Congregation Visitations: Spring 2025

February

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Wilmington, NC | February 2nd

So many smiles this morning, at St John’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington! Many thanks for these pictures shared with me after worship, chronicling something of “a morning in the life of a bishop!”

We celebrated the “Presentation of the Lord” during two services this morning, with a lively reception in Elebash Hall in between. At the second service, forty teens and adults formally renewed the vows of their baptism, and were confirmed, received, or reaffirmed in their faith. What a joy to be with everyone at St. John’s today!

January

St. Peter’s Church, Sunbury, NC | January 26th

Greetings from all of us who worshipped today at St. Peter’s Church in Sunbury! From Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, we heard that every member of the Body of Christ is valued! We’re each different and we each have a distinct function, but we’re each a part of the same body! That continues to be a part of the message of God’s good news that I seek to proclaim as I travel from congregation to congregation across The Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina!

Winter Retreat at Trinity Center | January 19th

Many thanks to Hannah & Maddie, with their leadership team of former Camp Trinity staff members, for hosting our largest ever Winter Retreat for High Schoolers! With Fr. Nathan Finnin as celebrant & preacher and Caroline Harris leading the music, our worship this morning was wonderful. With 8th through 12th graders from across The Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina we had nearly 70 campers in attendance, probably the largest weekend gathering of East Carolina teens during my 10+ years as bishop! So glad I could be there!

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Farmville, NC | January 5th

Wonderful to be able to celebrate the 2nd Sunday after Christmas with a congregation named “Emmanuel”! The good folks of Emmanuel Farmville are a small but mighty congregation that worships faithfully every week, hosts a Community Outreach Kitchen that feeds the hungry each day, and offers great hospitality whenever I visit. Three pictures today: 1) a few members pose with me; 2) a banner that hangs in their church; 3) the figurines of “the Flight into Egypt” which were in my family home, and that were partial inspiration for my sermon.