Alleluia. Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Gosh this feels weird. Everything about this feels so strange, so disorienting, so dislocating. I don’t know how many words I can come up with — a Thesaurus of words
that talk about being off balance and feeling so strange and even foolish. But here we are. All we have are these texts, these readings, these amazing stories that we just heard. READ MORE
To view a recording of the Easter service, click HERE:
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the People of the First Light, have lived in what is now known as southeastern New England for 12,000 years. 400 years ago they sheltered the pilgrims in need of refuge and care. After giving that precious gift of hospitality, the Mashpee Wampanoag endured and overcame generations of persecution, oppression and marginalization. Today they are threatened with having their reservation lands taken out of trust and being disestablished by the United States government in their own homeland. To read MORE
March 27, 2020
Dear Friends in Christ,
We have just heard from Governor Sununu that the State of New Hampshire will be under a Stay at Home order until Monday May 4th. The purpose of this order is to slow progression of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Read more HERE.
Pastoral Letter from Bishop Rob Hirschfeld on Life and Worship During the COVID-19 Epidemic
March 24, 2020
Dear Clergy and Pastoral Leaders in the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire,
It is clear now that the congregations in the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, like many of those throughout the world, will be unable to assemble in person for our usual solemn and joyous celebrations of Holy Week and Easter. Efforts to stem the pandemic of the potentially devastating COVID-19 require each of our households to practice physical distancing, to refrain from gathering in groups of any size and to remain at home.
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:11-12)
I address this convention of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire in the name of the One, Holy, and Living God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
So that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. Joy.
Could it be that the whole point of the Gospel message, the whole goal, vision, and purpose of the Church, the entire motivation of our ministry and mission, the reason for a Diocesan Council, a Vestry or Bishop’s Committee, an altar guild, a bible study, a fierce conversation about being hurt or causing hurt, a building committee, Commission on Ministry, elections, resolutions, and yes, even a Diocesan Convention is that the joy that is in Jesus may be in you and me, and that our joy may be complete, made perfect, resilient, astounding?
The Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld
Bishop
November 11, 2019
As our delegates from around the Diocese of New Hampshire are about to come together for our Annual Convention, we would be remiss if we did not pause to thank and honor our Veterans. We are deeply grateful to those who have sacrificed their time, their comforts, and unknown other opportunities available to them in service to our country. In addition, we are lift up in our grateful prayers those who sacrificed their own physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing as our military has confronted real threats to our security and freedom.
For a printable PDF version of the Bishop's prayer, click HERE.
My Prayer for America
“America, love it or leave it.” — seen on a church sign in New Hampshire.
Some six centuries before the birth of Jesus, a prophet burst on the scene in Jerusalem. Jeremiah was disgusted with the state of his nation which he saw was threatened, not so much by outside empires poised to invade and conquer, but by the loss of its soul. Even more repulsive to this lonely and passionate spokesperson for God was how the people of Judah, from its priests to its king, engaged in religious language to defend immorality, injustice, and cruelty.
On July 2nd, Bishop Hirschfeld sent the following letter to Governor Chris Sununu:
Office of the Governor
State House
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Dear Governor Sununu:
I realize that writing you to encourage your signing into law the gun violence prevention bills currently on your desk — legislation that you have already proclaimed pure politics — is probably in vain. However, just as you may feel called by your party to veto a bill calling for legislation that I believe will reduce gun violence in this and our neighboring states, I also feel called to speak out of my faith in a God who has chosen non-violence and to hope and pray for a change of heart and mind when it comes to gun safety.
I give God thanks that the New Hampshire Senate joined with the House of Representatives to override the Governor’s veto and repeal the state’s death penalty. Today the Legislature fulfilled its moral obligation to the people of New Hampshire and demonstrated the courage to make the right decision.
The death penalty was ineffective as a deterrent to capital crimes, and was a waste of public resources — resources that could otherwise further advance the health and welfare of the people of the state.
More profoundly, the death penalty made us all complicit in homicide. When we put any person to death we do little but show how evil has succeeded in ensnaring us and in drawing us deeper into a web of increasing malice, hatred and violence.
I am deeply grateful to the many people, from a variety of religious and spiritual perspectives, as well as political parties, who worked persistently and with deep faith to abolish this morally repugnant practice.
In New Hampshire, the Diocese’s Prison Concern Committee will continue its good work to advocate for humane and just incarceration policies and practices, eliminate patterns of institutional racism, and promote effective re-entry of formerly incarcerated persons into caring communities.
