We are encouraged that there is a variety in the gifts of the Spirit and to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. The Diocese of the Rio Grande is a diverse diocese – rural, urban, rich, poor, young, old, Latino, Anglo, Native, gay, straight, evangelical, Anglo-Catholic, liberal, conservative, New Mexico, Texas – and, as a result, we are blessed by a variety of gifts which we are called to use for the common good in this diocese as led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The diocese is not just some geographical administrative unit, and it’s not the bishop’s staff headquartered in Albuquerque, but it’s you and me and all the people that make up the Episcopal missions, parishes, and congregations in New Mexico and far west Texas. So to figure out the gifts of the diocese, we have to start by looking at what gifts we have for ministry. What gifts has God given you to share for the common good in this diocese? How is the Holy Spirit leading you to use those gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ in your own congregation or beyond? What gifts do you have to spread the love of God and the Good News of Jesus Christ to those outside the walls of our church buildings?
Our missions, parishes, and congregations are blessed by God with gifts for the common good and for the spread of God’s reign. Beginning with our individual gifts, we combine them with the gifts of our fellow sojourners on the Way of Christ in our local settings to make a difference in the lives of those we touch – to transform our lives, their lives, and the world for Jesus Christ. Some of our congregations have the gift to minister to the poor and the hungry and the homeless. Some of our congregations have the gift to serve and shelter those who are coming into our country for a better life and to reunite with family. Some of our congregations have the gift to reach out to the marginalized in our communities. Some of our congregations have the gift of providing glorious liturgies to transport worshipers in the beauty of holiness to the spot where heaven and earth meet. With this diversity in our diocese, we can rejoice in our unity as a diocese because “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.”
During this week of the Walk-Abouts when the candidates for our next bishop travel the diocese to meet with the good folk who call themselves Episcopalians, to see various congregations, and to answer questions about their visions for the diocese, please pray about the varieties of gifts for ministry that you think a bishop should possess for building up the Body of Christ in this diocese. Please pray for the gifts you need to support our next bishop in spreading the love of God in this world that sorely needs it. Please pray for the gifts your congregation needs to support our next bishop in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. And attend, if possible, the Walk-About in Albuquerque on Monday, in El Paso on Wednesday, in Roswell on Thursday, or in Santa Fe on Friday. All begin at 6:00 p.m. Or check on the diocesan website for ways that you can view the question and answer sessions. Please keep the candidates for bishop, their families, and this wonderfully diverse diocese in your prayers.
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Discuss the points of interest to you, and your group.