Author: wwedderburn

[Anglican Diocese of Melbourne] The Diocese of Melbourne’s new archbishop was installed on Nov. 30, beginning a new season for the church and diocese. Archbishop Ric Thorpe became Melbourne’s 14th leader on Advent Sunday, succeeding the Most Rev. Philip Freier, who retired in February after 18 years of service. Elected as archbishop in May, Thorpe…

Indigenous people sing “songs of resistance” as they march following a People’s Plenary held on the final day of the United Nations climate summit, COP30, that took place in Belém, Brazil, Nov. 10-21. Photo: Albin Hillert/LWF [Episcopal News Service] After 12 days of calling for centering environmental advocacy and justice around Indigenous voices at the…

[Church of England] The Church of England on Nov. 30 launched its biggest-ever Christmas campaign – The Joy of Christmas – inviting people everywhere to rediscover the hope and joy at the heart of the season. Running throughout Advent and Christmas, the campaign offers a large range of free resources for families, schools and churches, helping people…

[Religion News Service — Istanbul, Turkey] Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople met at the patriarchal seat in the ancient Phanar quarter Nov. 29 to sign a joint declaration affirming their commitment to achieving communion between the two churches. On the anniversary of the first Council of Nicaea, the two Christian leaders pledged…

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church is entering a new phase of reckoning with its historic complicity in the federal Indigenous boarding school system, as two church committees that had been examining that history have merged into the new Truth, Justice and Healing Commission on Native Schools. The consolidated commission was formed at a meeting…

Cantate Usquam Pilgrim Singers, a traveling choir based in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, sings with the congregation at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Blairsville, Pennsylvania. Photo: Courtesy of Michael Salmon [Episcopal News Service] The Diocese of Pittsburgh, though based in a large city, has many small churches in rural areas of southwestern Pennsylvania with no…

[Episcopal News Service] The Trump administration, after deploying troops to Los Angeles, Chicago and other major U.S. cities to assist in intensified immigration enforcement operations and deportations, is poised to turn its focus on New Orleans, Louisiana. The city’s immigrant communities are on alert and expressing anxiety about the expected arrival of U.S. Border Patrol…

The renovated gravesite of the Rev. Thaddeus Saltus, the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina’s first Black priest. Saltus died in 1884 and is buried at Brotherly Association Cemetery in Charleston. Photo: Michael Shaffer [Episcopal News Service] One year after an initial gathering for a solemn worship service of lament and repentance, the three historically Black…

[Anglican Church of Canada] Parishioners at St. Jude’s Cathedral in Iqaluit, Canada, are in danger of losing their place of worship if the congregation and the Diocese of the Arctic cannot find solutions to several pressing financial problems, Bishop Alexander Pryor said. An outstanding tax bill with the City of Iqaluit, rising insurance rates, high operational…

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Diocese of Texas is spearheading an effort to encourage people of faith across the state to help feed those who are hungry. On Nov. 21 it launched “Feed the People Today,” an online resource to help people connect with ways to give or receive food assistance. This new effort also…