The Episcopalian 2nd Q 2024

the Alabama epi alian

EquippingtheSaints:

ATransformativeCampaignfortheEpiscopalChurchinAlabama

Dear Friends,

You may have heard suggestions that the church is dying. My years as your bishop reveal a different truth one filled with hope and divine grace. The church isn't fading away; it's thriving, sustained by God's boundless grace and the Holy Spirit's power. Everywhere I go, I meet faithful people and hear their stories of revival.

While God's unwavering love sustains us and our parishes, there is important work for us to do to ensure our church thrives for the next 100 years here in Alabama. Through discernment and prayer, I've identified three pivotal areas of focus: congregational vitality and leadership development; Camp McDowell; and racial healing and pilgrimage. Focusing on these areas will lay the foundation for a diocese that leads people to Christ for generations to come.

“EquippingtheSaints”is our new diocesan-wide capital campaign which will raise funds for these priorities. This campaign is more than a financial endeavor. It is a spiritual pilgrimage, an opportunity to strengthen our collective foundation and build a lasting legacy. Everyone is invited to be a part of this important effort. I hope you will consider how God might be calling you to participate.

As we embark on theEquippingtheSaintscampaign, I am filled with gratitude for the faith and commitment that define our community. May your generosity be a testament to the love of Jesus that binds us as a diocesan family. As we begin our capital campaign, please pray with me for our diocese. May the love of Jesus inspire and unite us, helping us grow our church beyond our wildest dreams, welcoming strangers, comforting those in need, seeking the face of Christ, and always giving thanks and praise to God.

“Thiscapitalcampaignis morethanafinancialendeavor. Itisaspiritualpilgrimage,

legacy.”

Lord,

OURVISION:

Ourcapitalcampaign,Equippingthe Saints ,isaboldvisionforafuturewhere allchurchesinourdioceseflourishas thrivingcongregations,ledbyexcellent leaders,thatproclaimtheGospeland sharetheloveofGodwithallpeople. Together,wewillfaithfullyinvestinthree keyareas:

1.CongregationalVitalityand LeadershipDevelopment

2.CampMcDowell

3.RacialHealingandPilgrimage

EquippingtheSaints: ATransformativeCampaignfortheEpiscopalChurchinAlabama

Congregational Vitality

$4 Million Equipping the Saints for Growth

Jesus calls us to go and make disciples. We will expand our capacity to share the Gospel by making transformational investments in parishes, forming new Episcopal communities, and strengthening lay and clergy leaders. Through innovative strategies, we will secure a vibrant future for the Episcopal Church in Alabama and ensure a legacy of faith for future generations.

Camp McDowell

$2.5 Million Equipping the Saints for Formation

Each year, thousands of campers, students, teachers and guests visit Lower Camp at Camp McDowell. They come from our diocese and from across the state to grow in discipleship and connect with neighbors, nature, and God. By attending to essential maintenance, we enhance opportunities for Christian formation and meaningful relationships.

Racial Healing and Pilgrimage

$1 Million Equipping the Saints for Reconciliation

We will create pathways to racial healing by preserving and strengthening The Church of the Good Shepherd in Montgomery, encouraging the spiritual practice of pilgrimage, and training our leaders to guide individuals and parishes toward healing. People from our diocese and across the country will experience the reconciliation given to us byGod in Christ.

Total Campaign Goal: $7.5 Million

EQUIPPING the saints

Gifts to our capital campaign will allow us to expand our capacity to share the Gospel. By making transformational investments in parishes, creating new Episcopal communities, and empowering strong lay and clergy leaders, we will create a thriving future for our diocese, serving generations to come, by:

Continuing a grant program similar to the Renew and Refresh grants from 2023, which shared $236,517 with 51 parishes to complete small to medium projects that removed barriers to growth.

Offering financial resources to parishes to stay competitive in clergy searches. Many dioceses throughout the country are offering signing bonuses and relocation packages to attract clergy.

Providing access to administrative assistance for parishes needing guidance on governance, finances, communications, and more.

Expanding opportunities for leadership development and lay leader training in parishes where hiring a clergyperson is not currently feasible.

Committing to a strong recruitment and formation process to address the critical clergy shortage. Currently, there are 450 retirements and only 250 ordinations per year across The Episcopal Church.

2.0!

The diocese is supporting parishes again this year by encouraging your efforts to create new worshiping groups, fellowship opportunities, or points of connection. Go to page 29 for information about applying for a grant of up to $5000.

Planting new parishes in communities identified as diverse and fast -growing where an Episcopal presence will flourish. Learnmore aboutRiverside,ournewchurchplantinMcCallaonpage10.

The $4 million raised during the Equipping the Saints campaign will create an endowment for congregational vitality. A fund of this size will yield approximately $200,000 per year that can be reinvested into our parishes in various ways, including programs like the Renew and Refresh grants, support for clergy searches, leadership development, and planting new parishes. This new endowment will serve our parishes for generations to come. By providing a stable and reliable source of funding, we can enhance our community outreach, improve parish facilities, and foster innovative ministry initiatives. This endowment represents not just a financial investment, but a commitment to the enduring strength and vitality of our congregational community.

FOR GROWTH

Riverside: Doing Church

ANewWay

ByRosalindFournier

Photography:HughHunter

At 10 a.m. on April 7, when Reverend Geoff Evans stood before the congregation at Riverside Episcopal Church in McCalla to welcome them for worship, he slipped briefly into a typical church greeting: “If you’re a visitor…” he began before catching himself. “Well, I guess everybody’s a visitor today. Including me.”

It was the inaugural worship service for Riverside, the first church plant in many years for the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Meeting for now in the school cafeteria at McAdory Middle School, Riverside had officially launched, not with a grand processional hymn, traditional vestments, or ornate stained-glass windows, but with the commitment of Evans and a host of others to bring the Word of the Lord to a new community.

Church plantings by the diocese have dwindled in recent history; the last was the Abbey, started about 10 years ago as a missional community based out of a coffee shop that now meets in space at Zion Springs Baptist Church. Evans, who serves as Canon to the Ordinary under Bishop Glenda Curry, says he and the Bishop both wanted to renew the effort and asked the Bishop’s Committee to join in the adventure.

The committee began with the task of deciding where they were being called to plant a church. George Elliott, who serves on the Diocesan Council, conducted a demographic study and identified several possibilities, but one stood out: McCalla, a fast-growing area with relatively affordable housing, good schools and even a new, 200-bed hospital and medical-office facility affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) set to open this year.

McCalla also boasts racial and economic diversity, which Evans says is important to the church. “It’s 60 percent white and 40 percent Black, and there’s a booming Black middle class,” he says. “We think that part of town is what the future of the state and the country are going to look like. It’s also what we hope to look like going forward, because the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama is going to have to become more diverse if we hope to have a vibrant presence as the country becomes more diverse.”

The name, Riverside Church, has several Biblical allusions the river depicted in the Book of Ezekiel, which flows from the temple and grows deeper and deeper, turning the stagnant waters fresh and giving life to all creatures; the River of Life in Revelation, flanked by trees giving fruit and healing leaves; and the story in Acts in which St. Paul went to Philippi, where he found no synagogue and instead went to the riverside to worship and teach those who gathered there.

Evans sees a significant analogy to the story of Paul at Philippi in the planting of Riverside, which feels both raw and pure in its hope that the Gospel and the fellowship of the congregants are more than enough to ignite a new community of worship.

Its modest beginnings also give Riverside a chance at grassroots, community ownership, an experiment Evans welcomes. “I’ve been having good conversations with people in the area who are interested in the faith and love God, and many of them have never heard of the Episcopal church,” he says. “We want to communicate that culturally this is a congregation open to be shaped by the community and friendly to those who don’t have any kind of exposure to the Episcopal church.” To that end, communion will be held only quarterly or monthly at most for a while, a way to avoid a point of intimidation for those who may not have experienced Eucharist

before a sacrifice Evans and those visiting from other, established Episcopal churches are willing to make if it helps Riverside grow at its own pace.

“As an Episcopalian, I find it wonderfully uncomfortable to worship in a tradition that’s radically different than my own,” Evans says, “because we’re trying to build a service that is newcomer friendly in a radical way.”

“Ifwetouchoneperson…”

Like many members of the Bishop’s Committee, Elliott, the Diocesan Council member who helped identify McCalla as the site for Riverside, has agreed to take a hiatus from his home congregation at The Cathedral Church of the Advent to worship at Riverside and provide support. “If we touch one person,” he says, “that person will touch someone else, and we’re hoping our

worshipping community will grow and give people a church home they’ve been looking for.”

When I heard about Riverside I thought ‘Oh, a church close to home!’

- Jacquie Caron, member of the Bishop’s Committee

Jacquie Caron, who also serves on the Bishop’s Committee, lives in Lake View and says she’s been commuting to St. Matthias in Tuscaloosa for more than 10 years. “When I got the postcard about Riverside, I said, ‘Oh, a church close to home!’ I went to the first meeting, and it all seemed to fit,” she says. “As a cradle Episcopalian, I thought it was really interesting to think of doing church a different way than I’ve grown up with.”

Evans also received a call from Ace McKay, a musician who was attending another church in the diocese. Having grown up in the Baptist Charismatic faith, McKay says he’s been involved in church plants for 25 years many of the churches meeting in movie theatres, schools, and other nontraditional settings and wanted to join in. “It just started from my saying, ‘I’m here to offer any wisdoms if you need them, because I’ve been there, done that,’” remembers McKay, who took on the role of Riverside’s music director. He adds that he hopes to be joined by musicians of all stripes who want to take part. “If you play the flute or the ukulele or the harp or the tuba, come on,” he says. “I’m all about playing to the strengths of the people God brings us, and he’ll build what he’s working toward.”

Evans echoes that sentiment, pointing to his belief that when church leadership grows organically, it’s easy for people to find their place and take ownership. “At a start-up church, if you keep coming, you’re a leader,” he says. “We have so much that needs to be done, and all of it has the opportunity to supercharge people’s discipleship.”

ItTakesaDiocese

Evans points toall those who have come together to support the “God-sized” dreamof Riverside. “It’s the diocese planting the church, and they make it possible,” he says. He counts off a number of ways the Episcopal community has joined in. “St. Mary’s on the Highlands in Birmingham and Church of the Nativity in Huntsville have made significant gifts; St. Francis of Assisi in Indian Springs gave part of their sound system; we’re using a borrowed trailer from St. Andrew’s in Montevallo; Ascension in Vestavia Hills bought us a coffee peculator; and people at All Saints in Homewood have donated equipment. We put out a wish list and it’s been completely filled from various people in the diocese.”

He continues: “It’s a beautiful thing, and I’m very much filled with prayers. It feels like thereare hundreds of people excited about the project.”

In the days following the first service, Evans reflected on what success looks like for a new church plant. In spite of the much-acknowledged tendency of visitors to hold back before making themselves known, seven filled out cards, and he’d heard from several more interested in learning about Riverside. “These are Christians who for whatever reason do not have a strong, embodied, life-giving membership with a congregation,” he says. “It feels likeanaffirmationthe Lord is pushing us to minister tothose folks, whichis the dream.”

Clockwisefromtopleft:One of the children reads at the first service; refreshments were served after the service;NancySkinnerandJimJollywelcomed visitors; George Elliott, whowas instrumental finding a location for the churchto meet;Rev. Evans welcoming visitors; George Elliott directing people tothe cafeteria.

“Everytime Ithinkof you,Igive thanks toGod.”

By Rosalind Fournier

When some members of First United Methodist Church Trussville began to discuss disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church over disagreements about homosexuality in the modern church, those who opposed the split knew they might face a rough road ahead. Not only were they heartbroken that their church might be divided in two, but if outvoted, they would have nowhere to go.

time to make a decision like this,’ but they really quickly decided they would provide a space for us.”

A few short weeks later, in April 2023, First United Methodist Church Trussville voted to disaffiliate, changing its name to First Methodist Church Trussville and keeping possession of the building. The very next Sunday, Teel and 76 congregants, who later took on the name All Saints United Methodist Church, filed into Holy Cross for a 1 p.m. service that would allow the two congregations to work around each other easily. “We did not miss a single Sunday,” Teel says.

Rev. David Teel started working the phones. “I tried a lot of avenues in the Trussville community for places where we could hold worship, but all those doors were closed,” he remembers. “Then I just called up Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross one day and spoke to a member of the vestry, and I told them our predicament,” he remembers. “I was prepared for them to say, ‘We’re sorry, but it’s going to take a long

Rev. Massey Gentry, interim rector at Holy Cross at the time, credits the vestry and parish members for making the decision to welcome the new Methodist congregation to their church home. “We’re meant to provide hospitality to the stranger in our land,” he says.

Rev. Richard Ahlquist came on as priest in charge at Holy Cross during this time. He says he and his congregation cared deeply about what everyone at the Methodist church had been through. “Trussville is a small community, and many Holy Cross folks have friends at the Methodist church on both sides of the vote,” he says. “There was some anxiety about any per-

ception of taking sides. But we were able to look past that and say, ‘These are people needing a place to worship on Sundays, so we’re going to offer our space to them.’”

Ahlquist adds: “They were essentially a church plant that happened to have a lot of congregation members from day one. Other new churches have the luxury of thinking, planning, and dreaming…this was a church where they had to get the seed in the ground immediately. They were gracious about their situation and kept on practicing their faith.”

Everyone involved describes the arrangement as a loving cooperation between two congregations with a shared commitment to faith. They held a pet blessing ceremony together that October. At Christmas, they invited members of both congregations to make memorial poinsettia gifts. Along with Woodlawn United Methodist Church, they created a handbell group that still comes together to practice every week and visits each church on occasion to perform. “That’s just another thing we were able to experience that probably never would have been possible,” Teel says.

After about 10 months, All Saints United Methodist outgrew the Holy Cross sanctuary and relocated to space in Pump It Up in Trussville, where they remain now until they plan their next step. But they have continued their new relationship with Holy Cross. “We’re looking at more opportunities to get together and do ministry together,” Teel says. “Any way we can engage ecumenically with other churches that are like minded, supportive, and inclusive of all people, it’s better for all of us.”

He adds: “Out of all the loss and trauma, we’re coming out on the other side, and we’ve been able to create a place for people to come and find healing and belonging no matter who they are. It’s been tremendous for us to be able to create that new community.”

Teel says his congregation remains grateful to Holy Cross for helping them stay on their feet and survive to live another day; at the end of All Saints’ time there, he wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks. “Holy Cross has become, and will remain, a bright spot in our story,” the letter reads in part. “When we faced darkness and despair in our past, we found light and encouragement through you. We hope and pray that we can continue in partnership with you to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in Trussville and beyond.”

Meanwhile, Ahlquist was moved when First Methodist Church decided to continue a longstanding tradition of inviting a priest from Holy Cross to preach during Holy Week. Ahlquist preached at First Methodist on Good Friday and says that afterward, some of the members surprised him with their comments. “They came to me after the service and said, ‘Thank you so much for opening up your doors (to the All Saints congregants),’” he remembers. “Many of these people have known and loved one another for a long time, and those members were grateful for us to have provided a space for their friends.”

A LETTER TO HOLYCROSS,TRUSSVILLE FEBRUARY2024

Dear SistersandBrothers inChrist, EchoingtheApostlePaul's words totheChristians atPhilippi Isay this aboutHolyCross, everytimeIthinkofyou, Igivethanks toGod. After a year ofconflict, trauma,andloss, wewhoremained United Methodists inTrussvilleandsurroundingcommunities wereincrisis. Wenolonger hada churchhome, money, or evena name. Weshowed uptoyour churchas wearyanddefeatedstrangers. Andyet, youwelcomed us withloveand openarms!

Iremember thefirstSundayas Iwas sittingintheNave, Ifeltlike Icouldfinallybreathe;thatwewereinasafespace.Over thelastten months, thathas provedtobetrueagainandagain!EverySundaywe haveworshippedinyour worshipspace, wehaveencounteredGod, experiencedhope, andfoundrenewalaswegrievedallthatwehadlost. HolyCross hasbecome, andwillremain, a brightspotin our story. Wherewefaceddarkness anddespair inour past, wefoundlightand encouragementthrough you!Yougaveus timeandspacetohealand recover. Yougaveus a chancetoformour ownidentity, todiscover our values, andtofind our nameas AllSaints UnitedMethodist Church. You helped us buildanewchurch fromscratchandprepared toembarkonour own!

Tosaytheleast, our timeatHolyCross hasbeena blessingand encouragement. Wethankyouso muchfor welcoming us in, letting us worshipandjoinyouin worship, andfor allthatyou havedone for us!Andnow, wearepreparingtotakeour nextstepinthis journeyof lifeandfaith. BeginningonSunday, March3rd,wewilltransitioninto worshippingatPumpItUp.

Wewillmiss seeing youeachweekandworshippinginthis sacred space.Wehopeandpraythatwecancontinuein partnershipwith youtosharetheGoodNews ofJesus ChristinTrussvilleandbeyond. WepraythatGodwillbless youas youcontinueto growyour church andsharetheloveofChristwithothers!

Grace, Rev.DavidTeel Senior Pastor, AllSaints UnitedMethodistChurch

Rev. DavidTeel, Sr. PastorofAllSaints UnitedMethodistChurch, andRev. Richard Ahlquist, Rector ofHolyCross EpiscopalChurch.

EQUIPPING the saints

Campers gather at the Rec Hall in Lower Camp for Bible stories.

FOR FORMATION

Camp McDowell has shaped and changed thousands of lives for almost 100 years. Generations have enjoyed its beauty and spirit, and Camp McDowell is one of our most powerful tools for evangelism and Christian formation. The projects included in EquippingtheSaintsare part of the ongoing maintenance and renovations required to ensure this space serves the next generation of Episcopalians in Alabama.

Eppes Hall and the septic system projects are the most pressing needs at Camp McDowell. Input received during the feasibility study informed the decision to focus on the highest priorities at Camp McDowell.

Eppes Hall is where thousands of campers, students, and adults learn about God and creation. Eppes served 60,000 meals in 2023, which accounted for 40% of all the meals served at McDowell. It is the most frequently used building on site. Eppes was built in the 1950’s and it has only had minor upgrades since then. Through this campaign, we will replace the roof and expand the dining room, kitchen, and bathrooms. We’ll add HVAC and an A/V system, while choosing energy efficient materials and systems. We’ll also update the bathrooms under the pool across from Eppes. We’ll do all this while maintaining Eppes’ original charm.

The septic system was installed when summer camp first began decades ago. It was built to sustain three months of use by only a few hundred people.

In 2023, Lower Camp welcomed 7,992 overnight guests over 12 months, adding up to roughly 111,888 toilet flushes! Replacing the outdated septic system will protect the natural environment and ensure a comfortable stay for the next generation of campers, students, teachers, guests, and staff.

Eppes Hall is the heart of Lower Camp, and improvements will meet the needs of the next generations of campers. Much-needed renovations include:

Replacing theroof

Remodeling and expanding the dining room, kitchen, and restrooms

Adding HVAC and an audio/visual system

Creating usable space in the basement

Additionalrenovations at camp will include:

Remodeling therestrooms under the pool, which will modernize our facilities and improve accessibility. Replacing the outdated septic system

Children attending Primary I in front of Eppes Hall.

Photo: Attendees sharing a meal during the Men’s Weekend in 1948.

Camp McDowell: ALifetime ofMemories

Aconversationwith TheRev.DougCarpenter byClaireCotten,

DirectorofMissionFunding

A few weeks ago, I invited myself over to the home of the Rev. Doug and Ann Carpenter. I was on a hunt for old pictures of Eppes Hall at Camp McDowell, because it is one of three focus areas for the Equipping the Saints campaign. Luckily for me, Doug, the unofficial camp historian, welcomed me in and shared his Camp McDowell treasure trove. There on the dining room table and spilling over into the chairs were dozens, maybe hundreds of photos spanning close to 80 years of memories from Wonderful, Wonderful Camp McDowell. I spent hours listening to Doug share story after story of the people who made camp what it is.

I grew up at Camp McDowell in the 1990s and 2000s. The highlight reel of my camp memories includes playing four-square in the Rec Hall, listening to Bible stories on the carpet in Eppes Hall, laughing with my friends in the pool, hiking to St. Christopher’s Pool, and praying Compline every night in the chapel while the lightning bugs glowed in the woods.

Equipping the saints: Camp mcdowell

The Rev, Doug Carpenter with his book CampMcDowell:The WaytheWorldCould Be , which was printed in 2015.

Hearing Doug’s memories is fascinating because while many are similar, some are vastly different. While I slept in the current cement block cabins (now with air conditioning!), in the 1940s and 50s, Doug camped in the original wooden cabins which were old army barracks purchased from Fort McClellan in Anniston, as it was downsizing after World War Two. All 19 original buildings cost the diocese only $1,300, and they were paid for by the pennies Bishop Carpenter collected on his annual parish visitations! They were transported to camp for no charge by members of Grace Church and St. Michael and All Angels of Anniston.

their stylish dress, the exact same picture could be taken at a table in the current Eppes Hall today. They’re enjoying a dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes, and rolls, all served from the same silver metal platters that campers and students use now.

quote we

The largest of these buildings became camp’s Mess Hall, also known as St. Dunstan’s Hall. The Mess Hall was where campers gathered for meals, participated in Bible studies, put on skits, and received their mail. It was also where the maintenance crew kept their equipment. A true multi-purpose space. This wooden building still stands in between Barnwell cabin and the Health Hut, on the way to the Council House.

Nowadays, it’s called Sanford and Son, and it still houses maintenance equipment and several wellloved rocking chairs. The camp staff is rehabbing this space as well as the one and only remaining original cabin (Cabin 14), so that these spaces can serve campers once again.

As we shuffled through memorabilia, Doug uncovered a photo from a diocesan men’s retreat in 1948. Gentlemen are seated at a table in the Mess Hall, all in their button downs and ties. Besides

When our current Mess Hall was built in the late 1950s and named for the Rev. B. Scott Eppes, who built and directed camp from its beginning until he retired in 1978, it was used only during the summer months. Now, roughly 75 years later, Summer Camp on Clear Creek and the McDowell Environmental Center use the space yearround. Over 60,000 meals were served in Eppes in 2023, making it the most used facility at camp. Eppes Hall is where children ages 7 to 18 eat their meals, learn about Jesus and creation, and make new and long-lasting friendships.

Eppes Hall has seen many iterations in its seven decades. The original window frames were hinged, and the panes could push up and out to allow for airflow. Doug explained to me with a little grin that, unfortunately, people walking past the building regularly hit their heads on the opened windows. New screened windows were installed in the 1990s along with the back deck, wheelchair ramp, and restrooms. Prior to that point, the nearest restrooms were under the swimming pool! In the early 2000s, Mark and Maggie Johnston commissioned an artist to create giant, colorful butterflies to hang from the ceiling of Eppes Hall. This art installation brought the beauty of God’s creation indoors and delighted campers and students for years.

Eppes is the heart of Lower Camp, and it’s part of the heart of our diocese. Camping, in all its forms, is integral to our diocesan identity. From Camp McDowell, Sawyerville, Special Session, Foothills, and many Vacation Bible Schools, we have been shaped by camps. Camps are a special time and place set apart where we gather together to hear theword of God, foster new friendships, and share meals together. These meals are not unlike the Holy Eucharist we share every Sunday. Our camps offer us a profound opportunitytolive out our faith.

Now,it’stimefor EppesHalltoevolveagain.

A piece of the Equipping the Saints campaign includes necessary maintenance at Camp McDowell. We will renovate Eppes Hall and replace the septic system in Lower Camp. Eppes will get a new roof, larger kitchen, more restrooms, new back porch, and a modern audio/visual system all of this while keeping its authentic camp charm. From the front, the building will look much the same. On the inside, the space will become more comfortable, more accessible, and generally better suited to the needs of our campers, students, and staff. The most important things will remain the same. Guests will still sit down at long tables to break bread together. We’ll eat our meals family-style, as always, and continue to serve from the everlasting silver metal platters. Ties will remain optional. Meals shared in Eppes Hall will continue to nourish us in body, mind, and spirit.

Photos: (top) Conference on Creative Time Wasting held in the 1970’s; (bottom) Eppes Hall in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s.

As we embark on the Equipping the Saints campaign, help us gather fond memories and photos of Lower Camp, especially Eppes Hall and the Rev. Scott and Mrs. Frances Eppes. We’ll share these stories throughout the campaign to illustrate why we’re stewarding this special place. Please send Lower Camp memories or photos to ccotten@dioala.org or 521 20th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203.

“TEQUIPPING the saints

Alabama is home to many sacred and historically significant spaces connected to the rights of Black Americans. As the Episcopal Church, we want to be on the correct side of history in the future, even if we have, at times, failed in the past.

This is why we actively pursue racial healing today so that every person in our diocese and beyond knows that they are seen, heard, welcomed, and loved by God and by the Episcopal Church. And that we will join all those fighting for justiceand equality today.

The EquippingtheSaintscapital campaign will make the following possible:

Renovations to Good Shepherd in Montgomery: this parish holds a rich history that makes it uniquely suited as the home for racial healing in our diocese. Updating the kitchen, bathrooms, and common spaces will help meet the existing demand from pilgrims and expand its capacity as a space for holy experiences and conversations that lead to racial healing.

The diocese, Good Shepherd and St. John’s, Montgomery will join together to support a full-time priest-in-charge. This person will serve both parishes and develop and coordinate our efforts around racial healing and pilgrimage.

Collecting oral and written stories about race relations: allowing us to preserve our history, learn from the past, and share different perspectives.

Opportunities for training: equipping leaders to support their congregations in addressing racial issues, fostering inclusion, and building relationships among people from diversebackgrounds.

Rosemary Bogan, Courageous Conversations Attendee

While many of our parishes’ facilities require updates, Good Shepherd’s unique situation makes it a special project that covers historic stewardship, community and economic development, racial healing and pilgrimage, and congregational vitality.

Good Shepherd, one of four historically black parishes in our diocese, is first and foremost a parish, and anyone is welcome to attend worship on Sunday mornings at 9:00am. When standing inside the walls of Good Shepherd, one is

FOR RECONCILIATION

surrounded by 175 years of Alabama history. By stewarding this space, we preserve Good Shepherd’s story so that it can be shared with future generations. When we invest in Good Shepherd, we’re also investing in the future of this historic community.

In February 2024 alone, Good Shepherd welcomed over 100 guests from around the country during their visits to Mont-

gomery. The parish provides meals and members often sit in on discussions, sharing their firsthand stories. Even though Good Shepherd welcomes guests with open arms, the facilities are not easily accessible and the kitchen is not in working condition. By remedying those concerns, we will support Good Shepherd’s ministry of hospitality to Christians seeking racial healing.

TheSacredSpaceof GoodShepherd,Montgomery

ByClaireCotten

For 175 years, the people of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Montgomery have proclaimed by word and example the Good News of God in Christ by welcoming all, marching for equality, and loving their neighbors.

Founded in 1849, the church initially held services for enslaved Black people at St. John’s Episcopal Church. After Emancipation, members established the current parish building in 1900, incorporating pews from St. John’s former “slave gallery.”

Located in the Centennial Hill neighborhood, the church is linked to the 1955 Bus Boycott and the Civil Rights Movement. From 1957 to 1961, Rev. Robert Earl DuBose, who served as rector, was also secretary of the Montgomery Improvement Association with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Ralph Abernathy. In 1960, Rev. DuBose and Rev. Abernathy led a student protest supporting the North Carolina lunch counter boycotts.

Centennial Hill, once central to Montgomery's Black middle class, faced decline in the 1960s due to Interstate-85 construction and city disinvestment. The City of Montgomery has created a master plan for Centennial Hill and is currently applying for $40 million in federal funding to revitalize this historic neighborhood.

In recent years, Montgomery has experienced a resurgence, driven by Civil Rights tourism and economic development. Good Shepherd has become a significant stop for Episcopal visitors, welcoming over 100 visitors in February 2024 alone. Pilgrims visit Montgomery to explore important historical sites and find rest and reflection at Good Shepherd, which opens their doors to these pilgrims and offers them refreshments and space for discussion, prayer, and worship. Here, holy experiences and conversations foster Christian formation and racial healing.

Good Shepherd’s membership has grown from 19 to 27 in the past year, thanks to its hospitality and focus on historical preservation and racial healing. In response to the growing congregation and an increase in visitors on pilgrimage, the church plans to update its facilities, including adding meeting space, renovating the parish hall, improving accessibility, and expanding parking.

This project honors those who advanced civil rights and preserves the church as a place for immersive educational experiences. The Rt. Rev. Glenda Curry and the Diocese of Alabama have prioritized racial healing and pilgrimage, aiming to equip leaders for creating pathways for racial healing. Enhancements to Good Shepherd support this mission, reinforcing the church’s role in racial reconciliation.

The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd is the keeper of a profound history, and this transformative project will cement the church’s legacy. This project fortifies our broader church community through Christian education, pushing us forward on our shared journey towards racial reconciliation. Safeguarding and sharing Good Shepherd’s sacred space, transformational stories, and kind people will be a testament to the unending love of Jesus which conquers all hate.

“Iwas sent to seminary fromSt. John’s in Montgomery, and I was a resident ofthe city for eight years. I amtruly excited about the resurgence ofMontgomeryin general, and the plans for Centennial Hillinparticular. The people ofGood Shepherd have been faithful stewards of their parish and its stories since its beginnings in1849.

Now, it’s time for usto recognize this parish’s significant role in the historyofour churchand our stateand support them in their desire to thrive as both a parishand a pilgrimage site for those who desire a greater understanding ofrace, history, and faith. I amproud oftheir recent growth, and I know it will continue.

– Bishop G

EquippingtheSaintsis the first capital campaign for The Diocese of Alabama since 2015, when 1600 donors gave $8.4 million to build Bethany Village at Camp McDowell. In 2009, 1042 donors contributed $6.4 million to the ACTS II capital campaign.

Yes. The projects included in Equipping the Saints impact our entire Diocese. Episcopalians throughout the diocese are encouraged to pray about how they are being called to participate in this campaign. The 14-day devotional guide, created specifically for this purpose, willbe available in every parish.

Since introducing the three pillars at the 2023 Diocesan Convention, Bishop Curry and her staff have held conversations around the Diocese, receiving feedback and insights. Horizons Stewardship was engaged to conduct a feasibility study, including over 30 interviews and 200 completed online surveys. The results of the study indicated significant support for the campaign, identified priorities, and resulted in a proposed target of $7.5 million to be raised over the next three years.

All parishes, regardless of size or location, will be positively impacted by a successful campaign. Some parishes will receive direct support through grants that will help remove barriers to growth. Other parishes will send their kids to Summer Camp at Camp McDowell and see their young people transformed by the lessons they learn in a renewed Eppes Hall. And still other parishes will take part in pilgrimages to sacred sites around our diocese, including Good Shepherd in Montgomery, and find new pathways to racial healing along the way. The campaign will elevate the profile of the Diocese of Alabama and help our parishes attract the best clergy leadership for years to come. There is something for everyone in the wide vision of this campaign, and it will touch every corner of our diverse diocese.

I/We pledge a total gift of $ ________________________

I/We enclose an initial contribution of $ ______________ towards my/our pledge.

I/We wish to pay our pledge over (check one) ___ 1 ___ 2 ___ 3 years.

PaymentMethod:I/Weplantomakemy/ourcontributionby:

____ CHECK: enclose a check payable to: The Episcopal Church in Alabama, Attn: Capital Campaign, 521 North 20th Street,

____ CREDIT CARD: scan the QR code above to make a gift online

____ SECURITIES: contact Claire Cotton for transfer instructions, ccotten@dioala.org or 205.358.9237,

____ I/We will give ____ a one-time gift ____ annually ____ quarterly ____ monthly.

Donor signature/s: _______________________________________________________

Scenes from around our Diocese (clockwise from top left): Volunteers from around the diocese participated in the May 2024 Camp McDowell work weekend; Bishop G at St. Luke’s, Birmingham for confirmation; Bishop G, Assisting Bishop Prior, and the Alabama delegation to General Convention attending the Province IV synod meeting at Kanuga, NC.; Bishop G at the final service at All Saints, Montgomery; Parents and children at Camp McDowell, Primary I session; Bishop Brian traveled to Marion to attend the confirmation service at St. Wilfred’s; Bishop G with the Sawyerville interns at Carpenter House.

Reimagining RacialHealing inOurDiocese

With the power of Jesus Christ, the Episcopal Church in Alabama is committed to the work of racial healing, reconciliation, and justice through education, truthtelling, and pilgrimage. In May of 2023, a reimagined commission was formed. Appointed by the Bishop, twelve individuals, representing both lay leaders and clergy, were entrusted with the responsibility of steering this transformative journey. On a missional level this Commission seeks to experience transformation by the sacred sites in Alabama and create opportunities of prayer, healing, and reconciliation through community awareness, engagement, deep listening, formational training, andevents. This Commission was created tobuild onthe great work done by the Commission on Truth, Justice andRacialReconciliation.

Recognizing the need for diverse perspectives and specialized focus areas, at the creation of this new commission the members organized themselves into three distinct working groups: Jonathan Daniels and the Martyrs of Alabama working group; Liturgy and Worship; and OneDiocese, One Book.

The Jonathan Daniels and the Martyrs of Alabama Pilgrimage Working Group was designed to focus their attention on continuing this great legacy of pilgrimage in the diocese. The Jonathan Daniels and Martyrs of Ala-

bama Pilgrimage has positively impacted thousands in its 26 years of reflection, remembrance, and repentance. In our pursuit of fostering a community committed to racial healing, we recognize the power that liturgy holds in shaping our worship experiences, and accordingly Liturgy andWorship becameanother working group. We believe that the intentional inclusion of liturgical elements will contribute to a more profound worship experience, fostering an environment of reflection, growth, and unity within our parishes. This working group has created worship and liturgical resources that coincide with the liturgical calendar. We have several parishes who have implemented collects and hymns out of the Lift Every Voice and Sing Hymnal to their Sunday worship experience.

One of our biggest special projects yet was the One Diocese, One Book: A Lenten Study. This study welcomed over 450 Alabama Episcopalians to study TheNightis LongButLightComesintheMorningby Dr. Catherine Meeks with their parish and other members throughout the diocese. Over 35 parishes had parish groups happening weekly. Through our online groups, we welcomed those in parishes and even had a few individuals outside out diocese who wanted to be part of this healing conversation.

As we look to the future for the Commission, we will be hosting diocesan ages, Anti a Courageous Conversation Book Study, and a host of other offerings for those seeking to be part of racial healing and pilgrimagein our diocese.

In2023,51parishes received$236,000 inRenew&Refresh grantsofupto$5,000.

Through the program, parishes removed barriers to ministry and reported growth in many forms.

This year, the diocese is particularly interested in projects that welcome new people to your parish. Weare looking to support efforts to create new worshiping groups, fellowship opportunities, or points of connection that share the Episcopal expression of theGospel with more people, especially those not currently attending a church.

Eligible projects may fall into one of three categories:

1. Physical Plant: Signage, lighting, roofs, restrooms, kitchens, accessibility improvements, playgrounds, landscaping.

2. Communications: Live streaming equipment, marketing materials, initiatives to increase visibility and attract newcomers.

3. Programming: Enriching current worship services or adding additional services, starting or expanding small group offerings, creating meaningful connections with the surrounding community

If you have a need outside these categories, please contact The Rev. Canon Geoff Evans at gevans@dioala.org to begina discussion. The grant committee may request a site visit to learn more.

TheDepartmentof MissionandOutreachis pleasedtoannouncethe recipientsoftheParishBasedOutreachGrants.

These grants empower parishes to develop innovative and impactful ways of being the hands and feet of Christ in their communities. Their new outreach programs and projects will make a significant difference in the lives of those they serve. The following 18 parishes received grants totaling $55,600:

Christ Episcopal Church, Albertville - Respite night for foster families

Christ Church, Fairfield - Food pantry

Christ Church, Tuscaloosa - Connect programfor Memory loss clients

Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Vestavia - Expansion of school backpack program

Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Guntersville - Biannual appreciation lunches

Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter, Montgomery - Many Colors Arts Directive

Episcopal Church of the Nativity, Huntsville - Suds and Buds laundry program

Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Rainbow City - Expand Beans and Rice Program

Grace Episcopal Church, Birmingham - Revamp Clothes Closet

Grace Episcopal Church, Pike Road - Diaper program

St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Florence - Construct a community garden

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Florence - Boxes of Hope, a monthly food bag giveaway

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Jasper - Extra support to the families who attend the Food Bank

St. Matthias Episcopal Church, Tuscaloosa - Cover the increased cost of Beans and Rice Ministry

St. Michaels Episcopal Church, Fayette - Ministry to the Hispanic community by adding ESL classes

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Talladega - Diaper Ministry

Trinity Episcopal Church, Clanton - Awning and pallet jack for Beans and Rice ministry

Trinity Episcopal Church, Demopolis - Participate in three feeding programs in the community

REFLECTION: SmallChurchMutualMinistry

ByRev. Marge Doyle, St. Alban’s, Birmingham

For as long as I have been at St. Alban’s, I have seen so many examples of how the Holy Spirit moves when small churches gettogether. Inthe past few years we have gifted Stations of the Cross to a military chapel in Honduras, a piano to an inner city church needing one, and hymnals to a small church wanting to add Cursillo music to their repertoire.

Most recently, we became aware of a need of the Abbey for some chairs – and we had some to gift. It was a rather exciting day when a bevy of trucks showed up and folks from St. Alban’s, St. Thomas, and the Abbey gathered to transport20 really finechairs tothe Abbey.

Of course, we have been collaborating with the Abbey for years, having meetings in the original coffee shop, purchasing Abbey coffee to use at Coffee Hour, and welcoming Rev. Katie to be with us on some Sunday mornings

when I was on Sabbatical. I have also subbed for Katie at the Abbey. Rev. Katie has worked with our vestry on visioning the future, and we look forward to future collaborations.

On the weekend of the workshop, we welcomed 24 folks from11 parishes across the diocese for a training in Paperless/Invitational Singing. Through a generous grant, and thecollaborativeefforts ofRevs. KatieNakamura Rengers, Susan Oakes, and Marge Doyle, Mr. Charles Murphy came to Birmingham to inspire, teach, and empower us in a form of worship few of us had experienced before. Charles is a singer/songwriter raised in Alabama and currently living in Chicago and is trained in the Music that Makes Community pedagogy of music leadership. One church provided space, another the meal, another all the organization and media work. Each small community gave whatit could. Continuedonnextpage.

L to R: The Rev. Marge Doyle, the Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers, Mr. Charles Murphy and the Rev. Susan Oakes collaborated to host the Invitational Singing Workshop in February.

In listening to each other’s stories, we heard of the deep desire of church members and clergy to be able to provide music in places where there are often neither musicians nor funding for them. We heard of a longing to enrich worship withsimple musicthat couldbe sungbyanyone, anywhere.

As the weekend unfolded, we experienced a Eucharistic meal, scripture and song woven between meats and veggies, bread and wine, dessert. As we worshiped together on Sunday morning, Charles taught a three part verse to the entire church, which was received withenthusiasm.

Throughout the day on Sunday, each participant had the opportunity (and took the risk) to compose a tune to lead a scripture verse. Rhythms were created with movement and percussion instruments and a shruti box. This was one great harmony ofspiritandsong.

How did this happen? A handful of small church rectors saw a possibility and said, “Yes!” Howsweetitis when we putlifetoa dream!

WehaveheardthatthereisenergyforanotherInvitationalSingingworkshop!Tojoinourpracticingcommunity,stayuptodateonfuturejamsessions andworkshops,andsharesongsandpractices,joinourInvitationalSingingfor theDioceseofAlabamaFacebookgroup.

PassoverSederatTrinity,Wetumpka

OnWednesday ofHolyWeek, Trinity, Wetumpka, conducteda MessianicJewishseder for 40 people. Webeganwiththeceremonial washing of hands, continuedwithretelling ofthe plagues andthesymbolic foods representing freedomfromslavery. Itseemed fittingto celebrateitthis year after focusing onracismthroughout Lent. Webrokethe middle matzoand hid theafikomen, which was redeemed bythe children whofoundit. The kids helped us relive the plagues of the water turnedtoblood(foodcolor), flies (plastic), lice(also plastic), locusts, boils and hail(120 ping pongballs). All ofthe first-bornchildrenina familystood uptorepresentthose whowouldbe takenbytheangel of death. There was a place for Elijah atthetableandSamHare, whois 8, called for himatthe door after we heard knocking. Our mealwas lamb, brisket, greenbeans, potatoes andstrawberries with cream. The4 symbolic 3 oz. glasses of wine or grape juice wereconsumed attheappropriatetimes during the evening. andtheevening was enjoyedbyall. -WarrenJones

Editors correction:In the lastissueof TheEpiscopalian,before press time we were unabletolearnthe namesoftwo ofthe campers in thephotograph with JurdyWarnock and John Waddell, and have been goingto Special Session since they were in theirlate teens.

Explore, engage, and have fun with our dynamic workshops designed to deepen your parish's commitment to creation care! The Diocese of Alabama Task Force for Creation Care is offering a variety of engaging workshops throughout 2024-2025, and we are eager to bring these workshops to any parish that requests one. Workshop options include:

Crossing Thresholds

What's So Amazing About Polar Bears?

Compost as a Spiritual Discipline

Plus, any other ideas you may have! To Schedule a Workshop: Contact the Rev. Sarah Smith Halloran at rector@graceepiscopalpikeroad.org. Book your workshop today and join us in exploring the wonders of creation care! We look forward to bringing these enriching experiences to your parish.

The EpiscopalChurch in The Diocese of Alabama

TheECW Womenatthe Well Scholarship

is available to women, both lay and clergy, seeking refreshment. Women of the Well Scholarship applications may be submitted at any time to the Scholarship chair. To be eligible for aWomen atthe Well Scholarship, an applicant must be a lay or clergy women whois a communicant good standing with the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama; accepted or enrolled in aspiritual or religious program orlecture, and a recipient of no more than one previous ECW scholarship. Each recipient of this program may receive no morethan a total of $400. The application formshould be submitted 2 months prior tothe program or event, to allow time for reviewby the committee. Scan the QR code at the right to apply.

Mailingaddress: CarpenterHouse, 521 North20th Street, Birmingham, AL 35203–2682 Bishop: TheRt. Rev. Glenda S. Curry, Assisting Bishop: TheRt. Rev. BrianN. Prior | TheAlabama EpiscopalianDebbieDonaldson, Editor and Art Director;Volume 109, Number 2;2ndQuarter, 2024;USPS 070-910 ; ISSN 1041-3316 Periodical postagepaid POSTMASTER: Pleasesend address corrections toLiza LeeHorton, TheAlabama Episcopalian, 521North20thStreet, Birmingham, AL, 35203-2682. The Alabama Episcopalian is publishedquarterly. Pleasesendstories and photographs (full color, at highest resolution possible) to Editor DebbieDonaldson, ddonaldson@dioala.org. Thesubmission deadlines for eachissueareFebruary 1, May 1, August 1, andNovember 1. Parishes andindividuals, pleasesendall address changes or additions toLiza LeeHorton, lhorton@ dioala.org or Carpenter House, 521 North20thStreet, Birmingham, AL 35203–2682.

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