Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
The Baptismal Covenant, Book of Common Prayer, p. 304
Dear Ones,
The new year can be a fruitful a time to take stock of our lives and vocations. The secular calendar tells us that the old year is over, prompting us to reflect on what has been. But in the church calendar, Epiphany invites us to follow the Magi in going home by a different road, filled with the hope that the Christ Child brings. I hope that as 2024 and the season of Epiphany begin, you will join me in honoring what is past and celebrating the road ahead with a generous contribution to the Bishop’s Appeal.
Especially this year in the Diocese of Vermont, we find ourselves on the boundary between our faithful past and the future God has in store for us. We continue to emerge from the pandemic, sobered yet strengthened, and together our parishes and missions are finding new ways to collaborate, serve, and lead. Even as change swirls around us, we remain grounded in the tenets of our faith as we proclaim them in the Baptismal Covenant. In teaching and fellowship, prayer, and worship, we encounter Jesus and find the strength to navigate whatever lies ahead.
Your contribution to the Bishop’s Appeal can help us to gather, support and train lay and clergy leaders to guide our parishes through times of change, and to nourish their souls for faithful ministry over the long haul. Our efforts have recently been buoyed by a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., and your gift can amplify that investment for the benefit of parishes and communities across Vermont. Thank you, in advance, for your support.
As we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child, know that you have my blessing and love, now and always.
Peace and blessings,
Bishop Shannon MacVean-Brown
Image: The word ‘baptize‘ in artistic script in green and blue. Original artwork by Bishop Shannon
