Here you'll find stories and reflections about Bishop Skirving's visits to congregations around the diocese this Spring, in order of recency.
April
April 21, 2024: St. Anne's, Jacksonville
Some Sundays I forget to take my camera out of my pocket ...so this week I'll just share the link to the livestream recording of today's worship: https://fb.watch/rERIo0rUvR/. Thanks to the people of St. Anne's Episcopal Church-Jacksonville, NC for continuing to share livestreams of their weekly worship! Amongst those who join with them this way is a young marine who is away from Camp Lejeune on deployment.
I'll also share the link to their website ...just in case you know someone whom God might be calling to be their next priest! Have a look, and share this as you wish: https://stannesjaxnc.org
Worship this morning was high in energy and enthusiasm, with perhaps more children present than I have ever seen there before. Shelby was confirmed and Chris was received. It was a joy to be with this congregation!
April 14, 2024: St. Luke's/St. Anne's, Roper; Grace, Plymouth; and St. James, Belhaven
April 14, 2024: St. Luke's/St. Anne's, Roper, etc. Visit
What a day! Today, I got to join the people of St. Luke's & St. Anne's in Roper, of Grace, Plymouth, and of St. James, Belhaven as our Easter celebrations continue. The people of The Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina are diverse in most every way you can measure it, and today it was my privilege to lead worship and preach in three remarkably different congregations that are within a relatively short drive of each other. I'll share some story with each of the pictures.
Grateful to be able to spend much of the day with the Rev. Tommy Drake, with whom it was a pleasure to serve!
April 13, 2024: New Beginnings, Trinity Center, and Daughters of the King, St. Timothy's, Greenville
April 13, 2024: New Beginnings and Daughters of the King
New Beginnings is a Christian faith formation ministry with middle school youth led by high school youth and supported by adults. Grateful that I was able to stop in briefly yesterday as the leadership was finishing its setup. Lots of excitement! Thanks to all involved with Christian Formation in the Diocese of East Carolina!
The Daughters of the King is an international ministry for women focused on prayer, service and evangelism, with chapters in many of the congregations of our diocese. Glad that I could be with them for their annual assembly.
Tomorrow holds visits for me with our congregations in Roper (9:30am), Plymouth (11am) and Belhaven (3pm) ...pictures and stories to follow!
April 7, 2024: St. Andrew's, Goldsboro
On the Sunday that we proclaim the words of Jesus to his followers, “Peace be with you!’ I worshiped in a church with a dove in the window over the altar! It was great to celebrate Easter 2 with the saints of Saint Andrew’s Church in Goldsboro, and to share in good and creative conversation with them about the ways that God is calling them forward!
March
March 31, 2024: St. Francis by the Sea, Salter Path
March 31, 2024: St. Francis by the Sea, Salter Path Visit
As if a sunrise service at the beach was not wonderful enough, I was also privileged to be able to celebrate Easter worship with the people of Saint Francis by the Sea in Salter Path at both 9 & 11am. Not too many empty seats, great music, an enthusiastic welcome to visitors and great clergy and lay leadership that made it easy for me to join them. Alleluia! Christ is risen!
March 31, 2024: St. Andrew's, Morehead City at Trinity Center
Alleluia! Christ is risen! So grateful to be able to join the people of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Morehead City, NC in an Easter sunrise service at the beach pavilion at Trinity Center. The pavilion was filled with people as we dedicated a new font, baptized Tina, shared communion and watched the sunrise. The birds sang, the surf rolled in and dolphins were spotted! What a glorious way to celebrate Easter morning!
March 24, 2024: Holy Trinity, Hertford
An enthusiastic “in person” congregation was joined by others via livestream today, as the people of The Church of the Holy Trinity in Hertford NC celebrated Palm/Passion Sunday with a bell choir prelude, a carefully crafted liturgy with the reading of the Passion and great singing, and with a wonderful reception afterward. My meditation focused on the apostle Paul’s words from Philippians 2: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”
Many thanks to the lay leadership who, with good support from supply clergy, are guiding the congregation during their time of transition between rectors.
March 17, 2024: Trinity, Lumberton
A joyful morning with the people of Trinity Episcopal Church in Lumberton. Five were confirmed and two were received. It was great to be with them in their church again. The last time I was there they were deep into overhauling their ventilation system with all sorts of related renovations, and they were worshiping in their parish hall. What a beautiful job they’ve done!
Pictured are those confirmed and received, with their sponsors and with Cherry Beasley and the Rev. Gene Wayman who prepared them for today’s service.
And then, as always, a lovely and peaceful drive home through this peaceful and beautiful slice of God's creation that I am blessed to call home!
March 10, 2024: Church of the Good Shepherd, Wilmington
A great welcome this morning from the people of the Church of the Good Shepherd Wilmington NC! Members of this “lay led” congregation did a superb job of planning and leading our liturgy, with an inspired singing of “Amazing Grace” during communion. Over coffee and cake, we had an enthusiastic conversation about where these people believe God to be leading them, with lots of good questions for me about potential clergy availability. All of this and a beautiful drive there and home through coastal East Carolina. #gratitude
February 27-March 5, 2024: House of Bishops Retreat
Great to join with folks from across The Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina this afternoon for a celebration in honor of Blessed Absalom Jones, hosted at St. Augustine's Church in Kinston. The Rev. Skip Walker was our preacher. Thanks to everyone who planned and led our worship, and who provided such great hospitality.
Lively, joyful worship and a relaxed, scrumptious meal waited for all who gathered at Zion Episcopal Church (Washington, North Carolina) this morning. Five members were confirmed and two were received. This congregation raises tens of thousands of dollars every year for local outreach ministries, by hosting regular rummage sales that draw lots of support from the wider community. Thanks to the Rev. Alan Neale and the whole congregation for the warm hospitality and for their faithful ministry. I'll add captions with each photograph.
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