News, information, messages from Bishop Rob, and more about the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire.

Micah 6 Commission: A Year of Building Relationships for Local Justice

When the Most Reverend Michael Curry, 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, travelled to Portsmouth, New Hampshire last February to speak along with Bishop Rob at the Black Heritage Trail of NH’s celebrated “Tea Talk,” it was a perfect example of the power of the Micah 6 initiative and how it brings people and organizations together in the name of social justice. The event was held in a synagogue, was open to all, and drew a large audience who were thirsty for wisdom and encouragement. The Bishops didn’t disappoint. Their vastly different experiences growing up, their bond of friendship, and their shared faith made for interesting conversation, storytelling and ways to further racial justice. The crowd was mesmerized. This is one example of how the Micah 6 Commission – just one year into its existence – is shaping how the Episcopal Church of NH is taking action with partner organizations.

Now just one year since its formation in April 2025, the Micah 6 Commission is making strides. The Commission was formed as a way to streamline and empower parishes to take action against racism, economic inequity, and environmental degradation. The work is guided by the principles of Micah 6:8, which emphasizes the importance of doing justice, being kind, and walking humbly with God.

“Micah 6 is a guiding call for how we live our faith and baptismal covenant,” says Commission Chair Derek Scalia. “Our world is hurting, and people are yearning for points of light and relief. Through this work, we seek to embody the call to do justice.”

Created to combine our local efforts around reconciliation, earth care, educational equity, and reparations, Micah 6 has found a sibling in the Global Missions Committee, which focuses on international social justice work, while Micah 6 focuses on New Hampshire organizations already doing critical justice work.Rather than creating new programs, Micah 6 focuses on building relationships with these current initiatives. These partnerships reflect shared learning, mutual respect, and a commitment to long-term impact. Among its early collaborations:

Supporting Black Heritage Trail of NH “Tea Talks,” fostering dialogue on race and history
Partnering with the NH Fair Funding Project to advocate for equitable education
Advancing environmental stewardship through the New England Episcopal Path to Creation Justice initiative

John Rowntree, parish treasurer at Good Shepherd Church in Nashua, urges Episcopalians to consider joining churches in Claremont, Keene and Londonderry that are currently participating in the New England Episcopal Path to Creation Justice , a program which provides support and tools to parishes committed to addressing the climate crisis. Rowntree says the Micah 6 Commission contributed a three-year grant to support them. Says Rowntree, “We have done multiple projects to reduce our 148-year-old church’s carbon footprint, including insulation, improving our historic church windows, changing lightbulbs and implementing 35 solar panels. It feels really good to make a difference and helps us be strong financial stewards because we have reduced our energy costs.”

The Commission is made up of 12 members in addition to Bishop Rob. The Commission meets monthly and has held two major planning sessions over the last year.

It has also helped distribute $85,000 in Coit House funds, administered through the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, to support a wide range of community organizations – from childcare centers and summer camps to youth programs and family services.

At its core, the Micah 6 Commission is grounded in the belief that justice work begins in relationships.

“We are not here to solve every problem,” Commission leaders note. “We are here to listen, to accompany, and to support the work already unfolding in our communities.”

This relational approach is already strengthening parish life across the Diocese. By sharing stories, connecting congregations to opportunities, and deepening engagement, the Commission is helping Episcopalians live out their call to justice in tangible ways.

As the Commission enters its second year, it is building a more intentional structure to sustain and grow this work: strengthening communication, aligning resources, and supporting parishioners in integrating justice, mercy, and humility into every aspect of ministry.

Ultimately, the Micah 6 Commission is an invitation: to listen more deeply, to partner more intentionally, and to participate more fully in the work of healing and justice across New Hampshire. Commission members believe that justice takes root most fully when nurtured in parish communities that pray, learn, and serve together. They are committed to ensuring that the wisdom gained becomes a resource for congregations seeking to deepen their own ministries of justice. These faithful committee members believe that sharing stories and opportunities strengthens parish life and inspires local action rooted in the Gospel.

To share your stories of social justice work at your church or to find out more about Micah 6 please email Derek Scalia at dnascalia@gmail.com.

Top - Micah 6 Committee members at a planning meeting; bottom left - solar panels on the roof of the Good Shepherd complex in Nashua; bottom right - Tea Talk with Most Rev. Michael Curry, in Portsmouth.

Communications 9/2/20 Communications 9/2/20

School for Ministry Launches 2020-2021 Academic School Year

The ECNH School for Ministry’s opening study weekend arrives at the end of September, but the community has been gathering steadily all summer, including meeting weekly over Zoom for open office hours—questions, conversation, and community building—followed by Compline. Three students are beginning…

While the ECNH School for Ministry’s first study weekend arrives at the end of September, the community has been gathering steadily all summer, including meeting weekly over Zoom for open office hours—questions, conversation, and community building—followed by Compline.

Three students are beginning a 3-year preparation program towards priestly ordination; three others, who have advanced theological degrees and experience in ministry, will spend a year solidifying their readiness to serve as priests in in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. The cohort’s courses for 2020-21 include the Iona Collaborative’s “Year of the Bible”; the first year of a three-year homiletics curriculum created in partnership with the Episcopal Preaching Foundation; “Episcopal Immersion” for the one-year group; and a rite-by-rite, season-by-season exploration of the Book of Common Prayer for all.

The broadcast of July’s ordination from Tilton offered a glimpse of the remarkable transformation underway to ready Trinity’s nave to be a working seminary chapel, a space for worship and for learning. We look forward to the day when public health protocols make it possible for us to gather there regularly.

The Rev. Michael Greene, Rector of Church of the Good Shepherd, Nashua, has joined the SfM community as the principal mentor for our Episcopal Immersion students.

Ms. Karen Floyd Shepherd, who worships at St. Andrew’s New London and lives in Tilton, and who studied at Andover Newton Theological Seminary, is serving as the school’s librarian.

Starting in October, Dean Kelly Sundberg Seaman will be part of a small group of Iona leaders engaging in the Episcopal Church’s Sacred Ground program, a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race.

The Rev. Canon Gail Avery and Archdeacon Derek Scalia will trained by Iona faculty as diocesan facilitators for Called to Transformation, a program for Asset-Based Community Development training in congregations created by Episcopal Relief & Development and the Episcopal Church.

Students and staff at the School for Ministry always welcome your prayers! More information about the School for Ministry can be found here.

Guest User 12/24/19 Guest User 12/24/19

In the News: "Episcopal Mission of Franklin enjoying a rebirth"

As reported in the Union Leader: Standing in the sanctuary at the Episcopal Mission of Franklin, the Rev. Kate Harmon Siberine recounts how a few months ago the building had been closed — doors locked, the structure empty. But like the city it calls home, the church is enjoying a rebirth and has again become a place for people to gather, worship and foster a Christian community.

Guest User 12/10/19 Guest User 12/10/19

Episcopal Church of New Hampshire Launches New School for Ministry

Recognizing the changing needs of the state's congregations and evolving trends in vocations for ministry, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire has announced it is creating a School for Ministry. Its curriculum and educational design will focus on the local and regional formation of priests and licensed lay ministers. The School for Ministry's teaching model will combine online, internet-based learning with monthly, weekend in-person classes and student meetings. The in-person portion of the program will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tilton, NH.

The Rev. Kelly Sundberg Seaman, of Rumney, NH, has been appointed the School's Dean by Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld. She began her duties December 1 and will lead in the development and launch of the School. Classes will begin in 2020.

The School for Ministry grows out of new realities for the church, the priesthood, and spiritual leadership. "Churches are increasingly moving to a 'bi-vocational' model for ministry," said Tina Pickering, Canon for Ministry Development in the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire. "This model involves the entire congregation, and even the larger community, in ministry rather than the traditional top-down approach of ministry exclusively through a full-time priest."

"In a bi-vocational setting the priest typically has a paid job and professional career outside the church. In addition, the bi-vocational model calls for lay leaders to play a larger role in leadership, service, and pastoral care within the congregation."

Life circumstances for local and bi-vocational candidates for the priesthood, as well as people called to become licensed lay ministers, often make it unrealistic to attend an out-of-state seminary or school of theology on a full time basis. "We saw that creating a New Hampshire-based school to meet the need in Northern New England was critical," added Pickering.

The Rev. Kelly Sundberg Seaman was ordained to the priesthood in December of 2015 and currently serves at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Plymouth, NH and St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Ashland, NH - roles she will continue to maintain. She also served as Episcopal Chaplain to Plymouth State University.

A university teacher and public affairs officer prior to answering the call to the priesthood, the Rev. Sundberg Seaman said, "Every strand of who I've been over the years is coming together as Dean of the School for Ministry. The bi-vocational trend is important for the Church to recognize. It's also important to realize that sometimes it's impossible for someone to put their life on hold and attend a distant seminary or theological school full-time. The School for Ministry will address a vital need."

"The enthusiastic response to the proposal that we create a School for Ministry in New Hampshire to train ordained and lay leaders has confirmed for me that this is a moment for the Holy Spirit," said Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld. "Likewise, I am certain that the Rev. Kelly Sundberg Seaman is just the right choice as we establish the School. Her many gifts, including teaching, vigilance, leadership, and her pastor's heart, will help create a School for the Church of the present, and for the Church of the future."

The School for Ministry will deliver its classes using a low residency, flipped-classroom framework. Students will meet face-to-face one weekend per month at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tilton, NH. In between, students read, view videos, follow online study guides, and complete assignments on their own - and based on their individual schedules. The Rev. Sundberg Seaman also attended a low-residency program to prepare for the priesthood - offered by the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkley, CA.

Much of the content of the curriculum will be available to the School for Ministry through the Diocese of New Hampshire's partnership with the Iona Collaborative, a ministry of the Seminary of the Southwest that includes 24 dioceses throughout the Episcopal Church. The Collaborative is dedicated to providing theological education for individuals who cannot, or chose not to, attend a conventional residential seminary.

"As part of the Iona Collaborative network, the School for Ministry will offer tremendous opportunities for learning, worship, experimentation, and development, added Sundberg Seaman. "From the start, we're building the School with locally and regionally-based and bi-vocational callings in mind. I'm very excited because the low-residency model is a great way to educate and train priests."

The Rev. Sundberg Seaman's initial priorities include preparing Trinity Episcopal Church's space for monthly in-person student learning, working with the Episcopal Church's various discernment processes to develop enrollment, and creating plans for the long-term financial sustainability of the School.

The School's curriculum will offer three general areas of study - Bible, church history, and theology and ethics - and will be flexible to meet student needs. According to Sundberg Seaman, in spring of 2020 the School for Ministry is planning to offer a "taster course" or two - a sample of what's to come with special, tuition-free class offerings. A full launch of the School of Ministry is planned for fall of 2020.