The Rt. Rev. Laura Ahrens, newly consecrated bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Connecticut.
Episcopal Life Online photo: Dick Schori

The Rev. Dr. Laura Ahrens - ordained a priest in 1992 out of her home parish, St. Andrew's Church in Wellesley - became the Diocese of Connecticut's first female bishop and the Episcopal Church's 14th at a June 30 liturgy and celebration in New Haven.

She will serve as bishop suffragan (assisting bishop) alongside Connecticut's Bishop Andrew D. Smith and Bishop Suffragan James E. Curry. 

Bishop Cederholm, Bishop Shaw, Bishop Robinson (New Hampshire) and Bishop Harris at the consecration of Bishop Suffragan Ahrens.
Diocese of Connecticut photo: Dick Schori

"I think it's wonderful," Bishop Barbara C. Harris, retired Massachusetts bishop suffragan, told the New Haven Register.  "It's time for us to have a significant presence at all levels of ministry."  Harris, along with M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE and Bud Cederholm of Massachusetts, was among the 19 bishops present to lay hands on the new bishop's head.

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Bishop Barbara Harris in front of the new window, flanked by the Rev. Paul Woodrum and Victor Challenor of Challwood Studios
Photo: Courtesy of the Church of St. Alban the Martyr

In a day celebrating firsts, Bishop Barbara C. Harris, retired bishop suffragan of Massachusetts and the first woman to be consecrated a bishop in the Anglican Communion, dedicated a window in her honor at the Church of St. Alban the Martyr in Queens, N.Y., along with a panel commemorating Absalom Jones, the first African-American Episcopal priest.

The Rev. Paul Woodrum and Victor Challenor of Challwood Studios in Brooklyn were consultants in the window's fabrication. 

This is the second stained glass window honoring Harris; the first, dedicated in October 1997, is at St. Edmund's Church in Chicago.

June Jubilee walkers pose afterwards in front of the Church of Our Redeemer, Lexington
Photo: John Doiron

This year's June Jubilee pledge walkers and rollers raised $20,000-and-counting for HIV/AIDS care in Africa, a diocesan mission priority, with teams traversing the Minuteman Bikeway on June 23 and meeting up at the Church of Our Redeemer in Lexington for outdoor activities and worship. 

 "The day was blessed with incredible weather, and we all had a wonderful time," reports Alewife co-convener David Miller.  He estimated that more than 100 people participated from parishes in at least three deaneries, including Don Howser (pictured) a septuagenarian who, having undergone joint replacement surgeries, committed himself to spring training to make sure he could walk the five miles.  His efforts alone raised nearly $500.  

Don Howser and Betsy Figenbaum of St. Mark's, Burlington after the Jubilee Walk
Photo: John Doiron

"Bishop [Gayle] Harris gave a moving and inspiring reflection during the worship and challenged everyone to bring another person next year," Miller said.  That date's been set:June 7, 2008.

Included in the total are proceeds from the Cape Cod and South Shore parishes that also stepped out under the June Jubilee banner this year with a pledge effort of their own - a June 10 event for bikers, walkers and rollerbladers along the Cape Cod Canal. 

If reading all the summer reading lists out there hasn't yet eaten up your actual summer reading time, here's another one to check out. 

From among the titles on "Episcopal Divinity School's "Recommended Summer Reading," Religion Online:  Finding Faith on the Internet (by Lorne L. Dawson and Douglas E. Cowan) caught our E-News eye, for obvious reasons.  But we also noticed Fredrica Harris Thompsett and Cynthia L. Shattuck's Confronted by God:  The Essential Verna Dozier; Ian T. Douglas's Waging Reconciliation:  God's Mission in a Time of Globalization and Crisis; and Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook's Freedom is a Dream:  A Documentary History of Women in the Episcopal Church. 

Jul. 21: St. Margaret's Day at St. Margaret's Convent (17 Highland Park Street) in Boston: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist, with the Rev. Dr. Harold T. Lewis, Rector of Calvary Church, Pittsburgh, preaching; luncheon follows.  Reservations:  resbostonssm@yahoo.com or 617-445-8961, ext. 127

Jul. 29:St. Anne's Day at Bethany Convent (25 Hillside Avenue) in Arlington:  July 29, 4 p.m. Holy Eucharist, with the Rev. Dr. Charles C. Hefling, Associate Professor of Theology at Boston College, preaching; supper follows.  Reservations:  781-643-0921.

Bethany House of Prayer program information:  bethanyretreats@verizon.net or 781-648-2433

Sept. 22:  Resource Day for Congregational Development at Bentley College, Waltham

Oct 12-13:  Hip-Hop Schoolhouse Worship Learning Party at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston 

Nov. 16-17:  "Faith, Advocacy and Public Policy" Convocation for New England Episcopalians, Doubletree Hotel, Westborough