Diocesan News

On Sept. 13, 2018, explosions and fires caused by the over-pressurization of natural gas lines forced the emergency evacuations of thousands of people in three Merrimack Valley communities, affecting an estimated 10,000 households. For many in the 17 months since, the crisis may have faded from memory, but for people in the affected communities--including three Episcopal churches and one Episcopal school, Christ Church in Andover, St. Paul's Church in North Andover and Grace Church and Esperanza Academy in Lawrence--the work of restoration is ongoing and interfaith leaders continue to speak out about the need for equal access and the responsibility to care for creation and do things in a more sustainable and safe way.

The Office of the Bishop has issued the following notice:

A New England contingent of 19 people from the Episcopal dioceses of Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine traveled to Washington, D.C., in December for "Love God, Love Neighbor: Advocacy in Action"--a two-day training and advocacy initiative focused on how to engage with lawmakers about refugee and immigration policy reform.

Entering into the new decade, the Life Together fellowship program in the Diocese of Massachusetts is marking the completion of its first 10 years and looking forward to what comes next. Though it's been 10 years in its current "Life Together" configuration, the program's origins go back even further to 1999 when the diocese's 10-month residential internship program, The Micah Project, was founded to offer young adults the opportunity to live in community, serve through urban ministry and justice work, and reflect upon their life work and purpose.