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[Religion News Service] The first two openly gay and married bishops in the United Methodist Church were elected to their positions under a cloud. The denomination’s rulebook did not allow LGBTQ+ people to be ordained, much less consecrated as bishops. But for the first time in its history, the United Methodist Church has elected a third…

[Anglican Taonga] General Synod has approved an audit of young people’s participation in the decision-making bodies of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, as part of a move to increase the number of young people involved in church leadership. The mover of Motion 7 on youth representation, Etienne Wain of the Diocese…

Methodist Bishop Gregory Palmer addresses the House of Bishops June 24 after it adopted a resolution commending the goal of full communion between The Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church. Photo: Randall Gornowich [Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church is beginning work on the necessary next steps in advance of 2027, when the 82nd…

[World Council of Churches] The recently concluded 56th United Nations Human Rights Council adopted 25 resolutions related to children, climate, health and more. One resolution gives the U.N. the mandate to begin work to draft a new treaty aimed at extending the right to secondary and pre-primary education. Resolutions also were adopted on “the safety…

July 29 is the 50th anniversary of ordination of the Philadelphia Eleven — the first women ordained priests in The Episcopal Church at Philadelphia’s Church of the Advocate. Photo: Archives of The Episcopal Church [Episcopal News Service] July 29 will mark 50 years of women’s ordination in The Episcopal Church, and Episcopalians across the church…

[Diocese of Rochester] The Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer was ordained and consecrated as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Rochester on July 13 at Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester, New York. Wagner Sherer, the first woman to serve as Rochester’s diocesan bishop, leads more than 5,000 Episcopalians across the Finger Lakes…

[The Melbourne Anglican] St. Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia, with its soaring ceiling, is not known for its warmth. However, that is about to change. The cathedral will trial United Kingdom-designed radiant chandeliers known as “Halos” in August-September. Dean Andreas Loewe explained this was part of the cathedral’s strategic commitment to sustainability. “This investment in greener…

[Anglican Communion News Service] The Anglican Alliance has announced the appointment of its new executive director, Robert Dawes. He will take over the leadership of the Anglican Alliance when the Rev. Rachel Carnegie steps down in October 2024. He will be working with colleagues in the global Anglican Alliance team, along with partner churches and…

The Rt. Rev. Sanford “Sandy” Hampton served as a bishop in the dioceses of Minnesota, Olympia and Oregon during his career. He died June 28 at age 89. [The Episcopal Church in Western Oregon] The Rt. Rev. Sanford “Sandy” Hampton, who served three dioceses as a bishop, died June 28 in San Diego, California. He…

[Episcopal News Service] The Anglican hospital in Gaza reopened last week “despite intense military activity in the area,” the Diocese of Jerusalem said in a statement released days after it previously announced the forced closure of Al Ahli Arab Hospital in response to an Israeli evacuation order. “Some staff were able to return” on July…