EpiscopalRI Diocesan News

Ebola Outbreak Forum at All Saints Memorial Church

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Sibielski) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 15:53:00 +0000

Ebola Outbreak Forum at All Saints Memorial Church
7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. - September 11, 2014

Rhode Island is home to the largest Liberian population in the country. Citizens of Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra-Leone, Ghana, and other countries have been affected. Quarantines have been established, and there have been many protests because the health care infrastructures in these countries are often inadequate to cope with this disease. While there have been some remarkable cures, there is also fear for the safety of unaffected populations.

All Saints Memorial Church will host a panel of experts on Sept 11, to discuss the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Guest speakers will include Dr. Maria Melino, an infectious disease physician; Elaine Williams, a local nurse who has been working with Rhode Island’s Liberian community; Bill McBorrough, a local African with many friends and family in affected areas; and Donald Cunnigen, Professor of Sociology at URI, will moderate the panel.

Joins us for a panel discussions on health and safety, tips on how to communicate with family and friends in affected areas, and a Q&A with the panelists. Donations will be accepted for Episcopal Relief and Development. Refreshments will follow.

Download a flyer

Thursday, September 11, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
All Saints Memorial Church
674 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903

Our New Website is Live!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:33:00 +0000

We are excited to announce the release of our new mobile-responsive diocesan website, with a fresh clean look designed around the award winning diocesan logo that you all loved so much when we unveiled at Convention last year. Stop by www.episcopalri.org to check it out.

We've done more than change the colors. We've organized the menus to make it easier for our church leaders to find the resources they need to do the best ministry they can, and to make it easier for newcomers to learn more about the Episcopal Church in RI and find a church to attend nearby.

The whole site is also now mobile responsive for easy access no matter where you are and what device you are browsing it on.

This means that you can find directions to a church from your smartphone, or in your vestry meeting you can pull up diocesan forms and documents on your tablet right there. No wifi? No worries. You can get it all on your phone too.

We hope that you will enjoy browsing our new site! Each time you come back you can expect to find more helpful resources and information. Check out Bishop Knisely's page to see what he's been saying on social media, And if you see anything on the site that is missing or needs updating just email ben@episcopalri.org and he'll take care of it.

The ‘New’ Church in Little Compton Turns 100

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Sibielski) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 20:42:00 +0000

Celebrating 100 years of worship

A visit to Little Compton’s Commons is like stepping back into history. From the white-steepled church founded by the Pilgrims’ offspring to the Civil War-era General Store to the ancient slate gravestones in the picturesque burial ground, time seems to have stood still.

Set against this venerable background, the “new” church in Little Compton – St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church – is turning 100 this year, and the parish is gearing up to celebrate its centennial in grand style. A newly-renovated parish hall will be dedicated by Bishop Knisely, and a 21st century stylized logo has just been unveiled that symbolizes the parish’s focus on the future while hearkening back to its historical roots as “the fisherman’s church.”

St. Andrew's by-the-Sea (1914)

It was August of 1914 when Laura Lloyd Wainwright drove her “touring automobile” to nearby Tiverton to persuade the Rev. John A. Gardner of Holy Trinity Church to hold a service for the summer visitors. The pair quickly organized an evening prayer service for 125 worshipers at the “Casino” or Clam House at Sakonnet Point where, just hours earlier, day-trippers enjoyed a bountiful shore dinner before returning back to Providence via steamship.
In the following weeks, Mrs. Wainwright convinced her husband to donate an oceanfront garage that was soon transformed into a summer chapel. In 1918, the chapel was moved to a 4-acre pasture near the Sakonnet Golf Club. From this idyllic setting, St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea served residents and summer guests alike as an unorganized mission of the Diocese of Rhode Island for the next eight decades.

In 1998, a new building for St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea was created from the bones of the historic Guild Hall on the north end of the Little Compton Commons. This central location could better serve the townspeople, as well as worshippers from South Tiverton and nearby Westport, Mass. In 2001, the now year-round St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea achieved parish status in the Diocese.
On Saturday, August 23rd, St. Andrew’s will host a centennial gala on the church grounds to commemorate its first 100 years. Bishop Knisely will celebrate Holy Eucharist the following morning to ask God’s blessings on the parish, and on its ministry for the next century, in what will undoubtedly be a joyous commemoration.

In a town where institutions are measured in centuries, not years, St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea has now joined the revered “Century Club.” Its best years are still to come!

Ben Sibielski appointed as new Communications Director for the Diocese of Rhode Island

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 19:24:00 +0000

Bishop Knisely is pleased to announce the appointment of Benjamin Sibielski as the new Director of Communications for the Diocese of Rhode Island.

Ben comes to us from a position at Providence College where he worked in marketing communications for the Office of Alumni Relations and the Office of Development. His prior experience included several years as the Integrated Media Manager at the Roger Williams Zoo where he was responsible for publicity, implementing advertising campaigns, and managing digital communications efforts such as website and social media campaigns. He is also experienced in event planning and fundraising.

Many of you might have already met Ben, as he grew up in this diocese attending St. David's on the Hill in Cranston. He is currently a member of Church of the Ascension in Cranston where he has served on the vestry, taught Sunday school, and led the church's youth group.

Ben is a local graduate of Rhode Island College where he majored in Communications and Public Relations. This combination has served him well in his previous positions and brings a breadth of experience to our diocese. As Bishop Knisely said:

“We were impressed with his experience and reputation for using a wide range of media and methods to communicate with all ages, his ability to think strategically, and to develop and implement a plan...We also believe that his development experience will be a real benefit to us. Plus, Ben knows Rhode Island and the Episcopal Church, which is an added bonus.”

Ben begins his work with the Diocese on July 28, 2014. He is looking forward to meeting people in the congregations, diocesan groups and organizations around the state, and "sharing the stories of our parishes with the community at large". You can reach him at the diocesan office at 401-274-4500 x226 or email him at Ben@episcopalri.org.

Help Support & Celebrate the Opening of Jonathan Daniels House

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:34:00 +0000

It is early July and right now nobody wants to think about the fall, but bear with us for a moment as there is some exciting news. Jonathan Daniels House is all set to open this fall with a fantastic group of interns living communally in an apartment on the west side of Providence.

Between now and then there are a few ways you
can get involved in supporting and celebrating this amazing new diocesan ministry. Here they are, please spread the word to any who may want to be involved:

JDH needs to furnish a 3BR apt with good-quality used furniture--everything from tables to towels to teaspoons. Contact Ann Rheault if you have an item you can donate annrheault@verizon.net. Dropoffs will be accepted August 2-9th.
JDH is still accepting applications, so if you or someone you know is an interested college grad in their 20s or early 30s, apply ASAP! Think what it would mean to give a year to explore the connection between faith and social change, to live among other young adults who are also committed to community and simplicity, and grow in capacity for compassionate, courageous, and imaginative leadership. Interested persons should email JDH Director Gillian Barr at gillian@episcopalri.org and fill out the official application at https://esc.hiretouch.com/. Be sure to list Jonathan Daniels House as your program of interest. More info is available at jonathandanielshouse.org and episcopalservicecorps.org.
Lastly, save the date to come celebrate the opening of JDH with an Evensong on Jonathan Daniels Day! The date is Thursday, August 14, at 6:30 p.m and the Evensong will be held at Church of the Transfiguration in Cranston. Light refreshments will be served after the service.

3 RI Churches Stream TENS Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 18:25:00 +0000

The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) is offering a great opportunity to treasurers and stewardship committees this year: They are recording a webcast of their June conference called "Walking the Way" and several R.I. congregations are hosting webcast events so that clergy, treasurers, and stewardship committees can benefit from the resources.

The keynote addresses and one of each of the four workshop sessions will be available for streaming so come get inspired! Please check with church to RSVP and verify which workshops they will webcast. More info on the sessions is included below!

June 10th (workshops A&B) at Trinity Church in Newport 6:30 - 8:30 pm 401-846-0660
June 11th (workshops C&D) at Trinity Church in Newport 6:30 - 8:30 pm 401-846-0660
June 14th at St. Peter's by-the-Sea in Narragansett 9 am to noon 401-783-4623
June 24th (Workshops A, B & Plenary) at St. Martin's in Providence 6:30 - 9 pm 401-751-2141
June 25th (Workshops C&D) at St. Martin's in Providence 6:30 - 9 pm 401-751-2141

Here's what the webcast options are:

Plenary One Webcast: The Rt. Rev. Robert Wright
Penary Two Webcast: Plenary two: Sister Joan Chittister, OSB
Plenary Three Webcast: The Rev. Charles Lafond
Read more about plenary speakers

Webcast Workshop Sessions:
from A: Walking the Way Annual Giving Campaign: A Path Ahead
from B: Launching a Legacy Society
from C: Faith & Possessions: Stewardship in the New Testament
from D: Communicating Stewardship Year Round

Please check with church to RSVP and verify which workshops they will webcast:

June 10th (workshops A&B) at Trinity Church in Newport 6:30 - 8:30 pm 401-846-0660
June 11th (workshops C&D) at Trinity Church in Newport 6:30 - 8:30 pm 401-846-0660
June 14th at St. Peter's by-the-Sea in Narragansett 9 am to noon 401-783-4623
June 24th & 25th at St. Martin's in Providence 6:30 - 9 pm 401-751-2141

Growing in Mission & Vitality: Risen Magazine Spring 2014 Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 May 2014 16:15:00 +0000

The latest issue of RISEN Magazine has been published! Check it out here if you haven't gotten your copy yet.

Download a printable PDF

Don't know what to do after graduation? JDH is still looking for residential interns!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 May 2014 19:12:00 +0000

Wondering what to do next?

Do Justice. Love Kindness. Walk Humbly with God.

You’re invited to apply to live and serve for 10 months in Providence, RI with Jonathan Daniels House (JDH), an Episcopal Service Corps community.

As a JDH Fellow you will live together with 3 other Fellows in a house in south Providence and spend 5 days a week serving in a social service organization. House residents also commit to regular prayer and worship and study, and you will learn leadership skills and spiritual practices that you can use for the rest of your life.

JDH is a program of the nationwide Episcopal Service Corps and is sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. It is open to anyone who has completed college, is in their 20s or early 30s, and is willing to live in Christian-based community. Fellows receive a stipend to cover basic living expenses, and health insurance if needed.

Applications are still being accepted for August 2014.

For more information and to apply to any Episcopal Service Corps program around the country, see http://episcopalservicecorps.org

For more information about JDH in particular,go to http://jonathandanielshouse.org or contact the Rev. Gillian Barr, Director, at Gillian@episcopalri.org or 401-285-1219 .

VIDEO: Bishop Knisely's "Pursuing the Mystery of Science and Faith" Homily at ERT2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 13 May 2014 16:49:00 +0000

Bishop Knisely gave the homily "Pursuing the Mystery of Science and Faith" at the 2014 Ecumenical Roundtable on Science, Technology & the Church, which was held at the Episcopal Church Center of Utah in Salt Lake City. The event included representatives from many different denominations, and was hosted by the Episcopal Network for Science, Technology and Faith.

Looking for more on this topic? Follow ENSTF on facebook or follow the roundtable twitter conversation at #ERT2014. You can also check out Bishop Knisely's blog or read his new full-length book on science and religion titled "Entangled States".

Entangled States; Bishop Knisely's new full-length book on science and faith

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 May 2014 19:26:00 +0000

Bishop Knisely's new full-length book on science and faith, titled Entangled States, has been published and is now available in print and ebook versions at http://www.nowboundbooks.com.

This is exciting news! Many of you got a taste of Bishop Knisely's thoughts on this topic in his sold-out book of Lenten meditations titled Lent is not Rocket Science. Now that we have entered the Easter season, if you're looking for a more in-depth discussion of science and faith snap up a copy of Entangled States, and do it quick if you want to get your hands on a first edition.

Here's a taste of what this new book discusses, taken from the back cover:

"By telling a kind of story that got under the skin of the people who heard it, Jesus began a revolution that was to change the world. His audience couldn't get the stories out of their heads because they altered the way they saw the world.

Now, science is telling us a new story that transforms how we see ourselves. One of the fundamental insights of quantum physics is that our reality isn’t limited to our physical boundary but extends throughout time and space. This is not poetry, but the revelation of modern mathematics. It means we are all interrelated, and the things we think keep us apart are in reality illusory. We are completely entangled in each other’s lives.

The gift of being human is the recognition that just out of our grasp, there is a harmonious connectedness, so that we are all part of a piece and therefore sisters and brothers under the skin.

No matter how adamantly we insist on being divided, every now and then we can’t help but catch a glimpse of the fact we are bound together. Such a glimpse may come in the form of a spiritual experience, a sense that the universe is suffused with a divine Presence. Or it may occur in a laboratory, as a scientist discovers a connection no one has ever seen before and realizes there is a unity to reality.

Both a scientist and Episcopal bishop, Nicholas Knisely invites us to open up to the possibility that this unity might really be here, and that all of us might be able to experience it. This is why the book is called Entangled States. For we are all entangled one in another, and the human in the divine.

You can also visit Bishop Knisely's blog http://entangledstates.org for his real-time thoughts on science and faith.

Rhythms of Grace at Advent, Worship for the Autistic & their Families

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 May 2014 16:24:00 +0000

Due to creative thinking and an open ear to the Holy Spirit, an under utilized church building and a diocesan desire to serve the underserved have presented a great opportunity for us to use our diocesan resources to reach out to the Autistic community and their families in RI.

Rhythms of Grace at Advent is a new worship offering using the "Rhythms of Grace" liturgical program, which was developed by the Rev. Dr. Audrey Scanlan and Linda L. Snyder to serve the autistic community and their families. The program seeks to provide an alternative way to meet their spiritual, physical, and emotional needs. While the Autistic community is the focus, the liturgy is appropriate for all people who wish to experience another expression of how we can worship God and serve God’s people.

Advent, Coventry (formerly St. Matthias) is centrally located in Rhode Island. The property has been vacant for several years but the church’s location, ample sanctuary space, and flexible redesign potential made it an obvious place to begin this new offering. Currently, the sanctuary is being reconfigured to host this unique and interactive worship experience. Before and after photos will be posted on our Facebook page “Rhythms of Grace at Advent Coventry” as well as new updates as they happen. A new floor installation is planned for April 26, 2014.

The church building needs some cleaning, landscaping, painting and TLC. Several work Saturdays are being planned between now and June. Do you have skills in any of those areas? We could use your help. While much work is still required, a soft start is planned for June with a number of families, professionals, and clergy. Together this group will work through the program to ensure it has the correct balance to best serve those who God brings together to form this new community, and then a large scale opening service will be planned for September.

If you are interested in volunteering for a work Saturday or have any questions you may email the Rev. Dennis Bucco or the Rev. Deacon Mary Ann Mello. To find out more about the Liturgy “Rhythms of Grace" you can check out the website at http://www.rhythms-of-grace.org. We have been greatly inspired by the support and enthusiastic encouragement by so many people in the diocese that we are glad to be able to provide you with this update. Thank you for all you interest and prayers.

Making room for movement & installing new flooring

Transition in the Communications Ministry of Diocese

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 17:19:00 +0000

Our Communications Director, Ruth Meteer, has been accepted into Yale Divinity School to do a Master of Arts in Religion and Literature. After much prayerful discernment she has decided that the time is right to enroll for this fall, which means that after nearly 6 years with the Diocese of Rhode Island Ruth will be moving on to the next step in her career.
Our quarterly RISEN Magazine is an award winning publication. All but two of our churches now have websites, and most of our churches are active on social media as well. The story of all the great things happening in the Episcopal Church in RI is gaining traction church wide, and local RI media has been running near-weekly stories about our churches and programs. In a few more months we will launch our new mobile responsive website, and begin to put into action some of the work Ruth and the Digital Giving task force have done to explore mobile giving options. Ruth's role in the process that has gotten us to this point can not be overstated. We owe her a great deal of thanks.
Ruth has said

“I have never worked in an office as supportive, fun, and full of integrity as the Diocese of RI and will be very lucky ever to find such a place again. I will deeply miss every member of this staff and all of you, the wonderful people I have worked with in our churches. I want to tell you though, that I am confident your next Communications Director will be inheriting a position with all the tools they need to succeed.
This is the perfect time for a fresh set of eyes to come in and strategically maximize all that we’ve put into place over the past 6 years. The Episcopal Church in RI has an exciting future ahead, and everything necessary to share that future with the world. I know God is working in this place. Have you felt the excitement building in this diocese lately? I have! I am blessed to have been a part of it, and can’t wait to see how the Holy Spirit works here in RI the future, and in my own life as I enter this new stage.”

Our job description for Ruth’s replacement can be found on our website here. Anyone interested in the position could begin by contacting The Rev. Canon Linda Grenz. We are hoping to hire our next Communications Director over the summer months so that we can have as smooth as possible a transition in this important ministry.
While Ruth and I have only worked together for the past two years, I am grateful for her presence on my senior staff and for the creativity and wide knowledge of this evolving field that she brought to the position.
Pray with us as my office begins to discern who may be the next hire for Rhode Island!

+Nicholas Knisely
XIII Bishop of Rhode Island

St. Martin's, Providence calls The Rev. Mark Sutherland as Rector

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:42:00 +0000

The Reverend Mark Robert Sutherland has been called as the 12th Rector of St. Martin’s, Providence. Mark has been serving as Canon for Congregational Formation at Trinity Cathedral in the Diocese of Arizona, the same church where Bishop Knisely served as Dean before his election and consecration as the 13th Bishop of Rhode Island.

In an Easter Monday letter to the parish, St. Martin's Wardens Elizabeth Welshman and Sean Mulholland say "The Discernment Team voted unanimously to recommend Mark as the next Rector of St. Martin’s, and the Vestry voted unanimously to accept the decision of the Discernment Team. For St. Martin’s this announces an exciting new stage in our journey as a Christian community."

Mark is a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his family still live. In 1977, at the age of 22, he graduated from the University of Canterbury with an LLB and, shortly thereafter, left on a Kiwi walkabout from which he never returned.

After 5 years in the UK in 1982 Mark began training for priestly ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, the Church of England’s first and oldest theological college at Oxford University. Two years later he went as an exchange student to Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. In 1985 he returned to England where on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Mark was ordained deacon in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. He was ordained priest one year later and he served for seven years in two parishes of the Diocese of London.

Early on, Mark was drawn to a ministry to those in emotional and spiritual distress. To better serve in this ministry, he began training in psychoanalytic counseling at the University of London, eventually obtaining an M.A. in Adult and Continuing Education, as well as an M.A. in Transpersonal Psychotherapy from the University of East London. For 12 of the next 18 years, Mark directed one of the largest departments of spiritual care in the UK at the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust. The Trust included the world famous Maudsely and the Bethlem Royal (Old Bedlam) Hospitals together with community mental health facilities in South East London. He became a nationally recognized educator, speaker, and writer on the complex interface between spiritual life and emotional development.

In the spring of 2010, after a year as a chaplain resident at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center Bishop Kirk Smith appointed him Canon for Congregational Formation (Canon Pastor) to Trinity Cathedral. He is also a member of the Bishop’s Commission on Ministry. In August 2012 Bishop Smith invited him to become the Interim Dean. He served as Interim Dean for the next 16 months before resuming his position as Canon Pastor after the arrival of the current Dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Phoenix, AZ, in January 2014.

Mark lives in central Phoenix with his spouse, Al Marcetti, and their Cocker spaniel, Charliegirl.
Mark’s blog can be found at www.relationalrealities.com and his sermons are regularly posted on the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral website www.trinitycathedral.com.

Mark and his spouse Al will visit St. Martin's on Sunday, April 27th and Mark will serve as guest preacher at the 8 and 10AM services. Following each service, parishioners will have the opportunity to hear from Mark in a parish-wide forum.

In closing their letter, St. Martin's Wardens offer their gratitude for this exciting new call by saying "We would like to thank The Rt. Rev. Bishop Nicholas Knisely, Bishop of Rhode Island, and The Rev. Canon Linda Grenz, Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Rhode Island. They were always accessible and offered valuable guidance as we arrived at our Agreement with Mark. We would also like to thank Mark. He discerned a call to St. Martin’s and followed it. And finally, we would like to thank the Lord, our God. He made all of this possible."

St. Mary's Home for Children & National Child Abuse Prevention Month

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 13:00:00 +0000

We received this letter from St. Mary's Home for Children, which many of you may not know is a non-profit with Episcopal roots, for which the Bishop of RI still sits on the Board of Directors. If you are looking for a good cause to support for National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Bishop Knisely suggests St. Mary's.

Dear Friend,

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to acknowledge the importance of working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and promote the emotional well being of children and families. With your help, St. Mary’s Home for Children provided therapeutic and educational services to 871 clients in 2013. Through our residential, out-patient, community-based and educational programs, we treat children and families from all walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds.

In the State of Rhode Island in 2012, RI Kids Count reported that there were 13,540 calls to the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families’ Child Protective Services Hotline reporting maltreatment of children. 6,784 of those calls resulted in complete investigations and 2,266 indicated child abuse or neglect. In our small state, too many children are being affected by abuse. Many of these children find a safe haven at St. Mary’s Home for Children.

The children we serve have experienced traumatic events. Our mission is not only to provide a safe environment for healing from these experiences, but also to help our clients lead fulfilling, meaningful lives – lives free from abuse and violence. We aspire to have a positive impact on the cycle of abuse by helping those we serve develop positive coping, social, and emotional regulation skills so that future generations will derive the benefits of healthy parenting.

We deliver a message of hope in all aspects of our work and find special value in providing those we serve with recreational, therapeutic and education experiences that treat the “whole” child. We recognize that our children have tremendous potential. Their abuse does not define them. For our efforts to be effective, we need your help. Funds raised from our friends and supporters enable us to provide the resources, services and activities that are instrumental in the children’s healing process.

Won’t you please support our programs during this significant month? Your gift will have a direct impact on a child in need.

Very truly yours,

Carlene Casciano-McCann

Executive Director

St. Mary’s Home for Children The Shepherd Program George N. Hunt Campus School

420 Fruit Hill Avenue North Providence, RI 02911 401-353-3900 www.smhfc.org

St. John's in Newport Restores the Word Episcopal to its Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:09:00 +0000

Before After

The Vicar of St. John’s, Father N.J.A. Humphrey, will bless the restored sign at 9:00 a.m., following Morning Prayer on Friday, April 11th.

The Zabriskie Memorial Church of St. John the Evangelist in Newport's historic neighborhood called the point, has re-affirmed it's Episcopal affiliation by restoring the word 'Episcopal' to its sign and adding the phrase 'A member of the worldwide Anglican Communion'. St. John's is one of two Anglo-Catholic churches in the Diocese of Rhode Island.

11 years ago, in October, 2003, the former rector of Saint John the Evangelist Church changed the sign out front to read 'Anglican'. Through the years the former word 'Episcopal' could still be seen faintly in the blacked-out background, over which the word 'Anglican' was superimposed.

The 2003 sign change was intended as a protest against the consecration of Gene Robinson, a partnered gay man, as Bishop of New Hampshire. “I believe some people hoped that St. John’s would leave the Episcopal Church over this issue,” the current vicar, Father N.J.A. Humphrey, said. Fr. Humphrey has been the priest at St. John’s since August, 2013.

But St. John's didn't ever leave the Episcopal Church, and the term 'Anglican' on their sign gradually became misleading. Over the years breakaway churches across the nation began to claim the title 'Anglican' as a way of distancing themselves from the Episcopal Church, which is the official U.S. branch of the Worldwide Anglican Communion. Fr. Nathan Humphrey said “As soon as I arrived, several people asked me what I was going to do about the sign. It wasn’t exactly my top priority, but I was bothered by the fact that it sent not just the wrong message, but a false one.”

A few months after Fr. Humphrey’s arrival, the governing board of the congregation authorized the sign’s restoration, and soon thereafter Fr. Humphrey raised enough money to cover the cost. “John Liptak of Liptak signs did a beautiful job,” Fr. Humphrey said.

This restoration is not intended to signal any recent change in the church’s ideology. Fr. Humphrey said “St. John’s is home to people on all sides of any given political or theological issue. We’re just like any other happy dysfunctional family in that regard...There are plenty of Anglicans who are progressive as well as plenty of Anglicans who are traditional in our theological and political outlook. He continued on to say "The plain fact of the matter is that to leave the word ‘Episcopal’ off of our sign was false advertising. We have been a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island since our founding as an Anglo-catholic congregation in 1875, and we have never ceased being anything other than a member of this diocese. Nor do we have any intention of changing that now or in the future.”

In fact, last Spring the governing board of St. John’s voted to request that the Bishop of Rhode Island, The Right Reverend W. Nicholas Knisely, make the parish a transitional mission congregation of the diocese, legally making the bishop the rector of the church. As Rector, Bp. Knisely appointed Fr. Humphrey, an experienced Anglo-catholic priest, to be his Vicar. The church consented. “I was recruited to help St. John’s reclaim its traditional identity as a joyful center of high church worship and caring outreach in Newport,” Fr. Humphrey said. “The denominational in-fighting of the past forty years effectively distracted many past members of St. John’s from our core identity as brothers and sisters in Christ, called to glorify God in reverent worship, to edify each other through attention to the Gospel of Jesus, and to embrace service to the world in Jesus’ name.

He continued "Our identity in Christ is the only identity that really matters, and anything, including what the sign says out front, pales in comparison to that. Thank God that St. John’s has members who have remained faithful to that core identity through thick and thin. Now is the time to broadcast that nothing will hinder us from proclaiming who we truly are: a Christian community in the Anglo-catholic tradition within the Episcopal Church.”

The Anglo-catholic movement began in the Church of England in the mid-nineteenth century. Soon, its emphasis on reverent beauty in worship and fidelity to the apostolic teaching of the early church was imported to many congregations within the Episcopal Church. “People like to say we are all about ‘smells and bells,’ but I prefer saying we have ‘all the pomp without the pope,’ though were the pope to visit us, we’d be pleased as punch to welcome him,” Fr. Humphrey quipped.

The sign change comes just in time for Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday on April 13th. “We are planning a procession from Storer Park to the church, beginning at 10 a.m. All are welcome to join our blessing of the palms in the park that morning, weather-permitting.” Fr. Humphrey continued, “I hope our neighbors and friends will join us, as well, on Maundy Thursday, April 17th, at 6:30 p.m. and Good Friday, April 18th, also at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, Apirl 19th, Bishop Knisely will preside over the Great Vigil of Easter, at which the clergy and people of the other Episcopal Churches of Aquidneck Island and St. George’s School Chapel, Middletown will participate. St. Andrew’s, Little Compton will also join us, since they are in the same deanery as St. John’s.”

The Zabriskie Memorial Church of Saint John the Evangelist is located at 61 Washington Street in the historic Point neighborhood of scenic Newport, Rhode Island. The 139 year-old church was founded in the home of a free black man named Peter Quire from Maryland. In the late 1800s, Sarah Titus Zabriskie gave the current 13th century style stone gothic church overlooking the Narragansett Bay in memory of her mother, Sarah Jane Zabriskie. The church has been identified with the Anglo-catholic, or “high church,” tradition since its founding, and is known for its friendly, racially mixed and economically diverse congregation.

Reminder: First Cathedral Brainstorming Session is this Saturday!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 18:05:00 +0000

Cathedral Brainstorming Sessions

Don’t forget that the first of our Cathedral Brainstorming Sessions is this Saturday, April 5^th at St. Mark’s in Warwick, 10am to 12pm. If you can’t make this one, there will be another held on Tuesday May 20^th at church of the Redeemer in Providence from 7-9pm.

These meetings are open to the public, but will be geared towards facilitating conversation among Rhode Island Episcopalians worshipping in our 51 churches across the state, as our churches have a stake in the future of St. John's.

A few exciting ideas have arisen out of our previous meetings with RI Clergy and members of the Cathedral’s former congregation. We will be presenting these to the people of the diocese of RI to discuss, along with any other ideas that come to light during the event.

Hope to see you there! Your opinion will be invaluable as we begin to narrow the wide field of opportunities for St. John, and start to define a real future for Episcopal ministry in that building on North Main Street.

Transfiguration in Cranston Plants a New Hispanic Congregation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:42:00 +0000

Members of Transfiguration in Cranston have stepped outside their comfort zone, to canvass the neighborhood on recent Saturday mornings. They’re on a mission to let their neighbors know that a new Hispanic/Latino congregation is being planted at their church, and the first service is just around the corner at 5pm on Palm Sunday.

In recent years the Cranston neighborhood surrounding Church of the Transfiguration has seen an influx of immigrants from around the world, with the majority being from Spanish speaking countries. The Vestry of Transfiguration decided it was time to pastorally respond to the spiritual needs of the neighbors just outside church doors, and with the guidance of The Rev. Mercedes Julian, Diocesan Hispanic Missioner, Transfiguration began talking to another Cranston church that found itself in this very situation a few years ago.

Just down the road on the other side of I95, Church of the Ascension has founded a vibrant Hispanic/Latino congregation that is well integrated into that parish community. Ascension’s Spanish speakers and English speakers worship in separate services, but the congregations work together on much of the mission and ministry happening there. They learn from each other about their different cultural traditions and support each other in celebrating them, which has brought much new life to the whole community.

Ascension is happy to help Transfiguration experience this new life too, and The Rev. Mercedes Julian has commissioned 12 people from church of the Ascension to actively help Church of the Transfiguration knock on doors and launch their new service. Ten people from Transfiguration have been matched up with Ascension’s volunteers, to canvass the neighborhood in multi-lingual pairs, inviting neighbors to the new Spanish language service, as well as all the other exciting things happening at Transfiguration.

What can you do to help? Attend their first service to help get them started -- especially if you speak Spanish. It will be a Holy Eucharist on Palm Sunday, April 13^th 2014 at 5pm. And, of course, pray for Transfiguration in your own parish and personal prayers.

St. Mark's in Warwick Spreads The Word to Make a Difference

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 19:32:00 +0000

Spreading the word, expanding your reach

In the social media age, it's not enough just to have a good idea: You also need to spread the word and invite people to help you meet your goals.

Before After

That's just what the Rev. Susan Wrathall of St. Mark's in Warwick has done, and the results are astounding. Four years ago when she arrived at St. Mark's, Susan recognized a hunger in her congregation -- a need for physical sustenance -- and has encouraged the congregation to work toward meeting that need.

Early efforts included putting together a "street sheet" listing community resources for those in need in and around Warwick. The church has since started a monthly free lunch program and food pantry.

The exciting thing is how these efforts have gained the support of Mayor Scott Avedisian and the entire Warwick community, as described in this article from the Providence Journal.

Susan writes that the results have been nothing short of extraordinary:

"If you look on our Facebook page, you can find pictures of the brimming shelves. What you can't see is just as much still in boxes. Our biggest donor was the Cumberland Senior Center with 30 boxes of food. Many folks have stopped by with bags and bags of nonperishable and toiletry items. Some folks who donated for the March lunch stopped by today to donate for the April lunch. A number of folks have indicated they want to do this monthly. And to date we have received close to $4,000 in monetary donations (a couple in memory of Fr. Franklin). There was one error in the Journal article that I want to correct: They said not everyone who needs the food pantry gets to visit it. What I said was everyone gets something but the first 50 percent of the folks get the best choice (we let folks choose what they put in their grocery bag) and for the last 15 folks or so there is often little left but canned veggies. In March we had a record 93 for lunch, and 65 households visited the food pantry (111 adults and 25 children)."

How might you leverage local politicians and local media to build up your own ministries?

http://www.stmarkswarwick.org/

http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20140304-keeping-food-pantry-stocked-at-warwick-church-is-a-challenge-video.ece

8 Churches to Participate in Easter Vigil with Bishop Knisely at St. John's Newport

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 17:04:00 +0000

This year, Bishop Knisely will be presiding at a joint Easter Vigil in Newport. Every Episcopal congregation in the Aquidneck Deanery, along with the chapel of St. George’s School, has been invited to participate in the service which will be held at The Zabriskie Memorial Church of St. John the Evangelist on the Point in Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. The Bishop’s Vicar, The Reverend Nathan J.A. Humphrey, will give the homily at the first Mass of Easter that evening. St. John’s is located at 61 Washington Street in Newport.

The Great Vigil of Easter is the single most important service of the Christian Year, and amongst the most ancient liturgies of the Church, documented as far back as the year 215 A.D., and believed to be apostolic in origins, that is, dating back to the communities founded by the twelve apostles of Jesus.

The Easter Vigil consists of four parts: The Service of Light, at which the Paschal Candle is lit from a great fire kindled in the rear of the church; The Service of Lessons, during which Biblical accounts of central events in salvation history are recounted in the darkened church; Christian Initiation, held in candlelight, which may include baptisms, confirmations, and the renewal of baptismal vows; and the Holy Eucharist, with the administration of Easter Communion in the context of a bright and joyful Mass. The Great Vigil of Easter is preceded in Holy Week by Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and the three services are known collectively as the Triduum Sacrum, the “Three Holy Days.”

The clergy and people of each participating congregation will take an active role in the celebration of this most solemn and joyful service. The service is free and open to the public. It is recommended that attendees arrive early in order to secure a seat. All participants are invited to bring hand bells, securely wrapped, which will be rung with great joy and fanfare at the proclamation of Easter. Parking is available on the street in the historic Point neighborhood, as well as in the garage at the Newport Visitors Center, 23 America’s Cup Avenue, Newport, RI 02840, conveniently located a short walk from St. John’s at 61 Washington Street, Newport.

In addition to St. George’s School Chapel and the hosting congregation, St. John’s, the participating congregations will be: Trinity, Newport; Emmanuel, Newport; St. Columba’s, Middletown; Holy Cross, Middletown; St. Mary’s, Portsmouth; St. Paul’s, Portsmouth; and St. Andrew’s-by-the-Sea, Little Compton. Holy Trinity, Tiverton will be unable to participate due to a prior ecumenical commitment with the churches of Tiverton that evening.

Church Beyond the Walls Seeks New Partners in Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:50:00 +0000

It has been almost exactly a year since The Rev. Edmund Harris and parishioners from Church of the Epiphany did their first outdoor Eucharist & sandwich meal in Kennedy Park, Providence.

Since then, Church Beyond the Walls (CBW) has grown into a community that feeds the physical and spiritual hungers of those outside our Church walls.

The experience has been a moving one for the Church of the Epiphany parishioners who have been involved and CBW hopes to help congregations across the state to similarly share their worship life and hospitality with those who might never set foot inside our church buildings.

This year, CBW is looking to form active partnerships with Episcopal congregations throughout Rhode Island. Youth groups, outreach committees, and formation programs, and individuals can easily set up a one-time visit or commit to a season of service.

Partnering with CBW is perfect for churches:

Looking to take the next step in their spiritual journey

Longing for a deep, meaningful formation experience

Yearning to serve others

Seeking the "living water" that Jesus speaks of with the Samaritan woman at the well

Willing to challenge themselves...and to transform!

What sort of opportunities are there for you and your church to participate in? Each week CBW needs a Hospitality Coordinator, six Food Ministers, a Clothing Minister, 5 Worship & Hospitality Ministers, two Volunteer Drivers, and at least one person for the Altar Guild.

For more information on how you or a group from your church can get involved, please contact Waylon Whitley.

St. Paul's Pawtucket's unique take on Bishop Knisely's "Cosmos" Meditation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:59:00 +0000

In his meditation for the first Sunday of Lent from "Lent is not Rocket Science" Bishop Knisely spoke of the cosmos, saying "The universe is essentially a great empty, soundless, cold, chaotic void...we believe that the same God who animates the vast cosmos, knows each of us individually by name and loves us."

At St. Paul's in Pawtucket, a Sunday School class lead by Joe and Ivy Swinski was struck by this, and came up with the idea to create a powerful physical representation that their whole church could participate in. For Lent, the class created a visual representation of a desert, thinking that there is a part for each of us in this journey through the desert. The Desert had a big blank black backdrop to represent the cosmos as Bishop Knisely spoke of them.

Then this past Sunday as congregants left from having received communion, the students were at the exit of the sanctuary. The students handed each person a star, to take back to the pew and write their name on. Then at the end of the service people went to the "great empty, soundless, cold, chaotic void and hung their star in that place where "God knows each of us individually by name and loves us."

The end result was that the black void is now full of light and love, and many parishioners were in tears. Check it out!

Tuesday, First Week in Lent - Lent is Not Rocket Science

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:00:00 +0000

From Bishop Knisely's new book published by Forward Movement. Today is the last day of the week of meditations we're posting here! To read the rest download the ebook for Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, or iTunes at a discounted $1.99 price, and follow along as we discuss this book for the remainder of Lent.

Tuesday, First Week in Lent

Uniform Temperature

In the beginning… — Genesis 1:1

If you put two pots of water in a room and take their temperature immediately afterwards, they will not be at the same exact temperature. Even if you fill them from the same faucet, the water will warm or chill over the time the faucet is open, because the first bit of water that was flowing was stored in the pipes in the walls and the next bit is being drawn from pipes underground. If the two pots of water had exactly the same temperature, then you’d have to either be surprised at something that is extremely unlikely or try to work out in your head how this surprising result came to be.

The simplest explanation would be that the water in the two pots came from a third pot that held the waters together long enough that they came to equilibrium with each other. Or perhaps the two pots were touching each other as they were filled, and they were able to exchange their heat or chill through the walls of the pots in the time that they were in contact with each other. In either case, the water in the one pot must have somehow been “told” the temperature of the other pot so that the two could come to be the same temperature.

One of the most extraordinary surprises in the early 1960s, when scientists measured the temperature of the deep space by pointing microwave “thermometers” toward the stars, was that the sky turned out to be not absolutely cold. This information wasn’t a huge surprise, given that some scientists had been convinced the universe had begun in a gigantic fiery explosion of light. But the surprise was that no matter what direction you looked, the temperature was, for all intents and purposes, the same.

Remembering the question of the temperature of the two pots of water, how did it come to be that one side of the sky was able to “know” the temperature of the other side? Even if they had sent a message to each other at the speed of light, we are in the middle of them and their two messages are just now at the halfway point.

The answer turned out to be that the universe, which began in the fiery explosion, was very, very small initially. Even though the part of the universe on one side of the sky is too far away yet to have been able to have “talked” to the other side of the sky, the two sides of the sky were once in the same exact place. So while they are rushing apart from each other, they “remember” the information they knew in the beginning of creation.

That turns out to be true for everything in the universe. Because everything in the universe was once one. Every particle of matter that is contained in your body and mine were once one. Every particle of matter that is found on the Earth was once one. Every ghostly subatomic particle that is hurtling through the outer darkness of the universe was once part of all of us. In the moment of creation, we were once one. And there are certain properties that we all share because of that moment of unity.

I find that to be more than just a beautiful poetic image. The reality that every part of the universe “knew” and “experienced” every other part of the universe is what makes much of scientific thought possible today. We can assert that the physics that works here on Earth works the same way in another region of the universe because every electron shares the same charge, and every proton the same mass, etc. And they do that because they were calibrated together in the moment of creation.

We Christians believe that God created us all. We believe that it was God who was the prime cause of the beginning. And that while God is more than the light and fire of the beginning of creation, God was present in it. If God was present in that, then God is present in us and the whole of universe, just as we are present to the whole of the universe and to God.

When you look into the deep darkness of the nighttime sky, you are seeing matter and energy that is fundamentally connected with you. When Saint Francis talked about the elements of creation as our sister or our brother, he was much more right than anyone ever suspected.

What will you do today to celebrate this extraordinary family of which you are an equal member?

____

"Lent is Not rocket Science" was published by Forward Movement, a ministry of the Episcopal Church which publishes accessible low cost resources on discipleship written by the laity, clergy, and bishops of the church largely on a pro bono basis.

Monday, First Week in Lent - Lent is Not Rocket Science

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 10:00:00 +0000

From Bishop Knisely's new book published by Forward Movement. You can read the first week's meditations here, and download the ebook for Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, or iTunes at a discounted $1.99 price to follow along as we discuss this book the rest of Lent.

Monday, First Week in Lent

Olbers’ Paradox

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. — Psalm 19:1

There are a number of jokes that start with a child asking an adult, “Why is the sky blue?” But to the best of my memory, I’ve never heard any child ask, “Why is the sky dark at night?” Both questions turn out to have very interesting answers, but the latter question has much deeper implications.

The answer to the question about the dark sky at night requires us to think a bit about what we know of the universe. Prior to the last century, scientists of the Enlightenment believed the universe had always existed and was of infinite extent. But that infinity of scale creates a problem when we think about our dark night sky. Imagine you are standing deep in the woods of a forest. The foliage and the undergrowth are so thick that no matter what direction you look, you see a green leaf. In the deepest parts of the forest, or in a fully grown rain forest, it is impossible to see the horizon or sometimes even the sky. The forest floor is kept in a perpetual twilight even in the middle of the day, because wherever you are standing, eventually there’s a plant with a leaf blocking your view of the blue sky.

Now imagine you’re standing in the middle of the desert looking up into the night sky. You see that the sky is filled with stars, each one a small point of light. In part of the sky, when we look out into the plane of our own galaxy, the stars appear so close together that it looks like there is a glowing cloud that stretches all the way around the sky. That cloud of light appears because as we look into the heart of our Milky Way Galaxy, our line of sight eventually finds a star that blocks it from looking further.

If the universe is of infinite extent, then it stands to reason that no matter where we look in the sky, we will eventually see a star. The star may be very, very far away and we may see only a tiny, tiny bit of its light, but if you multiply even a tiny number by infinity, you still get infinity. So, no matter how little light we see from one star, the total amount of light that we see should be very, very bright—as if we were looking directly at the surface of the sun at noontime.

The fact that we see a darkened sky at night when logically we shouldn’t is called Olbers’ Paradox. A number of scientists and philosophers have tried to work out a resolution to this contradiction from the time Heinrich Olbers first proposed it. Interestingly enough, the writer Edgar Allen Poe first pointed the way to resolving the paradox. He suggested that the only way to understand what we see in the darkness of the night was to conclude that the universe was not infinite. It either had an edge—something scientists didn’t want to accept—or it must have had a beginning. If it had a beginning, then even if the universe is infinite, because the speed of light isn’t, we can’t see all of the universe. We can only see the portion that is as far away as light has traveled since the moment of the universe’s beginning—its “Genesis.”

Isn’t it extraordinary to be able to go outside at night and look up into the dark night sky and realize that the sky is dark because the universe had a beginning? The simple experience of nighttime proves to us that time had a start and that the universe has a history. Then it’s not too far a line of reason to start to wonder why the beginning happened, and what or who caused it. The dark sky invites us to wonder about the existence of the Creator.

Paying attention to the smallest things in our day-to-day existence can take us into the presence of the greatest questions and answers of human experience. Today, pay attention to what you experience and take on the spiritual discipline of asking yourself, “Why?”
____

"Lent is Not rocket Science" was published by Forward Movement, a ministry of the Episcopal Church which publishes accessible low cost resources on discipleship written by the laity, clergy, and bishops of the church largely on a pro bono basis.

The First Sunday in Lent - Lent is Not Rocket Science

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 10:00:00 +0000

First Sunday in Lent

Cosmos

O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven...You made the heavens and the earth, with all their vast array. — The Book of Common Prayer, Canticle 14, p. 90

In this first week of Lent, I invite you to meditate with me on the largest structures of God’s creation. Not the large things that we on Earth have seen or created, but structures that fill the sky and are fundamental to the organization of the universe and our own existence. I invite you to meditate with me on what we can learn by looking at the darkness of the night sky, the sameness of creation over vast distances, the meaning of time, and more.

On this first Sunday in Lent, as many of us begin our yearly pilgrimage in a formal way, I ask you to consider the scale of creation. Much of what I will present over the next weeks is organized by scale, beginning at the largest, the cosmic scale, and ending in the last days of Lent and Holy Week at the smallest, the quantum scales. The greatest conundrum in my mind is that it is possible for us to use our imagination to conceive the cosmos.

The universe is essentially a giant empty, soundless, cold, chaotic void. In incredibly rare instances, there are small pockets of organized matter. The little pockets represent very simple things like electrons, a proton, a cosmic ray. Even more rarely those little bits of organization combine into something complicated—a hydrogen or helium atom. Even more rare than that are clouds of hydrogen. Stars, planets, and everything else that we can see are very small and very rare things when we think on the cosmic scale. It’s hard to imagine that God fills all of this vastness with the fire of love, or that God can comprehend its totality.

And yet that is just what we insist on believing about God as Christians. And more than that, we believe that the same God who animates the vast cosmos knows each of us individually by name and loves us. And that God came into the cosmos at a specific moment in history here on the Earth, a nondescript rocky planet in orbit around a boringly typical and relatively small star. It is when I think about the universe at the largest cosmic scales that I am most dumbfounded by what theologians call the “scandal of the particularity of the Incarnation.” We are so small and yet for some reason we matter so much to God. It is a thing near impossible to grasp. And yet it is central to the teaching of the prophets and the apostles.

Do you believe the God of the cosmos hears your prayer?

If you find yourself struggling with that, could you, at least for today, envision what changes in you if you believe that?
____

"Lent is Not rocket Science" was published by Forward Movement, a ministry of the Episcopal Church which publishes accessible low cost resources on discipleship written by the laity, clergy, and bishops of the church largely on a pro bono basis.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday - Lent is Not Rocket Science

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

The Limits of Logic

You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. — John 8:32

One of the great mistakes people make is to believe that things that are true can be shown to be true by the use of deductive reasoning and logic. I think the roots of this belief come from the way we are educated as children, when we learn facts in a systematic way and arrange truths in a logical order. You can see this most clearly in the way we learn mathematics, particularly as students move from elementary school classes in arithmetic into junior high and high school courses in algebra and geometry. Teachers start with the basic axioms, things that we accept as true without needing proofs.

We use those axioms to prove more complicated ideas, and then use those proofs to support more and more sophisticated conjectures. The student is left with the idea that mathematics is a beautiful, organized ladder that starts with simple things and climbs up by use of logic and deduction to ever more complicated ideas.

The same idea underlays much of the physical sciences, given that they are, to the greatest extent possible, driven by theories that are logically derived and experimentally verified. Certainly the great triumphs of Kepler, Galileo, and Newton in mechanics and celestial movements start with the very simplest laws possible and then extend them to explain and accurately predict the intricate movements of the world.

A rather famous mathematician named Kurt Gödel threw a huge monkey wrench into the whole logical enterprise when he rigorously proved that there were things that were true that could not be proven true using logical deduction. (It’s a bit more sophisticated than that, but basically that’s his idea.) Gödel’s incompleteness theorem means that logic won’t get us to all truth. In fact it says that we can’t even hope that it will get us to most truth. Logic is a powerful, but limited tool. At least when we look at logic logically.

Many people of faith worry about not being able to logically prove or experimentally verify their beliefs. And there are certainly voices in the world around us for whom this inability is seen as a fatal flaw in the religious enterprise. But if we hold Gödel’s idea before us, we can understand that this lack of logic isn’t a fatal flaw; it just indicates that religious truth has to be handled with a different set of tools. The big question for us is to discover what those tools might be. That’s something for you to ponder a bit.

While you’re at that, you might reflect on the spiritual significance of limitations. Logic is limited in its utility. God limits God’s self in the act of Incarnation. You and I are taking on the spiritual discipline of limitations in the season of Lent. Sometimes the decision to limit our choices makes space for creativity to flourish and allows new ideas to emerge.

How do we know if a religious idea is true?

Is it because it’s logically proven from the Bible?

Is it because the church has found it useful over time?

Is it because it makes you a better, more loving person?

How do we know our faith is true?
____

"Lent is Not rocket Science" was published by Forward Movement, a ministry of the Episcopal Church which publishes accessible low cost resources on discipleship written by the laity, clergy, and bishops of the church largely on a pro bono basis.