At a Glance:
- Tune in at 6pm CT tonight for President Bucklin’s lecture at Seminary of the Southwest: “Not my Grandfather’s Church: Forming Leaders for Today”
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Final chance to read in community with us this Lent: So We and Our Children May Live: Following Jesus in Confronting the Climate Crisis
- How can we lean in, celebrate, and encourage the unique, transformative, justice-filled work happening in small churches? Tune in to our collaborative podcast season with Small Churches, Big Impact
Dear EDS community,
It’s been a busy start to the year for EDS. As we work to provide accessible theological education rooted in liberation and justice, we are “trying on” various formats for educational offerings: an online course paired with public colloquia (The Sacred Work of Reproductive Justice); one-time webinars on urgent topics (When ICE Comes to Church, Christian Witness in a Changing Political Landscape); and a collaborative podcast season. We’re also in the planning stages for our public Kellogg Lecture and alum weekend, and a course and conference on postcolonial Anglicanism this fall.
Hundreds of people have joined us live for these public events (900 folks registered for When ICE Comes to Church and 460 joined live!) and we have a waitlist for reproductive justice offerings so long that we hope to repeat that course or offer something similar soon. In addition to the board of trustees meeting on February 19th, I was able to engage in conversation with folks across the church at the Episcopal Parish Network’s annual conference in Kansas City, and I continue to meet with leaders in theological education online as we continue to create more opportunities and partnerships.
Now is the time for the church to be the church. It is critical that we proclaim the Gospel, form disciples, remember our sacred stories, and form leaders who will create change, demand justice, and participate in the healing work of God’s love. I am excited about the potential partnerships that are emerging and the ability for EDS to respond to a critical need for people of faith. EDS is boldly and collaboratively stepping into this work to serve God’s people and our world.
Today, I’m in Austin and proud to be representing EDS as I deliver the Payne/Harvey Lecture at the Seminary of the Southwest. The title of my lecture is “Not My Grandfather’s Church: Forming Leaders for Today.” Please tune in to the livestream at 6:30pm CT (4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET) here.
This has been a tumultuous time for our country, our church, and our world. Each day, I’m grateful for our shared ministry of slowly, consistently, steadfastly pressing our world closer to God’s Kingdom. Thank you for being with us on the journey.
With hope,
Lydia
EDS was honored to host the Women Clergy Gathering and Lunch at the Episcopal Parish Network (EPN) Conference last week in Kansas City. The event included a panel with the Rev. Canon Cornelia Eaton (Navajoland), Bishop-elect Amy Dafler Meaux (West Missouri), Dr. Kwok Pui-lan (EDS), and the Very Rev. Lydia Kelsey Bucklin (EDS). Women, women-identified, and non-binary clergy joined together for a conversation on hope and resilience. We'll be sharing more on social media!
Upcoming Programs
In a political climate where forced pregnancy is increasingly common and pregnant women are dying as a result of being refused life-saving medical care, what is God calling us to do? Join us this Thursday, March 6th as we talk with ethics professor, Dr. Christine Pae about how Christian communities can respond and act in the face of reproductive oppression targeted at the most marginalized people in our society.
This conversation is the fourth and final event in our four-part colloquium series on Reproductive Justice. Each free, virtual event is hosted by Christian ethicist the Rev. Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters and features a leading scholar at the intersection of religion and Reproductive Justice. You can watch recordings from the past three Reproductive Justice Colloquia on our YouTube channel.
Final Chance to Sign up to Read in Community this Lent!
This Lent, you’re invited to join us for a season of reflection, repentance, and action in conversation with the book So We and Our Children May Live: Following Jesus in Confronting the Climate Crisis, by Sarah Augustine and Sheri Hostetler ’90. This powerful book invites us to face the ecological and spiritual crises of our time—including climate change, resource extraction, and the exploitation of Indigenous lands and peoples—and challenges us to journey toward justice, hope, and renewal for all creation.
You are invited to join us as a pre-existing book club, a self-organized reading group, or as an individual interested in being matched with a virtual group.
Regardless of how you want to join us, please register to receive weekly discussion questions to guide your group’s reflection on the book. Visit our website to register, order the book, or learn more about an exclusive author conversation for when you sign up to read in community with us.
Small Churches, Big Impact Podcast - Episodes Out Now!
In this season with Small Churches, Big Impact, EDS is collaborating to shift the narrative around "small churches" - not to see them and immediately kick start a congregational growth model, but rather to identify the ways we can lean in, celebrate, and encourage the unique, transformative, justice-filled work happening in small churches.
In the first episode President Bucklin speaks to the power of relationship in the small churches she grew up in and served in throughout her ministry:
"It's by being in relationship and saying, 'You matter to me. If this matters to you and is impacting you, then that also matters to me and is impacting me.’ That is so natural when you build community in an intimate way. I think there's that intimacy about small spaces, too, that then leads to social justice. Once you hear someone's story, you never see them again the same way."
New episodes are released every Thursday morning. Listen now by searching "Episcopal Divinity School" wherever you get your podcasts, or here on Podbean.
Listen Now
News
President Bucklin will deliver the Seminary of the Southwest’s annual Payne-Harvey Lecture on Monday, March 3 at 6:30pm CT. Her lecture is entitled, “Not my Grandfather’s Church: Forming Leaders for Today.” President Bucklin’s lecture will focus on imagining fresh models of ministry for the changing landscape of the church and expanding collaborative ministry. Learn more about the lecture and watch the livestream on our website.
Thank you to the 900+ people who registered to join us for When ICE Comes to Church and for the 460+ of you who joined us for this vital conversation live. Your presence, engagement, and willingness to participate in this crucial conversation remind us that the fight for justice cannot be waged in isolation. As we continue this work, we want to ensure that you have access to the resources shared both by our community on Zoom and by our partners. Due to the sensitive nature of the conversation, the meeting operated under Chatham House Rule and no recording will be made available. However, our partners have made a plethora of resources available to you which can now be found on our website.Explore Immigration Resources
Alum Corner
The Rev. Hilary Greer ’11 is the Rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Yardley, a parish in suburban Philadelphia that’s creatively living into what it means to be church today, in part thanks to the help of Bill Kondrath and VISIONS. Based on the resurgence of her congregation during and after COVID, Hilary completed an STM thesis in 2023 focused on Howard Thurman’s The Search for Common Ground and its relevance for the post-pandemic church.
Click here to read the full alum spotlight
Join us on Zoom every third Thursday at 1pm ET for Connect: Monthly Gathering of EDS Alums, where we will connect with one another, hear about the diverse contexts EDS alums are serving in their work and ministry, and stay up to date on all things EDS!
Our next connect session will take place on March 20, 2025, featuring Hilary Greer '11.
Sign up for "Connect"
Registration is now open for our 2025 Kellogg Lecture and Alum Weekend. This year’s gathering holds special significance as we return to Cambridge, MA, our beloved former campus. We are honored to welcome the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, a leading voice for justice and moral leadership, who will deliver the 2025 Kellogg Lecture on Saturday, May 3.
Event Highlights:
- May 2: Alum & EDS Community Reception (Lesley University - 99 Brattle Street) Open to the EDS community, alums, and friends
- May 3: The 2025 Kellogg Lecture by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Panel Discussion (Sheraton Commander Hotel) Open to the public
- May 3: EDS Community Town Hall (Sheraton Commander Hotel) Open to the EDS community, alums, friends, and guests interested in the future of our work together
On our website, you’ll find registration for the in-person Alum & EDS Community Reception at Lesley University on Friday, May 2, the in-person lecture, panel, and EDS Town Hall at the nearby Sheraton Commander Hotel on Saturday, May 3, and registration to watch the lecture and panel discussion virtually. We also have secured special group rates for two hotel blocks. Additional details are on our website. Should you have questions, email our team at edsinfo@eds.edu.
Job Board
EDS is seeking a strategic and mission-driven Director of Finance and Operations. This leadership position will partner with the President and Executive Director to ensure EDS's long-term sustainability and operational excellence while upholding our core values of social justice, inclusivity, and innovation.
To learn more about the strategic priorities and responsibilities for this role, please visit our website. Please circulate this position to folks in your network who may be interested and a good fit.
If you have an open position that you’d like folks in the EDS community to consider applying for, please share that with us at edsinfo@eds.edu.
In Memoriam
EDS extends our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the following alums:
- Dr. Joan M. Sakalas ’93
- The Rev. Edward A. Tulis ’57
- The Rev. Benjamin T. Winsor ’62
- The Rev. Cn. E. Walton Zelley, Jr. ’64
Rest eternal grant to your servants, O God:
And let light perpetual shine upon them.
May their souls, and the souls of all the departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
If you wish to notify EDS of the passing of an alum, please reach out to edsinfo@eds.edu.