Bishop's Column - The Episcopal Church in Delaware

Bishop’s Column

New Tools for a New (Ancient) Job

Imagine you are a talented carpenter, and your crew has been invited to build a fabulous new house that will be the talk of the state. You are thrilled to be on the team but stunned to hear your role: you’re assigned with the gardeners, not the builders, and you are further asked to

New Holy Order Discernment Framework

Discernment process reopens – January, 2020 Orientation (by invitation only) – November 2, 2019 A Letter from Bishop Brown The chance to discern a call to Holy Orders will reopen in January with the rollout of a clear, new discernment framework crafted by the Commission on Ministry (COM). As a special nod to those

Were You Changed?

I have now taken two pilgrimages in my life: one to England a few years ago, and another this summer to the Holy Land. The trips were fabulous, each very different and each quite powerful. After returning home I have been lucky enough to connect with folks who themselves have been pilgrims. They tend to

Bishop Brown offers pastoral response in the wake of recent mass shootings

My sisters and brothers in Delaware, In barely over a week we have witnessed the horror of mass shootings in Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. I am shocked and enraged, as I am any time innocent people are killed. My heart breaks for the men, women, and children who were murdered

Observing a Holy Lent

For centuries Christians have set aside the six weeks of Lent to humble ourselves, to simplify our lives, and as is often said these days, to get closer to God. However, it is unfortunate to think we need to get closer to God, because God is as close to us as our next breath.

January 2019

This month we hold our annual convention for the Episcopal Church in Delaware, and I expect it will be as lively and engaging as ever. In addition to the customary decisions we make together (such as electing folks to various state-wide committees and teams), we’ll also hear a powerful keynote presentation and take a peek

November 2018

Growth and the Real Presence of Christ. Every chance I get, I host an informal open forum during coffee hour while visiting a parish. I ask folks to tell me about their parish, ministries, and interests; and I answer questions they have about my work, ministries, and interests. I always find this time inspiring and

September 2018

After a particularly joyful Eucharist in late July, a member of the congregation said to me, “Bishop, I heard you preach a few weeks ago, and I want you to know how excited I am about your new focus on evangelism for the diocese.” I learned she was not kidding; she had gotten so charged

July 2018

Jesus and Politics. Happy Independence Day! This month, we celebrate 242 years since brave colonists openly signed a Declaration of Independence from king and country and thereby changed the course of world history. This holiday is a moment to give thanks for our nation and to recall our highest aspirations for what it might

May 2018

What’s in A Name? The team at the Diocesan Office has always been proud to serve the people and ministries of the Episcopal Church in Delaware. For decades the office was simply called the Bishop’s Office. In recent years the name was changed to the Diocesan Office to emphasize the team’s daily support of every