Diocesan Clergy Gather for Annual Retreat

The bishop welcomed the priests and deacons of the diocese—active and retired— for their annual retreat at St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center May 11-13. Beth-Sarah Wright, Ph.D., acting director of the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing, presented a series of retreat sessions entitled Walking in Newness of Life: Living the Baptismal Covenant in this Season. Dr. Wright has been engaged in a productive partnership with our diocese, including leading the recent pilgrimage to Ghana and working with our diocesan Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission on their new “Pilgrimage of Racial Healing” program. “Dr. Beth-Sarah Wright led us with wisdom and insight and modeled vulnerable sharing, guiding us skillfully to do likewise,” said Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley. She will be returning as a guest speaker at diocesan convention.

On the final morning of the retreat, the bishop led an information session for the clergy covering many topics. The clergy prayed for and laid hands on two members of the collegium who have recently answered a call to the episcopate, the Rev. Adam Shoemaker and the Rev. Canon Wilmot Merchant, and Herbert Drayton, one of the co-chairs of our Rising Together capital campaign, gave a presentation on that work. 

In addition to the wonderful programmatic offerings, the clergy enjoyed the fabulous hospitality of the St. Christopher team and plenty of convivial, holy conversations around fire pits, on porches, and at the breakfast table. 

View an album of photos from the retreat on Facebook at this link.