Our dioceses are on a journey to discover how collaborating can help us transform our congregations and communities through the power of Jesus Christ. In our churches, everyone is welcome, without exception.
Welcome! God is calling us into a new reality here on the southeastern shores of Lake Erie. We hope you will join us in answering this call as we reach out to people who do not know the transformational power of Jesus Christ, people who have been pushed to the margins, and people who feel like they aren’t worthy to step into one of our big stone churches. The road to transformation may be rocky at times, but we hope you will walk it with us.
In 2018, our dioceses pledged themselves to an unprecedented collaboration because we believe that God was calling us to embrace new ways of working on behalf of the Gospel here along the southeastern shores of Lake Erie. We are 90 congregations, spread across 20 counties, but we are one church, united by faith and dedicated to serving our communities and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. Here in this part of the country that many have forgotten, we believe that we have the potential to lead the church into a new season of growth.
It isn’t always easy to find our way to God. The disciples we encounter on the road to Emmaus were heading in the wrong direction! They didn’t even recognize Jesus, whom they had followed for years—until he broke bread with them. Our church finder was created to make your search a little easier. Use it to locate congregations, ministry centers and church-related organizations across the region. You don’t have to be a member to attend our services, get involved in our work, or find solace and sustenance through our ministries.
In early December, members of both dioceses are invited to join Bishop Sean, Canon Ruth Woodliff-Stanley and other diocesan leaders at regional conversations, called Emmaus Gatherings. At the meetings, participants will have the opportunity to offer ideas and hopes about the future of our partnership and how we can direct our shared skills and experiences toward…
Bishop Sean gave this address on October 25 to the joint convention of the Dioceses of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania: Last October, our two conventions made a bold decision to set into motion a partnership between two dioceses that has led us, and will lead us, on quite a new adventure. We are…
Bishop Sean is often heard to say that Episcopalians need to experiment for the sake of the gospel. Last month, St. David’s in West Seneca did just that when its rector, the Rev. Claudia Scheda, and several parishioners experimented with a new kind of prayer ministry. The idea originated when a member of the congregation…
