BISHOP MARIANN’S WRITINGS
The Rev. John Kellogg’s Diocesan Convention Homily
On Saturday, January 31, the Episcopal Diocese of Washington gathered for its annual convention, a day-long meeting with clergy and lay representatives from every congregation. A full report of the convention will be the subject of next week’s newsletter, and you can read my annual address to the diocese here.
Upholding One Another in Love: Diocesan Convention Address, 2026
May I never cease to thank you for the honor of serving as your bishop and of addressing you when we gather in Convention. I’d like to share some of what I see from the vantage point of my role, looking back on the past year, and forward, to the year ahead.
DC Area Faith Leaders Statement on Immigration Enforcement Actions
The recent events in Minnesota — including the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents — have reverberated deeply across the nation and within our communities, shaking us to our core. This moment calls us to speak from the heart of our moral and spiritual values, reaffirming the sanctity of life and our shared commitment to justice and compassion.
A Joint Letter from 154 Bishops of The Episcopal Church: Whose Dignity Matters?
We, the undersigned bishops of The Episcopal Church, write today out of grief, righteous anger, and steadfast hope. What happened a week ago in Minnesota and is happening in communities across the country runs counter to God’s vision of justice and peace. This crisis is about more than one city or state—it’s about who we are as a nation. The question before us is simple and urgent: Whose dignity matters?
Praying with Our Lips and Our Lives: A Statement from Bishop Budde and Dean Hollerith
The second killing in Minnesota of a U.S. citizen at the hands of federal agents in less than three weeks has shaken our country’s trust not only in our institutions but in the fundamental health of our democracy. These tragic events coming so closely to our country’s celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King only add salt to our wounds. It is during times like these that we need to come together in prayer and action to build community, to support one another, and to stand with those who have the least and need us the most.
Upholding One Another in Love
On January 31, the Diocese of Washington will gather for our annual convention. In the context of prayer and community, we’ll take stock of the past year and look toward the future. And what a year it has been. The diversity of our congregations doesn’t allow for overarching generalizations of our common life. Yet given our proximity to the federal government, the dramatic changes in government priorities and policies have affected us significantly.
At the Threshold of a New Year
As we begin 2026, I wonder what threshold moments await us, and, drawing from the beautiful words from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, what is the particular hope to which you and I are called now. To be called to hope is a summons that does not rely on our power alone, but rather points us toward the source of hope that is in Christ. In the Christian calendar, we have entered the season of Epiphany, a time of revelation, inviting us to place our trust in Christ as we ponder what lies ahead.
This Will Be A Sign For You
In the name of the One who comes to us. Amen. Good evening. Thank you for including this Cathedral worship service as part of your Christmas celebrations. Greetings to those joining us via technology from wherever you are. It is wonderful to be with you all.
The Cost and the Gift of Hope at Christmas
Alongside Christian leaders everywhere, I’m thinking about what I will say on Christmas Eve at a time when we all yearn for a message of hope. Those of us called to preach at Christmas are praying hard now, that through the mystery of grace we might be messengers of hope.
Listening When an Angel Speaks
Sometime between now and Christmas Eve, I encourage you to set aside a bit of time to read the biblical narratives of the events leading up to Jesus’ birth. It won’t take long. Start with the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, which tells of the story of an old childless couple, Elizabeth and Zechariah. Zechariah was a priest, and on his watch in the sanctuary an angel appeared to him with the astonishing news that his wife would bear a child.
