Stephanie Spellers

Today. Everyday. I miss and love you, Mama. (And I’ll never stop laughing at the time I surprised you on Mother’s Day … and just about gave you a heart attack!)

Four days, four mid-Atlantic cities, so many wonderful conversations about Nones, Dones and the future of faith! I can’t give enough thanks to bishops +Mariann Budde, +Audrey Scanlan, +Kevin Nichols, +Carrie Schofield-Broadbent and +Bill Gohl, and hard-working hosts Amanda Akes-Cardwell and Caitlin Frazier (Diocese of Washington), Bradley Mattson and Michelle Marini (Diocese of the Susquehanna), James Hamilton (Diocese of Maryland) and Hilary Greer (St. Andrew's (Yardley, PA) and more names than I can fit into this post. You’re all amazing and kind and give me hope for the future 🙌🏾 Tomorrow, it’s home to Albert DeGrasse. Friday and Saturday, it’s Robert Picken and St. Peter's, Morristown NJ for their annual Spong Lecture. Sunday, I’m psyched to preach at home at ST. BART'S-New York City! Monday and Tuesday, it’s a #churchtomorrow clergy retreat with Bishop Susan Haynes and the Diocese of Southern Virginia. And I can’t wait to go from there to Pasadena for a week of deep work with All Saints Church. See many of you on the road. May God bless our going out and our coming home …

Join us in welcoming EDS's inaugural Innovating Beloved Communities Cohort, led by the Rev. Canon Dr. Stephanie Spellers ’04!⁠ ⁠ These nine visionary leaders are about to embark on a transformative year-long program is designed to equip a circle of faithful innovators to discern, incubate, and launch ministries that advance a just, compassionate, and multicultural Beloved Community.⁠ ⁠ ➡️Vinh Do (Seattle, WA): Government mediator and organizational consultant, founder of Brave Change Works⁠ @st.peterseattle @dioceseofolympia ⁠ ✨Project: Applying an organizational development lens at St. Peter's, Seattle and reimagining church as a space for holy skeptics and people of every kind who long to be free ⁠ ➡️The Rev. Sarah Dodds Odderstol (Silver Spring, MD): Rector of Grace Church, Silver Spring with over 20 years of clergy experience⁠ @washingtondiocese ⁠ ✨Project: Developing a comprehensive Racial Equity framework to guide Grace’s strategic plan and deepen its commitment to reparations⁠ ⁠ ➡️The Rev. Olivia Hamilton (Cincinnati, OH): Vicar of Grace, Cincinnati and board-certified chaplain focused on post-traumatic growth⁠ @diosohio ⁠ ✨Project: Reimagining church as a sanctuary of rest to counter modern productivity culture⁠ ⁠ ➡️The Rev. Dr. Charles Lattimore Howard (Philadelphia, PA): University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity & Community at the University of Pennsylvania⁠ @pennsparc ⁠ ✨Project: "The Cause," a monthly gathering aimed at alleviating local suffering through community-based resource sharing on issues including poverty, gun violence, climate change, and more⁠ ⁠ ➡️Michael Looney (Columbia, MD): Seminarian at General Theological Seminary & founder of the Center for Spiritual Nourishment at Christ Church, Columbia @thegeneralseminary @episcopalmaryland @christchurchcolumbia ⁠ ✨Project: Developing a localized, scalable model for reconciliation between The Episcopal Church and Indigenous communities⁠ ⁠ Continued in comments...

Praise God for the consecration of Bishop Miguelina Howell in the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts. And all the saints said ALLELUIA! #blackgirlmagic

Birmingham was the final stop on the #ChurchTomorrow UK book tour. The first order of the day: a pilgrimage to the original site of the Rum Runner Nightclub, where British pop legends Duran Duran got their start!! Much screaming ensued (aided by fellow Duranie Catherine Clay via FaceTime) 🙀 The true reason to visit: the Wednesday book event with Bishop Anne Hollinghurst, Principal of Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education (loved the time with her husband, pioneer ministry Steve Hollinghurst, too!). This inclusive, diverse, prophetic, decolonizing seminary trains clergy, laity and scholars for the Jesus Movement. Come ready to be inspired and energized. I certainly was! Woke today in NYC tired yet refreshed by these two weeks in England. Next up: tomorrow’s consecration of (+)Miguelina Espinal Howell as bishop of the rocking Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, then book talks in the Diocese of Michigan (Wednesday) and in Cambridge USA with the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE) (Thursday). God is good! See y’all soon 🙌🏾

I lived in Cambridge MA for 20 years, but this was my first visit to the OG Cambridge UK. Couldn’t have asked for a better host and tour guide than Rev. Devin McLachlan, my Episcopal Divinity classmate and current vicar of St Bene't's Cambridge. Trust me: his 1006-yr-old church was the perfect spot for discussing #ChurchTomorrow. Huge gratitude to Devin, Iza Hussin and their twin genius progeny. Come visit us in the States soon, luvs 💗

Alleluia! St. Gregory of Nyssa Church in San Francisco has invited me to serve as their Priest in Charge, beginning August 1. Founded in 1978, St. Gregory’s is known as one of the most creative, inclusive, embodied, color-filled, lay-empowered, genuinely loving congregations in the whole Episcopal Church. Often called “the church of the dancing saints,” they’ve inspired innovators across the Christian spectrum. And yes, they actually join in an ancient dance step around the altar for communion. If you need inspiration and refreshment, please come and visit ;-) @saintgregorys_sf @stbartsnyc @diocalifornia @bishopaustinrios

Happy 20th birthday to @thecrossingboston congregation!

Thursday in Boston, we celebrate! Join me and Bishop Julia Whitworth for a #ChurchTomorrow book event at 5:30pm, followed at 7pm by The Crossing’s 20th birthday eucharist and party. Since April 2006, The Crossing has been blessing, healing, raising up and radically welcoming in the name of Jesus (and of the Groove!). I can’t wait to dance and give thanks by your side at The Cathedral Church of St Paul, Boston. https://tinyurl/342rhecp

Christ is risen! Now your clergy (and musicians and altar guilds) are going to sleep. Alleluia 🥱

Riding mile-high after an energizing visit with Bishop Kimberly Lucas, Cathedral Canon Paul Keene, fierce sister in Christ Nadia Bolz-Weber and thoughtful folk from across The Episcopal Church in Colorado. They’ve been reading #ChurchTomorrow and wowed me with their insight, faith, openness and bravery. Hey - if anybody can hear the Nones and Dones begging us to go meet God outside, it’s the outdoor-loving, risk-taking folk of Colorado. @revkym @sarcasticlutheran @episcopalcolorado @

A week in Mexico, and I only took two photos. Reckon it’s because Albert DeGrasse and I have been fully present to each other, to old & new friends and to the beauty all around. Thank you, Secrets Playa Mujeres, for welcoming us home once again. Remind me why we have to leave …? 🌞💗🥹