06/06/2026
Happy Pride month!!
Sharing this from Bishop Julia.
Ordinary Note
Beloved of God,
It has been so very long since I have written you. I’m on my way home from “Living Our Vows” — a weeklong residency for new(ish) bishops in the Anglican Communion, where we learn, deepen fellowship, and pray together to be equipped for this ministry. I loved sharing good news about our diocese with my colleagues, so I thought I might share some tidbits with you, as well!
Last Sunday was a glorious Trinity Sunday around the diocese — the feast just after Pentecost that ushers our church into so-called Ordinary Time. So, this is an Ordinary Note for Ordinary Time.
On Sunday, I completed our season of diocesan Confirmations, Receptions, and Reaffirmations, with our fifth and final regional service. These services are wonderful opportunities for members of congregations across our diocese to come together to be strengthened in their bonds with God and with God’s church. This year over 230 individuals confirmed that they are members, one of another. Please join me in thanking the clergy and lay leaders of St. Andrew’s Framingham (the Rev’d. Sarah Mato), St. Stephen’s Lynn (the Rev’d Gustavo Galeano), Christ Church Plymouth (the Rev’d. Melissa Howell and the Rev’d. James Thomas), and St. James’s Cambridge (the Rev. Matt Stewart), for hosting four regional services and especially Cathedral Dean Amy McCreath, Cathedral Administrator Brad Rothrock, and all at our Cathedral for both hosting confirmations at our Cathedral and supporting those held elsewhere. I’m also grateful for all those who prepared and presented folks for these rites.
Additionally, Bishops Ian and Mary, and I are pleased to offer rites of Confirmation, Reception, and Renewal of Vows at our parish visitations as well, of course, and will continue to do so throughout Ordinary Time. Like the regional services, bishops’ visitations provide a framework for us to understand our common belonging in the wider Church. I also annually confirm young people at some of our Episcopal schools. This year I enjoyed being with the Groton and St. Mark’s School communities. I am so grateful for school chaplains, the Rev’d Allison Read and the Rev’d Katie Solter, for their important work forming our largest groups of youth in the diocese!
Last Saturday, I had the privilege to ordain nine new deacons for our Church! Congratulations and blessings upon transitional Deacons the Rev'd Karen Pocalyko Aalto, the Rev'd Robertha Dwuye, the Rev'd Jason von Ehrenkrook, the Rev'd Alden Fossett, the Rev'd Julie House, the Rev'd William Kazibwe, the Rev'd Kourtni Patten, the Rev'd Nelson Pike, and the Rev'd Alec Vaughn, each of whom will continue in their formation and, God willing, be ordained priests in the winter.
I am particularly grateful to share that all of them have ministry positions in our diocese. This is a testament to our Strategic Curacy Initiative, which is enabling us to retain and invest in our newly ordained priests. I am so grateful for the vitality of our parishes which continue to raise up amazing servants of God for ordination to both the priesthood and the diaconate. Thanks especially to the Rev'd Canon Edie Dolnikowski, Canon for Ordained Vocations, Archdeacon Pat Zifcak, and all on the Commission on Ministry, for their wisdom and hard work to support our Ordination process.
Tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the year – Boston Pride. I look forward to seeing many of you there as we march together as a visible, joyful witness to God’s love. If you are interested in joining, please do! More information is available here. I know that congregations across our diocese are participating in local Pride events, and I am grateful for the ways you are gathering and sharing Christ’s love.
While we live in a state with a history of being a leader on LGBTQIA+ equality, we cannot be complacent or ignore the reality that at this time in our country, there are those who are actively working to deny the God-given dignity of LGBTQIA+ individuals. As Episcopalians, we promise to honor the dignity of every human being in our words and actions. I am deeply mindful of the ways that some Christian churches have been a source of harm, exclusion, and trauma for many LGBTQIA+ people. So, I am especially passionate that we use our Christian witness to God’s inclusive love as a theological foundation for advocacy and activism.
It is an exciting season of transition on our diocesan staff. I hope you saw my announcement that the Rev’d Edwin Johnson has accepted a call to serve as our Canon for Discipleship and Leadership Development. I am also excited to share that Andria Seneviratne will be joining my staff part-time to lead the Mustard Seed Project, our new young adult community initiative that will start later this year. She is currently a graduate student at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry and comes to us with an impressive background in leadership development, program management, and relationship building. She will join our staff at the end of this month. These two hires fill out our team dedicated to our strategic priority of forming disciples for missional lives. Along with the Rev’d Shannon Kelly, Missioner for Youth and Young Adult Formation, and Administrator Joe Viola, I can’t wait to see where they take our diocese!
Meet Andria Seneviratne, our new young adult community director!
Finally, this week we said goodbye to Jennifer Garrett, who served our diocese faithfully for nine years leading our hospitality and many other duties. Please join me in thanking Jennifer for her work. I also want to recognize Communications Specialist Genita Johnson, who left our team in May.
As the school year winds down, I hope that you will have some time for rest and fun with those you love.
Happy Pride!
With joy,
The Rt. Rev'd Julia E. Whitworth
Bishop Diocesan
