We have for some years had a special relationship with the Diocese of New York and a number of our parishes, clergy and people have links with our Episcopalian brothers and sisters in that other great world city.
On Sunday 26th of January at the 3.15 Evensong, I will be installing the Bishop of New York, The Rt Revd Andrew Dietsche, as an Honorary Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral. It is the patronal festival weekend and I hope that especially those of you with New York connexions and perhaps with Episcopalians in your congregations will be able to support Bishop Andrew on that day as we celebrate our co-operation in exploring how to be effective in mission with the particular challenges and opportunities our two cities present. The Bishop will be our guest in the Diocese throughout the last week in January.
Prebendary Nick Mercer looks after our links with New York and it would be a great help if we were able to compile a list of those parishes that have some association with New York parishes. It may well be that others of you would value the opportunity to form a link with a parish in some way. Either way, it would be very helpful if you were able to let Nick know that you have a link or would like to explore developing a link.
As we approach this Advent with all the opportunities and inevitable pressures that the season brings, I pray that God may ‘give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light’ and so be strengthened and inspired as we share the light of Christ with others.
