News

In the summer of 2018, when the dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in downtown Boston, the Very Rev. Amy E. McCreath, called the Rev. Stephen Harding, the soon-to-be rector of Grace Church in Vineyard Haven, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, to welcome him to the diocese and his…

Like many other houses of worship, Grace Episcopal Church is reexamining how worship will look in the future and when it is safe to reopen. “We have what’s called an incarnational faith: we believe that God came to earth in a human body. Right now, human bodies in close proximity are a problem,”…

The bishops issued the following guidance on June 15, 2020, to clergy and congregational and diocesan leadership, regarding preparations and the certification procedure required of Diocese of Massachusetts congregations before they transition to "Stage Two" in-person regathering…

June 12, 2020 "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; … For the time is coming when people will not put…

Bishop Alan M. Gates issued the following message to the diocesan community in remembrance of the late Bishop Barbara C. Harris, marking the 90th anniversary of her birth on June 12. Matthew Cavanaugh …

The following update from Canon to the Ordinary Bill Parnell was e-mailed to clergy, wardens and treasurers on June 10: As businesses and public spaces are beginning to open in Massachusetts, we know you are anxious about what the lessening of restrictions will mean for our congregations and…

Bishop Alan M. Gates ordained four deacons and five transitional deacons over the course of June 5 and 6.  Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the service happened in a new way this year--online and in small in-person groups. The Liturgy of the Word portion of the service took place over the…

“A clinical researcher, a philanthropic strategist, a music teacher, a marketing manager, a monk, a clinical social worker, a registered nurse, a faith-based community organizer, and a public safety officer walk into a bar.”   It has become my tradition to begin diaconal ordinations with…

When houses of worship were allowed to resume in-person services May 18, Massachusetts issued a detailed set of guidelines designed to curb the spread of coronavirus: Attendance is limited. Worshipers and staff must wear masks. Cleaning is required after each service. Coffee hour is canceled. But…

Bearing candles and signs with messages like “if you’re not livid, you’re not listening” and “when one can’t breathe, none of us can breathe,” hundreds of people gathered outside of St. John the Evangelist Church Tuesday night for a solemn vigil in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. “We…