Five years ago, we began to live according to a simple phrase - “know Jesus, change the world.” These words reflect our unshakable belief that if we truly follow Jesus, through him, we can make the world a better place. But this is not just a tagline. This is our call, and every day we journey with our churches to share the love of Jesus Christ.
Let’s find joy in one another, joy in the Lord. Stop doing church and be the Church. Yes, we have challenges, but we also have glorious opportunities. Our creativity has never been greater.
In the past three years, this diocese has awarded more than $3 million in direct assistance to our churches. Relentlessly seeking innovation, we are focused on empowering lay and clergy to create stability and foster growth.
Through proven methods like Casting Nets, change is happening; with Serviam, which offers free training through a partnership with Villanova; and through in person and online assistance from our Media Center and digital disciples, we are changing how our churches think and reach people. Through them we are changing our communities and our world for the better.
On Sundays, your diocesan staff are leading worship at churches that have no regular clergy leadership. During the week, they are facilitating vestry meetings and helping churches re-envision a future that is rooted in Jesus and community.
Our partnerships across the country and around the world bring learning opportunities to people in this diocese. Through Revivals, daily prayer at the Offices, monthly clergy luncheons and Jubilee celebrations, we continue to lift the spirits of the faithful.
We have been emboldened by faith to take action on issues of gun violence, marginalization and poverty that dominate the headlines and devastate our communities. This is what Jesus calls us to do. Christianity is to be lived. The early Christians were called people of the Way. We are following Jesus along the Way. We are called to be a Church of the Poor and a Church of
the Merciful. A way of life and a revolution of the heart.
May we continue changing the church and looking within ourselves to ensure that the church is a place of welcome for all people. A people, a diocese, where we look like Jesus, think like him, walk with him, act like him, live like him, and love like him.
