The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, Matt Heyd, writes that “The Holy Spirit moves at ground level.” This month’s snippets highlight work where the Holy Spirit is moving locally, supported by the Gospel and an ecumenical call to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our Creator.
Presbyterian and Episcopal New Yorkers Form ‘EPIC’ Local Dialogue
Representatives from the Presbytery of Long Island, the Presbytery of New York, the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, and the Episcopal Diocese of New York have formed a local dialogue group in response to recent legislation that went to both denominations’ governing bodies regarding an Episcopal-Presbyterian Agreement on Local Sharing of Ministries. Both the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s General Assembly and The Episcopal Church’s General Convention commended further dialogue, a step forward for unity between the two denominations.
World Council of Churches to Host Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order
According to the WWC, “The centerpiece of the 2025 Nicaea commemorations of the World Council of Churches will be the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, to take place at the ancient St. Bishoy Monastery at Wadi El Natrun, near Alexandria,
Egypt, from October 24 – 28, 2025, around the theme ‘Where now for visible unity?’”
Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute Offers Summer Course in Ecumenism
Applications are open for Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute’s (GEII) Summer Course in Ecumenism hosted by the Centro Pro Unione in Rome. According to GEII, “This English-language course, held June 23 – July 11, 2025, is designed to introduce participants to the ecumenical and interreligious movements from a Catholic perspective. It offers a historical and theological overview of the issues that divide Christians as well as the bonds that unite them; the program also explores relations with other religious traditions.”
The World Council of Churches, with churches in the Caribbean and North America, Debuts Training on Climate Litigation
Jennifer P. Martin, the Education in Mission secretary for CANACOM (the Caribbean and North America Council for Mission), shared that all of CANACOM’s member churches are located in countries with governments that are aware of climate change and its impacts. Most, if not all, governments have policies, officers, or agencies dedicated to environmental and climate change. While some progress is being made, Martin emphasized that no CANACOM member church or country can claim complete ignorance of these matters. However, the level of awareness varies widely, ranging from low to high. She highlighted the importance of the workshop held in Jamaica on January 20th, which provided participants with valuable information and forced them to confront the stark realities of climate change. In the CANACOM regions, some people are more shocked by the effects of climate change in the Pacific, such as rising sea levels, rather than in their own countries or the flooding of forest areas that have been home to Amerindian communities for centuries, like Suriname.
Compiled by:
the Rev. Mike Wernick
Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer
Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes