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The Four Churches of the Southern Cross, a group of four small, local Episcopal churches, has developed a special church service for children who are autistic or have special needs. "Spirit of Grace" is held at 2 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. The sponsoring group was conceived about one…

The world was watching on Feb. 11, 1989, when Barbara C. Harris was consecrated before a congregation of nearly 8,000 at Hynes Auditorium in Boston, thus becoming the worldwide Anglican Communion's first female bishop.The historic and, at the time, controversial nature of that event signalled for…

Laura Walta (in green) in Uganda. Global mission partnership coordinators for the Diocese of Massachusetts recently returned from a trip to East Africa, where they met with community organizers, clergy, small business owners and others working to enact sustainable change in…

Facebook has added a customizable option with about 50 different terms people can use to identify their gender as well as three preferred pronoun choices: him, her or them.WBUR reached out to Cameron Partridge, a transgender chaplain at Boston University, who emailed back this response to the news:…

The Revs. Meghan T. Sweeney and Billie Mae Gordon are relatively new to their profession. So is their current situation as priest-in-charge and pastoral associate at All Saints Episcopal Church in Attleboro, a situation they called a "team approach," that may be part of a new normal for small…

The Boston Globe airs differing opinions in this follow-up story about the recent Beacon Hill rectory purchase made by Trinity Church in Boston. “We’re listening very faithfully to what everyone has to say, and we will continue to work with the vestry and the parishioners and our partners…

Since May, a giant aluminum sculpture depicting a cross-sectioned chambered nautilus has been lighting up the pediment of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston and turning heads at one of Boston’s busiest corners, G. Jeffrey Macdonald writes in this Religion News Service story in the…

The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts announced on Feb. 12 the schedule of public forums with the nominees for election as bishop.  The forums will take place on:• Friday, March 14, 6:30 p.m., at St. Andrew's Church (79 Denton Road) in Wellesley;• Saturday, March 15,…

Bishop Harris's consecration service on Feb. 11, 1989: Laying on of hands by the 55-plus bishops present. Diocese of Massachusetts/Episcopal Times Photo: Evan Richman The newly consecrated Bishop Harris with the presiding bishop, Edmond Browning. …

For high school students planning to attend college, SAT performance can be a major obstacle.  Preparatory courses can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. These classes, which have become the norm in affluent school districts, are often financially out of reach for low-income students…