Diocese of Montana Newsletter, May 2021
By Bishop Marty Stebbins
Volunteers from the broader Diocese of Montana are gathering a Becoming Beloved Community group to explore not only the material from The Episcopal Church (https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/bbc_where_you_are.pdf) but also other communities’ materials and where it might be helpful in Montana. The two underpinning concepts that drive this work here in Montana is that we believe that that we are the Episcopal brand in the Jesus Movement (coined by Bishop Michael Curry) and that we do wish to live into the ethos that all really are welcomed into our Episcopal way of being.
For those of us who have lived long enough to hear the words, “Beloved Community”, it may seem like we are going down a non-productive and divisive rabbit-hole. So, let me give you some history. In 1958 the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King published his first book, Stride Toward Freedom, where outlined his philosophy of nonviolence and introduced the concept of a Beloved Community. In the subsequent years, the nonviolent philosophy brought much positive change in American society, though not without violent reaction by those who chose not to follow that philosophy and its accompanying principles. But the term, Beloved Community was much more challenging. Those who worked at forming nascent communities based on its philosophy soon found the work much harder than many were prepared to engage in. (Click here to continue reading.)
Click here to read the complete newsletter, including the following:
- Becoming Beloved Community, article by Bishop Marty Stebbins
- Diocesan Calendar
- Camp Marshall: News, Staffing, Camp Sessions
- Pinwheels for Prevention
- Treasures Abound: About the Washington Cross
- Finance Corner, by Barb Hagen
- Episcopal Relief & Development
- Workshop: Singing Plains, Calling Mountains
- Highlights from the National Workshop on Christian Unity
- Reflection from Archdeacon Dorcie Dvarishkis
- News from around the Diocese
- UTO Corner