Bishop Doug Sparks

Moving Forward Together - Pastoral Letter 9 Nov 2016

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Dear Sisters and Brothers,

"Is not this the fast that I choose:  to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in." Isaiah 58:6-8, 12 (NRSV)

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Risen Christ!

Today, I had the privilege of gathering with hundreds of others at FASHIONING OUR LIVES, an annual event of St. Margaret's House, a Day Center for Women in its 26th year, whose mission statement is Creating Community, Changing Lives.  We listened to the stories of four women whose lives have been transformed by the relationships they have formed at St. Margaret's House, not in an instant but for some over a decade or more.  These sacred stories were a reminder to me of the work that lies ahead of us on the day after Election Day!

In the Joint Statement written by the Episcopal and Lutheran Bishops of Indiana, we wrote,

"Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? This challenging question is at the heart of what it means to live as citizens of this nation!"

There are citizens who awoke rejoicing today and there are citizens who awoke deeply saddened today.  Yet we remain citizens of the United States of America, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice assured for all.  As engaged citizens, let us demonstrate our commitment to striving for justice and peace and to respecting the dignity of every being by our behavior, in our conversations and through our actions.

This striving remains our noble work on the day after Election Day and into the future. I ask you to pray for all who have been elected in our townships, cities, state and nation.

As the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement in Northern Indiana, we remain committed to the Five Marks of Mission...tell, teach, tend, transform, treasure...to the work of evangelism; racial reconciliation and justice; and environmental stewardship. Let us commit ourselves to being "Repairers of the breach and Restorers of Livable Streets!"

Every blessing,

Doug

 

Prayers for our Nation - Joint Statement Bishop of Indiana October 2016

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“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people,

and respect the dignity of every human being?”

 This challenging question is at the heart of what it means to live as citizens of this nation!

We, the Episcopal and Lutheran Bishops of Indiana, invite our sisters and brothers in Indiana to pray for our nation as we continue to prepare for Election Day, Tuesday, 8 November.  Let us remind each other that as part of our Affirmation of Faith in the Book of Common Prayer and Evangelical Lutheran Worship, we have committed ourselves “to respect the dignity of every human being” and “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”

As engaged citizens, let us demonstrate these affirmations by our behavior, in our conversations and through our actions. Pray for all those who have offered themselves for elected office in our townships, cities, state and nation.  Our fervent prayers can be manifested in various ways.  We offer these two texts as resources to support our prayer throughout the state.

For Sound Government

O Lord our Governor, bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth.

To the President and members of the Cabinet, to Governors of States, Mayors of Cities, and to all in administrative authority, grant wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties.

To Senators and Representatives, and those who make our laws in States, Cities, and Towns, give courage, wisdom, and foresight to provide for the needs of all our people, and to fulfill our obligations in the community of nations.

To the Judges and officers of our Courts give understanding and integrity, that human rights may be safeguarded and justice served.

And finally, teach our people to rely on your strength and to accept their responsibilities to their fellow citizens, that they may elect trustworthy leaders and make wise decisions for the well-being of our society; that we may serve you faithfully in our generation and honor your holy Name. Amen.

Copyright © The Episcopal Church, 1979

 Responsible Citizenship

Lord, God, you call your people to honor those in authority.  Help us elect trustworthy leaders, participate in wise decisions for our common life, and serve our neighbors in local communities.  Bless the leaders of our land, that we may be at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth. Amen.

Copyright ©2006 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, amended.

 The Rt. Rev. William Gafkjen, Lutheran Bishop, Indiana – Kentucky ELCA Synod

The Rt. Rev. Francis Gray, Episcopal Bishop, Diocese of Northern Indiana, retired

The Rt. Rev. Edward Little, Episcopal Bishop, Diocese of Northern Indiana, retired

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas Sparks, Episcopal Bishop, Diocese of Northern Indiana

The Rt. Rev. Catherine Waynick, Episcopal Bishop, Diocese of Indianapolis

Pastoral Letter 9 July 2016

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9 July 2016

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Grace and peace be with you in God our Creator, Redeemer, and Giver of Life!

The horrific and tragic events of this past week have rocked us to our core. In Louisiana, Minnesota and then in Dallas, Texas, the killings at the hands of others have been shocking, heartbreaking and beyond comprehension. Many of us are numb and yet filled with raw emotions, wondering what we can do, how to navigate this tangled web of violence tied to so many issues and where to begin with healing the pain.

Immediately, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry called us to a time of prayer for those who were killed, those who grieve over these deaths, those who place their lives at risk to protect us and for the sake of others...indeed, he has invited us to pray for our nation that we may recognize each other as beloved Children of God, made in God's image and likeness...every one of us!

Personally, I am so often led in prayer to The Baptismal Covenant ... to those five questions acting on our affirmation of faith. Please reflect on these in your prayer:

Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? In order for us to work for peace through justice, we must be sustained in intentional and communal reflection on God's word. We must remain in community, nourished by the sacrificial gift of Christ's Body and Blood as we are sent out to do the work God has given us to do.

Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? In order for us to work for peace through justice, many of us must recognize our privilege and repent of our complicity in the sin of racism.

Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? In order for us to work for peace through justice, we must stand with others who call for action on behalf of the most vulnerable among us. We must take a risk to be associated with those who have no voice or power in the face of violence.

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? In order for us to work for peace through justice, we must seek out and serve Christ in all persons, loving our Muslim neighbors, our indigenous neighbors, our LGBTQ neighbors...all our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being? In order for us to work for peace through justice, our striving needs to include intentional conversations with our neighbors about gun violence, abuse of power, fear of those who differ from us, white privilege and racism.

On the Walkabout in January, I shared with you my desire to move us into a time of Deep Listening. This is what we need to do for each other now and I pray our faith communities in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana can have respectful conversations.

Several years ago, I participated in an ecumenical training developed by the Minnesota Council of Churches focused on engaging in RESPECTFUL CONVERSATIONS. This is what Presiding Bishop Curry is encouraging our nation to do, as we address these painful manifestations of violence.

I would like to invite all of us in the Episcopal Church in Northern Indiana, along with our neighbors, to engage in RESPECTFUL CONVERSATIONS around gun violence, hatred, fear of those who differ from us, suspicion, misjudgment of law enforcement, white privilege, abuse of power and racism.

To that end, I will ask the deans of our three regions to work with me and our lay leaders to provide a process and several venues for these conversations.

Finally, I leave you with the prayer Bishop Curry referred to, The Prayer for the Human Family, found in the Book of Common Prayer, page 815.

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son; Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us continue to work for peace through justice!
Every blessing,

Doug

Serving as Bishop of Northern Indiana