When the Episcopal Church gathers for its 76th General Convention July 8-17 in Anaheim, Calif., the range of issues coming before it will be seemingly as broad as the church itself, with its 2.1 million members in 110 dioceses and 16 countries.
 
What it all adds up to, according to the Rev. Jane Gould, a Massachusetts deputy and the rector of St. Stephen's Church in Lynn, is "a chance to offer a vision of who we are and how God invites us into God's mission of love and justice in the world."
 
The Rev. Ian Douglas, co-chair of the Massachusetts deputation and a professor at Episcopal Divinity School, says he thinks "this is going to be very much a convention about money."
 
"Responding to the particulars of these times with respect to God's economy--our responsibility to help guarantee an economic system that is sustainable and sustains the world, and how that gets played out in our budget--is where I have more interest and passion," he says.
 
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Meet the Diocese of Massachusetts' deputies and view legislation on our General Convention Web page, under construction here. 

Daily coverage and updates on the Diocese of Massachusetts' deputation, legislation and activities will be posted during the General Convention at www.diomass.org. 
 

Diocesanwide "Days of Service" are being organized on both Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12, with the hope of engaging at least 250 Episcopalians and others in projects serving communities that are participating in God's transformative work.  The effort follows President Obama's recent commissioning of Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, and is being organized with the support of the diocese's two young adult intern programs--the Micah Project and the Relational Evangelism Pilot Project--along with diocesan leaders and staff. 
 
"We believe that our Sept. 11 and 12 days of reflection and action will powerfully express our baptismal commitments to fellowship, prayer, reconciliation, compassion and justice," Micah Project intern Natalie Finstad explains.
 
"We'd love to have members of the diocese participate and shape the days of service," she says.  Here's how:
 
· Commit to serving on either Sept. 11 or 12.  Projects are still being determined, but three large sites, each led by a bishop, and several smaller ones throughout the diocese are expected.
 
·  Gather a group of 10 or more people from your school, parish, deanery or community to work together at one of the sites.
 
·  Donate money or supplies (paint, brushes, trash bags, gloves, water, snacks, etc.).
 
Anyone interested in participating may contact Natalie Finstad at natalie@diomassintern.org.  For more information over the summer, check out the event Web site, which is under construction here. 

 

Homelessness is either a crisis to be managed or a problem to be solved, longtime activist Philip Mangano told 230 Episcopal City Mission (ECM) supporters in a keynote speech at the organization's annual meeting at Boston University on June 9.  He urged them to be "homelessness abolitionists" in the tradition of past generations of activists who ended slavery, male-only suffrage, segregation and apartheid.  
 
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The Diocese of Massachusetts ordained three deacons and six transitional deacons on Saturday, June 6 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston.  Pictured with Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE, they are (from left):  The Rev. Kate Cress, The Rev. Chris Beukman (deacon), The Rev. Maggie Arnold, The Rev. Kit Lonergan, The Rev. Tina Rathbone, The Rev. Matt Kruger, The Rev. Cynthia Pape (deacon), The Rev. David Sullivan (deacon) and The Rev. Viki Pretti.
 

With a newly simplified formula in place for calculating parish assessments, the diocesan Budget Committee will continue its work over the summer toward a 2010 budget to propose to the Diocesan Council in  September.  The committee invites any interested persons to attend its next meeting on July 2 at Emmanuel Church in Boston.

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"Clear call" in Kenya:  Massachusetts supports the medical and educational mission work of Nan and Gerry Hardison in Maseno, Kenya, featured in this June 15 Episcopal Life Online, story, which also gives us a glimpse of nurse missioner Dianne Smith from St. Andrew's Church in Edgartown.  Dianne blogs at www.heart-to-god.blogspot.com.

Let's be about it:  In this June 12 Episcopal Life Online feature, Massachusetts General Convention deputy and Episcopal Divinity School professor Ian Douglas makes a case for why we should care about the Millennium Development Goals.

"Brookline, Massachusetts, 1994":  Cathedral dean Jep Streit's personal essay on life at the time of the women's health clinic shootings in December 1994 was among last week's most popular posts at The Rumpus.

Bishop Lawrence back in the headlines:  As the Boston Globe struggles to stay afloat, reporter Michael Paulson, in this June 7 blog post, digs up a 1902 newspaper pay dispute arbitrated by Massachusetts' "banker bishop."

"We'll be one big family," lifelong parishioner Shirley Colmer says in this June 6 Lowell Sun story about little St. John's Church and its big welcome to Ugandan neighbors.

Penning, pruning and now praying: The Cape Cod Times on June 2 interviews the Rev. Patricia Barrett upon her arrival as the new rector of St. Barnabas's Church in Falmouth.
 

Diocesan Resource Day takes place on Sept. 26 at Bentley University in Waltham.  Online registration will open in August.  Click here for initial information and to download a flier. 

 

Jun 28-Aug 8:  Summer camp in session, Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, Greenfield, NH

Jun 28, Jul 26 & Aug 30: Children and youth "Joy Mass," St. Mary's Church, Barnstable, 10:30 a.m.
Jun 28, Jul 26 & Aug 23: Compline, St. Barnabas's Church, Falmouth, 8 p.m.
Jun 29: Concert featuring Choir of Christ's College, Cambridge, UK, St. Peter's Church, Beverly, 7:30 p.m.
Jul 3: Lobster Roll Lunch, Christ Church, Harwich Port, 11:30 a.m., Fridays in July and August
Jul 3: Friday Night Grill, St. Christopher's Church, Chatham, 5 p.m., Fridays in July and August
Jul 5: Lobster on the Lawn, St. Barnabas's Church, Falmouth, 5 p.m., Sundays in July and August  

Jul 8-17: 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, Anaheim, Calif.
Jul 11: Summer Fair, St. David's Church, South Yarmouth, 9 a.m.
Jul 11: St. Christopher's Church Summer Auction, VFW Post on George Ryder Road, Chatham, 5 p.m.
Jul 12: Middle East Peace discussion series begins, Church of the Messiah, Woods Hole, 5 p.m.
Jul 18 & 25, Aug 1 & 8: Micah Project and Relational Evangelism Project volunteer work days to prepare intern residences, Brookline and Allston, 9 a.m.
Aug 2-8: Choir Camp, Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, Greenfield, NH