from the All Saints LOGOS (newsletter)
We have recently returned from our Diocesan Convention, and I do thank all who prayed for our safety and the presence of God’s peace at that gathering. I found very little if any “party politics” present there and we certainly, at our bishop’s leading, set our business in the context of praise of God. (Right where it should be, in my opinion.) Our most important accomplishment was the yoking of ourselves as a companion diocese with Navajoland. We were blessed by the presence of Bishop David Bailey and a delegation from Navajoland.
Of course what this means is that saying we are companions will be worthless unless we do something about it! I have a few ideas, and I freely admit they are probably flawed and simplistic, because I am so new to New Mexico culture and quite ignorant of most of Navajo culture and issues.
I believe that we at Saint John’s are in a rather unique place to act on the new companionship. We are closer geographically than any other parish in the Diocese of the Rio Grande, and we are a congregation that happily is already representative of our diverse New Mexico cultures. (That has been one of my greatest joys since arriving here!)
I have plans to speak to both Bishop David Bailey of Navajoland and our own Bishop Michael about my ideas and I would gladly take yours to them as well! This is going to be a time when exciting opportunities are found for Saint John’s to know and learn with our fellow Episcopalians what the Gospel means and does in their context. I sincerely hope and pray that we are willing to expend our energies in this direction as our bishops guide and help us.
