One of the best parts of being on Diocesan Staff is that we we get to travel around this very pleasant peninsula to connect with people, parishes, and communities. AND, even when we are in our offices and not on the road, we still get to do cool and meaningful work to support Episcopal ministries in our diocese.
Here are some highlights from our team for the week of July 20, 2025.
Alan James, Interim Executive Director
I had great morning at St.Andrew’s, Grand Rapids, this morning. They are a wonderful congregation, and busy place of mission and minstry. After church today there were fun games, ice cream, and rock painting for the kids. The youth are putting on Godspell next month. They church is collecting food and diaper donations to support local pantries at neighboring churches. And the creation care ministry is working with the local conservancy to remove invasive vines that threaten the trees on their wooded property.
Rachel Rose-Ravellette, Director of Communications
I made a quick trip down to Grand Rapids at the end of last week so that I could be present to support (and rejoice) in the service to ordain 8 new deacons in The Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes! Thanks be to God for a glorious day of diaconal focus and new beginnings. If you couldn’t be with us live online or onsite, I’d encourage you to take time to join together in prayer by participating in the service on your time here. You can download the worship program here. The power of the Holy Spirit connects us across time and space and your prayers would be a blessing to us all. Congratulations to the Rev. John Khot Atem, the Rev. Kathryn Anne Christian, the Rev Stephanie Ann Coté, the Rev. Jessica Ann Hart, the Rev. Jennifer Lynn Frechette, the Rev. Julianne S. Lark, the Rev. Catheryn Ann Stevens, and the Rev. Theresa Elizabeth Margaret Faix Williams.
After the ordination, it was time to head back north for another busy week working from Camp Chickagami. An addition to the regular buzzing activity at Camp this week are daycampers. The Daycamp program is for children who are rising 1st through 6th graders who are either too young for overnight camp or who want to have the daycamp experience as an introduction to being a camper. It has been such a joy to watch the program leaders, Deacon Tom Smith (retired) and Barb Lapp (Holy Family Blue Water), and Kris Forsyth (St. Jude’s, Fenton), connect with day campers in meaningful ways. Equally joyful was watching the way the junior staff members (high school students) who are working with the day campers are growing into even more compassionate and wise leaders.
This week has been focused on the monumental work of putting together the webpages for Convention II and compiling all of the information into the First Call to Convention. The very large task was made simpler by the contributions of our faithful Convention Planning Committee Members: Ms. McKenzie Bade-Knill (Director of Children, Youth & Young Adult Formation & Executive Director of Camp Chickagami), The Rev. Alan James (Interim Executive Director), Ms. Gloria Lara (St. Mark’s, Grand Rapids), Mr. Kevin Simons (St. John’s, Saginaw), Mrs. Jelecia Ford Geraghty (St. Paul’s, Flint), Ms. Angela Krueger (Assistant to the Bishop), The Rev. Nurya Love Parish (Canon for the Northern Collaborative and Coach for Beloved Community and Creation Care), The Rev. Chip Russell (St. Philip’s, Beulah), Mr. Mark Sullivan (Diocesan Office Administrator), and The Rev. Randall Warren (St. Luke’s, Kalamazoo).
