ABUNDANT Times Winter/Spring 2025

Forward in Hope

Winter/Spring 2025

Table of Contents ABUNDANT Times is the official news publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts.

The diocesan offices are located at: 37 Chestnut Street Springfield, MA, 01103-1787 Call us: (413) 737-4786 Visit us: www.diocesewma.org Follow us: @EpiscopalWMA

Abundant times

The Rt. Rev. Douglas J. Fisher IX Bishop of Western Massachusetts, Publisher The Rev. Vicki Ix Managing Editor Alison Gamache Layout and Copy Editor

At Diocesan House

The Rev. Steven Wilco Interim Canon to the Ordinary The Rev. Vicki Ix Canon for Communications

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From the Bishop

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Election of a Bishop

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Meet the new Dean of our Cathedral

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Forward in Hope: Worcester Corridor Mission Planning

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All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly: Parishes respond to food insecurity in Western MA

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Episcopal Relief & Development: Working together for lasting change

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Lenten Art Installation remembers those lost to COVID-19

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Around the Diocese

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A year of celebration at Grace Church Amherst: 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Eleven

Missioners

The Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith Missioner for Spirituality and Leadership The Rev. Christopher Carlisle Director, Building Bridges Veterans Initiative The Rev. Jennifer Gregg Missioner for Servant Leadership The Rev. Ignacio Solano Mission for Hispanic/Latino Ministries

Cover: The Feb. 22nd meeting of the Worcester Corridor Mission Planning Photo: EpiscopalWMA

From the Bishop The Rt. Rev. Douglas J. Fisher IX Bishop of Western Massachusetts

sinners. He waits with them. Showing us God is not far away. God is with us.

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he Gospel of Luke tells that powerful story of what happened after the death of Jesus when Cleopas and another disciple are walking on the road to Emmaus. The Risen Jesus (whom they do not recognize), comes up behind them and asks what they are talking about. Cleopas tells him about the greatness of Jesus and then about his suffering and death. What Cleopas says next has been called by some theologians “the saddest statement in the entire Bible.” He said, “We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”

Had hoped. Hope in the past tense.

For a while, earlier this year, I was feeling hope in the past tense. I did not agree with many of the polices of the newly elected government. I remain afraid for the vulnerable in our society. I fear the consequences of neglecting the climate crisis. Where is the hope?

Friends, the Holy Spirit gave me hope again. And she did it through the Sunday lectionary gospels. The living Word of God was real for me. Every week, in those sacred texts, the Holy Spirit gave me hope. Here are just a few examples.

Jesus goes to John to be baptized. But John’s baptism was not making one a member of a church. John was very clear that his baptism was for forgiveness of sins. We proclaim Jesus was without sin!

Shouldn’t he be doing the baptisms with John? But no. Jesus gets in line with the

How about the wedding feast at Cana?

The couple runs out of wine. Mary, the mother of Jesus, tells him to do something about this. Jesus tells her he can’t, because his “hour has not yet come.” God has a plan and this is not in the plan. But Jesus changes his mind.

People in need change God’s plans.

Jesus turns six water jars (each holding 20-30 gallons) into wine. That’s 120-180 gallons of wine! Betsy and I have hosted the weddings of our three children and we never needed 120-180 gallons of

"We don’t have just enough grace to get through the day. We have more than enough grace because it is the nature of God."

wine. But Jesus does because he is the Son of God and God creates in great abundance. The creation tells us so. Now that gives me hope. We don’t have just enough grace to get through the day.

We have more than enough grace because it is the nature of God. And when we come to the end of our life on earth, there will be more life because we can’t use up all the life that God has given us.

Then we read the story of the great catch of fish. The apostles had been fishing for a long time and had caught nothing.

Jesus tells them to “go deeper.” What a

powerful metaphor for all followers of Jesus! They do go deeper and they catch so many fish they can’t bring them all in. Again, such hope we find in God’s abundant grace.

Then Jesus says, “Now you are catching fish. Soon you will be catching people.”

Most of the time, we interpret that as meaning, “bring people into the church.”

Now I am all for that. But recently I read a great sermon from one of our clergy. He asked, “When do we catch people? We catch them when they fall.” Could that be what Jesus meant? When a person falls into poverty, we catch them. When a person falls into depression, we catch them. When a person falls into addiction, we catch them. So you see the Church is hope for the whole world.

We will be in the Great 50 Days of Easter when this magazine reaches your mailbox. We will hear in gospel after gospel that love is stronger than death.

Hope abounds.

At the recent House of Bishops gathering in Alabama, Bishop Rob Wright addressed us all on a very critical topic. This was one of my favorite lines: “Audacious faith is a blessed buoyancy.

It’s vertical assurance for horizontal endurance.” It is faith that moves us forward in hope. A faith sustained by the Word and the power of the resurrection in our lives. This is why, no matter the fears and the challenges we face, God, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). ♦ +Doug

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Election of a Bishop

t has been over ten years since the last time that the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts elected a new bishop. The term “episcopal” is derived from the Greek episcopos, “overseer” is applied to matters pertaining to bishops. An “episcopal” church is a church governed by bishops, and “episcopal services are led by bishops. The bishop is one of the three orders of ordained ministers in the church, the others being priest and deacon.

Who can be a bishop?

To be considered for election to bishop a person must be a priest in good standing and at least 30 years old.

What is the bishop’s role after being elected?

One of the three orders of ordained ministers in the church (deacon, priest, bishop) bishops are charged with the apostolic work of leading, supervising, and uniting the church and they are called to provide Christian vision and leadership for their dioceses.

The Book of Common Prayer (p.855) notes that “the ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry.

There must be at least three bishops participating in the ordination and consecration of a bishop.

How is the bishop selected?

Once a diocesan profile is written, nominations for the new bishop open. Background checks are performed on those who apply. After a process of discernment withing the diocese, in which a selection of candidates is presented to the diocese, an election is conducted. This will take place at Diocesan Convention in November, 2025. Upon election, the successful candidate is a Bishop-Elect.

While bishops are elected on the local level, they are not approved to serve as bishops until after the completion of a consent process by the leaders of the rest of the church.

A majority of diocesan bishops and a majority of diocesan standing committees (50% +1) must consent to the BishopElect’s ordination.

Elección de un Obispo

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an pasado más de diez años desde la última vez que la Diócesis Episcopal de Massachusetts Occidental eligió un nuevo obispo. El término “episcopal” se deriva del griego episcopos, “supervisor” y se aplica a los asuntos relacionados con los obispos. Una Iglesia “episcopal” es una iglesia gobernada por obispos, y los “servicios episcopales son dirigidos por obispos”. El obispo es uno de las tres órdenes de ministros ordenados en la Iglesia, los otros son el Sacerdote y el Diácono. ¿Quién puede ser obispo?

Para ser considerado para la elección como obispo, una persona debe ser un sacerdote en regla y tener al menos 30 años de edad. ¿Cuál es el papel del obispo después de ser elegido?

Los obispos, uno de los tres órdenes de ministros ordenados en la iglesia (diácono, sacerdote, obispo), están encargados de la obra apostólica de dirigir, supervisar y unir a la Iglesia y están llamados a proporcionar una visión y un liderazgo cristiano para sus diócesis.

El Libro de Oración Común (p. 747) señala que “el ministerio de un obispo es representar a Cristo y su Iglesia, particularmente como apóstol, sacerdote principal y pastor de una diócesis; proteger la fe, la unidad y la disciplina de toda la Iglesia; proclamar la Palabra de Dios; actuar en nombre de Cristo para la reconciliación del mundo y la edificación de la Iglesia; y ordenar a otros para que continúen el ministerio de Cristo.

Debe haber al menos tres obispos que participen en la ordenación y consagración de un obispo. ¿Cómo se selecciona al obispo?

Una vez que se escribe un perfil diocesano, se abren las nominaciones para el nuevo obispo. Se realizan verificaciones de antecedentes de quienes se postulan. Después de un proceso de discernimiento dentro de la diócesis, en el que se presenta una selección de candidatos a la diócesis, se lleva a cabo una elección. Esto se llevará a cabo en la Convención Diocesana en noviembre de 2025. Tras la elección, el candidato exitoso es un Obispo Electo.

A complete timeline for the selection of the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts may be found on the diocesan website. (www.diocesewma.org)

Si bien los obispos son elegidos a nivel local, no son aprobados para servir como obispos hasta que se complete un proceso de consentimiento por parte de los líderes del resto de la iglesia. Una mayoría de obispos diocesanos y una mayoría de comités permanentes diocesanos (50% +1) deben dar su consentimiento a la ordenación del Obispo Electo.

The members of the Search Committee ask that you keep them in your prayers as they work thorough this process to find the 10th bishop for our diocese. ♦

Puede encontrar un cronograma completo para la selección del décimo Obispo de la Diócesis de Western Massachusetts en el sitio web diocesano. (www.diocesewma.org) Los miembros del Comité de Búsqueda le piden que los mantengan en sus oraciones mientras trabajan en este proceso para encontrar al décimo obispo para nuestra diócesis. ♦ ABUNDANT TIMES

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Election of the Tenth Bishop

Search and Nominating SEPT 2024 Committee Members

Chaplains

B IS HOP F IS HER ANNO UNCE S R ET IR E ME NT CAL L S FO R EL E CTI ON OF SU CCE SS OR

• The Rev. Julie Carson - Holy Spirit, • TheDIO Rev. Heather Blais - Sts. James and Andrew, chair CE SAN COMMUNIC ATION F ROM PRES OF OCT 2024 Sutton STA NDI NG COMMIT TE E • Richard Delorme - St. Francis, Holden • Will Harron - Sts. James and Andrew, • William Frazier - St. Stephen’s, Pittsfield • The Rev. Jenny Gregg - Cathedral of the Beloved, Pittsfield CAL L FO R NOGreenfield MI NATI ONS F OR S EAR CH AN D NOV 2024 TR ANS IT IO N CO MM IT T EES • The Ven. Jane Griesbach - Archdeacon • Caleb Ireland - Grace, Amherst • The Rev. Joel Martinez - St. Paul’s, Holyoke SC AN N OU NCES APPOINTMENT S TO SEA R CH • Judith Philips -AChrist the King-Epiphany, Wilbraham ND TRANSITION C OM MITT EE S JAN 2025 • The Rev. Jimmy Pickett - St. John’s, Athol DISCERNM ENT RE TRE AT WI TH • Amanda - St. Stephen’s, ST AN DINWatroba G/S EARCH/TRANSITIO N Pittsfield COMMITT E ES • The Rev. Anna Woofenden - St. John’s, Northampton • Adrienne Wootters - St. John’s, Williamstown FEB 2025

L IS TE NIN G SES SIO NS TH R OU GH OU T T HE DIO CESE

Timeline for the Election of the Tenth Bishop PROF ILE COMPI L ED MARCH - APRIL 2025 APRIL NOMINATIONS CLO SED

JUNE - AUGUST CAN DIDATE DISCE RNME NT RET RE AT

P R OF IL E PO ST ED , NO MI NA TI ONS O P E N

MAY SCR E ENI NG A ND BAC KG R OU ND CHE CKS O F NO MI NEE S

SEPTEMBER

SL ATE AN NO U NCED PET IT ION PROCESS OP EN S

OCTOBER NOVEMBER ME ET & GREET EVENT S T HROUGHOU T DIOCE S E

NOVEMBER 14-15 CONSENT PROC ES S

MARCH 2026 CO N SE CRATION OF THE 10TH BISH OP

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P ET IT IO N P R OC ESS CL O SES

F INA LI ST S A NNO UN CED (SL AT E + P ET IT ION )

NOVEMBER EL E CTI NG C ONVE NT IO N

NOVEMBER - MARCH CE LE B RA TI NG BI SHO P F IS HE R

SPRING 2026

Meet the new Dean of our Cathedral The Very Rev. José Reyes comes home

people to come. Soon Fr. Dwyer said, “Do you guys want to do this at the church?

We can have a mass.” We went to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. We had mass regularly there and, at some point, Bill retired. Then Bill took us to the cathedral.

I was really young. I was like four or five at St. Peter’s, but I think it was at the cathedral that I started to really connect with the church immediately. The cathedral was just so amazing!

All these amazing people welcomed us. I think it was around the summer and there was a vacation Bible school happening, so we went to that. And then we joined Sunday school. Rachel Wheeler was the very first kid that I met. It was wonderful to get to know her and all the other amazing families.

The Very. Rev. José Reyes, Eigth Dean of Christ Church Cathedral.

Photo: EpiscopalWMA

The Rev. Vicki Ix Managing Editor, ABUNDANT Times The editor’s interview with the Very Rev. José Reyes has been edited for length.

Dean Reyes granted the interview the week before beginning his ministry in Springfield on March 23rd.

Editor: I think many of our readers know you José from your work as Missioner for Hispanic/Latino Ministries. You have some diocesan visibility, but there are some who don’t know you. This publication goes to 7,000 Episcopalians here and around the wider church. So, if we could start with some of your background—about your early years growing up in Springfield—because this is a real hometown story.

Dean Reyes: Absolutely. So, when my family moved to Springfield, we didn’t really know the language. We didn’t know anything about the city. We were staying with a family member of ours.

My mom, Xiomara Reyes, was very passionate about making sure that she got to know you first, since we didn’t know anybody. Let’s go to a church.

Church is going to help us get to know the area, get to know people. We come from the Catholic tradition and so we were first looking for Catholic churches, but at that time period, there wasn’t any Spanish-speaking Catholic masses that we knew of.

That family member remembered a Spanish-speaking priest in the city who blessed her house. My mom tracked him down. That priest was Bill Dwyer.

He was at St. Peter’s at the time. There wasn’t a Spanish-speaking service but Bill said he would come to our house. My mom asked if he’d be willing to come and lead a Bible study. And he said, yes.

My mom, in anticipation, invited all our neighbors that we didn’t know, anybody that spoke Spanish in the apartment building were invited. Bill Dwyer came, led a Bible study, and said he would be willing to come again. And so the next time around, my mom got even more

We joined the choir soon after that with Peter Beardsley. We finally felt like we had community. And it was from [church] that we were able to get to know the city. We’d go have church by a lake. Get to know the world beyond Springfield.

[There were] barbecues at Forest Park.

Through the Hispanic ministry [Bill Dwyer] would take us to Boston Red Sox games. But it was really coming to the cathedral and having that family in Christ that was the beginning of getting to know the rest of the community.

Editor: Well, God bless Bill Dwyer. What great priestly ministry to grow this relationship with your family and with all the Spanish-speaking folks in your building. Really prophetic leadership on his part.

Dean: Amen. Absolutely.

Editor: It was a church plant, when you think about it, right? Growing this this faith community from Bible Study in an apartment building.

Dean: Yes! He [Bill Dwyer] retired like eight times. Really, up until his death, he was still supplying at the 12 o’clock service. You know, he was just like that type of priest that lives his vocation.

I was probably around eight or nine when Bill asked all of us if we wanted to learn more about it [The Episcopal Church] and become Episcopalian. We Continued on next page

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did, but we were already sold because we loved Bill. It was love that brought us to the church—Bill’s love for us. And more than any theological argument or a sermon or anything like that, it was love. And as we were learning about The Episcopal Church, we fell in love with the church, too.

The Rev. William D. Dwyer - Rector of St. Peter's Parish in Springfield from 1981-1992. During his "retirement", Fr. Dwyer established a Hispanic Ministry at Christ Church Cathedral where he faithfully served for the remainder of his life.

Dean: You know, even through seminary, but especially after when I was leading at different churches, I always had the picture of the cathedral as my framework, what to aspire to. I never thought it would be open in my tenure because Tom [The Very Rev. Tom Callard] was young and doing great things. I was cheering it on from where I was serving.

So there was no plan for me to go. I loved being at St. Mark’s [Worcester].

Shout out to St. Mark’s! They are amazing. That experience of love, that experience with the cathedral, is very much real at St. Mark’s and San Marcos [Worcester]. It’s a church that really lives into the identity of being a family in Christ. I loved working with different congregations as missioner, too. Loved that too. And then I heard about the search. And, it was like a tug of the heart, right?

“Oh, wouldn’t it be so nice?” I said to myself. But I immediately thought of all the reasons why it would be impractical.

Am I good enough for that? That’s silly.

But that tug of the heart wouldn’t go away. It was just on a particular day when I decided to take this call seriously. And so I took some time to pray about it and think about it and imagine and dream and what it would be like. I thought it was a long shot because I didn’t look or sound like any dean that they’ve had before. But I had to trust the call, right? So I called the diocese I said I was interested and the process began.

Editor: This is a new chapter. This is a really transformative opportunity for both worshiping communities. And I think that’s just so exciting. Let’s move to my last question, and this is kind of like the bigger picture of a cathedral as the heart of a diocese, the seat of the bishop question. The function of a cathedral is also what it models for our diocese, how it welcomes our diocese periodically for worship and fellowship. So, what have you thought a cathedral could do or be for our whole diocese?

Dean: So the verse that was in my heart as I thought about what the cathedral is and could be is that verse where Jesus says a city on a hill can’t hide because the light shines through. The vision that I have for the cathedral is being a light that shines forth. That includes all the things that light represents: encouragement, hope, and the dawn of new things. And so be a blessing, right?

Something that can encourage and lift up others.

“You know, our Editor: What a beautiful story. Just to cathedral was my frame this, what year did your family come? first experience Dean: To America? I think it was ‘89. I with what God was four. is—an amazing Editor: Correct me if I am wrong. Are you from Dominican Republic? community that I felt the call was real. Even though I had Dean: Yes. doubts, I held on to the confidence that opened its doors this is Holy Spirit driven even if it’s the Editor: Okay, great. What a wonderful most unlikely thing. And so I just held on and welcomed us story. And, what an important time to to that. And I’m glad I did because the hear these stories in America. response was “yes.” I feel like someone in and invited us who’s been blessed by grace. It’s like the Dean: Oh, absolutely. The cathedral that math doesn’t make any sense. A kid from to be leaders in the I encountered was loving and inclusive Springfield who grew up there can do and generous and welcoming. Not just, this. But I believe in the Holy Spirit. church.” “come and have your service here”. It During the process, it was wonderful to was, “come be a part of us.” You know, our cathedral was my first experience with what God is—an amazing community that opened its doors and welcomed us in and invited us to be leaders in the church.

Editor: Let’s just talk for a minute about your discernment. It’s personal, I know, but can you tell me what it was like when you learned that we were in need of a new dean?

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speak with the leaders of the church, to talk about the blessings and the growing edges. I felt like I could help. I can serve in those in those places. The positives encourage me. Even the growing edges encourage me because all of them were things that as a church we can work together on and find solutions and see where the spirit is calling the cathedral to be. And a big part of what I kept saying was, “One church, one cathedral.”

We talked about the fact that some people have never seen their cathedral.

I would like to change that. I would like for there to be events—reasons for everyone in the diocese to come and connect, to help lead, to come preach. I want to invite acolytes from all over the diocese to come and acolyte for diocesan services and events, for choirs to come in and feel welcome. I also would love to be a resource for new ideas, a place of innovation. I want it to be said, “Well,

they tried it at the cathedral, so why can’t we try it?” I want that to be a common phrase throughout the diocese. You know, I want the cathedral to belong to the whole diocese.

My hope is that it’s not just me coming up with ideas, but I want to encourage everyone in the diocese. I’m thinking back to mission trips and how that brought the youth from all these different churches together. How can we do more and more ministry that brings us all together out into the world?

I want our cathedral to be a leader as well—to lead by example—going out into the world and being a positive voice and a voice for love and compassion.

Editor: I love doing these interviews, José. I get to know people so much better. I have followed your ministry for a decade. I remember when you graduated from VTS [Virginia Theological Seminary]. I was present for your ordination.

I’ve been watching you live into priesthood much in the same way that you described Fr. Bill Dwyer. His story is just a beautiful example of how nurturing the faith in our young people, in families who are new to us, can raise up leaders in the church who are full of God and full of love for God’s people.

Dean: I’m just so excited to start. What new dreams can we have? What can we do together? That’s my question and my encouragement.

Editor: I love that you’re coming with a question not an agenda. José, I want to thank you for your time.

Dean: Thank you. Appreciate it. ♦ The Installation of the Eighth Dean of Christ Church Cathedral will be held on Saturday, May 3 at ten o’clock in the morning. Todos bienvenidos!

History of our Cathedral

In 1929, 28 years after the creation of Western Massachusetts as an autonomous diocese, Christ Church became the Cathedral of the Diocese. Dr. John M. McGann, who was the current rector, became the first Dean of the Cathedral. Later that year, the Very Rev. Percy T. Edrop was installed as Dean of the Cathedral, a position he was to hold until 1943. He may be credited for the installation of the many memorials which today enhance the interior of the church. These include the Italian marble main altar, wooden reredos, narthex and the John Cotton Brooks memorial pulpit.

He was followed by the Very Rev. Donald Campbell who guided the Cathedral through the stormy days of World War II. Dean Campbell left in 1949 to become the Suffragan bishop of California. Later that year, the Very Rev. Merritt F. Williams became the fourth Dean of the Cathedral. As a former Canon of the National Cathedral in Washington, Dean Williams was able to persuade the donors of a lectern, which had proved to be too small for the National Cathedral, to donate it to Christ Church Cathedral instead. Dean Williams retired in 1968.

He was succeeded by the Very Rev. Malcolm W. Eckel who presided over a number of Cathedral renovations. He was also responsible for establishing new ties with Coventry Cathedral in England as well as solidifying our ties with the National Cathedral.

The tenure of Dean Eckel was also characterized by his movement toward ecumenism, which included the appointment of Dr. Karl Donfried, a Lutheran pastor and theologian, as the first Ecumenical Canon, a capacity in which he still serves. Dean Eckel retired in 1981.

From 1981 to 1995 the Very Rev. Earl Whepley served as Dean of the Cathedral. During this time, the interior of the Cathedral was completely renovated.

This included a redesign of the apse, moving of the organ console and choir stalls, as well as the repositioning of the High Altar and the Magee Altar.

This renovation also restored and enhanced the marvelous acoustics for which the cathedral has become well known.

On December 29, 1997, the Executive Committee elected the Very Rev. James G. Munroe as the sixth Dean of Christ Church Cathedral.

Welcome message on the glass of the Cathedral Office.

Photo: EpiscopalWMA

On May 19, 2017, Bishop Douglas Fisher installed the Very Rev. Tom Callard as the seventh Dean of Christ Church Cathedral. https://christchurchcathedralma.org/history-2/ ABUNDANT TIMES

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Forward in Hope: Worcester Corridor Mission Planning The Rev. Vicki Ix Managing Editor, ABUNDANT Times

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t was a new thing, this gathering of wardens and clergy in the Worcester County corridor. Diocesan gatherings, in general, tend to be all-inclusive like Convention, Bending Toward Justice, or Parish Leadership Day (remember that?).

However, our work on Saturday, February 22, was particular. The Worcester Corridor has a rooted, vibrant, faithful ministry and the Worcester Corridor currently has more clergy vacancies than the other two corridors combined.

This is a good place to stop for a moment and acknowledge that every clergy vacancy is important. The Rev. Steven Wilco, Canon to the Ordinary and Transition Officer, curates a working document reviewed each week by the Bishop and canons to check status on every single vacancy. It is of utmost concern and we trust that the Spirit is at work.

On February 22, Bishop Fisher reminded us that the clergy shortage is everywhere in The Episcopal Church. “The Baby Boomers are all retiring or going to God.” The massive exodus from active ministry is generational but also impacted by the pandemic.

The most recent Parochial Report data (2023) indicates that clergy leadership is among the top five challenges congregations are facing.

“Churches describe leadership transitions and challenges, such as the absence of full-time clergy, reliance on visiting priests or lay leadership, the need for leadership training to sustain church operations, and new leadership hierarchies regarding sharing roles and responsibilities.”* This challenge in ongoing, ubiquitous, and it has come home to Western Massachusetts.

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The Worcester Corridor Mission Planning event on February 22 was a new effort to meet this challenge head-on with faith, curiosity, and creativity. Clergy, wardens, and vestry leaders met at All Saints Episcopal Church in Worcester to pray, to listen to one another, and to wonder how congregations might collaborate in new ways in this difficult season. Grounded by Morning Prayer in All Saints’ magnificent chancel, we moved to the parish hall where Bishop Fisher set the tone for our day with an overview of the transition challenge. He located it within the larger challenges we face in our society. The shortage of Episcopal priests mirrors the shortage of doctors, nurses, plumbers, etc. All professions are seeing Baby Boomers retire and the trickle-down impact changes our access to healthcare, how long it takes to build, renovate, or make repairs. In living communities of faith, mission cannot wait for the next

rector or priest-in-charge. It was with this urgency in mind that the idea to gather the Worcester churches emerged.

The Bishop was clear, too, that the day was not about making big decisions. The purpose of the gathering was to deepen relationships and imagine possibilities.

“Every church in the corridor is invited today – this isn’t about how to help struggling churches, how to merge/close congregations or sell buildings – this is about how we can be better together as the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement; every ministry here today has things to offer and things to learn.”

The Bishop turned the program over to Canon Wilco who invited our theological reflection on the practice of ministry.

1. What makes your heart sing?

2. What is draining your energy?

3. Where do you see God?

Photo: EpiscopalWMA

Common themes emerged, especially with regard to what drains energy in congregations. Finances, physical plant, unknown future, clergy transition, aging community, leaders wearing too many hats – these elicited nodding heads and sympathetic smiles, but the really good stuff came from the other two prompts.

Even amid these real and serious concerns, the Jesus Movement is alive and engaging God’s people.

There are pre-schools, food pantries and refrigerators feeding the hungry, and an indispensable diaper ministry.

People are volunteering again and the post-pandemic purpose of the Church is palpable. There are new clergy doing new things. Children are serving in new ministries. Veterans’ lunches are addressing loneliness and poverty.

Good preaching – lay and ordained – fuels the faith that carries it all along.

God is showing up. There is desire for God that comes from God. In the relationships formed by mutual ministry and outreach, the Holy One is present – Host and Guest. So in the midst of multiple transitions, mission surely has its challenges, but it is, by God’s grace, unceasing.

Steven used the Episcopal Asset Map to highlight geographical possibilities.

(This is your not-so-subtle hint to update your congregation on the map. It is evangelism. And, it is FREE!) He highlighted examples of collaboration already happening in the Worcester Corridor. Clergy shared between congregations, Episcopal and Lutheran calling clergy together – we even have a priest who serves ¾ in this diocese and ¼ in the Diocese of Massachusetts.

(The Rev. Mary Rosendale has two bishops!) Steven walked us through eight models of cooperative ministry – some of which are already in play in Worcester, the Berkshires, and the Pioneer Valley. The afternoon allowed participants to wonder together and imagine how clergy and lay leaders might collaborate in new ways going forward. “What can we do better together?”

There are no easy answers or quick fixes for the clergy shortage in The Episcopal Church, but Worcester leaders are moving forward in hope

and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Romans 5:5). ♦ *The Episcopal Church, The Analysis of the 2023 Parochial Report Data, 26.

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All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly

Parishes respond to food insecurity in Western MA The Rev. Sandi Albom Church of the Atonement, Westfield

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or the past eight years, Massachusetts residents who receive SNAP benefits have also had access to an additional resource: the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP). HIP has provided crucial support, allowing individuals and families to purchase fresh, local produce at farmers’ markets, strengthening both local economies and access to nutritious food. This program effectively extended SNAP benefits, offering $40 per month for individuals, $60 for families of 3-5, and $80 for families of six or more. As Isaiah reminds us: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts; come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

(Isaiah 55:1) Unfortunately, as of January 2025, HIP benefits have been drastically reduced.

Now, regardless of family size, SNAP recipients receive only $20 in HIP, with no ability to carry over unused benefits. This reduction comes at a time when food insecurity in Western Massachusetts is reaching critical levels. Recent data shows

The Rev. Jimmy Pickett Photo: submitted

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The Rev. Jimmy Pickett St. John's, Athol

that 41% of households in the region are struggling to access enough food, with an even higher rate—48%—in Hampden County, which includes Westfield. Across Massachusetts, 34% of households report experiencing food insecurity. These numbers underscore a growing crisis that demands urgent response.

The causes of food insecurity are complex and interconnected. The rising cost of living, particularly in housing and utilities, forces many families to make impossible choices between rent, medication, and groceries. Wages have not kept pace with inflation, making it increasingly difficult for working families to afford basic necessities. Additionally, access to grocery stores and fresh food remains a challenge, particularly for those in rural areas or neighborhoods without reliable transportation. Cuts to federal and state assistance programs, including SNAP and HIP, further exacerbate the problem, making it harder for families to bridge the gap between what they earn and what they need to survive.

Often, we may not know that the person sitting next to us in church, living right next to us in our neighborhood, or standing in line at the store is dealing with food insecurity. The struggle to access adequate food is not always visible, and many individuals and families suffer in silence, feeling ashamed or reluctant to ask for help. It is our responsibility as people of faith to ensure that no one in our community feels alone in this struggle.

So Church, what are we—who gather week after week to be fed by the Body of Christ at our Altars in order to go out

into the world to be the Body of Christ in our communities—to do in these times? We invite you to ponder this in your heart as we share a few stories from our churches and reflect on how we can expand our work to meet this growing need.

At St. John’s in Athol, our Eucharistic fellowship flows into the parish hall and the wider North Quabbin region. On the fourth Tuesday of each month, a faithful group of volunteers cook up a meal in the parish hall for the Building Bridges Veterans Initiative. For the past several months, we have continued to break our own record of meals served. In February, we fed 52 souls in two hours. We’re projecting that that number will only continue to grow.

We also planted a small garden outside of the church, including a small fruit orchard, to provide a little extra fresh produce for the Vet’s Lunch and to share with our neighbors at the Athol Royalston Regional (ARR) Food Pantry up the hill. This pantry is hosted at the local regional high school and supports

"Often, we may not know that the person sitting next to us in church, living right next to us in our neighborhood, or standing in line at the store is dealing with food insecurity." local families and students every week. There is also a larger regional organization called Quabbin Food Connector that works to bridge the gaps for healthy food access across the North Quabbin. Rev. Jimmy sits on this board to help connect the church with local organizations, including the ARR Food Pantry. Community partnerships with local farms and consumers help the church be responsive to the changing needs in the region.

The Episcopal Church of the Atonement, Westfield, (ECOTA) hosts the local Farmer’s Market on the church lawn. For the past 10 years, the Farmer’s Market at Church has served as a vital connection between local farmers and families in need, ensuring access to fresh, healthy food. By offering matching SNAP/HIP funds, the market helps low-income households stretch their food budgets while supporting local agriculture. Our Little Pantry Initiative provides immediate food relief, offering non-perishable items and personal care essentials to anyone in need, 24/7, with no questions asked.

The Good News Garden expands this mission by growing fresh produce for donation through the Westfield Food Pantry and Little Free Food Pantry, engaging volunteers of all ages in handson gardening, and fostering a deeper connection to creation and community.

The Strawberry Festival, a cherished annual event, raises significant funds for the Westfield Food Pantry, bringing the community together in celebration while addressing food insecurity. ECOTA also partners with area churches to serve meals at the Soup Kitchen and provide weekly meals through the Food Pantry, ensuring that those facing hunger receive hot, nutritious food in a welcoming setting.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to feed the hungry, care for our neighbors, and embody God’s love through action. Through these ministries, ECOTA seeks to live out the Gospel by nourishing bodies and spirits, fostering dignity, and building a stronger, more compassionate community.

The Rev. Sandi Albom Photo: submitted

ensure that all who hunger are fed—not just in spirit, but in body as well.

Please feel free to reach out to Rev. Jimmy at St. John’s in Athol (978-2499553) or Rev. Sandi at Atonement in Westfield (413-562-5461) if you want someone to pray and brainstorm with as you look towards the growing season. ♦

These ministries, along with many others, remind us that addressing food insecurity is both a Gospel imperative and a tangible way to love our neighbors.

As we look ahead, how can we deepen our partnerships with local farms? Can we advocate for stronger food assistance policies? Could we establish community fridges or expand meal programs?

The need is great, but so is our call to respond.

If your parish is looking for ways to begin or expand food justice ministries, there are many resources and support networks available. Let’s work together to

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Episcopal Relief & Development: Working together for lasting change The Rev. Margot Page Episcopal Relief & Development Diocesan Ministry Partner

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hat is the first thing you associate with Episcopal Relief & Development? For me it is an immediate response to national and international natural disasters. Earthquakes in Haiti, famines in Africa, hurricanes in the Caribbean and the United States, fires in Southern California, and so many more times when the world was galvanized by the fragility of life and the destruction of land and properties. In the face of these devastations, I have found myself yearning to respond, to make a difference, to help in some way, and frustrated that I don’t actually have a clue as to how to even begin. And then I go to church on Sunday and the announcement is made from the pulpit, “The loose offering for today and the rest of the month (or Holy season or some designated time frame) will go to Episcopal Relief & Development.” The comfort that comes from knowing that my church family will step up and step in when my siblings in Christ are hurting is beyond words. Faith in action every day, one crisis at a time. This is the first thing I associate with Episcopal Relief & Development.

For many others, their first association with Episcopal Relief & Development is that this is the organization that provides livestock or agricultural assistance to world communities in need.

There are so many beautiful milestone celebration stories that start with, “In

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The outreach and impact of Episcopal Relief & Development in the world and nationally is all of the above and so much more as I learned when I attended the Ministry Partner gathering in Memphis, TN last November as the Western MA Diocesan Ministry Partner. The tagline, “Working Together for Lasting Change” says a lot about the core values that drive the powerful work Episcopal Relief & Development does in the world. Within that, there is a focus on four primary areas in which this organization is making global impact. These areas are: nurturing early childhood development, reducing violence against women and girls, strengthening communities’ climate resilience, and providing support in the wake of disasters. Some of their powerful work bears highlighting. lieu of a gift please make a donation to Episcopal Relief & Development to purchase livestock.” The gift of livestock or agricultural produce provides opportunities for sustainable living with the dignity of individual and collective empowerment. This is made possible through financial gifts that become tangible products which are provided to and supported by the local agencies throughout the world with whom Episcopal Relief & Development interacts.

In Brazil, Episcopal Relief & Development works with local Episcopal partners—Serviço Anglicano de Diaconia e Desenvolviment (Anglican Diakonia and Development Service); the development arm of the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil (Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil); as well as the Anglican dioceses of Amazônia and Brasília—to prevent and respond to violence against women and children and to improve access to food in this climate impacted region of the world. In Nambia, the focus is economic stability and the needs of children. The work is done in

The Rev. Margot Page (second from right) with fellow deacons at Episcopal Relief & Development Ministry Partners Gathering in Memphis, TN, November 2024.

Photo: submitted

cooperation with the Namibia Anglican Community Development Organization.

The outreach of Episcopal Relief & Development includes: Jerusalem, Palestine, Central and West Africa, South America, Central America, and Asia. At the core is the asset-based model of development which embodies the value of partnering with the local populations and organizations for lasting change.

All these programs, connections, and disaster relief efforts are financially supported by donors and, perhaps most importantly, direct financial support from our congregations. Episcopal Relief & Development does not receive any federal funding and as such is not subject to the whims or control of the US federal government. The next time there is a flood, an earthquake, a wildfire, or a hurricane and you hear the call from the pulpit of your church that “Today’s loose change offering will go to Episcopal Relief & Development” I encourage you

to give as you are able knowing that what you offer will be used thoughtfully and responsibly to relieve some of the hardship that is the unanticipated new reality of our family members in Christ.

As I grow in the role of Ministry Partner for the Diocese of Western MA I welcome your input, thoughts, and dreams to imagine ways in which we can make a global and local impact through a diocesan engagement with Episcopal Relief & Development. One dream that I have is to find ways in which we can engage with our siblings throughout Province 1 to imagine a project that embodies our core values and supports the mission to work together for lasting change. To this end I have started conversations with mission partners in both Maine and Vermont.

also feel welcome to reach out to me directly at mskenepage@gmail.com and I will do my best to answer questions and work with you to imagine ways to engage with the Jesus Movement in service to the vulnerable with the support of Episcopal Relief & Development. ♦

More information about Episcopal Relief & Development can be found on their website: www.episcopalrelief.org. Please

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Lenten Art Installation remembers those lost to COVID-19 The Rev. Meredyth Ward All Saints, Worcester

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uring July of 2014, my husband Matt and I went to China, courtesy of the generosity of some of his former graduate students. He was nearing the end of his life, and they wanted to thank him for his work and mentorship over the years. Matt was never a big fan of cities. We went to Beijing, mostly because he wanted to see the Great Wall near there, but he most wanted to see beautiful landscapes (and universities, of course!). We traveled to national parks, enjoyed lakeside beauty, and visited shrines and temples in the mountains.

At one of the temples, the monks supported themselves by selling strips of cloth that could be used to offer a prayer or intention. The strips were then tied to whatever the petitioner wanted—trees, railings, bushes. Jing (one of Matt’s students) and I both got strips of cloth and wrote hopes and prayers. There was a conversation between Jing and one of the monks about whether the prayers needed to be written in Chinese. After some consultation amongst the monks, it was decided that I could write mine in English—God would understand it anyway!

Six years later, the memories of those bits of hope and prayer fluttering in the breeze came back to me. I was having a conversation with my grandsons during early COVID-19 about the number of people who had died. Being kids (they were nine and ten at the time) they really didn’t understand how many people were affected. A thousand deaths didn’t seem that large a number to them, so I decided to show them in a tangible way.

Using my quilting supplies, I cut strips of cloth from various bits of leftover fabric and ribbons. I made each of them 19cm long, for COVID-19. We knotted them onto a cord, and they quickly realized that 1,000 was a lot of knots to tie, and a lot of people who had died. In fact, they lost interest in tying knots long before we finished.

I, however, was hooked. I realized that with each knot I was remembering a person, known or unknown, and I was affirming that we were all together in this—at a time when so many were feeling alone and disconnected. People were dying away from their families, whispering farewells into the cell phone of caregivers. The least I could do was try to represent how we were bound together.

I started keeping track of the numbers in Massachusetts. Remember how we saw lists of numbers every day for weeks? I decided to tie a strip of cloth on the line for every person who died of COVID-19 in our commonwealth. When the death toll in the US had reached 100,000, around June first of 2020, the number of deaths in Massachusetts had reached 6,547. The line was now over a hundred feet long, and had long since outgrown my living room.

At the time I was worshipping at Good Shepherd in Clinton, and the priest and vestry there were open to displaying what I was then calling COVID-19 flags.

We put hooks on the side of the building, and I strung the flags across the space by the front door. Each week I added to the line, sometimes a few, sometimes a heartbreaking number. With each knot, I prayed, and affirmed that the person was in the hands of God. It was a living meditation for me, and for those who walked by it each week.

People would stop and ask where the flags from a certain month might be, and I knew when that was asked that someone they loved had died during that period. I would do my best to estimate where their loved one was commemorated, and they would often photograph that section of the line.

white, and blue flags placed for those who had died at the Veteran’s Home in Holyoke. While I did not place them side by side, their flags had stars or stripes in their honor.

Eventually, I realized that COVID-19 would never be “over,” but our lives were returning to something like a new normal. I stopped adding to the line in May 2021, when Massachusetts lifted our state of emergency. Eventually, we took down the flags, and had them as part of our All Saints day commemoration.

This year, we are five years out from the state of emergency. March 2020 was when we began to pay attention to this new disease that was sweeping the world. While we have reached a new normal, COVID-19 is still with us, and most of us still feel the resonance of our experiences with the pandemic.

I now worship at All Saints, Worcester, and when our staff began talking about how we might recognize and remember this anniversary, I decided to retrieve the COVID-19 flags. During Lent, which coincides with the anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic, we will display the flags in the church. While the death toll has increased since them, the number of flags tied to the line is 17,384, a number both horrifying and humbling.

But when we look at the line, we see not only a vast number, but a way of making our prayers visible.

As we move through Lent, many of us try to deepen our prayer life. Some of us try new methods of prayer, others spend more time in prayer. As we move through Lent, how might we make our prayer visible, if only to ourselves? ♦

The colors were random, although some sections had one color or another predominate. As you may remember, it was sometimes hard to buy fabric, since lots of people were at home and making quilts or face masks, and supply chains were messy at best. The one section that was very intentional was a series of red Photo: www.allsaintsw.org

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Photo: All Saints Episcopal Church, Worcester

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Ordinations: A Day of Joy and Blessing This past winter we had an ordination unlike any in recent memory. On December 14th our cathedral was full of friends, family, and the faithful from many congregations, all gathered to witness the ordination of two priests and three transitional deacons.

In the last issue of ABUNDANT Times, we introduced the Revs. Silas Kotnour and Nathan Leach. Having served the minimum of six months plus one day as deacons, they knelt before the Bishop to be ordained priests of Christ’s one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Loved ones vested them with stoles and chasubles and there was Easter joy in the midst of Advent.

Three transitional deacons were ordained: the Revs.

Kathleen Kopitsky, Chris Leung, and Linda (Elle) Morgan.

We introduce them to you on the following page.

Photo: EpiscopalWMA

to the Sacred Order of Priests December 14, 2025

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Book of Common Prayer, 533

Photo: EpiscopalWMA

Silas Kotnour

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“Therefore, Father, through Jesus Christ your Son, Give your Holy Spirit to N.; fill them with grace and power, And make them a priest in your Church.”

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Nathan Leach

to the Sacred Order of Priests December 14, 2025

Front row L-R: The Rev. Nathan Leach, the Rev. Kathleen Kopitsky, the Rev. Chris Leung, the Rev. Elle Morgan, and the Rev. Silas Kotnour.

Back row: Bishop Doug Fisher Photo: EpiscopalWMA

Kathleen Kopitsky

Chris Leung

Elle Morgan

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S

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to the Sacred Order of Deacons December 14, 2025

athleen is a native of Pennsylvania, where she grew up in Coal Township. A student of Benedictine Spirituality, Kathleen has learned about daily discipline and community living framed within the Gospel. Kathleen participates in weekly formation exercises sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA. Kathleen is a graduate of Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School.

She completed her CPE at the Geisinger Medical Center’s School of Pastoral Care in Danville, PA. Following her ordination, Bishop Fisher assigned Kathleen to Christ Church, Fitchburg; St. Paul's, Gardner; and St. Mark's, Leominster. ♦

to the Sacred Order of Deacons December 14, 2025

econd Lieutenant and Chaplain Candidate Chris Leung (USAF) is a Jamaican and Cantonese hobbyist musician who was born in Hong Kong.

After moving to the States, she finished her Primary and Secondary Education in Massachusetts and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

Originally a Seventh Day Adventist by birth, Chris eventually rediscovered her spirituality in the Anglican traditions and sought confirmation. After several months of spiritual discovery and discernment through different parish ministries, she applied for postulancy in the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts and has continued that journey as a Seminarian at Virginia Theological Seminary. Chris has been a part of the VTS Dean’s Task for Diversity and Inclusion, The Task force for General Convention on Imagining a Church grounded in Social Justice, and has also worked as the Dean’s Office Assistant and hosting several guests on campus.

Over the summer Chris was commissioned second lieutenant as a Chaplain Candidate in the United States Air Force and will complete her officers training following graduation in the Spring 2025. ♦

to the Sacred Order of Deacons December 14, 2025 lle Morgan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, but spent most of her adult life in Massachusetts and New York.

She served many years as an attorney before hearing a call to ministry. Much of her legal work involved ensuring nondiscriminative practices and protection of civil rights in educational and employment settings. She will graduate from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific with a Master of Divinity degree in May 2025.

For many years, Elle felt a call to participate in a faith community that offered inclusion to all God’s children and found this in the Episcopal tradition’s commitment to “seek and serve Christ in all persons.” Her call to ministry was unanticipated to her, but was so profound that she could not fail to respond. Elle served as a Chaplain Resident at the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

The people of St. Mark's, East Longmeadow, called Elle to serve as deacon-in-charge. She began her ministry on March 30th. ♦

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Jaclyn Mayo

St. John's Episcopal Church Athol

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ishop Fisher has assigned newly ordained deacon Rev. Jaclyn Mayo, to St. John’s, Athol. Her ministry there began on Palm Sunday, April 13.

Jaclyn was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on March 1, 2025. She is originally from New Jersey, where as a teenager she stepped into ministry and never turned back.

She graduated from Bethel Seminary, where she first learned how much she didn’t and couldn’t know about God. Jaclyn currently works with nonprofit organizations as a full-time fundraiser. She is the Director of Resource Development at the United Way of North Central Massachusetts in Fitchburg, MA. She feels that her professional work and her spiritual life go hand in hand, providing for and serving the most vulnerable among us. Jaclyn’s vocation was nurtured by the people of Christ Church, Fitchburg, which has been a place of great spiritual healing and growth for her.

Jaclyn is excited to dream and work with the Rev. Jimmy Picket and the people of St. John’s, Athol. ♦

Welcome to WMA The Rev. Eddie Lopez

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Longmeadow

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he people of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Longmeadow have called the Reverend Eddie Lopez to serve as priest-in-charge. He will begin his ministry among them on Sunday, July 13, 2025.

Eddie's extensive ministry journey began with the NYC Department of Corrections as a Chaplain. He then transitioned to serving as a pastor for the United Methodist Church, concurrently working for the National Council of Churches and the General Board of Global Ministries.

He was ordained a deacon (20011) and a priest (2012) in the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, PA, serving from 2011 to 2013 at St Stephen’s Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre. Concurrently, from 2009 to 2022, Eddie served as the Director of Spiritual Care for the Yale New Haven Health System at Greenwich Hospital. From 2013 to 2022, he became a canonical resident in the Diocese of CT, where he also served as priest-in-charge for Iglesia Betania, Stamford. For the past three years, Eddie has served as the Canon for Hispanic Ministries in the Diocese of Southeast Florida and as a priest-in-charge of All Angels, Miami Springs.

Eddie's professional qualifications are a testament to his dedication and expertise. He holds an MDiv and STM, and is licensed in NYS as a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, ACPE-certified educator, and APC board-certified Chaplain. ♦

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A year of celebration at Grace Church, Amherst: 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Eleven L-R: Mark Marshall, the Rev. Susan Schaeffer, the Rev. Heidi Frantz-Dale, the Rev. Megan McDermott, the Rev. Raisin Horn, Nancy Lowry, Kevyn Smith, and Janet Tang.

Photo: Grace Church, Amherst

The Rev. Megan McDermott Grace Church, Amherst

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ast year, Grace Church found several ways to honor the 50th anniversary of women’s ordination to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church.

One of our most joyful celebrations was July 28th, the Sunday nearest to the 1974 ordination date of the Philadelphia Eleven. Grace invited the Rev. Heidi Frantz-Dale, the Rev. Raisin Horn, the Rev. Susan Schaeffer, and the Rev. Adrienne Stair (present in spirit) to concelebrate alongside myself, as Grace Church's associate priest.

The Rev. Raisin Horn said, “I felt joyful standing at the altar as concelebrant along with other women priests, and quite moved by the Eucharistic Prayer.

Several Sundays later, I saw two little girls standing in front of the enlarged photo from that day, perhaps imagining themselves behind an altar someday…. our celebration…was one of hope for the generations still to come.” Meanwhile the Rev. Heidi Frantz-Dale spoke of “the deep love I felt during the Eucharist for the courage, persistence, and holy strength of all who came before us, and all who continue to strive for a fully inclusive priesthood.”

Grace’s rector, the Rev. Thomas Synan, sat in the pews that day, enthusiastically supporting women’s leadership of the service. As he reflected a few months later in his 2024 Annual Report, “Now more than ever, the Episcopal Church needs to shout from the rooftops what we believe and what we bear witness to: that in Christ there really is no male or female, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not gender exclusive in any way, shape, or form. That the One we worship….has brought us to where we are today, directing us to a more equal and just world, and there’s no going back.”

Though Tom was not at the altar that celebratory Sunday, parishioner Mark Marshall was one of the lay Eucharistic ministers and found himself moved by the opportunity to participate in the women-led liturgy. “It was the presence of women priests, LEMs, and acolytes that was an important part of what drew me toward the Episcopal Church in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s…I realized that I wanted to be involved in that celebration; I wanted to be at the table (thankfully, as is now not unusual) as women priests celebrated the Eucharist,” Marshall said.

Recognition of this special anniversary continued throughout the rest of the year. The feast of All Saints’ included the

debut of a hymn text I composed [excerpt next page] celebrating the example of the Philadelphia Eleven, and blessing a new banner, designed and created by parishioners, that celebrates the 50th anniversary. After the 10:30am service, parishioners were also invited to stay for a documentary screening of The Philadelphia Eleven to learn more.

The church then dove deeper into the history through a three-week book group on Zoom, which explored The Story of the Philadelphia Eleven: Revised and Expanded 50th Anniversary Edition by Darlene O’Dell. Through these gatherings, people shared their personal connections with the story of the Philadelphia Eleven, including experiences of sexism in the church.

One of the co-leaders of that book group was University of Massachusetts undergraduate student Mary El Vaughan.

She shared how these celebrations impacted her: “I had always sort of thought of women clergy as a fact of life.

In reality, however, the Episcopal Church has only been ordaining women to the priesthood for fifty years, something I didn’t fully realize until we started working on our celebration of the Philadelphia Eleven. For me, it was really important to celebrate….so that we can remember our history and see how far Continued on next page

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Around the Diocese

we’ve come while also being able to see the work still ahead of us.”

Grace Church hopes to continue welcoming people of all genders into the empowering and good news of the Gospel. ♦

From “In Christ we find we’re part of all” by the Rev. Megan McDermott: In Christ we find we’re part of all the saints whose lives showed clearly God’s widening, provoking call: Be yourself, drawing near me.

We praise the saints who opened doors, hands lifted at God’s table, and now our Alleluias soar, for women free and able.

The Rev. Megan McDermott blesses the new banner, designed and created by parishioners.

Photo: submitted

New Diocesan Archivist: Delphine Williams The Rt. Rev. Douglas J. Fisher IX Bishop of Western Massachusetts

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am pleased to share that we have hired Ms. Delphine Williams to serve as our new diocesan archivist. Delphine retired from the Springfield Public Library in 2023 after a thirty-seven year career. She worked her way from page to principal clerk responsible for opening new branches in the city. Her knowledge of organizational systems will be a great asset in this important work.

A Springfield native, Delphine was baptized at St. Simon Cyrene. She has been a member of our cathedral for over fifty years. Delphine will be in her office on Wednesdays, primarily, but you can send inquiries at any time to her diocesan email.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Karen Warren, a trusted member of my staff, who has served as diocesan archivist for many years. Many of you have worked with her to find information about your congregation or a sacramental record from a parish registry we hold in trust. The work is voluminous and never-ending. Karen met that 22

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challenge and found time to write about some the stories she uncovered for our diocesan magazine. Delphine is inheriting a carefully tended system and that makes this transition smooth for us all.

The archives hold stories that inspire us.

It secures the labor of generations of Episcopalians who lived their faith, the journals of one hundred and twentythree Diocesan Conventions and the spiritual leadership of nine bishops.

We steward the stories of beloved congregations who no longer exist as they did, but live on in our hearts and memories. The record of our diocesan revival in 2018 will never be forgotten.

Knowing and claiming the truth of our history is part of our work as followers of Jesus. Last summer Mr. Eric Laforest, educator and historian, visited the archives to trace the financial roots of our diocese. In his report to the 123rd Diocesan Convention, Eric concluded that the $100,000 gifted to Western Massachusetts at the founding of our diocese in 1901, came largely from

Photo: EpiscopalWMA

personal wealth accumulated and enriched by the slave economy in the South. This is hard for us to acknowledge but the work of atonement is a matter of our spiritual transformation. It is ongoing and requires our careful attention to the details of our story. And it challenges us to hear stories that never saw the light of day. It is even more critical now that we have begun this work that we have someone to guide our way.

Join me in welcoming Delphine Williams to my staff. We invite your inquiries and your scheduled visits to our archives.

I encourage us all to tell the truth of what we find and to cherish the stories of mercy, compassion and hope that keep the Jesus Movement rolling on in Western Massachusetts. ♦

New Dean of the Province 1 School for Deacons: Charlotte LaForest Will Harron Province 1 Coordinator

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he Province 1 Executive Committee is overjoyed to announce that the Rev. Charlotte LaForest has been appointed the new Dean for the Province 1 School for Deacons. She began her ministry with the school on March 1st.

LaForest brings to the school a passion for the diaconate and a deep understanding of the importance of formation, collaboration, and social justice being the focus for our school.

She has served a variety of churches in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut and is also a licensed social worker. [...]

LaForest noted “The ministry of deacons is more important than ever.

Their ministry of hope brings the good news of the Gospel outside of church buildings and into the world. I’m excited to be a part of the next chapter of The Province 1 School for Deacons, a model of collaboration and creativity that is well suited to the 21st century church.

My hope is that the work we do at the School will serve the formation and

Photo: submitted

flourishing of deacons at all stages of their ministries.”

The Rt. Rev. Laura Ahrens (CT), who serves as chair of the Province 1 School for Deacons Advisory Council added, “Charlotte’s energy and creativity are exactly what we need for the school at this time. We are excited to walk with Charlotte in the continuing evolution of the school as it seeks to offer formation to deacons seeking to help all of us share God’s love and proclaim God’s justice with compassion and courage.

I am looking forward to working with Charlotte in the years ahead!”

Olive Swinski, Province 1 President shared, “The Province 1 School for Deacons has been and will continue to

be an essential ministry of Province 1. As Charlotte begins this new ministry, I look forward to seeing how her gifts shape and move the school forward.”

We have been blessed by the exceptional leadership of the Rev. Dr. Lynda Tyson as the school’s current dean. As we welcome Charlotte, we also want to offer our thanks and gratitude to Lynda for her oversight and shepherding for the past five years.

Province 1 School for Deacons is a tenyear-old collaborative education initiative of six New England dioceses of The Episcopal Church: Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts. ♦

New ECW Province 1 President: Lois Frankforter

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ois Frankforter of Connecticut is the new NECW Province 1 Rep and ECW Province 1 President. Her ministry follows the long and faithful leadership of Susan Howland, Holy Trinity, Southbridge.

In a letter to the bishops of Province 1, Frankforter expressed the desire to connect with all the women’s ministries in Western Massachusetts “in order to better serve and support them.” ♦

Photo: submitted

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The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts 37 Chestnut St. Springfield, MA 01103-1787

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID TIGERPRESS

The 124th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts November 14-15, 2025 ABUNDANT Times is a ministry of our diocese and is delivered to each household at no cost.

Donations to defray the cost, however, are gratefully accepted. The cost per household per year is $10.

Gifts can be mailed to Diocesan House at 37 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01103-1787.

Address corrections or deletions may be sent to the same address attention: A. Gamache.