Wednesday Word from Taylor Mack, June 12, 2024
Many of you have heard about the upcoming 81st Episcopal General Convention. Adult Formation classes have been learning about General Convention all this month and our diocese has been buzzing with conversations about Bishop Wright’s nomination for Presiding Bishop. We have also been preparing for several St. Thomas youth and young adults to travel to Louisville, KY and experience General Convention for themselves.
On June 22, a group of our middle and high school youth will embark on an adventure to participate in the largest gathering of Episcopalians in the world. The theme for this trip is One Body, Many Parts, inspired by the Apostle Paul’s writing to the church in Rome where he states, “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another.” We will explore this theme by witnessing how bishops, deputies, and other representatives serving at General Convention work together to make joint decisions through diplomacy, compromise, and mutual respect. We will also partner with other church denominations for prayer, service projects, and recreational activities to discover ways in which Christian denominations work together to spread God’s love and generosity at local, national, and international levels. By connecting with Christians from around the world, our youth will be able to begin considering their own role within the Church. They will contemplate how their faith might influence their values as they continue through their teen years and into adulthood.
Additionally, a member of our Episcopal Campus Ministry will attend the Young Adults Festival at General Convention. This event is designed for young adults to meet peers from across the globe, pray and learn together, engage in the church’s legislative process, and help discern God’s call for the Episcopal Church.
Please join us this Sunday as we pray for the youth, young adults, and chaperones that will be traveling to Louisville and attending the Episcopal Church’s 81st General Convention.
--------- Taylor Mack, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministrie
