At the Diocesan Convention last November, Bishop McConnell promised that his decision concerning the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of persons in such unions would be informed (although not determined) by a diocese-wide dialogue, and announced the formation of a planning team to work with outside consultants to organize this dialogue. In February, the bishop sent a letter to the whole diocese describing the progress made. By that time, interviews had been conducted with a diverse group of 20 others, a number of whom would go on to participate in the first two dialogues, and the team itself had tested the dialogue that resulted, and refined the procedure further in the light of its experience.

The Phase Two dialogues have now taken place, and the planning team is pleased to report that both facilitators and participants have given the process high marks. According to one observer, "at times the atmosphere was electric with collaborative, constructive energy... some participants offered a few suggested tweaks but as a general proposition people communicated that the structure and facilitation were experienced as supporting meaningful, constructive conversation."

The Phase Three dialogues will take place throughout the diocese over the summer. The only limitation on the number of participants will be the need for there to be a roughly equal number who come at this controversy from each side.  Clearly a large pool of volunteers on both sides of the question.

To volunteer to take part in the summer dialogues, click this link.

Bishop Ed Konieczny called for prayer, while staff and clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma reached out to the community, after violent tornadoes on May 20 left at least 24 dead, including 7 children, and more than 120 injured near Oklahoma City.

As rescuers continued to search for survivors amid the rubble of buildings and widespread debris, the death toll was expected to rise. An earlier figure of 51 deaths was revised down by the Oklahoma Medical Examiners Office, which said it had received 24 bodies, according to reports. "It's been a pretty rough couple of days" with more storms possible on Tuesday, said Konieczny, during a Monday evening telephone call from his home in Edmond, a northern suburb of Oklahoma City.

"We're still assessing where we are at today," he said, just a few hours after a mile-wide tornado struck a hospital and two elementary schools in Moore, about 11 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. "Communications are difficult. Cell phone service is sparse. Even landlines are affected. The area where the tornado struck is blocked off, nobody can get in or out."

The Diocese of Oklahoma includes 70 congregations representing about 25,000 Episcopalians and encompasses the entire state. A link for those wishing to contribute to disaster relief efforts has been established on the diocesan website.

But Konieczny said that the biggest thing right now, "is prayers for everyone. There's been significant loss, not only of physical properties, but with the loss of children and other family members. Prayers would really be appreciated for us. There's the first couple of days of the news of the event, but the real work and the real need for people is going to be in the days ahead."

Read more here.

Does anyone recognize this window description?

The archives was contacted by someone from a New Jersey parish trying to find out if a stained glass window from a closed church there ended up in Pittsburgh. 

The family of the Rev. Byllesby, who served in Pittsburgh in the later part of the 19th century and whose daughter, Ruth, was the diocese's only deaconess from 1896-1904, requested the window be saved and sent to Pittsburgh when the New Jersey church was razed in 1905. 

The window was made by Tiffany and is described as showing a scene called "Rock of Ages." It had an inscription dedicating the window to the Rev. Byllesby and showed two trees, a pond and a floral border around it. Colors were described as muted and it was in a circular frame. 

Contact Joan Gundersen at jrgunder@episcopalpgh.org or 412-721-0884 if you think you know this window..

• Community Health & Wellness Day
• Lunch and Learn Presentation
• Youth Outreach
• Roundtable Discussion
• Gospel Concert
• Donation Skit/Play
• Prayer Breakfast with speakers
• Donation Workshops