Dear Christ the Redeemer family,

This is an exciting autumn for us, and I would like to share a little about what is happening, particularly this upcoming week.

This Sunday Bishop Bill will be visiting us for the last time before his retirement. We will rejoice as people are baptized and confirmed, and we will celebrate Bishop Bill’s ministry as the founding bishop of the Anglican Diocese in New England. I hope you will be with us during the 10 o’clock hour, when I’ll interview Bishop Bill about the remarkable work that God has done here in the ADNE, and Bill’s role in it all. (We also have a gift we are looking forward to giving him; we want to honor him well!)

Relatedly, the final two candidates for bishop will visit All Saints Cathedral in Amesbury this Saturday from 10:00am-12:00pm. All are invited to attend this special event, where you will have an opportunity to see and hear from the candidates. Click here for more information about the candidates, as well as information about the journey of discernment in the bishop election process.

Sunday is also the official launch of the Forming and Sending Campaign. We will share the vision behind the campaign—what we’re feeling led to do and why—and the call to each one of us to be in prayer and to follow our Lord Jesus in whatever way he may call us to participate.

My hope is that this journey will be about much more than just the numbers. I pray that it will truly be a faith exercise for each one of us—that we will all grow in trust and intimacy with our Lord Jesus. He is with us in this.

There is a growing excitement around the campaign, and you can get a sneak peek at some of this on our website.

Finally, next Tuesday, October 16th, the Vestry and I are calling a parish-wide prayer gathering for the campaign, at 7:00pm in the sanctuary. Let us all join together and go before our Lord Jesus. We also encourage you to join the prayer group led by Jodi Fryling, meeting Wednesdays throughout the campaign in the sanctuary (beginning today, October 10) from 12:45-1:15pm, as they pray for wisdom and guidance for the CTR leadership and community.

Friends, I’m excited for what’s coming in these next few days, as well as the weeks to follow.

In and through it all may Jesus Christ be praised,

Fr Tim