Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran, United Methodist bishops, other clergy issue joint statement to repeal casino gambling in state

From Massachusetts-

 Four bishops, including the Right Rev. Douglas J. Fisher, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, the head of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ, and clergy from the Massachusetts Council of Church and the Presbytery of Boston of the Presbyterian Church (USA) have signed a joint statement urging "all voters to vote Yes on Question 3."

The 2011 Expanded Gaming Act invited casino companies to do business in the commonwealth, and its repeal is Question 3 on the Nov. 4 ballot.

More here-

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/10/episcopal_evangelical_lutheran.html

Bishop Shaw undergoes surgery

From Massachusetts-

Updated 9:30 p.m. / May 17, 2013:  The Rev. Canon Mally Lloyd, Canon to the Ordinary, reports that Bishop Shaw's surgery went well, with no complications, and that it is expected he will be fully awake tomorrow morning.  More will be known in a week or so as to whether any further treatment is necessary. She extends gratitude for the concern that so many have expressed and for continued prayers.

3:30 p.m. / May 17, 2013:  The Rt. Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, is undergoing surgery this afternoon to remove a mass on his brain that was discovered following tests conducted on Thursday.  More will be known following the surgery as to his recovery and any other required follow-up.

"Bishop Tom and all of us feel the unexpectedness of this, but please know that he has confidence in his doctors and was well prepared for the surgery," the Rev. Canon Mally Lloyd, Canon to the Ordinary, said in an e-mail message to clergy and diocesan leadership.  She spent time with him pre-surgery at the hospital and said the bishop "was in good spirits, was engaged with the ongoing matters of diocesan life and, as always, his faith and confidence were contagious."

He has asked for prayers but requests no calls, visits or e-mails.  Cards and letters are welcome and can be sent in care of The Monastery, Society of St. John the Evangelist, 980 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02138.

More here-

http://www.diomass.org/diocesan-news/bishop-shaw-undergoes-surgery

'A step toward unity' Former Episcopal minister ordained as a Catholic priest

From Boston-

Nothing like it has ever happened at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church before.

On Saturday morning, more than 400 people gathered to see Jurgen Liias join the Catholic priesthood. Included among them were his two children, his grandchildren and his wife, Gloria.

The ceremony was not in defiance of the Vatican policy of celibate priests — rather, Cardinal Sean O’Malley officiated, instituting a policy set during the tenure of Pope Benedict. In 2012, he established the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, welcoming to the Catholic fold Anglican clergy dissatisfied with their own church.

This followed an earlier welcome to their unhappy parishioners from Pope John Paul II.

Liias literally grew up in the Episcopal Church and served as a minister for 40 years, including 14 at Christ Church in Hamilton. He now finds he cannot reconcile with new policies like welcoming homosexual clergy and countenancing abortion.

More here-

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x210921384/A-step-toward-unity

Episcopal Church bishop will retire in 2014

From Boston-

Bishop M. Thomas Shaw of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts announced Tuesday that he will retire sometime ­after fall 2014, following two decades in office.

Shaw, 67, a quiet monk who became known for outspoken advocacy on economic and ­social justice issues, led the ­diocese through a turbulent ­decade in the Anglican Communion, during which controversy over the Episcopal Church’s first gay bishop and gay unions threatened to split the worldwide church and ­divided some congregations at home.

He said little about his reasons for retiring in a letter posted on the diocesan website Tuesday, other than it came “from prayer and conversation with my community, friends, and family.”

“I love being your bishop, and it is an honor to serve you,” he wrote. “These years have been some of the richest years of my life. All of you and this work have taught me much about myself and the nature of our loving God for which I will always be grateful.”


Shaw said the diocese’s Standing Committee, which advises the bishop, will begin laying out a more detailed timeline for the nomination and election of his successor in the coming months, but the proposed date for the electing convention is April 5 of next year.

More here-

http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/01/16/episcopal-bishop-thomas-shaw-says-will-retire/vjjiHo2BGW5pqYOHB2AL9M/story.html

Episcopal Bishop-elect Douglas Fisher: Time for leadership, outreach, continued collaboration

From Massachusetts-

On Dec. 1, the Rev. Douglas J. Fisher will become the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, replacing the Right Rev. Gordon P. Scruton, who is retiring after 16 years.

For the past 12 years, Fisher, 57, has served as rector of Grace Church in Millbrook, N.Y. The Rev. Elizabeth Fisher, 56, his wife, heads St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia, N.Y.

The couple live in Great Barrington, and have
three adult children: Caragh, Geoffrey and Grace.

Recently, Fisher discussed his experience, what drew him to the diocese and his hopes for its future. His ordination and consecration as bishop will begin at 11 a.m. at the MassMutual Center. The chief consecrator will be the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the 26th presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, a reception will follow.

More here-

http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2012/11/post_146.html

IN GOOD FAITH: 'Honk if you love Jesus'

From Massachusetts

Sitting in summer vacation traffic has me reflecting on bumper stickers; specifically Christian-themed bumper stickers. I’ve always wondered what general impression of Christianity these four and five word pronouncements offer to non-churchgoers. I don’t think it’s very positive.

Most of these stickers are vaguely self-righteous, like “Keep Christ in Christmas.” I don’t disagree with the sentiment; in fact, I’ve essentially dedicated my life to it. But the underlying theme is “You’re doing this all wrong; I know best; and anything you do is not enough.” Which is not exactly the most endearing, welcoming message during the “Most wonderful time of the year.” Anyway, I’ve always thought about making a sticker that proclaims “Keep Mass in Christmas” just to see if anyone notices – that is, after all, the derivation of the word. On the evening of December 24th Christians throughout the world celebrate the “Christ-Mass.”


Read more:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/hingham/topstories/x1405828332/IN-GOOD-FAITH-Honk-if-you-love-Jesus#ixzz24GztnrSr

Rector installed at Hamilton's Christ Church

From Mass.-

After leading Christ Church for nearly three years, the Rev. Patrick Gray has become the congregation's permanent rector.

Gray's title changed from priest-in-charge to rector on Sunday, June 3, when he was installed during a service led by the Right Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, the Episcopal bishop.

Gray came to the Asbury Street church in October 2009, just as a large number of its members broke away to form Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Beverly.

Under Gray's leadership, Christ Church has grown and flourished since the jarring split. He's started numerous new programs, from a Lego club for children and a dart team for adults to a network of small groups, where church members can form relationships outside of Sunday mornings.

"People are excited, I'm excited and we're looking forward to what God's got in store for us," he said.

Gray is Christ Church's 13th rector. Previously, he was associate rector at the Church of the Advent on Beacon Hill.

More here-

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x1318683234/Rector-installed-at-Hamiltons-Christ-Church

Episcopal Diocese announces selection of artist for Pediment of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul

From Boston-

The Rt. Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE, Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts announced the selection of artist Donald Lipski to complete the long-unfinished pediment of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul at 138 Tremont St, in Boston, as part of major renovation plans in celebration of the 100th anniversary of its dedication as the diocesan cathedral. Lipski’s proposal incorporates a non-traditional sculpture depicting a cross-section of a chambered nautilus placed against a blue field, to be dramatically lit at night.

The installation of the sculpture is planned to coincide with the rededication and celebration of the 100th anniversary as the diocesan Cathedral on October 7, 2012. The projected budget for the pediment sculpture is integrated into a major comprehensive campaign by the Diocese for the Cathedral renovation and a number of other programs. The pediment has been empty since the building’s completion in 1820. St. Paul’s occupies an important location, fronting the Boston Common, the nation’s oldest park. The church’s original founders commissioned Alexander Parris and Solomon Willard in 1818 to construct a building that embodied the new nation’s democratic ideals.

From that vision came the Church of St. Paul, the city’s first Greek revival building, consecrated in 1820. Its dedication as a cathedral took place in 1912, making it the only Greek revival cathedral in North America. Donald Lipski is an internationally recognized artist specializing in public art projects. His career spans over 30 years and includes major works in many cities across America. A resident of Philadelphia, Lipski states, “As an artist, I feel great responsibility for every sculpture I place in the public sphere. However, this particular project calls upon every aspect of my creative force and I welcome such an exciting challenge.” Bishop Shaw noted, “We are doing something bold and extraordinary with the front of our cathedral church because what God has given us to share with the world in Jesus Christ is bold and extraordinary.

This sculpture is a major contribution to the public art life of Boston, and it is also a profound one, because the simple beauty of it conveys complex symbolism broadly to anyone passing by, while also being deeply Christian in the way it draws us into the mystery and creativity of the Divine. I’m especially proud of our cathedral church for doing the work of Jesus Christ, feeding the hungry and welcoming the stranger, and now our façade will invite everyone into the beauty of that.”

More here-

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=54416

Volunteers help social worker throw party for foster kids

From Mass.-

Thanks to a dedicated social worker, the desire of a local parishioner to help needy children and the generosity of local organizations, about 100 foster children will receive gift-wrapped presents and pictures with Santa during a large holiday party tomorrow.

Parishioners of Calvary Episcopal Church and volunteers spent much of last night wrapping those gifts, with the party slated for the Danvers Masonic Temple tomorrow afternoon.

For the past decade, Carla King, a social worker, recruiter and liaison for foster families for the state Department of Children and Families, has thrown a Christmas party for foster children on the North Shore. It's King's job to find families willing to open their homes to children who have suffered abuse or neglect, and who have been removed from the homes of their parents.

For years, King, with help from a crew of friends, arranged the Christmas party, but she wasn't sure she was up to the task of shopping, wrapping, finding a place to store the toys and arranging the party again after this year.

More here-

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x536941156/Wrapping-up-Christmas-cheer

Dorchester church food bank gives away 125 turkeys

From Massachusetts (with video)

Members of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Dorchester have been handing out turkeys to members of their food pantry each Tuesday during the month of November, said Sarah Borgeson, food pantry director. By the end of the month, they hope to have donated a total of 400 turkeys to families in need.
Josey Corvett of Dorchester was one recipient. “It’s definitely going to help me out,” she said. “It’s a blessing.”

Most members of the food bank are not parishioners, Borgeson said. They come from Dorchester, as well as Mattapan and South Boston, she said.

More here-

http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/11/dorchester-church-food-bank-gives-away-turkeys/C69j4QKOSxWhXoSRYarryJ/index.html

Grace Episcopal Church to host 20-hour read-through of KJV Bible

From Massachusetts-

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Four hundred years ago, these words from John 1:1 were printed in a new revised Bible offered by King James of England as a Bible for all people.

In celebration of the 400th anniversary of its printing, Grace Episcopal Church will host a 20-hour read-through of the King James Version, and the 15-minute readings will feature the voices of over 80 SouthCoast residents.

"St. Ambrose said that to be ignorant of Scripture is to be ignorant of Jesus," said the Rev. William J. Bradbury, pastor of Grace Church. "So I thought this was a great way to help remind us of the great story of Jesus by reading the New Testament from beginning to end, and part of the Old Testament, and to involve as many people as possible to be part of that."

The four-day event will be held from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 20-22, and will conclude with the 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 23 service and reception in the Parish House.

The service will feature a special sermon by Bradbury; readings from the King James Bible, including Chapter 22 of the Book of Revelation by retired WBZ reporter Charles Austin; and 1600's organ and choir music directed by Brian Roderick.

More here-

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111008/SPECIAL/110080311/-1/NEWS06

21st Century Monks: Cambridge Monastery Reopens to Public After $11 Million Renovation

From Boston-

Seventy-five years worth of candle wax, incense smoke, and general wear and tear left quite a mark on the Society of St. John the Evangelist monastery in Cambridge. But after an 18-month, $11 million renovation and restoration of its chapel, guesthouse, and monastery buildings, the society’s monks are ready to welcome guests and worshippers again.

Originally built during the Great Depression, the Episcopal monastery just steps from the Kennedy School on Memorial Drive is currently home to nine monks. The guesthouse hosts visitors who come for spiritual retreat, including Harvard students, faculty, and affiliates.’

As part of the restoration, a specialist carefully cleaned each of the chapel’s stained glass windows—depicting the lives of monastic saints—with a solution of ammonia and water.

“We’re seeing colors we’ve never seen before,” said Brother Kevin Hackett, a resident monk and director of communications at the monastery.

Contractors installed new wiring and plumbing and reinsulated the complex for temperature and sound. Guest rooms were refurbished and outfitted with energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and a handicap-accessible was bathroom added. The renovation also repaired leaks in the chapel tower, roof, and walls, and replaced the bell that calls the brothers to prayer five times a day.

More here-

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/9/26/monastery-chapel-hackett-brothers/

'Gleaners' from South Hadley church raise awareness about hunger and water

From Mass.

On Sept. 25, volunteers from All Saints’ Episcopal Church will take part for the third year in an eye-opening effort to combat hunger in the region.

They will spend a Sunday afternoon collecting produce from a farmer’s field, to be distributed to the needy.

It will cost nothing, except for the labor of the volunteers and the generosity of a local grower.

The veggies are all leftovers, destined to provide a rich fertilizer as they sink into the earth were it not for “gleaners” like those from All Saints’.

“After mechanical harvesters go through the field, we go in and pick what’s left,” said Cynthia Lambert, parish administrator at All Saints’.

Lambert said last year’s expedition, to a farm in Whately, resulted in more than $5,000 worth of organic produce, which was distributed to seven community kitchens – not only in South Hadley, where the church is located, but in such communities as Chicopee, Holyoke and Northampton.

“Not a single tomato was rejected,” said Lambert.

more here-

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/gleaners_from_south_hadley_chu.html

Most clergy opt for safety over full pews

From Boston-

The imposing shadow of Hurricane Irene tested the patience, if not the faith, of clergy and churchgoers throughout Greater Boston yesterday.

Facing howling wind and heavy rain, many churches took the unusual step of canceling or curtailing worship services on a Sunday in August. Churchgoers were left to decide whether to trek out for morning worship. One small church in the Merrimack Valley turned to Facebook for divine intervention.

After canceling its morning service, leaders from Calvary Baptist Church in Haverhill posted a video of one of its choirs singing Psalm 91, and later e-mailed the words to congregants, asking them to meditate on the scripture: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.’’

“We really felt it was a good way to reach out to [members] on a day when we couldn’t gather,’’ said the Rev. Gregory Thomas, pastor of the congregation that draws from the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire.

More here-

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/08/29/most_clergy_opt_for_safety_over_full_pews/

Clergy play key role in veterans’ care

From Boston-

Pastor Elizabeth M. Krentz-Wee says that as many as 10 of the 50 worshippers who attend Sunday services at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Norwich, Conn., are veterans.

But like many clergy, Krentz-Wee acknowledges that she has had little experience dealing with mental health problems that plague many of those who have served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other conflicts.

Now, the military and psychiatrists are engaging spiritual leaders in the region, like Krentz-Wee, saying they are pivotal as first responders in helping soldiers and their families cope with issues like post-traumatic stress.

Though soldiers might refrain from seeing a military psychiatrist because of a stigma that seeking help suggests weakness, they may be comfortable approaching a clergy member, experts said. And reaching veterans sooner rather than later is imperative to recovery as they make the jarring transition from violent battle zones to quiet New England life.

More here-

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/08/15/clergy_play_key_role_in_veterans_mental_health/

Retired rector of Grace Episcopal Church dies after car accident in New Bedford

From Mass.-

The Rev. Philip C. Douglas, longtime rector of Grace Episcopal Church who retired from active ministry in 1988, died Thursday in a car accident on Hawthorn Street. Douglas, 88, was driving toward County Street around 8:13 a.m. when he rear-ended a vehicle, police said.

However, the accident was not catastrophic, leading police to believe he may have been in medical distress before the crash. Paramedics were unable to revive Douglas at the scene. He was later pronounced dead at St. Luke's Hospital. "We're not sure if it was a heart attack or a blackout.

We don't know what happened," said Susan Knight, one of Douglas' three daughters, who remembered her father as a deeply spiritual man who cared about his family and the community. "He never wanted the recognition. He just wanted to help people without bringing attention to himself," said daughter Nancy Foster.

More here-

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110806/NEWS/108060344/-1/NEWS10

Deposed Priest Had Plans to Leave the Country

From Mass.

Prior to his arrest last week at his home in Marblehead, a former New Hampshire Episcopal priest charged with multiple counts of felonious sexual assault had plans to travel to England, according to documents provided by the Hillsborough County Superior Court.

On Thursday, July 7, Franklin Huntress, Jr. was arrested and extradited to New Hampshire and arraigned following an arrest warrant being issued on June 30, the result of secret indictments submitted to the Grand Jury June 17.

Huntress retired in 1995, but had been working until February at the Church of the Holy Name in Swampscott and St. Michael’s Church in Marblehead, the Boston Globe reported earlier this year.

More here-

http://marblehead.patch.com/articles/deposed-priest-had-plans-to-leave-the-country

Episcopal churches combine forces for the summer

From Salem Massachusetts-

Episcopal churches in three communities are merging for the summer in an effort the rectors hope will save money and strengthen bonds between them.

Calvary Episcopal Church in Danvers, Grace Church in Salem and St. Paul's Church in Peabody will take turns hosting combined weekly services for the three congregations. St. Paul's hosted the first joint service Sunday and will continue to host each Sunday until July 10; Calvary will then host through Aug. 7, and Grace will take over and host until Sept. 4.

"It's an experiment, something we're trying, to get us working together," said the Rev. Joyce Caggiano, who was recently installed as rector at St. Paul's after three years as interim rector.

"We're so close together in geography, we hope that by combining resources we can get a lot more done, and it will be less expensive in terms of time and money."

More here-

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x2099993492/Episcopal-churches-combine-forces-for-the-summer

Stanley Cup Fever Anglican/Episcopal Style

From Canada-

Will it be the Very Rev. Peter Elliott in Bruins black and gold at Vancouver’s Christ Church Cathedral on a Sunday soon? Or the Very Rev. John P. Streit Jr. of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston wearing Canucks blue and green?

With the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks headed into game two of the finals on Saturday and the Stanley Cup on the line, the deans of the Episcopal and Anglican cathedral churches in both cities have joined the fray with a friendly wager: The loser will contribute $250 to a good cause of the winner’s choosing and will wear the winning team’s jersey in church on the first Sunday after the finals’ end.

Word on the street is that Jep's payment will go toward the Christ Church Cathedral Building Fund and the imminent Roof Replacement Project.

It turns out that hockey rivalry isn’t these deans’ only bond—the two attended seminary together at Episcopal Divinity School in the late 1970s and then renewed their acquaintance more recently at conferences for cathedral deans.

More here-

http://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/News/tabid/27/Mode/ViewArticle/ArticleId/1245/Default.aspx

Fifth video in healthy congregation series features Boston's 'Common Cathedral'

From ENS-

Boston's 'Common Cathedral' doesn't have walls or stained glass windows, but the vistas that it provides are unparalleled.

"Common Cathedral is name of the Ecclesia Ministries' worshipping community, which is primarily a ministry among the homeless in Boston Common," said the Rev. Bob Honeychurch, Episcopal Church officer for congregational vitality, in a press release. "It was founded in 1995 in response to the pressing need to provide services to the homeless in downtown Boston."

Common Cathedral, in the Diocese of Massachusetts, is the focus of the final of five videos in, the "Transforming Churches, Changing the World" series produced by the Episcopal Church's Office of Communication. [The video is available on the Episcopal Church website and on the church's Facebook page.

"We are the church outside," the Rev. Kathy McAdams explains in the video. "We are here in solidarity with people who can't or won't come inside."

Familiar sites of historic Boston are juxtaposed with images of homeless gathered against the cold to celebrate Eucharist.

"There are so many congregations across the church that struggle on how to connect with their community. Here, Common Cathedral IS the wider community. There is a sense of groundedness in the immediate community, and that is something that many churches can learn. Common Cathedral is the least traditional of the churches in the 'Transforming Churches, Changing the World' series, but they are the most intentionally present in their local community," Honeychurch said.

More here-

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80263_128546_ENG_HTM.htm