- The Reverend Mary Lindquist will begin her ministry at Saint Michael’s, Brattleboro on July 31, 2011. The Reverend Mark Preece is now serving as Interim at Saint John’s, Randolph. The Reverend Merritt Greenwood is now serving as Interim at Saint Stephen’s, Middlebury. The Reverend Jean McDonald in now Rector (formally PIP) at Saint Andrew’s, Saint Johnsbury.
- We celebrated the life and ministry of the Reverend David Walters on June 11th at Saint Paul’s Cathedral.
- I ordained the Rev. Thomas Mousin to the Priesthood on June 25th at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston, MA.
- The following congregations are in transition (mostly with respect to calling new clergy leadership): Church of the Good Shepherd, Barre; Immanuel, Bellows Falls; St. Peter’s, Bennington; Christ Church, Bethel; St. Luke’s/St. Mark’s, Castleton/Fair Haven; St. Peter’s, Lyndonville; Christ Church, Montpelier; St. Mark’s, Newport; Gethsemane, Proctorsville; Saint John’s, Randolph; St. Ann’s, Richford; Calvary, Underhill; St. Dunstan’s, Waitsfield (worshipping at Sugarbush); St. Mary’s, Wilmington; St. Paul’s, Windsor; St. James, Woodstock.
- We held our Special Diocesan Convention on June 4th and welcomed Anthony Robinson to Vermont for two presentations (June 4 and 5) and as the preacher June 5th at St. Luke’s, Chester. The Special Convention passed a resolution calling upon the Bishop and Diocesan Council to “use the next 18 months to prepare a detailed plan for a collaborative diocesan-wide approach to fundraising to be presented to Diocesan Convention 2012 for consideration and action.”
- The new diocesan Web Site was launched late Saturday night June 18th and we are continuing to add new features and migrate information from the old site. Please consider joining the diocesan “on line community.”
- Rock Point School recognized the retirement of John Rouleau and celebrated his 40 years of ministry at Rock Point with a party on June 25th.
- I helped plan and then participated in an interfaith worship service at the Cathedral with representatives Ohavi Zedek Synagogue and the Islamic Society of Vermont on June 26th.
- Rock Point Summer Camp is underway and I have visited the camps on three occasions so far.
- 5 youth and 2 adults from the Diocese of Vermont attended the Episcopal Youth Event in St. Paul, Minnesota June 22-26.
- I met with representatives of all six Northeast Kingdom congregations on July 10th to discuss mission and ministry in that part of our diocese. We plan to continue the conversation looking for ways to cooperate in mission and strengthen the presence of The Episcopal Church in that part of Vermont.
- I will participate in the 200th anniversary celebration at St. Paul’s, Vergennes during my visitation to the congregation on July 30-31, 2011.
- I am one of two official representatives from The Episcopal Church and its Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music at the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation in Canterbury, England August 1-6.
- Following the IALC, Ann and I will spend a week’s vacation with friends in Scotland. We will also take some vacation time to visit Ann’s mom in Maryland later in August.
Faithfully,
+Thomas