"I think if Episcopalians will do what we do – pick up our prayer books and say our prayers faithfully – then we have done an important act of service for the entire nation," says Bishop Hughes.
Bishop Hughes talks about the rite of confession and forgiveness in our Book of Common Prayer, and how it can be a means letting go of grudges and wounds and going forth changed and blessed.
Bishop Hughes wrote this article at the invitation of The Church of England Newspaper, where it will be published on Friday, September 25.
“Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”
Esther 4:14b
Bishop Hughes offers words of encouragement: "God will be with us every step of this pandemic, every bit of economic insecurity, every moment of protesting in our work to end racism and end white supremacy – God will continue to be with us."
For most of us, faith doesn’t just happen – it takes practice. Bishop Hughes says that the good news for us in the Diocese of Newark is that over the last four months, we have gotten a lot of practice.
The guidelines and planning forms published this week are important tools for helping every congregation to decide when and how to begin in-person worship.
Bishop Hughes' sermon at the diocesan Memorial Service on June 13, 2020, at which we mourned online those whom we could not mourn in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We can't simply wish racism and white supremacy away, says Bishop Hughes – we will have to do the work.
As we begin to evaluate when churches are ready to entertain the thought of public worship, Bishop Hughes says our goal is not to be afraid – our goal is to be wise. And to be wise means we have to think things through.
