A child receives medical care in Angola. Photo: Gail Avery

A child has his arm measured in Angola. Measuring arm circumferences is part of the nutrition training center’s determination whether a child is malnourished.  Photo: Gail Avery

As nations across the globe are becoming more insular and the effectiveness of international health efforts and aid in question, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire is making a bold yet necessary move to counter this trend. A new committee has been created—the Global Missions Committee (GMC)—whose goal is to support ministries across the world that our congregations have been participating in and working alongside of for decades. These efforts intentionally make visible our sacramental relationships with our global brothers and sisters who are worthy of dignity and respect as well as our attention and care.

We are experiencing in real time the rippling impact when financial support is withdrawn. The gutting of USAID, an agency providing 40 percent of all aid worldwide, has resulted in the collapse of food aid programs in Africa, refugee resettlement, childhood vaccines, PEPFAR (a US government program providing aid to fight HIV/AIDS in developing countries). Lives are on the line; tens of thousands of people are already in the depth of poverty and starvation due to civil unrest and climate change.

“While the work is not new, the newly established Global Missions Committee helps the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire to extend its vision beyond our own tiny borders and see how we are woven in a global vine of prayer, love, and concern,” said Bishop Rob.

For 18-plus years, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire has supported a partnership with St. Andre’s Anglican church in Ondjiva Angola, a community ravaged by war and drought. The relationship began in 2006 when a men’s group at Church of our Saviour in Milford began praying for the members of St. Andres, resulting in a mission trip to Angola a year and a half later. 

“We arrived with some ideas about what we could do, and suggestions from members of our parish about what we should do, but very quickly it became clear that our job, perhaps our only job, was to listen,” says Elizabeth Rotch. “To listen to the people of St. Andre’s, to listen to the Holy Spirit…and to respond. If we went out with the slightest notion that we were somehow carrying a light to Ondjiva, we soon understood we could only hope to hold up a mirror that might reflect the light that already shone so brightly there.”

What started off as transactional (one community giving and the other receiving) was soon transformed. Prayer and friendships were born—a church built, and a community school reopened, as well as a nutrition training center that combats malnutrition due to dramatic food shortages caused by floods and then drought—all this in partnership with St. Andres parish, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire and the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit remains on the move. Recently the Mother’s Union nutrition training program has expanded to the village of Namacunde, due in part to our ongoing global partnership with MANNA and ALMA, two Angolan initiatives within the Diocese of London.  

The Rev. Canon Gail Avery, who chairs the committee overseeing the work in Angola, has been appointed by Bishop Rob to chair the GMC. She sees the church’s involvement in global ministries as reparatory.

The Rev. Mark Pendleton, rector of Christ Church Exeter, with congregants at Iglesia Episcopal San Francisco de Asís in Cardenas, Cuba, in 2023.

“There’s an intersectionality to the reparation work that churches in our diocese are embarking upon,” says Avery. “The first Africans enslaved landed in Jamestown in 1619 were from Angola, and they were strong and healthy. Our current partnership with the Mother’s Union nutrition program is repairing that breach by effectively nourishing and strengthening Angolan families. We have been participating in Restorative Justice with the parish of St. Andres and the new Diocese of Central South Angola from the beginning. We’ve been doing the work, not just talking about doing the work.” 

Avery points out that there are lessons to learn from our global partners. In Africa, the Anglican church in Angola led the way in their fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria and was an active participant in Angola’s peace process at the end of their civil war in 2003. Angola shares a long northern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in recent years has played a valuable mediation role to end the conflict between DRC and Rwanda. Rather than tightening its borders, Angola is doing its part in alleviating the global refugee crisis, including opening its borders to the Congolese. The small country of Angola exemplifies what it means to welcome the stranger, hosting 57,000 displaced refugees, more than half of the United States’ quota.

Our churches are also ministering to global neighbors closer to home. Christ Church in Exeter has a companion relationship with Iglesia Episcopal San Francisco de Asís (St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church) in Cardenas, Cuba, and has sent 10 delegations to the island over the last decade. Cuba is a member diocese of The Episcopal Church. 

“Though geographically close to the U.S., it is isolated like few other countries in the world due to its unique history of being occupied and influenced by the world’s superpowers,” says Christ Church rector, the Rev. Mark Pendleton. “Today, with the electrical grid near collapse, the people are enduring daily indignities and food shortages. With support from the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire through a Sustainable Development Grant, the church in Guantanamo, not far from the U.S. naval base, received $2,000 to support their hurricane preparedness program as climate change brings more storms through the Caribbean.”

Other global initiatives supported by our churches include St. Vincent’s School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a ministry of St. Andrew’s, New London, and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, where our efforts bolster its ever-critical work for peace and justice among both Palestinians and Israelis.

“We hear within us Jesus’ call to go to regions beyond us for the sake of the Gospel, mindful that God has much to teach us by those we seek to love,” said Bishop Rob. “The Global Missions Committee will help the whole diocese raise awareness and resources to fulfill commitments and to nourish relationships in the Body of Christ.”

Learn more about the Global Missions Committee and Global Missions Grants here.


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AuthorSusan Axelrod

By Susan Sherrill Axelrod

This week, Rootstock Publishing released Polly Merritt Ingraham’s first book, “Unconverted: Memoir of a Marriage” (Rootstock Publishing, June 17, 2025). More than a decade in the making, it’s a story of love, seeking, and commitment—to her husband, her children, her own profession in public education, as well as her quest to live out key beliefs and values. Ingraham, the School-to-Career counselor at Belmont High School, is married to Bishop Rob, and over their almost 35-year marriage she has sought to nurture and sustain their deep bond, while preserving her identity as unaffiliated with any one denomination. Instead of in a church sanctuary, she has found community and purpose on her children’s sports fields and in the various neighborhoods where the family has made their home while Rob was building his career. The book is elegantly constructed, smart, and occasionally quite funny; Ingraham poses thoughtful relatable questions without taking herself too seriously. It’s an eyes-wide-open look at how a loving relationship can survive, and in fact thrive, despite significant differences.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Polly Ingraham: I started feeling inspired to write this back when we lived in Amherst before Rob was called to be bishop, and I was going regularly to church with our children sitting in the pew and essentially thinking, "How did I get here?"

Susan Axelrod: You weren't raised in the church?

PI: No, I was raised with almost no church, except for some experience going to Quaker Meeting with my grandmother. It was a very happy childhood. I had four older brothers, who had a big influence on me. It was a busy life, and we lacked for nothing. Occasionally it would cross my mind, "We don't go to church, but many of our friends do."

After Rob and I fell in love, got married and settled in, I thought, "This is probably a little unusual." Then that was confirmed because I began to glean that a lot of people assumed as soon as they met me, that I must be religious too. And I thought, "That's interesting. Why? They don't even know me."

I don’t need to tell you, I’m sure, there’s something that often feels old-fashioned about certain aspects of church life. Everybody is so nice. Still, for spouses anyway, there’s often this feeling that doesn’t really exist with other professions.

SA: …that you’re expected to be the help meet. I know because my father was a priest, and my mother felt that. Even though she is a pretty religious person, she rebelled a bit against the clergy wife thing because she always wanted to have a career, but she was still in the pew on Sunday mornings with the three of us.

PI: And so was I; I wouldn't do it any differently. It was one question that was important to Rob, “Will our children be raised in the church?” I totally understood, and they were. So, now I'm on the other side of it and I have had some time to muse about this. Rob has been very supportive about my drive to write the book.

I have some skill as a writer, I have some skill observing, I have some skill at trying to find things that are funny in life. And so, I've tried to tell my story of being married to a priest.

Whenever there have been clergy spouse gatherings, it struck me as very interesting that there’s a sense of “we're all in this together.” And besides being in a similar situation, we’re all likely Episcopalians. I mean, that's not even a question, even though wouldn't it be possible that some partners might be from a whole different tradition?

What I hope that I’ve portrayed in this story is that love works in mysterious ways, that you can love someone and still not quite become that person. In fact, a relationship can be enriched by the interplay that goes on when distinct differences are recognized and respected. 

SA: To quote author Jay Owensby from the cover notes: “This book will convince you of the power of love in a divided world.” You and Rob are very different in personality type too, you're much more extroverted.

PI: He's more contemplative. But there are shared things that brought us together. We both read all the time. We both care a lot about physical workouts. We both care a lot about being kind to people.

There's one part early in the book—our first date when we went to a restaurant, and I was asking him questions: “What do you believe? How do you believe it?” It’s essential to the rest of my story—Rob trying to answer my questions and trying to be patient with me not knowing.

It's important to me to emphasize that part of why I wanted to write this was to try to display that love is not about being the same as your spouse. It's this kind of cross-fertilization that happens. You are constantly learning from and with one another. When Rob comes back from all his events that he does and he's tired, I will always ask about them because this is how I was raised, and I’m also genuinely interested. And yet sometimes Rob will say, "Oh Polly, that's the last thing I want to talk about. Please just tell me about your day; I need time to process that meeting on my own.”

Being an extrovert, I've learned from him the importance of quiet and that it can be a good thing for me too. For instance, when he says at night, "I'm going upstairs to read," sometimes I'll still have stuff I want to tell him. But I realize that when he goes upstairs it means quiet time. And I say, "You know what? That's a good idea. It can wait."

One of my chapters is about the day of Rob’s consecration. My hope was that this description would speak to other spouses/partners, especially those with spouses/ partners in the public eye, because what it's like for all the people there to celebrate is different from what it's like for the spouse/ partner. Everybody was so happy that day, and I was thinking, "Wait a minute, what is this going to mean for us?"

SA: How did you find time to work on the book?

PI: I started drafting early chapters back when I had what I called my “clergy wife journal”—keeping a lot of impressions about our way of life without knowing what the structure of a full-length book could be. Then, after we’d been in New Hampshire for several years, I enrolled in the Memoir Incubator program at Grub Street, a non-profit creative writing center in Boston.  The premise there is “You come to a weekly class here for a year, and you will leave with a first draft.” I finished that in 2018, and thought I’d be really done in another year after absorbing all the feedback I got from my classmates, but then the “querying” process (reaching out to agents and publishers) took several more years. Ridiculous, right?

Now, I'm running the gamut between being proud of the fact that I finished the book, pleased that I have a good publisher, and a little bit exhausted by the no-end-in-sight feeling that has been there for months. And then I combine that sometimes with, "Holy cow, what have I done?" and “What will people think?” But then I realize that I never set out to do anything but tell my own story truthfully and vividly; I hope that it will resonate with people who are both inside and outside the church world.

You can pick up a copy of “Unconverted” at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord, which will host Ingraham and her friend and fellow author, Ian M. Rogers, for a book launch event on Wednesday, July 9, at 6:30 p.m. Also find the book on Amazon and IngramSpark. Learn more about “Unconverted” and author Polly Merritt Ingraham here.


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AuthorSusan Axelrod

A time of conversation, fellowship, and prayer among the Anglican/Episcopal Bishops of Maine, Montreal, New Hampshire, Quebec, and Vermont, recorded on Friday, March 21, during the spring meeting of the House of Bishops.


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AuthorGuest User

From the Rev. Rachel Field, project manager and Deb Baker, project coordinator 

An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice is halfway through its second year. Over the past two years this program has shifted from a small pilot to open enrollment for Province 1. In this time of significant political upheaval and social change, the Path offers a model for grounded community support and activism. Changes within The Episcopal Church and across the United States have created a landscape of uncertainty for many of our environmental ministries. Initiatives protecting wilderness and biodiversity, as well as programs to achieve zero carbon emissions are all threatened. As a friend of mine recently stated, "The work hasn't changed; it's just gotten harder." Through the generosity of the Dioceses of Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, and additional support from Province 1, the Path continues to hold space in our parishes—laying the groundwork in prayer for nurturing lay leadership, building community, and effecting impactful action. In times of uncertainty, these models of connection feel even more essential.

This year, our Companions have been witnessing and supporting goals for ecological justice, deepening commitment within parishes, and helping connect parishes to existing resources and other communities. In Brattleboro Vermont, St Michael's continues to move toward its goal of zero emissions and is incorporating adult education programming around composting, green burials, and divestment from fossil fuels. In Massachusetts, Good Shepherd Acton is using the "Love God, Love God's World" curriculum and incorporating music from the Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) into their worship life.  Earlier this year, all our Path parishes received materials from the organization Beyond Plastics, and some are incorporating these into a "plastic free" Lenten practice. In New Hampshire and Maine, we have three parishes working to discern their own unique Paths to creation justice, St. James in Keene is working to write a land acknowledgement that takes into consideration not only whose land the church is on but also the relationship the original inhabitants had with the land. 

Enrollment for the Path is now open for the fall of 2025. If you or your community are looking to deepen your engagement around climate justice, have a committed group of at least three people, and are able to commit to monthly meetings between October 2025 and May 2026, then we invite you to reach out and explore how the Path may be able to support you. The program is open to all Episcopal communities in Province 1 (CT, MA, ME, VT, NH, RI). Or if you are eager to offer support to other communities and would like to join our cohort of Companions we also invite you to contact Rachel and Deb at episcopalcreationpath@gmail.com.

An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice is a four-level initiative now available in Province 1 to encourage and support our congregations to deepen and grow in a holistic response to the climate emergency. The Path develops and equips church communities to grow in knowledge and skills as they progress along the four-fold path toward Creation Justice, which includes: Prayer, Learning, Action, and Advocacy. It provides consultation, support, community, and recognition for participating churches through its trained Companions and share their work so that others will be inspired.


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AuthorGuest User

A new diocesan committee, the Micah 6 Commission, was launched at an organizational meeting on Monday, Feb. 17. Conceived by Bishop Rob in recognition of the fact that so many of the issues we face in the world—racism, environmental degradation, educational, health care and economic inequities—are interwoven, the new commission replaces the former separate commissions dedicated to Reconciliation, Earth Care, and Our Kids.

The Micah 6 Commission prayerfully seeks to discern how the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire can follow the words of Micah 6:8, to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God,” as we witness Christ’s love to a world continually in need. “The requirement of God that we work towards justice, mercy, and humility is the aim of lifelong Christian discipleship,” said Bishop Rob. The Micah 6 commission will work ‘at the speed of relationship’ so that spiritual discernment of our role in repair and reconciliation comes through a sense of community call.” The commission will strive to partner wherever it can with agencies, both religious and secular, that are already effectively carrying out God’s mission.

At the meeting, members reflected on Micah 6:8 together and learned more from the Bishop about the “charge” to the commission. They also heard from Chair, the Rev. Derek Scalia of St. James’, Keene, about the background work that led to the commission and from Canon to the Ordinary Tina Pickering, diocesan staff liaison, about organizational logistics, beginning with 1:1 meetings to build common ground and deep relationship. April 11-12, members will go on retreat together at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center, during which the commission will set group norms, roles and responsibilities, and talk about community partners and congregational relationships. Members will also begin to develop a map of the work, including looking at the efforts of the Reparations Task Force, budgeting, grant work, and more. The commission will meet monthly on the first Tuesday of the month.

In addition to Scalia and Pickering, the Micah 6 Commission is comprised of: Rev. Jean Beniste, St. Paul’s, Concord; Seth Bonvouloir, Grace Church, Manchester; Kristen Gowdy, St. Thomas’, Dover; Rev. Shawn LaFrance, Grace Church, Concord; Rev. Susan Langle, Epiphany Church, Newport; Rev. William Petersen, All Saints,’ Wolfeboro; John Rowntree, Good Shepherd, Nashua; Robert Siewierski, St. Stephen’s, Colebrook; Deborah Szauter, St. Paul’s Lancaster; and Ashley Wade, St. John’s, Portsmouth.

“At the core of the Christian faith is a commitment to love God and to love neighbor,” said Bishop Rob.  “We seek to reflect as best as we can the compassion that Jesus felt to the lost, the least, and the last among us. I am so grateful that the inaugural members of the Micah 6 commission are so eager to discern in deep prayer and courage how we can most effectively share the love of Christ in our communities.” 


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AuthorGuest User

With gratitude to the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire and the people of Trinity Claremont, I am on sabbatical from Feb. 1 through April 30, 2025. During that time, please connect with the following colleagues:

  • For the ordination process, vocational discernment, and matters related to the Commission on Ministry, the lead contact is Dean of Clergy, the Rev. Louise Howlett.

  • Registration and logistics for the March COM retreat are being handled by Operations and Event Administrator Kathy Traynor.

  • Safe Church, background checks, and youth formation remain in the hands of my associate, Youth Formation and Safe Church Coordinator George Swenson.

  • For matters where formation meets congregational development, including the diocese’s relationship with the Iona Collaborative, connect with Canon to the Ordinary Tina Pickering.

    For the School for Ministry:

  • Currently enrolled students, please contact SFM faculty member and interim SFM lead the Rev. Steve Rugg, or your instructor.

  • SFM Wednesday community time will be student-led.

  • For questions about tuition invoices or other financial matters, please connect with Director of Finance and Benefits Lauren Tennett.

    For Trinity Claremont:

  • Trinity’s general email is welcome@trinityclaremont.org. The parish administrator will forward your message to the appropriate person at Trinity. For pastoral emergencies, please consult your directory and contact Deacon Geof.

    Please note that my kss@nhepiscopal.org email inbox will not be monitored until May 1.


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AuthorGuest User

 Voting is a powerful way to make a positive impact on your community and fulfill the Gospel call to care for one another. It's not just about choosing a president—it’s about deciding on local races like city council, mayor, and school boards, which directly affect daily life. Here’s how you can help get souls to the polls!

Parish Election Challenge: Building Community with Election Engagement

Vote Faithfully Election Engagement

Make Me an Instrument of Peace, A Guide to Civil Discourse

It is a Christian obligation to vote, and more than that, it is the church’s responsibility to help get souls to the polls. 
— Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

Voting in New Hampshire

Are you registered to vote? Do you need to update your address? Go to vote.gov/register.

Absentee ballots are now available, but you must meet certain criteria to vote absentee. Learn more and request one here no later than noon on Monday, Nov. 4. Ballots must be received in person no later than 5 p.m. on Nov. 4 and by mail no later than 5 p.m. on Election Day.

Pray for Our Nation: Oct. 29 – Nov. 5

Let's come together across the church to offer prayers for discernment in voting and for the well-being of our nation. Starting Oct. 29 and continuing through the day after the election, you are invited to pray for the election of leaders in the U.S. Download the guide for use at home or to share with your congregation. The prayers will also be posted daily on Facebook and Instagram. To download the bulletin insert to share with your congregation, visit Forward Movement.

Election Night Virtual Prayers

Everyone is invited to join Election Night Virtual Prayers hosted by The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations from 8 to 10 p.m. on Nov. 5. Bishop Sean Rowe, who will become presiding bishop on Nov. 1, will offer an opening reflection and prayer.

Episcopalians from around the church will hold silence and lead participants in prayers together for peace, the nation, and all people and countries. Join the event via Zoom by registering here, or watch a livestream on The Episcopal Public Policy Network’s Facebook page.



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AuthorCommunications

Bishop Rob is one of 42 diocesan bishops to authorize the use of the 2024 edition of "Season of Creation: A Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes," during this year's Season of Creation, Sept. 1 - Oct. 4.   

According to the Episcopal News Service, "developing this resource has been a grassroots effort inspired by the ecumenical Season of Creation movement, a desire for authentic Episcopal liturgical expression, and the awareness that parish leaders often have limited time and energy to prepare and plan services for every season." The guide includes prayers, readings, and hymns dedicated to honoring the sacredness of God’s Creation.

Season of Creation Celebration Guide (PDF)

Season of Creation Worship Guide


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AuthorGuest User

Written by Betty Lane and James McKim

Over the past few years, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire (ECNH) has passed resolutions committing the diocese to working toward racial reconciliation, healing and justice guided by the long-term commitment to Becoming Beloved Community. As a church we have affirmed the path of telling the truth about our churches and race, proclaiming the dream of Beloved Community, practicing Jesus’ way of healing love, and repairing the breach in society and institutions.

The 221st Convention of the ECNH passed the resolution “Becoming the Beloved Community: A Plan for Reparations.” That resolution set forth $56,000 and called for a Reparations Task Force to develop a strategy and framework for reparations. 

Why? Ongoing racial injustice continues to plague New Hampshire with disparities in access to economic opportunities, education, healthcare, and criminal justice continue to disproportionately impact non-white communities. Our baptismal vows call us, with God’s help, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves and to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being knowing that this can be challenging and yet joyful work of the church.

The Reparations Task Force has been created. Betty Lane from Christ Church, Portsmouth and James McKim from St. Matthew’s, Goffstown are co-chairs. As per the resolution, the Task Force has representation from the Reconciliation Commission (the Ven. Derek Scalia), Diocesan Council (Lauren Tennett), Finance Lauren Tennett), Standing Committee (the Rev. Guy Collins), and the Trustees (Sarah Ambrogi). Other members include youth representative Seth Bonvouloir and the Rev. Zac Harmon, liaison to community partners and Indigenous communities. The Rev. Michele Bonner, who recently returned to New Hampshire from the Diocese of Texas, has been hired as a part-time coordinator for the effort.

The Task Force has been meeting since January. It has developed a definition of reparations for all to use. 

“Reparations is the spiritual and material process to remember, restore, reconcile, and make amends for historical and continuing wrongs such as: Peoplehood/Nationhood, Education, Health, Criminal Punishment, Wealth, and Poverty, against African American and Indigenous people that can never be singularly reducible to monetary terms, but must include repentance, a substantial investment and surrender of resources, and a guarantee of non-repeat.” 

(Note: The wrongs identified above are known as the Five Injuries; learn more here. )

The Task Force has identified work to be done in the following areas:

  • Build Relationships

  • Truth-Finding

  • Truth-Telling 

  • Repentance 

  • Repairing the Breach/Rehabilitation/Restitution/Compensation 

  • Evaluation/Satisfaction

To gain insights into the brokenness here in New Hampshire and to ensure that the work we do is truly effective, the Task Force has been building relationships with organizations identified as “Accountability Partners,” such as the Black Heritage Trail NH, the Cowasuck Band of the Penacook-Abenaki, BLM NH, the three branches of the NAACP, and others. To gain insights into the thoughts of members of the diocese and provide guidance on what can be done locally, the Task Force is coordinating meetings with each of the seven Convocations. To provide opportunities for truth telling and healing, the Task Force is in the process of scheduling Healing of Memories workshops which will be available for everyone in the diocese.

“This work is long-term work,” says Bishop Hirschfeld. “And we have the best minds in the diocese leading our efforts. However, as followers of Jesus, we should not wait for their plan and framework to take action. We encourage every member of the church to participate in a Sacred Ground program. We encourage every parish to live into our 219th Convention resolution to go through the program “Becoming Beloved Community Where You Are”.

For more information on the work of the Task Force or what you can do now toward reparations and Becoming Beloved Community, contact the Rev. Michele Bonner at reparations@nhepiscopal.org.


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AuthorGuest User

Trinity Church Claremont’s temporary shelter was featured in a story published by the Valley news and NHNPR, “Upper Valley winter shelters keep dozens warm and dry.” From the story:

“The shelter’s volunteers provided meals and overnight monitoring. Several Claremont churches, including First Congregational Church, St. Joseph and St. Mary’s provided monetary donations or volunteers to support the project.

Elizabeth Moriarty, a pastor at Trinity, said they are currently seeking a new building to house the shelter, as the church is not an adequate space for a seasonal or year-round program. In addition, they hope to partner with an organization that is experienced in staffing and running a shelter.”


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AuthorCommunications

Creative Redevelopment of Episcopal Church Property Will Further Church’s Mission To Serve The Community

On the front steps of Christ Church, Portsmouth, from left: Portland Housing Authority Executive Director Craig Welch, HAVEN Executive Director Kathy Beebe, and Bishop Rob Hirschfeld | Photo by Kathleen Soldati

The Episcopal Church of New Hampshire has announced plans to redevelop its Christ Church property on Lafayette Road in Portsmouth. The Episcopal diocese, which owns the 3.5-acre plot, has partnered with the Portsmouth Housing Authority (PHA), HAVEN—the state’s largest organization providing support and prevention services to those impacted by sexual and domestic violence—and Little Blessings Child Care Center, to further the diocese’s mission to serve the community. According to Bishop Rob Hirschfeld, the vision includes building approximately 50 units of affordable, workforce apartment rental units, a new headquarters for HAVEN’s violence prevention services, renovated facilities for Little Blessings Child Care, and a revamped worship space. A draft plan will be presented to the Portsmouth Planning Board in later this month.

“This is what happens when faithful people dare to pray for a vision of God’s purposes," says Bishop Hirschfeld. “This will be a bold project that will further God’s love and care in this community. I’m grateful to all involved for their courageous collaboration.”

Christ Episcopal Church of Portsmouth has been welcoming worshippers since the original stone structure on Madison Street was dedicated in July 1883. After it burned down 80 years later, the church was rebuilt on a three-acre piece of land donated by local benefactor John Elwyn Stone, a descendant of the Langdon family, along what is now Route One. Over time, the number of congregants has dwindled to a small but dedicated group for whom maintenance of the large, red brick church building has become a burden.

Thanks to the creativity of the project’s partners, the church structure will be retained. Plans call for part of the building to be repurposed as the headquarters for HAVEN. The building will also house new space for Little Blessings, and its childcare service will continue to operate uninterrupted throughout construction. A key element of the project is continuity of Episcopal worship services, which will be relocated to the renovated former church rectory. Plans also call for the African Burying Ground at Langdon Farm, located behind the rectory and part of the Black Heritage Trail of NH, to be preserved and highlighted.

HAVEN Executive Director, Kathy Beebe, says the nonprofit has been searching for several years to find a location in Portsmouth that will give the organization more space. Headquartered in Portsmouth for over 45 years, HAVEN has grown to serve more than a third of the state. “This project is beyond exciting, and we are grateful to the Episcopal church for the opportunity,” says Beebe. “It will allow us to expand our client services, counseling, educational outreach, and provide program and office space in a centralized location.” HAVEN will continue to maintain its satellite  office in Rochester, Beebe says.

Little Blessings Child Care Center Director Dana St. Jean has served in nearly every position for 30 of the center’s 38 years, and can attest to the excellent care and education she and her staff have offered to Seacoast families. “A renovated or new space will strengthen our ability to continue providing quality services, especially in these challenging times for the early education industry,” says St. Jean. “Bishop Hirschfeld’s commitment to early education is admirable. This is a tremendous opportunity that we are very grateful to be a part of, and we look forward to our partnership with the diocese, Portsmouth Housing Authority, and HAVEN as the project develops and comes to fruition.”

According to Bishop Hirschfeld, the addition of nearly 50 units of workforce housing is meaningful development for Portsmouth, and the diocese has found the ideal partner in the PHA. “As a nonprofit agency, we have been developing and managing housing and rental apartments in Portsmouth for over 70 years,” says PHA Executive Director Craig Welch. “We envision creating well-constructed apartment units that will remain permanently affordable and will be rented at below-market rates. Addressing the housing crisis on the Seacoast has been identified as a top priority for our elected leaders and this is an important opportunity to begin making a dent in building more rental options for the vital workers in our community who can no longer afford to live in Portsmouth.” Welch goes on to say, “The PHA is so touched by the parishioners at Christ Church who are committed to their mission to serve people in our community by taking real action. Lots of people talk about values but Christ Church and its leadership should be commended for their selfless contribution to making this property available for such important work.”


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AuthorCommunications

Thanksgiving came a few days early for me this year. There was no turkey, rather some cold broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots laid out on a table under a fluorescent lamp. I didn’t know several of the people around the tables. They had gathered on a cold afternoon at the Mission in Franklin on the morning after a troubled man, a friends and parishioner, likely trapped in a downward spiral of anguish, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with the local police. Just days before, a beloved former Franklin Chief of Police was slain by a disturbed and armed gunman at the State Hospital in Concord. As it turned out, even that assailant had a connection to the small group gathered at that table. In recent days Franklin had its share of sadness and grief as it faced these tragedies and the prevalence of addiction, mental illness, poverty. And yet, and yet—

Nevertheless—the church was open, coffee was brewed, and God’s people were already—already!— dreaming and thinking of ways to be even more present. They knew they had no “once and for all” answers, except to simply come alongside, offer a warm place—even for a few more hours a week—to share a cup of coffee, a phone number for help, a good word of companionship, and care as fellow children of God. I could only stay for a brief time around that table, but I experienced in that half hour nothing less than eternity.

Sometimes, probably too much, we rely on the urge of gratitude to rise within us. Waiting for that warm glow of the knowledge of blessing to overtake us may leave us feeling anything but grateful. Maybe cold, or even resentful. I heard once that we live in a “culture of pathology,” meaning that our grievances and struggles tend to dominate our attention, causing us to vent— even in times of relative prosperity. Of course, our news is dominated by graphic reports of violence raging in at least a dozen regions of the world. Civil discourse is more dire than civil. And, yes, our loved ones inevitably disappoint, or grow old, or disappear. I admit it—as a dour teenager, I usually resented my elders’ advice to just “count your blessings." That counsel usually caused me to do just the opposite, and to count my pains (including my elders!). New Hampshire Christians, despite claiming her as the secular patron saint of her hometown of Littleton, are not called to follow Pollyanna, but to follow Jesus who made the way of the Cross the way to Life.

So, having acknowledged all that gloom and grumble, however justified, here we are at Thanksgiving—that day that asks us to carve into not just a warm meal, but space and time and breath. We are invited simply to be and to acknowledge the blessing of our being. We are alive. People love you and me, sometimes even despite ourselves, miraculously! We have hope that we can walk alongside people who are suffering. We have an opportunity to turn toward light, toward community and loved ones, and toward a God whose resurrected Presence and love is stronger than all suffering, humiliation, faith, even death itself.

I am utterly grateful for the Spirit of God’s love that moves so undeniably powerfully and resiliently in the hearts, minds, and bodies of so many of us. As Jesus promised, those presences—your presence—move mountains. And along with the whole world, I have come to rely and depend on such prayers, actions, and love. I thank God for you. It makes this heart, even this one, sing for joy and gratitude.

With every blessing of thanks,

+Rob

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AuthorNH Episcopal