Good morning members of our Standing Commissions, the United Methodist Dialogue Committee, the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property, churchwide staff, and colleagues.
“Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” These words from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians resound with particular power today as we gather on the feast of Hilda of Whitby, that remarkable abbess who embodied these very qualities – justice, prudence, and strength in leadership. Like Hilda, who brought together diverse communities and nurtured both women and men in their vocations, we too are called to build up one another in love for the benefit of Christ’s church in this critical season.
This sacred charge takes on particular urgency as we meet just days after a presidential election that has left many in our church family processing various emotions – some celebrating, others experiencing fear and deep concern about what the future holds. As the President of the United States begins making critical appointments that will shape our nation’s trajectory, I carry in my heart multiple identities that make this moment deeply personal – as a woman, as a Latina, as the daughter of an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, and as someone whose loved ones include gay, trans, and nonbinary people. These identities are not just labels; they connect me intimately to communities whose very lives and freedoms hang in the balance of decisions being made in Washington.
Our church stands at a crossroads where our baptismal covenant calls us to both prophetic witness and deep pastoral care. The decisions being made in Washington will affect real lives in our pews and pulpits, real families in our congregations, and real communities we serve. Yet we are not merely observers of history – we are active participants in God’s unfolding story, called to be faithful witnesses in this transformative time.
Like Hilda of Whitby, who guided both nuns and monks with wisdom and grace, we are called to lead in ways that unite rather than divide. Paul reminds us that there is “one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” This unity in diversity must guide our work in the days ahead.
The work before each of you is both distinct and interconnected. Our Standing Commissions – focusing on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations; Formation and Ministry Development; Liturgy and Music; Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons; and World Mission – each carry forward essential aspects of our church’s mission. The United Methodist Dialogue Committee embarks on the vital work outlined in Resolution A049, moving us toward full communion with the United Methodist Church. And our Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property takes up the crucial work mandated by Resolutions D045 and D020, helping our church navigate the theological, ethical, and legal dimensions of rapidly evolving technology.
As President of the House of Deputies, I remain deeply committed to advancing three priority themes: accessibility, inclusivity, and safety. These priorities take on renewed urgency in our current national context here in the United States, where many feel vulnerable and uncertain about the future. I am heartened by how these priorities weave seamlessly into our emerging shared vision with Bishop Rowe for The Episcopal Church. This is not my vision or his vision – it is our vision, emerging from our deep collaboration and mutual commitment to the church’s future. Our shared experience on the Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church laid the groundwork for this partnership, teaching us how to navigate change while honoring tradition, how to dream boldly while building carefully. Today, we are actively modeling this teamwork in concrete ways: advancing accessibility in our structures, fostering inclusivity in our governance, and ensuring safety in our communities.
In this moment of profound reflection for the Anglican Communion, as we witness the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the handling of abuse cases in the Church of England, I must speak directly to the survivors of abuse in our own church: Your pain is not invisible. Your stories deserve to be heard. Your safety is not negotiable. You matter, deeply and completely, as a beloved child of God made in God’s own image. The church has too often been a place of profound betrayal rather than sanctuary, and that must change. Together with Presiding Bishop Rowe, we are committed to a complete transformation of our church culture – one built on transparency, accountability, and genuine safety. This is not just an institutional priority – it is a gospel imperative that makes true ministry possible.
When Presiding Bishop Rowe says “the church must be a place where people can come with the deepest wounds and vulnerabilities and be nurtured, respected and never abused,” these are not just words – they represent our shared commitment to concrete action and real change.
Today’s psalm proclaims, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.'” Like Jerusalem, built as a city that is at unity with itself, we seek to create a church where all may truly rejoice to gather, where all may find themselves welcome and included. This vision guides all of our work together, from our Standing Commissions to our special task forces.
The decisions and recommendations that emerge from your work will ripple throughout our church, touching congregations, dioceses, and our wider Anglican communion. In a time when our wider culture seems increasingly polarized, moving further and further apart, we have the opportunity – indeed, the responsibility – to model how Christians can maintain unity and purpose even amid difference.
The work before us is holy work. Each of you has been called “for such a time as this.” Let us move forward, then, not just with hope but with holy determination. May our deliberations be marked by both courage and compassion, may our work reflect both practical wisdom and prophetic vision, and may each person who encounters our church find what the psalmist found – true gladness in entering the house of the Lord, true welcome in a community built on unity and love.
Thank you for your willingness to serve in these important roles. Let us pray that God will guide our discussions and decisions as we begin this important work together.
May God bless our shared ministry.
