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Diocesan News

Celebrating Women in the Church

This Sunday we will host our diocesan observance for the 50th Anniversary of the ordination of the first women priests in the Episcopal Church at 4 pm at Trinity Cathedral. 

Our preacher at Evensong will be the Rev. Machrina Blasdell, who was one of the first women to go through the ordination process in the Diocese of Arizona. I will let her share her own story—but I will tell the punchline that although she went through the ordination process here, she was not actually ordained in Arizona or by a bishop of Arizona.

Learning How to Step Back from the Abyss of Political Violence

Picture a country where fear of one’s neighbor is rampant, distrust of law enforcement is the standard, destructive riots occur regularly, and threats of political violence loom large over the minds of its citizens.

This evokes images of modern America, but we’re thinking of another country: Northern Ireland, in the lead-up to the violent and deadly multi-decade conflict known as The Troubles. With worries of political violence top of mind for millions of Americans, learning from leaders who have helped navigate conflict in other countries may give us insights for maintaining peace here at home.

81st General Convention Wrap-Up

Last week leaders from all over the Episcopal Church met in Louisville for the 81st General Convention. 
The things I was most personally gratified to see were the approval of the first readings of a gender-neutral marriage rite, and an amendment to our Catechism defining marriage as a lifelong union between two people (rather than a man and woman) as part of the Book of Common Prayer. These were things I was working on the past two years on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. 

Church Vitality

For decades a major focus in most churches has been, “How do we get more folks through our doors? And once they’re here, how do we get them to stay?”. Church leaders everywhere are constantly looking for a magic button solution to this problem. 

Seed Sovereignty

The term “seed sovereignty” is virtually unknown in North America. Yet the term is very well-known and, in fact, has become a political rallying cry among Hispanic farming communities and Native American peoples of the Rocky Mountain West, on a par with the term “social justice.”

Raising My Voice & Becoming a Beloved Community

Bridges Reentry, Inc. has been awarded one of the impactful Becoming Beloved Community Grants. Bridges Reentry, Inc. is committed to empowering women transitioning from the justice system through the expansion of the Raising My Voice (RMV) Program. RMV empowers justice-involved women to share their stories of trauma, abuse, and resilience with parishioners and other community groups. Our aim is to collaborate with diverse women of color organizations and communities to amplify marginalized voices. Raising My Voice (RMV) is a transformative leadership program designed to equip formerly

Memory

My work on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music over the past two years brought me into new contact with this line of Eucharistic Prayer C. 

A proposed authorized revision of Prayer C had been sent back to the SCLM from the last General Convention, asking us to look at several things, including this line.

2024 ECW Distinguished Women Award

The 51st Triennial Distinguished Women Award has been awarded to Winifrid Follett of The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona The Distinguished Women Award is given out to women from dioceses throughout the greater church every three years at the Episcopal Church Women’s Triennial which runs in conjunction with the General Convention. Each Diocese is asked to …