by unanimous action of the 2017 Diocesan Convention, our…

By Joanne Stevenson Jenkins “From there Jesus set out for the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house there where he didn’t think he would be found, but he couldn’t escape notice. He was barely inside when a woman who had a disturbed daughter heard where he was. She came and knelt at his feet,…

By Gary Moore and Joe McDaniel, Jr. As many other dioceses have experienced during the pandemic, the Commission on Racial Justice and Reconciliation of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast has seen significant change in how it interprets and fulfills its mission and ministry.Most of the goals described in our original grant request…

By Rev. Jeanne Kaliszewski and Michael Montgomery When starting a new project, few things are more satisfying than checking things off a to-do list. When we were called by the bishop of Oregon to serve as co-conveners for the rebooted working group on racial justice, we met and set an agenda for our first meeting…

By the Rev. Anne-Marie Jeffery One mantra I repeat in my congregational vitality work is how important getting out into the community around the parish is. You have to be willing to meet your neighbors, to hear them and see them for you to be able to love and serve them. For many in our…

Dear Beloved Community, It is with deep gratitude and a touch of nervousness that I introduce myself as I step into this role as chief of mission program. My journey begins in the Anglican Church of South Africa, where I was shaped by faith, family, and resilience. I think of my grandfather, who served as…

By The Rev. Kurt J. Huber and the Rev. Ellen B. Huber Last summer, a young boy went to Home Town Days in the reservation town of Eagle Butte, South Dakota. There he waited in the scorching heat for 45 minutes at the high school track until his turn finally came. He would ride a…