The Bishop’s Blog

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Our Diocesan Vision: Agile
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"The truth is that when we are not operationally excellent, we expend a lot of time, energy, and sometimes money on things that take away from being kingdom minded, being missional, being invested in discipling, being relational with our leaders. Being operationally agile, being able to respond quickly, having operational and administrative tasks handled well within our churches—and more broadly within our diocese—ultimately supports the fulfillment of the mission of the gospel." 

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Our Diocesan Vision: Kingdom-Minded
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"We need to be unapologetic that making disciples is what Jesus asked us to do... not because we want to grow our particular fiefdom, but because it's fantastic to know Jesus." 

In this third video of a four-part series, Bishop Alex explains the importance of the third pillar in his vision for the diocese: prayerful, relational, kingdom-minded, and agile. 

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Our Diocesan Vision: Relational
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"We have a tendency to want to rely on programs, on teaching large groups, which is efficient. But it is not—and can never be—a replacement for relational, one-on-one discipling, for an apprenticeship kind of ministry, particularly in raising up leaders." 

In this second video of a four-part series, Bishop Alex explains the importance of the second pillar in his vision for the diocese: prayerful, relational, kingdom-minded, and agile. 

 

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Our Diocesan Vision: Prayerful (1/4)
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"True prayer reminds us that ultimately the work of the Gospel, the work of reaching people with the Gospel, the work of transformation in churches, is the work of God. Clearly we have some responsibility in that. But indeed, it is the work of God. So being at prayer reminds us that we can do nothing, we can change nothing. We need to invite the power and the presence of God into the middle of our circumstances." 

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GAFCON Wrap Up and Next Steps for Our Diocese
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"There is some work to be done globally, but for us day to day, our task is to continue the mission and work of the Gospel, where we are and as we are, as Pittsburghers, here in North America." 

Bishop Alex offers his closing reflections on GAFCON 2023 and The Kigali Commitment that was released at its conclusion, then talks about what he wants our diocese to become known for as we move forward in our mission. We'll dive further into these four values over the next four weeks. 

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Pray for GAFCON
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“GAFCON remains central to the unified global witness of biblically faithful Anglicanism." 

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Good Friday and Easter message
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"It is very easy for us to become too identified with our sin, our pain, our loss, and our trauma without understanding the fullness of the power of the resurrection. While Jesus identifies with us on Good Friday in our sinfulness, He takes us up into His resurrection on Easter Sunday." 

We pray you enjoy a blessed Good Friday and Easter. Looking for an Anglican church near you? Visit our church finder at https://www.pitanglican.org/congregations.

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An Invitation to Join Us in Holy Week
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"The celebration of Easter is robbed of something if we do not take the opportunity to enter into lament... I want to invite us all, particularly during Holy Week, to gather and pray together as we observe and walk with Jesus through his betrayal and death, into the joy of the resurrection."

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Bishop Alex on How to Approach Intercessory Prayer
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“It is my conviction that when we ask things of God, God acts. God hears. Jesus told us, 'Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find.' Our anticipation as we pray is to a God who is hearing us, who wants to come to us, who wants to respond. Will he always respond in the way we specifically ask? Why, no. But it is my conviction that he is always responding.” 

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Bishop Alex on Two Enemies of Prayer
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"If prayer is a conversation and not a monologue, how is it that I listen? How do I hear from God?”