Another Diocesan Convention has come and gone, and it was wonderful to be together with all of our siblings in Christ throughout West Missouri. We had a wonderful celebration of the Eucharist on Friday evening followed by a reception in Founders’ Hall. Saturday was filled with the business of the diocese where we adopted the 2024 budget and formally set all the rules and provisions for electing a new bishop. Now that the election process is adopted and in place, the search committee will meet in retreat this weekend with the Standing Committee, chairs of the Transition and Consecration Committees, and National Church consultants to begin the work of writing the Diocesan Profile. If all goes well, we will elect our next Bishop at Diocesan Convention, November 8–9, 2024, at the Cathedral. Many thanks to the Cathedral staff and Diocesan staff for their work in hosting the convention this year. I especially want to thank Joan Bergstrom and the Altar Guild, Julie Toma, Holly Campbell, and Angie Graham and the property staff for all their hard work. Thanks, as well, to Clare for her work with the Youth lock-in, hope you get some sleep!

Thanksgiving is now upon us, and I look forward to joining with you at our Thanksgiving Day service at 10 a.m. We get a bit of a break this year as Advent doesn’t start on Thanksgiving weekend. Instead, we’ll gather to celebrate the end of Pentecost on what has come to be known as Christ the King Sunday. Advent will start the following week on December 3, when we will also welcome James and Kelsey to our Cathedral family as James begins his work as our Associate Priest. We have a lot to look forward to and a lot for which to be thankful.

Please continue to pray for one another, for our Cathedral family, for our nation, and the world.

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