FROM FATHER ANTHONY . . .

Friends,
 
Every Friday in this e-blast, we provide a variety of resources from the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Newark. Over time, these blurbs can become such a familiar part of this newsletter that they might be overlooked. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight again these resources for those seeking deeper opportunities for prayer, study, and social action. 
 
The Right Reverend Caryle J. Hughes, XI Bishop of the Diocese of Newark, is the chief priest and pastor of our diocese which is why we share her message in this e-blast every week. When our presiding bishop, The Most Reverend Sean W. Rowe, issues letters to the church, we share those as well. They have both issued messages in response to the incidents in Minneapolis and immigration enforcement tactics that are being implemented throughout our country. You can find their statements below. I am deeply grateful for their testimony and witness to Jesus Christ and for the leadership they provide.
 
As rector of Grace Church, I believe it is my responsibility to provide you with  church resources so you may discern how you are called to respond as a follower of Jesus. I am always here for council, prayer, and support. The links for Episcopal Public Policy Network, Episcopal Migration Ministries and Episcopal Relief and Development are provided below and I encourage you to become familiar with all of these good and holy ministries of the Episcopal Church.
 
The highest governing body of our church is the General Convention, a bicameral legislature that meets every three years to discern our collective mission. If you want to know where the Episcopal Church stands on nearly any issue, you can explore the Acts of Convention database to search by topic.
 
While peaceful protest is one powerful way to bear witness to Jesus in the face of injustice, it is not the only way to respond faithfully. Please take some time to review the guidance and resources offered by the wider church and our diocese.
 
Finally, at the conclusion of our recent online service, Leslie Bisdale asked if she could offer a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer (pg. 815). I give thanks for her faithful response and I share that prayer with all of you:
 
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Peace,
Father Anthony+

LETTERS FROM PRESIDING BISHOP SEAN ROWE . . . 
 

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/publicaffairs/from-presiding-bishop-sean-rowe-death-and-despair-do-not-have-the-last-word/

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/publicaffairs/presiding-bishop-sean-rowe-support-emergency-migration-ministry/

A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP HUGHES . . . Minneapolis and a moment of reckoning as Christians.

In the wake of the shootings of Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pettri by Federal immigration officers, Bishop Hughes sends a message about the moral call of the Gospel that supersedes politics, and our way forward as Christians in this time.

In her message, she urges us to read the January 24th Facebook message from Bishop Craig Loya of Minnesota and to support the Diocese of Minnesota's Casa Maria ministry which is providing support to Minnesota's immigrants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUwE-_s26T8

https://dioceseofnewark.org/bishops-vlog/minneapolis-and-a-moment-of-reckoning-as-christians/

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
 
Our devotional practice for Lent this year will be The Stations of the Cross (Way of the Cross). We will meet at 6 PM on the following Fridays during the season of Lent. 

February 20, 27
March 6, 13, 20, and 27
 
The Stations of the Cross imitates the practice of visiting the places of Jesus' Passion in the Holy Land by early Christian pilgrims. The first stations outside Palestine were built in Bologna in the fifth century. This devotion was encouraged by the Franciscans, and it became common in the fifteenth century. The number of stations for prayer and meditation in the Way of the Cross has varied, but it  typically includes fourteen stations. We will process and pray at the following stations depicted in the church:  1) Jesus is condemned to death; 2) Jesus takes up his cross; 3) Jesus falls the first time; 4) Jesus meets his afflicted mother; 5) the cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene; 6) a woman wipes the face of Jesus; 7) Jesus falls a second time; 8) Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; 9) Jesus falls a third time; 10) Jesus is stripped of his garments; 11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; 12) Jesus dies on the cross; 13) the body of Jesus is placed in the arms of his mother; 14) Jesus is laid in the tomb. (Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services)

2026 Lenten Meditations

Holy Habits by Sister Monica Clare

This year, Episcopal Relief & Development is offering Lenten Meditations with spiritual reflections from author and TikTok influencer Sister Monica Clare, on the holy habits that bring us closer to God. Here are some ways your congregation can participate:

Subscribe to daily email meditations
Daily email meditations will be delivered to your inbox every day (except Sundays) starting Ash Wednesday, February 18. These emails will include thoughtful questions to inspire your own reflections.You may already have a Lenten practice of giving something up or doing something new, but these resources may provide some fresh ideas and provide added guidance as you observe Lent this year.

                                             https://www.episcopalrelief.org/church-in-action/lent/subscribe/

Download the full booklet
If you don’t want to receive meditations one at a time, you can download the full booklet of meditations at once, print it out or view it digitally at your own pace. This option is great for groups or for making printed versions available to your worshiping community.

https://www.episcopalrelief.org/church-in-action/lent/#resources

Read the Lenten Meditations online
Visit our website each week during Lent for new meditations.

https://www.episcopalrelief.org/church-in-action/lent/#read

Host a group discussion using the study guide
Use the study guide in small groups to facilitate discussion on the themes presented throughout the Lenten Meditations.

https://www.episcopalrelief.org/resource/2026-lent-study-guide/

We look forward to joining you on your spiritual journey this Lent! 

FASTING DURING LENT . . . There are no set rules that govern how Episcopalians are expected to fast and different groups and communities have followed different practices. Fasting consists of abstaining from certain types of food (in the Christian tradition that has most commonly been meat) and reducing the amount of food one typically eats. Reducing water intake on a day of fasting is discouraged, and there aren't any hard rules on other liquids like coffee and tea. Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book, a devotional manual held in high regard among Anglo-Catholics in the Episcopal Church, suggests fasting as “not more than a light breakfast, one full meal, and one-half meal...” The Book of Common Prayer also designates other “Days of Special Devotion” and “Days of Optional Observance” as found on pages 17-18 if one chooses to take on a greater practice of fasting. Fasting serves a number of different functions, but the primary goals are to cultivate self-discipline and self-mastery, and ultimately, to ever deepen our relationship and devotion to God. It is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before fasting if you are over the age of 65 or have certain health conditions. A good Lenten practice for children is to abstain from meat or another type of food on Fridays.
 

RECONCILIATION OF A PENITENT . . . The Episcopal Church offers a sacramental rite in which those who repent may confess their sins to God in the presence of a priest and receive the assurance of pardon and the grace of absolution (BCP, p. 861). It is also called penance and confession. Please contact Father Anthony if you would like to receive this sacrament of the Church, or if you have any questions.