Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. - 2 Corinthians 13:11
The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. This connection is important, much the same way our connection with other Episcopal churches in our own nation is helpful. It reminds us that we are part of a much larger Christian body and as such it expects that we care about one another. Around the world, we are all rooted in scripture, tradition, and reason. Our common way of prayer and understanding of the sacraments of the church. Our theology varies some, much in the same way our understanding of the world varies from place to place. The most notable in recent times is sexuality. As the church seeks to address this, particularly how the sacraments are offered, there has been some difference across the Anglican Communion. For those who have been part of the church for many years, you may recall “The Windsor Report” and the conversations that took place in the early 2000s. Much of this happened following the consecration of the first openly gay Bishop in the United States. As we seek to maintain unity within the Anglican Communion, we sometimes reference the ‘Instruments of Unity’. This is particularly relevant as one of these instruments is underway this week. The Lambeth Conference, initially postponed due to COVID, began this week. Bishops from around the world have gathered in England, convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The focus of the Lambeth Conference is exploring what it means to be ‘God’s Church for God’s World’ in the decade ahead. There will undoubtedly be more to share as the conference concludes.
Blessings,
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