Welcome to ur monthly newsletter. This is a great place to find out what's happening around the diocese.
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2026 Pride Events
Hello and Happy Pride Month. Please read the list of events to see all that is going on around the diocese. 2 BIG things to know are the Annual Pride Evensong with Bishop Gene Robinson on June 14 and the PrideFest Parade in St. Louis on June 28 – we'll be joining the LGBTQ+ Interfaith Alliance again this year, and I'd love every parish to bring a group to walk in the Parade.
If your parish is doing anything to support Pride in your community, please email lgbtqiaministry@diocesemo.org to let us know!
Click the button below to engage with the full list.
DioMO Tech Talk
Artificial Intelligence and the Church: Opportunities, Ethics, and Practical Applications
Friday, July 10
10:30 AM (CT)
Via Zoom
Register at: https://bit.ly/diomotechtalk07
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the way organizations communicate, create content, manage information, and engage their communities. But what does this mean for churches and faith communities?
Join us for an engaging virtual conversation with Dennis Boyd Jr., Canon for Communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, as we explore the advantages of using AI in ministry and learn practical ways to use these tools responsibly, ethically, and effectively within a church context.
Whether you're a clergy member, church administrator, communicator, volunteer, or simply curious about emerging technology, this session will offer valuable insights into how AI can support the mission and ministry of the Church while maintaining authenticity, integrity, and human connection.
Dennis will share practical examples, best practices, and considerations for integrating AI into communications, administration, content creation, and congregational life.
Come discover how AI can become a thoughtful and effective ministry partner while helping your congregation navigate an increasingly digital world.
About the Presenter
Dennis Boyd Jr. currently serves as Canon for Communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan in Midtown Detroit under Bishop Bonnie A. Perry. A lifelong Episcopalian, Dennis has been a member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Detroit for more than 25 years and has served in numerous leadership roles, including Junior and Senior Warden. He remains active in the parish's Men's Club and Technology Ministry.
Outside of his diocesan work, Dennis enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, watching movies, taking long walks in nature, and caring for dogs.
Racial Unity Week Returns to St. Louis
June 13–20, 2026
The Church of St. Louis does not speak of unity in the abstract. This June, congregations across the region will live it out together.
Now in its third year, Racial Unity Week 2026 brings together believers from across denominations, ethnicities, and generations for a week of worship, witness, learning, and lament. Organized by a diverse coalition through Together STL, the week is a direct expression of what the gospel requires: that the body of Christ be visibly, meaningfully one. In a city still marked by division, these events are not symbolic gestures. They are acts of faith.
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri is proud to be part of this witness. Members of our diocese are encouraged to participate fully.
Events at a Glance
Race for Reconciliation 5K Saturday, June 13 | 8:30 a.m. 5900 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis
The week opens on foot. The Race for Reconciliation 5K runs along Delmar Boulevard, carrying a message of racial unity directly to the historic Delmar Divide. Every step is a public declaration that the Church refuses to accept the lines that have long separated this city.
Racial Unity Training: Freedom Restored Tuesday, June 16 | 1:00 p.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 9 S. Bompart Ave., Webster Groves
Hosted at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, this intensive leadership training is offered through the Kathairo Leadership Collective. It equips participants with a biblical framework and practical tools for guiding congregations through the complexities of racial healing and cultural reconciliation. This is formation with purpose.
Metro-Wide Worship and Prayer Wednesday, June 17 | 6:30 p.m. City of Life Christian Church, 8333 Fullerton Ave., St. Louis
In the spirit of Juneteenth, believers from across St. Louis will gather across racial and denominational lines to seek God together. This night of worship and prayer honors the ongoing journey toward freedom, justice, and reconciliation. One city. One voice.
MAAFA Service Saturday, June 20 The Old Cathedral, 209 Walnut St., St. Louis (by the Gateway Arch)
The week closes in solemnity and solidarity. The MAAFA Service commemorates the approximately two million lives lost during the Atlantic Slave Trade. MAAFA is a Swahili word meaning "great tragedy." The service includes inspirational readings, music, and testimonies of healing and hope. To lament together is itself an act of faith.
Racial Unity Week calls the Church of St. Louis to be what it professes to be. Come prepared to move, to learn, to pray, and to remember.
Click below to view full event details and register.
Pride Evensong
The LGBTQIA+ Ministry warmly invites you to gather for Pride Evensong on Sunday, June 14 at 5:00 PM at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, located at 9 South Bompart Avenue in Webster Groves.
This sacred evening weaves together the contemplative beauty of Evensong with the joy, celebration, and witness of Pride Month. It is a time set apart to reflect, to give thanks, and to affirm the dignity and belovedness of every person.
We are honored to welcome guest preacher Bishop Gene Robinson, whose historic and courageous witness has helped open the life of the Church more fully to all of God’s people.
Whether you identify as LGBTQ+, stand as an ally, or are simply seeking a community rooted in love and belonging, you are invited to come as you are.
All are welcome. * Clergy are invited to vest in cassock, surplice, and festive stole.
June 14, 2026
5:00 PM
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
9 South Bompart Avenue, Webster Groves, MO
Freedom Restored An STL Racial Unity Week Training Event
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
9 S. Bompart Ave.,
Webster Groves 63119
Effective leadership in the Church requires more than good intentions. It requires formation, tools, and the courage to do the hard work of reconciliation.
Freedom Restored is an intensive training experience designed for Christian leaders who are ready to move beyond theory and into faithful, grounded action. Rooted in the legacy of Juneteenth, this session provides a biblical framework for understanding racial healing and practical tools for guiding congregations through the real complexities of cross-cultural ministry. Participants will leave equipped, not just inspired.
The training is led by the Rev. Herman Armstrong, MBA, MTS, of the Kathairo Leadership Collective. Armstrong brings both scholarly grounding and personal authority to this work, drawing on his experience growing up in North St. Louis to offer a masterclass that is as honest as it is instructive. This is not a lecture. It is a room full of peers committed to repairing the breach and realizing God's vision of a Church that is genuinely, visibly free.
Space is limited. Come prepared to engage.
Retirement Celebration for Canon Doris Westfall
June 20, 2026
11:00 AM
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
9 S Bompart Ave,
Webster Groves, MO
Join us as we celebrate the faithful ministry of Canon Doris Westfall at a special Retirement Celebration on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Webster Groves.
The celebration will begin with a joyful Eucharist at 11:00 a.m. Clergy are warmly invited to vest in red with cassock, surplice, and red stoles as we gather in thanksgiving for Canon Doris’s years of dedicated service and leadership.
Following the service, all are invited to an Open House Reception featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres and fellowship immediately after the Eucharist until 2:00 p.m.
Come share in this meaningful day of gratitude, celebration, and blessing as we honor Canon Doris and give thanks for the many ways her ministry has shaped our diocesan community.
Our Community Listens A Foundational Class from the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities
Saturdays, August 15, 22 and 29, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Church of St. Michael and St. George
Great Hall 6340 Ellenwood Ave.,
Clayton, MO 63105
Most relational strain does not begin with bad intentions. It begins with not truly hearing one another.
Our Community Listens is a three-day foundational class built around one of the most essential and underused leadership skills: the ability to listen well. When people feel genuinely heard, trust grows, conflict softens, and connection deepens. The benefits reach far beyond a single conversation. They shape how we show up as parents, partners, colleagues, and neighbors.
Offered over three consecutive Saturdays, this class is structured for real life. Whether you are balancing work, family, or both, the schedule is designed to make deep engagement possible. Participants will receive a customized eight-part DISC profile, gain insight into their own communication patterns and behavioral tendencies, and practice new skills alongside trained facilitators in a small, intentional class environment.
The class is free of charge. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day. St. Michael and St. George warmly encourages young adults, college students, high school seniors, and young parents to attend. These are formational skills, and the earlier they are learned, the wider their impact.
Click below to register today.
A Conversation with Bishop Mariann Budde
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
Virtual via Zoom
Some books arrive at exactly the right moment. How to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith is one of them.
The Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Missouri invite the women of this diocese to read Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's book and join a live virtual conversation with the author on Tuesday, August 25 at 6:00 p.m. Bishop Budde serves as the Episcopal Bishop of Washington and came to the attention of the nation in January 2025, when her homily at the interfaith prayer service following the presidential inauguration called the country to compassion and mercy on behalf of those most vulnerable. Her words were direct, pastoral, and unafraid. Her book reflects that same voice.
How to Be Brave explores the decisive moments that shape a life of faith, and what it means to act with courage when the stakes are real. This conversation is an opportunity to sit with those questions alongside one another and alongside the bishop herself.
Read the book. Register in advance. Come ready to engage.
Register here
DioMO Annual Picnic at Camp MoVal
August 29, 2026
Camp MoVal
2659 Camp Mo-Val Rd,
Union, MO 63084
Mark your calendars and plan to join us for the Annual DioMO Picnic on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Camp MoVal!
This beloved diocesan gathering is an opportunity for friends from across our congregations and ministries to come together for fellowship, fun, and celebration in the beautiful setting of Camp MoVal. Whether you're reconnecting with old friends, meeting new ones, or simply enjoying a day outdoors with the diocesan community, there will be something for everyone.
We're still putting the finishing touches on the day's schedule, activities, and special events, so stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. We look forward to sharing information about timing, registration, food, family-friendly activities, and more.
For now, be sure to save the date and plan to join us on August 29 for a wonderful day of community, laughter, and diocesan fellowship.
More details coming soon!
Bridges: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola
Beginning September 2026
There are moments in the life of faith when a person needs more than Sunday worship. They need space, structure, and sustained encounter with God.
Bridges offers exactly that. This eight-month retreat experience guides participants through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, one of the most time-tested and transformative frameworks for deepening a life of prayer. The Exercises are not a program to complete. They are a journey inward, designed to bring participants into closer relationship with God and Jesus, cultivate a more disciplined and attentive prayer life, provide spiritual grounding for major life decisions, and clarify a sense of purpose and calling.
The retreat begins in September. Information sessions are being held at various locations throughout the St. Louis area this summer, offering an opportunity to learn more and discern whether this commitment is right for you.
Questions? Contact Steve Givens at executive.director@bridgesfoundation.org or 314-401-2072.
Camp Firebird 2026
Our camp days are filled with fun and structured activities, including regular meals, outside activities and group challenges, free time, swimming time, rest time, and a rhythm of prayer, worship and formation. Campers of all faiths and belief systems are welcome to attend Camp, with the knowledge that we hope to form campers into the love of Jesus Christ. We pray they feel a sense of belonging, safety, and excitement and that Camp Firebird would be a unique extension of their parish/weekly church experience.
This year’s camp theme is “Traveling Through Time,” as we enter into the whole church year in one week, for a truly immersive and transformational adventure!
We offer a tiered payment system for Camp so that families can choose the level of cost that most fits their budget. This year’s tiers are: $ 450 / 475 / 500 / per camper. Please note that even the top level does not cover all the costs of a single camper!
We value keeping camp at an affordable rate for campers in our Diocese. Camp costs will never keep a camper from attending Camp Firebird - local and parish churches are encouraged to work with families to create possibilities for each camper!
Camp Firebird also has a scholarship program for those who need additional financial support.
We encourage early registration because Camp Firebird 2026 will fill up quickly!
Summer Pilgrimage to Scotland
St. Peter's invites you and others who may want to participate on a pilgrimage to the beautiful country of Scotland. This pilgrimage is designed to explore the spiritually rich tradition of Celtic Christianity that for centuries has inspired so many people with its unique practices and traditions. Celtic spirituality places a special emphasis on what are known as “thin places” where the boundary between the physical and spiritual world seem to touch. On this pilgrimage we will spend time in those places where the veil between heaven and earth feels thin and where many ancient prayers were first spoken. We will make time to pray and worship in sacred places, walk on sacred grounds, including spending time on the holy island of Iona, and we will enjoy the culture and history of Scotland.
We hope you will join the clergy on this pilgrimage that will help deepen our relationship with God and with each other. Please look at the itinerary and feel free to contact the Rev. David Hodges should you have any questions.
ECW Save the Date for Retreat/Annual Meeting
Plan for the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of the Diocese of Missouri for our retreat and annual meeting on Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19, at the Pallottine Renewal Center in Florissant. The theme, Faith as a Source of Strength in Times of Turmoil, will be facilitated by Rev. Delaney Schlake-Kruse, rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in St. Louis. All women in the diocese are encouraged to join us. The purpose of ECW is to empower the women of The Episcopal Church to carry out Christ’s work throughout the world. If you are an Episcopal woman, you are automatically a member of ECW.
September 18 and 19, 2026
Pallottine Renewal Center
Florissant, MO
Episcopal City Mission Announces Exciting New Fundraising Event: ECM Trivia Night
Episcopal City Mission is experimenting with a new opportunity for its signature fundraising event. This year, we will pause the beloved Moment in Time Gala and transition into an all-new, community-centered event, the ECM Trivia Night, to be held at the Masonic Temple in Webster on October 15, 2026.
The change marks a strategic shift to make fundraising more interactive, inclusive, and connected to Episcopal City Mission’s goal of supporting children in the St. Louis juvenile justice system. Rather than a formal evening gala, the ECM Trivia Night will offer an engaging and collaborative experience open to all supporters, inviting teams to test their knowledge, enjoy friendly competition, and celebrate community impact in a lively, relaxed setting.
“After many successful years with the Moment in Time Gala, we wanted to evolve our main fundraising event into something that better reflects our growing, energetic community,” said Executive Director Nathan Ivy.
Proceeds from the ECM Trivia Night will directly support expanded services and mission for youth impacted by the juvenile justice system.
Event details — including registration information, team sign-ups, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities — will be announced soon.
For more information, contact ECM’s Office Manager David Gill at office.manager@ecitymission.org.
Thursday, October 15, 2026
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Masonic Temple
12 E Lockwood, Ave, Webster Groves, MO
St. Stephen's Launches Music on the Vine to Support Young Musicians in Ferguson
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Ferguson has launched Music on the Vine, an affordable music education program for students in Ferguson and surrounding communities. The program currently offers lessons in piano, drums, saxophone, guitar, bass guitar, and voice, with the possibility of adding more instruments as demand grows.
Lessons are taught by trained musicians and offered on a sliding scale, with 30-minute lessons available for as low as $10 for students who qualify through a recommendation from a school counselor, music teacher, or community organization. St. Stephen's hopes the program will help make music education more accessible to families while creating a welcoming and supportive space for young people to grow in their gifts.
Families, schools, churches, and community organizations are invited to share the program with students who may be interested.
More information and applications are available at: ststephensandthevine.org/music
This Young Church Project
“This Young Church Project” (TYCP) has been an initiative developed and run by myself, Rev. Erin Pickersgill, for two years. The supportive parish program organically grew out of the questions arising from individual communities. Past and current participating parishes are St. Francis, Eureka; Trinity, Kirksville; St. John’s, Tower Grove; St. Mark’s, Portland; and Hope, Town and Country.
Most parishes in our Diocese, with few exceptions, are wondering how to attract more young families through their doors, what to do with the young people when they attend worship, and how to grow young people in their faith.
If your community is interested in being in the TYCP 2026 - 2027 cohort, please contact Erin Pickersgill by clicking below! Applications are now open.