“Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”  -John 13:1-15

Our Dear Friends in Christ,

As we imagine how to move forward with the Beloved Community Initiative (BCI), we desire to have every parish at its table. We invite clergy and members of every parish to become active participants in the Beloved Community.

We envision the parish as a welcoming Christian community that enables all to reflect Jesus in their lives, at home and in the broader community, and suggest structures to support the vision. Collaboration is the key. Ultimately, the pastor is responsible for the parish. The challenge is to respect the Spirit’s presence throughout the total parish community and the call of the Spirit to collaboration. We realize the pastor cannot do all things at all times alone. With the creation of our new positions and BCI, we want to invite a member of each church to become a liaison, representing your parish family.

This would ensure that all parishes are being heard and represented and that our message is disseminated in a more efficient manner to every congregation. It also allows for a single person to be our contact person and thus allows for the dissemination of information to be more accurate and timelier.

• The liaison should be a person who you feel would be reliable and consistent.
• Be the contact person for our office.
• Be available for zoom/ in-person meetings, as required.
• Act as a liaison between our office and their parishioners.
• Communicate content and information, as needed.

We cannot emphasize the importance of this position for our Diocese moving forward with the BCI. It is also a huge step towards a plan for reconciliation among our immediate family, church family, the Episcopal diocese, our communities, and our world.

We would like to have every parish assign a liaison within two weeks. Please notify Shahnaz Alam-Denlinger, the BCI Program Coordinator, at s.alamdenlinger@episcopalpgh.org or 412-251-7456.

We wish to thank each of you for your efforts towards a reconciled people. We ask that you continue to pray for our new positions and for the Beloved Community.

Sincerely Yours in Our Lord,

The Rev. Canon Eric McIntosh
Canon for the Beloved Community Initiative
emcintosh@episcopalpgh.org

Shahnaz Alam-Denlinger
BCI Program Coordinator
s.alamdenlinger@episcopalpgh.org