Your spiritual gifts are the way God not only takes care of you, but also takes care of the world around you. And the more you practice your spiritual gifts, the better you'll get at them. This can feel like a daunting prospect, but Bishop Carlye has some simple suggestions for how to approach this. (Time: 2:05.)
At the 145th Annual Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, Bishop Carlye Hughes gave her address in three parts structured on the Convention theme of "Gifted, Called, Sent."
"You are the salt of the earth." Watch Bishop Carlye Hughes' homily at the opening Eucharist of the 145th Annual Diocesan Convention.
Dear Companions on the Journey,
You are in my prayers this holiday. I hope your celebrations are filled with love, laughter, and a really good meal! We are a beloved and much blessed people, I pray that each of us will bless one another this holiday and every day.
I offer this blessing for you and your families as you gather to celebrate.
Bishop Carlye expresses her gratitude to all those who participated in Convention – the 145th for the diocese and her first as Bishop – and shares two invitations going forward:
Bishop Carlye reminds us that Diocesan Convention in not just one big business meeting, but also a place for the entire community to gather and remember just how diverse we are, just how big we are, just how many ways God blesses us.
As we move from Christmastide into Epiphany, and into a new year with its hopes and challenges, Bishop Carlye suggests that we can nurture our spiritual lives by following Mary's example, when she "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." (Time: 4:46.)
Dear Companions on the Journey,
Except for the very organized folks, I imagine most of us are in final preparation mode for Christmas celebrations. Each day I picture the people and congregations of our diocese as we move through these final days of Advent to Christmas. I see us wrapped in the magnificent light of Jesus. I will hold this picture-prayer in my spirit as we approach this holy day. I hope that you receive an abundance of Christ’s love and mercy this Christmas and share it with another.
I offer this prayer for you and your families:
As we enter into the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany and celebrate them in community, Bishop Carlye encourages us to invite someone to join us.
Reflecting on her own experience as a newcomer to this diocese, visiting churches for the first time each Sunday, Bishop Carlye asks "How can we prepare a spot for newcomers and strangers to belong?" (Time: 4:10.)
