Beloved of God,
Last year, through a process of listening and prayer and conversation, we discerned together God’s call to us as a diocese, to “…embody the Gospel of Jesus Christ and share in God’s transformation of our communities, with the Holy Spirit as our guide.” We identified the values of integrity, relationship, and love as integral to our common life as we seek to live into that shared mission.
I was drawn back to our mission and values as I listened to the sermon that Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached at Washington National Cathedral this past Tuesday, in which she called for unity in our nation by honoring people’s dignity, by telling the truth, by acting with humility. And yes, in that sermon, she asked President Trump to show mercy to the people in our midst who are afraid. That sermon, as you know, has drawn both affirmation and vitriol.
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and President of the House of Deputies Julia Ayala Harris issued a joint statement on the same day, drawing us back to the scriptural call to show mercy. You can find their statement at this link.
As the people of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, we hold a broad range of political views. Our Episcopal Church leaders remind us that: “We must proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is promised to the persecuted and answer Christ’s call to welcome the stranger among us. This vision of God’s kingdom, this new reality, is the one to which we Christians are pledged in our baptism above any political preference or policy, and to which our church must bear witness through word and deed.”
This is a consequential time in the life we share. I pray that our mission and values will inform our actions. I pray that we will continue to live into our baptismal call with integrity, with love, and in relationship with our neighbors. Because, beloved of God, while Bishop Budde’s sermon was indeed an act of courage, it was also an act of consistency — to the Gospel, to our baptism, to our call to share in God’s transformation of the world.
You may have visitors at church this Sunday as a result of the attention that has been drawn to The Episcopal Church this week. Please be prepared to welcome them. You may be concerned for LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others who are marginalized and afraid right now. Please remember our baptismal promise to honor the dignity of every human being, and know that the Episcopal Church is committed to protecting those who are vulnerable. Presiding Bishop Rowe and President Ayala Harris’ letter offers resources to join in that important work.
Beloved, we have the Good News of God in Christ to share with a world that is deeply divided. I pray that you will find ways to embody that Gospel message. I pray for your trust that even now, the Holy Spirit is in our midst, leading us always toward transformation.
May God’s mercy enfold you, may Jesus’ love sustain you, and may the Holy Spirit’s wisdom be your guide –
In Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Kristin Uffelman White
Bishop
Diocese of Southern Ohio
