Changing the world with a $10 bill: Pittsfield faith leaders renew 'Do Some Good With This' challenge

From Massachusetts-

Earlier this fall, when the Mega Millions lottery offered up a jackpot of more than $1.5 billion, people pondered lavishly about how they would spend such a sum.

But what would you do if you suddenly received an extra $10 and were told, "Do some good with this"? Could you still achieve a dream or make an impact on a drastically smaller scale?

A group of local parishioners believe so.

After a successful pilot last year, the Rev. Cricket Cooper, pastor of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, and the Rev. Timothy "Tim" Weisman, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church of Pittsfield, presented an encore challenge this year of the "Do Some Good With This" advent project.

"Nothing makes you feel more grateful than to be generous," Cooper said. "I think the operative word of this project is 'do.'" 

More here-

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/changing-the-world-with-a-10-bill-pittsfield-faith-leaders-renew-do-some-good-with-this,560378

IN GOOD FAITH: The royal power of love

From  Massachusetts-

I’m not much of a royal watcher. I find a figurehead monarchy whose yoke we overthrew 200 years ago less than compelling. Sure, at the insistence of my wife, I watched a few episodes of “The Crown” on Netflix, but I generally prefer my kings and queens relegated to the chess board.

Attending an early morning royal wedding watch party was never going to happen. Partly because I just can’t pull off the fascinator look, but also because I figured I’d see all the photos the next time I’m on line at the grocery store staring at the tabloids as the person in front of me inevitably pays with a check.

I did perk up when I heard Harry and Meghan invited Bishop Michael Curry to preach. As an Episcopalian, Bishop Curry is the head of my denomination; he is the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. I’ve heard him preach several times and I thought to myself, “Do these royals have any idea what they just signed up for? They better hang onto their fancy hats!”

And sure enough, Bishop Curry — one of the foremost preachers in America — nearly blew the walls off St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. What captivated everyone was Bishop Curry’s ability to speak simultaneously and forcefully to both the royal couple and the entire world. His mere presence, as a passionate black man in a mostly staid white context, was as powerful as his words. His message about the power of love stood in stark relief to a global context crying out for justice, mercy, and hope.

More here- 

http://walpole.wickedlocal.com/news/20180603/in-good-faith-royal-power-of-love

Massachusetts Episcopal bishops oppose Trump's EPA pick

From Massachusetts-

The state's Episcopal bishops have issued a letter to President-elect Donald Trump opposing his selection of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, an opponent of the Obama administration efforts to address human induced climate change through such legislation as the Clean Power Plan, to head the country's Environmental Protection Agency.

The letter addressed to Trump from the five bishops states, "As citizens of this beloved country, we intend to write our members of Congress, urging them to block the nomination of Scott Pruitt to lead the E.P.A. We will pray for a better choice."

"Our respect for our government leaders and our reverence for the earth as God's creation impel us to write you to express our dismay about your selection of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency. We wonder why a person who has consistently and adamantly opposed all laws and policies that provide even minimal 'protection' to the environment should be entrusted with leading such an agency," reads the letter who signers include the Right Rev. Douglas Fisher, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts.

More here-

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/12/massachusetts_episcopal_bishop_3.html

'The Witch Book' set for auction

From Massachusetts-

A piece of Salem Witch Trials history is hitting the auction block next week.

Swann Auction Galleries, based in New York City, is gearing up for a “Printed and Manuscript Americana” auction on Feb. 4. Buried in the list of items, as Lot 84, is a previously unknown seventh edition of the Bay Psalm Book, which is expected to sell for between $30,000 and $40,000, according to auction director Rick Stattler.

“It has a double connection to the Salem Witch Trials,” Stattler said. “The original owners were Jonathan Corwin and his wife, Elizabeth.”

Jonathan Corwin was one of the judges during the Witchcraft Trials of 1692, when 19 accused witches were hanged and another was pressed to death. Corwin’s home during the trials, now owned by the city of Salem, is better known today as the Witch House.

More here-

http://www.eagletribune.com/news/the-witch-book-set-for-auction/article_f43b4378-cb4d-5a7a-92e1-27ae42d9599e.html

Episcopal bishops speak out against death penalty ahead of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev sentencing

From Massachusetts-

The state's three Episcopal bishops, including the Right Rev. Douglas Fisher of the Western Massachusetts diocese, have issued a statement reaffirming their church's stance against the death penalty. The statement adds to the voices of those taking stands on the fate of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Referencing a letter written by the family of bombing victim Martin Richard at the start of the sentencing phase of Tsarnaev's trial this week, the statement says, as that letter "movingly asserted, justice will be fully served by a life sentence without parole."

A jury found the 21-year-old Tsarnaev guilty April 8 on all 30 charges in the first phase of the trial.

More here-

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/massachusetts_episcopal_bishop_1.html

Mass. casino foes look to rechannel their voices

From The Boston Globe-

One of the state’s most outspoken casino opponents, the Right Rev. Douglas John Fisher, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, has set up a task force to reach out to church leaders in states that already have casinos to research ways to help people who may be negatively affected.

“As followers of Jesus, we need to embrace this new reality and do what we can to address human suffering and be a source of healing and compassion,” Fisher said in a statement last month.

More here-

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/12/01/unbowed-ballot-defeat-anticasino-forces-seek-new-role/66VGX4qqjSbEkSpA43aXKM/story.html

Cathedral in the Night refuge for many

From  Massachusetts

It's an unorthodox way to worship that's gaining popularity across the country and right here in western Massachusetts.

If you walk by the corner of Center and Main Streets in Northampton, you don't need reason to stop by the Cathedral in the Night.

“It's different in that of course it's outside. So, people that may be intimidated going inside a traditional church will feel comfortable coming and staying,” said seminary student Lance Humprey.

Humphrey is one of the practicing ministers at Cathedral in the Night.  The outdoor service has become a refuge for many, from college students to those experiencing homelessness.

“It just makes you think tomorrow I'll wake up and it'll be another day,” said 20-year-old Southampton native Mitchell Strojni of what the service means to him.  He’s been homeless for over a year.

Strojni says it’s also a place free of judgment, where you can get a hot meal every Sunday.  For the last three years, rain shine or blistering cold, the front stoop of Northampton’s First Church is transformed. It's no longer an entrance but a place of worship. 


More here

http://www.wwlp.com/news/local/hampshire/cathedral-in-the-night-refuge-for-many

Leap of faith for former Danvers priest

From Massachusetts-


Jurgen Liias’s spiritual journey has led him down an unusual path: Two weeks ago, the former Episcopal priest of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Danvers was ordained as a Catholic priest.

Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, ordained Liias as a Catholic priest on Saturday, April 20, at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Beverly.

He’ll now spend much of his time leading parishioners at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Ordinariate in Beverly — a church under the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.

Liias will also help out regularly at St. Margaret Church, a Catholic parish in Beverly Farms, and is available to assist in any other parishes in the Archdiocese when needed.

The transition into Catholicism began 25 years ago for Liias. He belongs to a worldwide movement to bring the Catholic denominations back together.

More here-

http://www.wickedlocal.com/danvers/news/x2062761666/Leap-of-faith-for-former-Danvers-priest#axzz2SJwSLrlR

In Cambridge, a day of service and remembrance for Inauguration, MLK

From Massachusetts-

On a bright Saturday afternoon, dozens of area middle school and high school students gathered in small circles with adult neighbors to engage in a frank discussion about the state of race and equality today and to reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The event was a precursor to the city-sponsored day of service Jan. 21 at City Hall, which also included a watching party for the second inauguration of President Barack Obama, a remembrance ceremony for King at the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Central Square, and the Many Helping Hands 365 annual day of service.

Inside the Area 4 Youth Center on Jan. 19, eighth and ninth graders Jakigh Dottin, Sylvester Joseph and Isais Berhe mulled on the connection between wealth and power and how inequality is often drawn along the lines of poverty. They weighed the consequences of what it means to stand up for an ideal when everyone else is going with the grain.

More here-


http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x65631396/In-Cambridge-a-day-of-service-and-remembrance-for-Inauguration-MLK#axzz2Ihs8ayJc

Episcopal bishop sought to end conflicts, build bridges

From Boston-

He has donned a purple cassock and joined Palestinian sympathizers protesting in front of the Israeli consulate. Gay but celibate, he has immersed himself in East African cultures to better understand the antigay sentiment. Lately, he has asked his congregants — and other faith leaders — to help eradicate gun violence.

Bishop M. Thomas Shaw of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, who announced his retirement last week, leaves a singular legacy as he prepares to depart Boston’s religious scene. A soft-spoken monk who leads one of the largest Episcopal dioceses in the country, the prayerful bishop has been extraordinarily vocal — and sometimes controversial — in the public square.

“I think Tom’s profound respect for other individuals, while also being very clear about what he believes and why he believes it, has made a difference,” said the Rev. Katherine Ragsdale, president of the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge.

Shaw cast his decision to retire as a natural one. He will be 68 this year, approaching the mandatory bishop retirement age of 72, and the process of selecting and installing a successor takes about two years.

More here-

http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/01/21/bishop-thomas-shaw-sought-find-voice-public-square/c46lHFf9NZRWGcRvnyQpvO/story.html

Calvary Episcopal priest headed to MIT

From Massachusetts-

The Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas, one of the two outgoing priests at All Saints Episcopal Church of the North Shore, will soon take up campus ministry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, where she will coordinate a forum on how technology and scientific discovery affects us all.

With the recent merger of Calvary Episcopal Church on Cherry Street in Danvers and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Washington Street in Peabody, the rectors of both churches are moving on so a new priest chosen by the combined congregation can take over, said Keith-Lucas, 36. The new congregation is worshipping in the Danvers church building.

Keith-Lucas’ next calling will be at MIT, where she will work in a joint Lutheran-Episcopal ministry with a Lutheran chaplain.

At MIT, the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, with support from MIT, sponsors the Technology and Culture Forum, which features events focused on how technology affects our lives and “shapes our ethical choices,” said Keith-Lucas, who will run this series of events.

More here-

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x730430416/Calvary-Episcopal-priest-headed-to-MIT

Episcopalians sound off on bishop's call to elect successor

From Massachusetts-

After leading the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts for almost two decades, Bishop M. Thomas Shaw announced Tuesday he will retire in the next couple of years and the time has come for the diocese to start planning the election of his successor.

MetroWest clergy called Shaw an excellent leader who helped guide the diocese of 185 parishes through periods of transition, while still promoting the church's mission.

"It’s hard to imagine him not being our bishop anymore," said the Rev. Julie Carson, rector of St. Andrew's in Framingham. "He’s a very kind and wise pastoral leader with a lot of savvy for dealing with churches in a time of transition. I think the diocese is better off because of him."

Shaw, 67, announced in a letter he would like the election of the bishop coadjutor, his successor, to take place at a special convention on April 5, 2014. According to the diocese's website, after the successor is consecrated in the fall of 2014, he or she will work with Shaw before he retires. His retirement date has not been determined.

"I love being your bishop and it is an honor to serve you," Shaw said in the letter. "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."


Read more:

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x1503802058/Episcopalians-sound-off-on-bishops-call-to-elect-successor#ixzz2IEcSbp4u

'Faith should result in action,' says Westford Episcopal priest Read more: 'Faith should result in action,' says Westford Episcopal priest

From Massachusetts-

Fresh off a successful mission to feed 5,000 in 2012, Rev. Suzanne Wade and her Episcopal congregation at St. Mark’s hosted the town’s Interfaith Service as Thanksgiving approached. The Eagle asked her to reflect on the efforts she has spearheaded since arriving in town 15 months ago. Below Wade relates her experiences and offers holiday advice for all.

You appear to be holding more ongoing events at St. Mark's these days. Am I imagining things or are you offering more to the community?

We are definitely seeking to reach out more to the community. As Christians, we believe what we do on Sunday morning should inform everything we do the rest of the week-- in other words, that our faith should result in action.


Read more:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/westford/newsnow/x1156347960/Faith-should-result-in-action-says-Westford-Episcopal-priest#axzz2E59Y7zrA

Episcopal diocese installs bishop

From Massachusetts-


The Rev. Douglas J. Fisher — a former Roman Catholic priest who was convinced by friends to return to the ministry by becoming a cleric in the Episcopal Church — was consecrated yesterday as the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts.

“This day is not about one person, but about the whole church,” said the newly ordained bishop, who previously served as rector of Grace Church in Millbrook, N.Y. “The ordination and consecration of a bishop is a deeply meaningful time when we all get to renew the faith that is within us and (to) recommit ourselves to following Jesus in his mission of mercy, compassion, and hope.”

He added that yesterday’s ceremonies represent “a time of celebration and inspiration for all God’s people.”

Bishop Fisher was ordained by the Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, during services at the MassMutual Center.

More here-

http://www.telegram.com/article/20121202/NEWS/112029764/-1/NEWS05

Recalling 150 Years: Southborough's St. Mark's Church

From Mass-

When Joseph Burnett founded Southborough's St. Mark's Episcopal Church in 1862, the nation was caught in the midst of the Civil War. But Burnett was a forward-thinking man of his time, and sought to establish a church that promised to be "free to all, with no distinctions as to wealth, color or station."

"That was a huge deal then," said property manager Steve Taylor. "I remember going to the Old North Church [in Boston], and depending on how much you gave, it determined where you sat."
One hundred and fifty years after its founding, St. Mark's remains a local landmark, with strong ties to St. Mark's School and Fay School — the former was under the church's jurisdiction for many years before going private.

Taylor, who got involved with the church in the mid-1980's, spent a great deal of time this year researching its history, by way of its archives and artifacts.

More here-

http://southborough.dailyvoice.com/neighbors/recalling-150-years-southboroughs-st-marks-church

Faith column: Recovering from Sandy

From Boston-

One of the perks of living next door to a church is easy access to candelabra. This may not seem like a big deal unless you're setting up a haunted house in your cellar or doing your best Liberace impression, but it comes in handy when the power goes out.

Here on Boston's South Shore, we were spared the worst of this week's "Frankenstorm," but at the St. John's rectory we did lose power twice for a few hours.

Having gone without power for a week following a hurricane when we lived in New York with two toddlers, the flickering lights still make me twitch.

This time, thanks to a plethora of candle stubs and said candelabra, we were all lit up at the rectory.
And by "lit up" I'm not referring to any pre-Sandy run to the liquor store but having the whole family awash in candlelight.

For me, one of the enduring images of Scripture is Jesus calming a storm on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35-41). Sure, it would have been nice to have had Jesus doing the same down in New Jersey and other places on Monday; to cry out "Be still!" and have the wind and rain obey. While I don't doubt that he could, the danger here is reducing Jesus to little more than a glorified Mother Nature.

More here-

http://www.hannibal.net/article/20121104/OPINION/121109918

Presbyterian court clears pastor wed in same-sex ceremony

From New Jersey-

The top court of the Louisville-based Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has cleared a New Jersey pastor of charges that she violated church law by getting married to another woman in Massachusetts.

The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission ruled Oct. 28 that the Rev. Laurie McNeill didn’t violate any church law because she didn’t preside over a same-sex wedding but rather was one of those exchanging the vows, and because no Presbyterian clergy or churches were involved.

McNeill, and Lisa Lynn Gollihue got married in 2009 in Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal. The ceremony took place in an Episcopal Church on Cape Cod and was presided over by ministers from the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ. New Jersey allows same-sex couples to have civil unions but not marriages.

The Presbyterian constitution defines marriage as between one man and one woman — although that definition has come under challenge in a denomination that has already began officially allowing the ordination of openly gay ministers — and it forbids Presbyterian ministers for presiding over such ceremonies and the use of Presbyterian churches in hosting them. The church does allow blessings of same-sex relationships as long as they aren’t represented as wedding ceremonies.

More here

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/faith/2012/11/02/presbyterian-court-clears-pastor-wed-in-same-sex-ceremony/

Episcopal convention will vote on anti-casino resolution

From Massachusetts-

The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts will hold its 2012 Diocesan Convention on Oct. 19 and 20 at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. Business will include a vote on a resolution protesting casinos in Western Massachusetts.

The convention will be called to order on Oct. 19 with the Right Rev. Gordon P. Scruton, diocesan bishop, extending a welcome to all delegates and declaring the convention organized for business. The Rev. Douglas John Fisher, bishop-elect of the diocese, will also address the convention.

Other speakers will include the Rev. Laura Everett, executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches; the Rev. Deacon Jane Griesbach, of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Worcester; and the Rev. Jill Williams, diocesan missioner for Christian formation.

More here-

http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2012/10/episcopal_convention_will_vote_on_anti-casino_resolution.html

Bishop Blesses New Grace Church Boiler

From Massachusetts (Must be a slow news day)

The Reverend Gayle Elizabeth Harris, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, blessed Grace Episcopal Church's new boiler during her official visitation to the parish Sunday.

"Almighty God, your Holy Spirit equips the church with a rich
variety of gifts to accomplish your will and mission in the world.
Today we celebrate the most practical of gifts, the gift of boilers to
warm our church, that it may serve as the gathering and meeting place
for our congregation and the community," she said in the blessing.

The $100,000 project replaces the church's old oil system, which was failing, with high efficiency gas condensing boilers. The boiler project, installed by Medford Wellington Service, is expected to save the church money on energy costs and reduce the building's carbon footprint.

More here-

http://medford.patch.com/articles/bishop-blesses-new-grace-church-boiler

Amherst's Robert Hirschfeld prepares for move to New Hampshire as next Episcopal bishop there

From Massachusetts (Some process issues but still interesting)

A. Robert Hirschfeld said it was his then 12 year-old son Henry who suggested he consider becoming the next bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire.

“I wasn’t interested. I was eager to stay here,” said Hirschfeld, who had been the reverend of the Grace Episcopal Church since 2001. If anything he was thinking of the bishop’s position for the diocese in Western Massachusetts.

He thinks his son was interested because “he has cousins. My brother’s the rector for the St. Paul’s School (in Concord, N.H.)”

On May 19, Hirschfeld, 51, was elected bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. He was consecrated July 4 bat the Episcopal General Convention in Indianapolis.
He will be ordained Aug. 4 as bishop coadjutor and then installed as the 10th Bishop of New Hampshire Diocese on Jan. 5, 2013.

More here-

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/a_robert_hirschfeld_preparing.html