Everyone in the diocesan community is invited to gather for a celebration and commemoration of Bishop Shaw's ministry.  This festive event will take place on June 21, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., rain or shine, at the Pinebank Promontory on Jamaica Pond (corner of Perkins Street and the Jamaicaway) in Jamaica Plain.

The celebration will include remarks by Bishop Barbara C. Harris, with Bishop Frank Griswold preaching. 

Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy.  Ice cream and beverages will be provided. RSVP here.   

Season of Service and Celebration continues:   The diocesan Season of Service and Celebration honoring the ministry of Bishop Tom Shaw continues through June 21. All congregations and organizations of the diocese are invited to plan a service event during this season in his honor or participate in one already established.  Share your congregation's service projects or events on the Season of Service and Celebration Facebook page.

Three Bristol County Episcopal churches are merging into one and will celebrate their first service together as the Bristol Trinity Episcopal Church on June 15.  

The three churches, St. John's in Taunton, St. John the Evangelist in Mansfield and St. Mark's in North Easton, have been in a "cluster" relationship since the early 1990s, sharing one full-time and two part-time priests. Since 2010, the cluster has been gathering together for services during the summer months. With small congregations and aging buildings, the churches of the Bristol cluster voted in September 2013 to begin the merger process. 

 "At first this conversation was motivated by finances, and resources," said the Rev. Jan Walden, area missioner for the Bristol Cluster.  "But we're going to be able to serve God's people in new ways, and more ways, and with more energy. For many people it feels like lifting off a burden--we're just not going to be stretched so thin."   

Read more.

Episcopal City Mission (ECM) has voted to divest its $16-million endowment from exposure to fossil fuels. The unanimous vote of the ECM Board of Directors took place at its May 8 meeting after months of research, reflection and deliberation that included thorough analysis of the potential financial impact of divestment.  

According to ECM's announcement, the Finances Committee and the Board of Directors were satisfied that ECM's portfolio manager has designed an investment strategy with comparable returns so that fiduciary responsibilities for the endowment can be exercised without investment in fossil fuels. 

 "It is my hope that ECM's actions here will encourage other Episcopal organizations, including our own diocese's Trustees of Donations and other investors, to take a hard look at their portfolios and whether they are in line with their faith commitments, including social justice and caring for creation," the Rev. Noah H. Evans, chair of the board of Episcopal City Mission, said in ECM's announcement. 

Twelve youth from 

Painting at the community center.

nine different parishes came together to serve and learn from a community in need on an April New York City mission trip organized by the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry. The youth helped to brighten a community still recovering from natural disaster.

Superstorm Sandy caused significant damage to Coney Island, including the destruction of the Cary Gardens Community Center.  The community center's staff and programs have been moved to a new facility, which was functional but uninviting.  Throughout the week, Diocese of Massachusetts youth and NYC Habitat enlivened the building by painting halls and rooms with bright colors and fun wall murals, helping to make the center as vibrant as the community that gathers there.

During the mission trip, the youth experienced some of what many people in difficult financial circumstances do every day and learned how difficult that even simple tasks can be when living on limited resources. The group had to plan and purchase meals on a tight budget, navigate around the city and master the subway, while having to be ready for a full day of work early each morning. The group reflected and talked together about how service helps to create the peaceable kingdom, and how coming together from diverse backgrounds and sharing perspectives can help one another better understand God's vision for the world. 

The mission trip was made possible through a diocesan Mission Tithe Matching Grant. 

The Cathedral Church of St. Paul closed at Easter for renovations, which has meant that this year's Confirmation services have had to find new venues. Churches around the diocese have extended a warm welcome and shown tremendous hospitality to hundreds of candidates, family members and guests: 136 Episcopalians were confirmed or received on May 10 at Christ Church in Needham, and 66 were confirmed or received on May 17 at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Orleans.  Another 122 candidates are expected at the May 31 confirmation at Emmanuel Church in Boston. 

Mission Institute launches new website

The Mission Institute has launched their new website as part of a new and developing collaborative initiative of Episcopal City Mission, Episcopal Divinity School and the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. 

The Mission Institute was created, according to its mission statement, "to provide individuals, congregations and communities with innovative learning opportunities that nurture leaders, advance spiritual growth and support the flourishing of just, healthy societies," and it intends to offer "a platform through which people can access a rich array of resources that fuel transformational ministry especially in urban settings."

The new website will spotlight the Mission Institute's own programs, according to director Diane D'Souza, but will also be a tool for connecting people with events, resources and inspiration from other sources. 

Solidarity covenant passes to St. Michael's, Marblehead 

St. Michael's Episcopal Church became the current steward of the Marblehead Ministerial Association's covenant documents, created 25 years ago  in response to acts of vandalism that desecrated Temple Emanu-El and the Jewish Community Center. After the vandalism, the Marblehead Ministerial Association Covenant was created and signed by the 13 different synagogues or churches that comprise the association in an act of solidarity. Since 1989, the covenant has rotated among places of worship. Read more.