Clergy

Four members of the Diocese of Newark experienced the Installation weekend events from unique perspectives: the Rev. Deacon Chris McCloud served as bishop’s chaplain to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry at the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) Vigil on Saturday; the Rev. Dr. Canon Sandye Wilson took on the same role at the Installation service on Sunday; Sharon Sheridan covered both days as reporter and photographer for Episcopal Journal; and the Rev. Cynthia Black attended the Installation service with her camera as well. Here are their reflections, as well as a photo gallery by Black, Sheridan and Wilson.

St. Alban’s in Oakland/Franklin Lakes has a long tradition of Outreach Ministry, but as the congregation has evolved and new members have joined us, we were finding that, to some extent, we were trying to recruit volunteers to carry on the ministries that had been important to the parish in a different time of its life.

During the final week of her term, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, 26th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, attended the first day of the Diocese of Newark's annual Clergy Conference. Addressing the clergy in two sessions, she spoke of the many creative ways she's witnessed congregations and dioceses throughout the Church look outside their doors, listen to their neighbors and take on the challenging work of engaging with them.

In 2013 it was called a “simple but compelling demonstration of the scope of the carnage wrought by gun violence.” At sites throughout Philadelphia, a total of 288 T-shirts were put on public display as a powerful reminder – each one representing a life lost to gun violence that year. On Sunday December 13 at 3 PM, Memorials to the Lost will again be enacted at Newark’s Trinity & St. Philip’s Cathedral as T-shirts gathered from throughout the diocese are displayed on the Cathedral fence. A service of readings, prayers, and sacred music will also be part of the commemoration, planned to coincide with the national Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend.