Bishop’s Journal
January 2026
2 | Staff Meeting
Meetings with Staff Members
Small Church Collaborative
Virtual Meeting
Becoming Beloved Community
Steering Committee Virtual Meeting
3-5 | Travel to Camp McDowell, Alabama for the Province IV Bishops and Canons Meeting
A productive meeting with the Canons and Bishops of Province IV at Camp McDowell.
5 | Travel to Jackson/Camp Bratton Green for our Ministry Exploration Gathering
5-6 | Ministry Exploration Gathering with the chance to meet the discerners
6 | We celebrate St. Nicholas of Myra today – and we recall the accounts of his generosity and care for neighbors, especially the most vulnerable. The accounts of his ministry teach us how to see the need around us, to respond to the need, and to help neighbors understand their own role in caring for one another. Some of the most revered accounts of his ministry involve him caring for children in harm’s way – and admonishing those who would harm the children while inviting them to see another way. Grateful to be sharing this day and the example of St. Nicholas with discerners in our diocese.
7 | My visitation was at Grace Church, Carrollton – where a lovely gathering of worshippers greeted me. The delicious brunch was hosted by the Carrolls, and the day was delightful! #sograteful
8 | Bishop’s sabbath
9 | Staff Meeting
Meetings with staff members
10 | Budget meeting
Meeting with Millsaps College re: Absalom Jones commemoration
Travel to Vicksburg
What a fabulous evening with the parish family of Church of the Holy Trinity, Vicksburg, as we shared a wonderful meal (breakfast for dinner!) and asked God’s blessing on the new youth activity room and the renovated Conservatory of the Fine Arts – a ministry of the parish!
What a gift this Conservatory is to Vicksburg, with music instruction in piano, voice, strings and percussion – and upcoming learning in pottery!!! So thankful for this parish’s vision and commitment, and the leadership of Cody Nelson, Holy Trinity’s Organist/Choirmaster and the Director of the Conservatory!
11 | Finance Committee Meeting
Meeting with CPAs
12 | Bishop Coach
Meetings with Clergypersons
13 | Travel to Rolling Fork; rededication of Chapel of the Cross
The above photo is from March 2023 – after an EF-4 tornado swept through Mississippi. Twenty-five precious lives were lost in Mississippi to that devastating tornado. The community of Rolling Fork was devastated; Chapel of the Cross, our church at Rolling Fork, was destroyed.
This photo is Chapel of the Cross, Rolling Fork, today – rebuilt, and restored. It was my humble privilege today to ask God’s blessing on this rebuilt church and rededicate this space. I wish we had photos of the packed church today, as communicants, former clergy and friends all gathered for this holy time. We are so very grateful for God’s providence – and for the faithful witness of these worshippers in Rolling Fork.
Travel to Meridian
14 | My Sunday visitation was with the Episcopal Church of the Mediator. Beautiful worship, confirmations and a reaffirmation, and a fun breakfast with two bishops, Bishop Nicholas and Bishop Dorothy (Yes, jolly ol’ St. Nicholas stopped in while I shared with the children the kind deeds for which he is remembered!) between services. After worship, I joined the Rev. Ezgi Saribay Perkins, the Rev. Patrick Perkins and the Vestry for lunch. So grateful to the Church of the Mediator for a wonderful day!
Preached 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services, confirmed 6, reaffirmed 1
Travel to Jackson
15 | Bishop’s sabbath
16 | Bishop has laryngitis!
17 | Meeting with Postulant
Telephone conference with clergyperson
Staff Christmas Lunch
Iona Collaborative Microgrant meeting
18 | Meetings with Staff Members
19 | Clergy Advent gathering at Bishop’s home
20 | Travel to Church Hill: Rededication of Christ Church
So very grateful to Ben Hillyer for capturing such wonderful photos at the rededication of Christ Church, Church Hill today! What a glorious day, as the community came together to share in our celebration of the faithful restoration of this church – at the site of our oldest worshipping community!!
Travel to Jackson
21 | Travel to Meridian
Today, I joined the parish family of St. Paul’s Church, Meridian, for Lessons and Carols –
and for the prayers of leave-taking, as the Rev. Katie Sorey ends her pastoral relationship with St. Paul’s.
From Meridian, it was back to Ridgeland and the celebration of the 100th birthday of Trinity Church, Yazoo City communicant Mary Ann Holmes Cortright – who now has met 9 of Mississippi’s 11 bishops and was feted with a proclamation and prayers!
22 | Bishop’s sabbath
23 | Staff Meeting
Meetings with Staff Members
Friends, if you subscribe to The Mississippi Episcopalian, please, please check out this month’s (December) cover. And, please, please check out this month’s Bishop’s Corner – Pathways to Accessibility (msepiscopalian.com/pathways). There are so many ways that we can include all of God’s people in all aspects of our worship and life together in community. We just have to be prayerful and creative – and open to the work of the Holy Spirit!
24 | Christmas Eve began with worship at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Philadelphia. Lovely worship and beautiful music as we celebrated our Savior’s birth, and delightful fellowship following.
Preached
Then it was on the road again, headed back to St. Andrew’s Cathedral for two beautiful services this afternoon. #grateful
Preached 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. services
25 | Christmas Day
26-29 | Office closed
30 | Staff Meeting
Meetings with Staff Members
31 | Meetings with Staff Members
Friends, as we approach 2026, I wish for you a year in which you write many more wonderful pages in your life story. I wish and pray for you a 2026 in which you are wrapped in the love of family and friends, filled with joy and fulfillment in all that you do, and experience awe and wonder in all the world around you!
I offer again this prayer attributed to the Rev. Dr. Vienna Cobb Anderson, to inspire us all to love and serve God’s people in all the ways that we can in the coming year – and to open ourselves to God’s new possibilities:
O God, you call us from our settled ways,
out of old habits and rutted traditions.
You call us into the land of promise,
to new life and new possibilities.
Make us strong to travel the road ahead.
Deliver us from false security and comfort,
desire for ease and uninvolved days.
Let your Word and Spirit dwell in us
that your will may be fulfilled in us
for the well-being and shalom of all. Amen.
