Bishop Knisely Thanks RI Senate for Passing Marriage Equality Bill

I applaud the Rhode Island Senate for a courageous vote yesterday evening to pass the bill legalizing same-sex marriage, giving all Rhode Islanders equal right to the civil benefits of Marriage.  

I thank the Senate for passing a well balanced bill that I believe will protect the religious freedom of differing faiths with vastly different theological understandings of marriage. The constitution itself provides churches the right to decide who they will and will not marry within their denomination's conscience. 

Here in the Episcopal Church, a majority have come to believe that same-sex couples can live covenanted, faithful lives together in service to God, just as people in traditional marriages do.  Not all Episcopalians agree, but I thank the Senate for passing a bill that provides clergy who wish it the opportunity to minister in this way to the families and people in their congregations.

Friday 4/19 Evening Prayer with Bishop Knisely, for Boston Marathon Tragedy

The tragedy and heroism at the Boston Marathon on Monday held up to the people of New England the fragility of our common life, but also commended our spirit of resilience.

In the wake of this event, The Right Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely, Bishop of Rhode Island will be officiating Evening Prayer using the Book of Common Prayer's "An Order of Worship for the Evening" tomorrow, Friday April 19th at 7:00pm at St. Michael's Church in Bristol Rhode Island.

We welcome all to join us as we address the feelings, emotions, and thoughts that have been brought home at this time, and explore our response to the needs of the people of Boston.

We chose this service to allow prayer and reflection to be the centerpiece of that response, so that the Holy Spirit had room to guide us.

Come reflect, remember, mourn, and process the way to understanding, as well as our actions as the people of God.

The Death of The Rev. Hébert Winslow Bolles

The Rev. Hébert Winslow Bolles, 88, of 45 DeArruda Terrace, Portsmouth, RI, died peacefully at home, after a long illness, on April 6, 2013.  He was the husband of Elizabeth (Bambi) Sands Elliot. Hébert served as curate of St. Stephen’s Providence, then Chaplain to Brown and RISD students before he became rector of Ascension Wakefield, RI 1953-57.   He was called to be the Canon Pastor of Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis from 1957-62.  In 1962, Hébert returned to active duty as a Chaplain for the destroyer Squadron DESDIV 122 in Newport, RI, he served as Battalion Chaplain of the 2/26 Marines in Vietnam, 1966-67 and in 1968, he was stationed at NAS Norfolk, VA then at Argentia, Newfoundland, and finally served as the Senior Chaplain at NETC Newport, RI.  He retired from the Navy as a Captain in 1979. Hébert was a member of the RI Diocesan Standing Committee.  He was the Ecumenical Officer from 1984-89, and an instructor at the School for Deacons 1982-91, a ministry to which he was deeply committed.  Hébert served as interim of St. Paul's Portsmouth, St. Michael's Bristol and, later, was Vicar of St. Andrew's Little Compton (1989-94).  He was the Chaplain to Retired Clergy & Widows. 

Calling hours will be held at St. Columba’s Chapel, 55 Vaucluse Avenue, Middletown, RI on Friday, April 19, 2013 from 4-8 p.m.  His funeral will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 10 a.m. at Trinity Church, One Queen Anne Square, Newport, RI.  Burial will be private in St. Columba’s Churchyard.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Saint Columba’s Chapel, 55 Vaucluse Ave. Middletown, RI 02842 or to the Wounded Warriors Project, PO BOX 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. 

Email at Diocesan House is Restored

Verizon has restored DSL internet service to the North Main Street area, so we are now fully back online!

Verizon Outage: Office Internet & Email is Down!

Verizon DSL service is down for 24-48 hours in Providence's North Main Street area, where our diocesan offices are located.  If you need to reach someone at the diocesan house please call us instead of emailing us, our number is 401-274-4500. Our email server cannot receive or send email until Verizon restores internet service.

We're not entirely offline though, a few of us will be working from smartphones, G4 iPads, or home offices until internet is restored. We can still be reached via our facebook or twitter accounts. Isn't technology wonderful (when it works)?

We're sorry for the difficulties! Verizon assures us they will have service back up as soon as possible. In the mean time thank you for bearing with us.

-Ruth Meteer, Communications Director

New Brown/RISD Campus Minister Announced

This week in a letter to parishioners, S. Stephen's, Providence announced the appointment of the Rev’d Blake A. Sawicky as their new Curate. This is also exciting news for the diocese as Fr. Sawicky will serve as the Diocesan Episcopal Campus Minister to Brown University and RISD as well.

Since June 2011, Fr. Sawicky has served as Curate at the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint John in Denver, Colorado. He is a graduate of Yale Divinity School [M.Div., 2011] with a Diploma in Anglican Studies from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. He also holds degrees from University College, London, in Maritime Archeology [M.A., 2007], and Wheaton College, Illinois, in History and Ancient Near Eastern Archeology [B.A., 2006].

Fr. Sawicky writes: “I sing and play the piano, and enjoy fly fishing, hiking, SCUBA diving, art, music, literature. I enjoy volunteering with various service organizations, which have included the Red Cross, World Relief, Habitat for Humanity, and others. I am also a member of the Guild of All Souls, and I currently sit on the Colorado State Board of Medical Examiners.”

Ft. John Alexander, rector of S. Stephens writes "Fr. Sawicky’s appointment is very good news for S. Stephen’s and the Episcopal community at Brown and RISD. I know you will all join me in doing everything possible to make him welcome."

Fr. Sawicky will begin his new ministry at S. Stephen’s on June 1, 2013.