27 March 2020 Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central PA,Bishop Scanlan has a message regarding these difficult times, Holy Week and Easter Services. To watch, click on the video below. The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his […]
13 March 2020 Dear Members of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, The fast-moving pace of the Coronavirus and resulting cases of COVID-19, Wednesday’s upgrade by the World Health Organization of the illness to a pandemic, the Governor’s press conference on Thursday, and President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency today have all come to bear […]
Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It […]
The Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania received a complaint alleging sexual misconduct by The Rev. Frank Edmands, a former priest in the diocese. The complaint was made by a former acolyte of the priest’s church. Rev. Edmands, who is presumed to be innocent of charges, is now canonically resident in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. […]
Clergy: please feel free to print copies of this letter for distribution in the parish in lieu of reading from the pulpit. +ACS A Pastoral Letter on the Day of Impeachment December 18, 2019 Dear Friends in Christ, The goal of the Christian journey is unity and wholeness. Through the centuries, as we have best […]
III Advent 2019 Dear Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, I often speak and write about the Christian path as opening oneself to transformation. Transformation is the process by which we come to know, deeply, the love of God for us and all creation. We can put ourselves in the path to be transformed, […]
Dear Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, As we wake this morning, September 5, 2019, we learn that Hurricane Dorian has regained strength back into a Category 3 storm and is moving slowly to the north, just off shore of the Carolinas. I am sure that you have been following this storm, as […]
Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, The last line in Wendell Berry’s bold, prophetic, and inspirational poem, “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” (1973) is this: “Practice Resurrection.” Practice Resurrection. In a complicated world that can overwhelm us on a daily, if not hourly basis; in the maelstrom of political divide, […]
To download this letter, click here. 17 March 2019 2 Lent We bishops of the Episcopal Church were gathered in the hills of North Carolina, at the Kanuga retreat Center near Asheville, on Friday morning when we learned of the terrorist attack in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that resulted in the death of […]
To download this letter, click here. 11 February 2019 Dear Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, Among the record number of 502 resolutions considered at our most recent General Convention of the Episcopal Church (Austin, TX July 2018), was Resolution D034, “Amend Canon IV.19.4- Suspending Statute of Limitations.” This resolution was passed […]
Tuesday 22 January, 2019 Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, I write to you today to invite your generosity for our brothers and sisters in Pennsylvania who are furloughed federal workers, experiencing the effects of a partial federal government shut-down that has lasted, now, 32 days. The Pennsylvania Food Bank has opened […]
19 December 2018 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) Dear Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, In the 8th century Before the Common Era, […]
Report of the Bishop’s Address Team to the Diocese November 30, 2018 Introductory comment: Following Diocesan Convention in October, Bishop Scanlan asked a group of lay and clergy members of the diocese to reflect on what we heard about the Bishop’s vision for the diocese as it was articulated in her convention sermon and address. […]
30 October 2018 Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, I write today to invite your compassion and action in the aftermath of Saturday’s deadly shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. In these past days, I have written to the rabbis and congregation members of synagogues, temples and Jewish Community […]
16 August 2018 Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, As the stores begin advertising back-to-school sales, and the hours of daylight grow incrementally shorter, I am led to thinking about the fall and what lies ahead for us in our common life together as God’s people. The time that I spent […]
2 August 2018 Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, I am writing to bid your prayers for our brothers and sisters of the Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Harrisburg as they receive the names of persons accused of sexually abusing children in the Church. The Rt. Rev. Ronald Gainer, Bishop of […]
26 July, 2018 Dear members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, I write to ask your prayers for our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry as he anticipates surgery this Tuesday, July 31st, for prostate cancer. Earlier this week, The Episcopal News Service (ENS) published an article sharing the news of Bishop Curry’s diagnosis and treatment […]
Tuesday 17 July, 2018 Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, I write to you from the big comfortable chair in the corner of my living room, having arrived home on Saturday afternoon from General Convention #79 in Austin, Texas. It was a whirlwind 14 days in which we worked, prayed, witnessed, debated, […]
June 19, 2018 Dear Members of the Episcopal Church in Central Pennsylvania, The news of our government’s immigration enforcement at the Mexico-United States border has captured our attention in recent days; as a nation we are coming to understand how the “no tolerance” policy of regarding illegal immigrants is impacting families. Parents are imprisoned […]
To the Diocesan family: I am recovering nicely from my last surgical procedure (5/22), per my recent medical exam. I have more schedule exams over next month, including pathology report. But I can feel the progress and all physical evidence reported by health professionals is encouraging. I went out yesterday for the first time and […]
Thank you to all diocesan clergy who attended “The 8th Day” Clergy Conference and spent time with us at the Ramada Inn, State College. A big thank you to The Rev. Canon Dr. Gil Stafford, the Canon Theologian for The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona and Priest in Charge at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Litchfield Park, Arizona (pictured above) […]
Several Clergy from our Harrisburg and Lancaster Convocations attended the Commonwealth Interfaith Service: Prayers for Justice and Peace to be held on Monday, May 7 at 6:00 p.m. The location was the Beth El Temple, 2637 Front Street, Harrisburg. This was the 10th Anniversary of the Interfaith Service.
To read Bishop Scanlan’s letter and resources for diocesan Clergy, click here.
As adults, we have a responsibility to create and maintain a safe and just society for our children in which to live and work, pray and play. We have failed. And now, it is time for the “little child(ren) to lead us”. (Isaiah 11: 6) God’s mission is of restoring peace and wholeness. Our society […]
Our Bishop has convened a task force, named the Cathedral Study Council, to study the role and function of our Diocesan Cathedral and Pro-Cathedral. This groups charge is to study the historic role of cathedrals, and gather information on the potential future of our cathedrals. You will be asked, in a survey, about your past […]
Clergy Opportunities There are a number of churches in the northern part of our diocese that are in need clergy coverage for services. If you are interested, please contact the Rev. Canon Dan Morrow, dmorrow@diocesecpa.org.
Spring 2018 Convocation Meeting Dates Wednesday, May 9, Northern Tier Thursday, May 10, West Branch Wednesday, May 30, Southern Thursday, May 31, Lancaster Tuesday, June 5, Harrisburg Wednesday, June 6, Susquehanna Wednesday, June 13, Altoona
The Academy for Missional Formation has developed a new system to build diocesan convocation leadership groups. (which have replaced the model of “Thrive” days) are peer-based and centered on learners’ interests, enabling them to gather information, tools, and models that foster creativity and support growth of congregations and convocations. Our goal is to encourage leaders […]
The Southern Convocation of our diocese has been chosen as the first test site of Bishop Scanlan’s, Mission Resource Teams (MRT) initiative. The MRT project will bring together people with unique gifts and skills in our diocese with new opportunities to build relationships and to serve others in our church. We know that transformations in […]
Youth Ministry in Central PA for 2018: Building Community, Deepening Faith and putting it into Action for all youth in Central PA. Two diocesan retreat opportunities for youth. March 16-18, Middle Schoolers New Beginnings a Christian Experience presented by teenagers and adult mentors for youth (grades 6-9). Essential to this ministry is youth leadership that […]
Preparing for leadership Days 2018 We are so thankful to those who completed the brief leadership Day survey to help us learn more about the design and content for our training days that focus on your needs. Please Mark Your Calendars: Saturday, March 17, 2018 Southern Convocation Location TBD Saturday, […]
