As we continue toward reunification with the Diocese of Bethlehem next year, Bishops Scanlan and Nichols this past spring invited churches to sign up for the Sibling Parish Program, a relationship-building initiative developed by the Transition Leadership Committee (TLC). This unique program pairs up congregations from the two dioceses to begin fostering bonds of fellowship, worship, and mutual learning well ahead of formal reunification on January 1.
More than 40 churches have responded to the call, resulting in 21 sibling relationships:
- St. Paul’s, Lock Haven, with Grace, Kingston
- St. John’s, Lancaster, with Grace, Allentown
- Trinity, Jersey Shore, with St. John’s, Ashland, and Church of the Holy Apostles, St. Clair
- St. James, Mansfield, with Trinity, Carbondale
- Christ Memorial, Danville, with Prince of Peace, Dallas
- Prince of Peace, Gettysburg, and St. Andrew’s, Shippensburg, with St. Gabriel’s, Douglassville
- St. John’s, Carlisle, with St. Margaret’s, Emmaus
- Christ Church, Coudersport, with Christ Church, Forest City
- St. Andrew’s, Lewisburg, with St. Barnabas Center of Kutztown
- Bangor, Narvon, with St. Thomas, Morgantown
- St. Mark’s, Lewistown, with St. Mark’s, Moscow
- St. John’s, Marietta, with St. Mark’s, New Milford
- St. Paul’s, Bloomsburg, with Trinity, Pottsville
- St. James, Bedford, with St. James, Schuykill Haven
- St. Andrew’s, York, with St. Luke’s, Scranton
- Christ Church, Williamsport, with Christ Church, Stroudsburg
- St. Paul’s, Harrisburg, with St. Anne’s, Trexlertown
- St. Paul’s, Wellsboro, with Trinity, West Pittston
- Trinity Pro-Cathedral, Williamsport, with St. Stephen’s Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre
- St. Luke’s, Mechanicsburg, with Trinity, Mt. Pocono
- St. Andrew’s, State College, with St. Luke’s, Lebanon
The aim of these partnerships is to help parishioners learn about each other’s diocesan culture and customs, and begin to experience reunification in personal and spiritual ways. The goal, as Bishops Scanlan and Nichols expressed in their joint invitation letter earlier this year, is to ultimately become “One Body” in the new Diocese of the Susquehanna.
“This sister parish relationship gives us a concrete way to embody unity, mutual support, and shared mission,” says Father Kyle Murphy, rector of Christ Church in Williamsport. “We believe that building deeper relationships across diocesan lines is vital to living out our shared call as members of the Body of Christ.”
Father Murphy’s cohort at Christ Church, Stroudsburg, which is currently searching for a new rector, is Senior Warden Carl Ausfahl, who says, “We always appreciate the opportunity to see how other congregations are managing the challenges facing all Episcopal churches.”
The program encourages parishes to begin with simple acts of connection. Congregations are invited to visit one another for Sunday worship and fellowship, pray for each other’s members in their weekly intercessions, co-lead Bible or book studies on Zoom, and engage in occasional pulpit swaps if distance permits.
“We’re most excited about the opportunity to learn from one another—our different histories, gifts, and perspectives—and to discover how God is already at work in both of our communities,” says Father Murphy. “This relationship opens doors for collaboration, creative worship, and new expressions of ministry that we might not have imagined on our own. Plus, it’s always fun to meet new people!”
Ultimately, the Sibling Parish program is about laying a foundation of trust and fellowship so that relationship can help pave the way to reunification. “We hope this partnership not only strengthens the bond between our two congregations but also helps model what reunification can look like: not just structural, but relational and spiritual,” says Father Murphy. “We pray this journey will help us grow in faith, deepen our understanding of the wider church, and become more effective witnesses to Christ’s love in our regions.”