Good News from Our Partners (2 of 5)

Editor's note: Once a year, TLC asks our partners to send us stories that give an insight into what God has been doing in their midst. We are sharing these 55 stories with you over five weekly installments. We hope they bring you joy and encouragement in ministry. Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida Honduran Bishop Lloyd Allen said it well: the longtime Companion Diocese relationship between his diocese and the Diocese of Central Florida exists 'not just in name, but in heart and actions.' In 2026, our Year of Mission, that has meant multiple mission trips, including a Florida team training Honduran clergy in evangelism; the donation of 10 student scholarships and one teacher salary by Holy Trinity, Melbourne; Central Florida's Institute of Christian Studies providing Spanish-language online training for Honduran diaconal aspirants; a Safe Church webinar featuring bishops Allen and Justin Holcomb; and a StoryMakers curriculum project. Episcopal Diocese of Nevada Episcopal Diocese of Nevada Our mission is to help people follow Jesus, in all sorts of ways. Probably many look like what you're doing in your beloved corner of God's kingdom. We just happen to have some help from hundreds of tiny Jesus figures. They end up on windowsills and the dashboards of our trucks, in pews and our desk drawers, on saddles, paddle boards, and everywhere in between. From the shores of Lake Tahoe to the high desert, we are blessed to share the Good News with our families, friends, and neighbors across the state—even into Arizona! Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma This year, we focused on evangelism by following our diocesan-wide theme, 'The Harvest is Plentiful.' We hosted two evangelism training sessions led by the Rev. Canon Carrie Boren Headington, who trained us in both congregational and personal evangelism. Building on our newly formed School of Discipleship, we also launched our Lay Evangelist program and celebrated the graduation of five lay evangelists this year. These graduates will be sharing the Good News of Christ throughout our state. We are excited to step boldly into evangelism and discover what God is up to in our communities. Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island Each Saturday in Burnside Park in Providence, Church Beyond the Walls (CBW), an outdoor street church and ministry, becomes a sanctuary without doors. Tables are set, prayers are offered, bread is broken, and strangers become neighbors. At the heart of this ministry is the Rev. Linda Forsberg, a Lutheran priest of 40 years, whose leadership is gentle, faithful, and fierce. Linda sees Christ in every person she meets and invites others to do the same. Working with diocesan clergy and volunteers, her ministry has reminded us that church is not a building, but the body of Christ in the world. Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida What gives us hope? Watching more than 200 people choose to spend a weekend at DaySpring Conference Center, asking one question: 'How can we follow Jesus more faithfully?' Our annual 'Water and the Word' conference has never been about finding new programs or quick fixes. It is about people listening and growing together. As Bishop Phyllis Spiegel, Bishop Brian Prior, and Bishop Doug Scharf reminded us, discipleship is a lifelong journey. We left hopeful because as God's people, we aren't waiting for someone else to renew the Church. We are asking how God is calling us to begin now. Episcopal Diocese of Springfield Episcopal Diocese of Springfield Since our last synod, we have been working as a whole to resurrect a historic, American Gothic chapel in Marion, Illinois. We are making great progress toward our fundraising goal and work has already commenced on the property. Parishes are pulling together to donate their time and financial resources to the restoration of St. James Chapel, and the collaborative effort has been a great encouragement throughout all of central and southern Illinois. In Springfield, we restore churches and then fill them, to God's great honor and glory. Episcopal Church in Alabama Episcopal Church in Alabama We give thanks for the consecration and ordination of our 13th Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Richard T. Lawson III, on June 27, at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham. Ahead of the consecration, Lawson shared, 'I am overjoyed to be called to serve alongside you. After every baptism, the priest says, 'You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ's own forever.' If you are longing for this kind of love and a spiritual home, I invite you to visit one of the 86 parishes in the Diocese of Alabama.' Episcopal Church in Connecticut Episcopal Church in Connecticut We spent the year reflecting on how we are 'Growing in faith, living in hope, and serving in love.' Each parish received a yard sign with this phrase at our 241st Annual Convention. The signs are now seen on many parish lawns throughout the state. Our archdeacons conducted a winter diaper drive and collected 110,329 diapers and products for The Diaper Bank of Connecticut. We also welcomed the Rev. Cn. Stephanie Spellers for a four-stop January book tour of Church Tomorrow?: What the 'Nones' and 'Dones' Teach Us About the Future of Faith . Galilee Church, Virginia Beach, Va. Galilee Church Virginia Beach, Va. God's great surprise for Galilee in 2026 has been the surge of 20-somethings and young adult baptisms. Twenty-five parishioners in their 20s now meet monthly with the clergy for spiritual formation, midweekly for Scripture study, and on Sundays after worship for a C.S. Lewis reading group. They participate in service opportunities and engage in ministry. This fresh wave of young parishioners gives us hope for the future, and both baptisms and new vocations to ordained ministry are emerging from it. We are grateful for the Lord's lovingkindness. The Church of the Good Samaritan, Paoli, Pa. The Church of the Good Samaritan Paoli, Pa. We have spent the bulk of the year celebrating our sesquicentennial. Festivities began with a parish picnic and outdoor concert on 'Good Sam Sunday,' our newly designated Feast of Title. We also recorded more than 60 interviews with parishioners past and present and partnered with Filmiamo Productions to create a feature-length documentary celebrating 150 years of God's faithfulness. Malcolm Guite launched our year-long 'Voices of Sacred Imagination' lecture series, and our spring celebrations culminated in Mozart's Missa Brevis in F , accompanied by local string players. Church of the Good Shepherd, Corpus Christ, Texas Church of the Good Shepherd Corpus Christi, Texas On May 17th, our sixth graders took a beautiful step in their faith journey. Just two weeks after confirmation, they gathered for acolyte training—and what a special day it was! These young people are now ready to serve, joining over 50 acolytes across five teams during two Sunday services. Guided by clergy, experienced peers, and dedicated parent acolyte directors, they will begin as banner carriers and torchbearers, growing into cross and gospel bearers. Their service is an offering to God and a meaningful gift to our worship family. We are so proud of them and grateful to witness this new chapter.