Official Diocesan Blog

"Often in those contexts where we step out of the ordinary, what we're doing every day, we have an opportunity for God to break into our busyness and hyper focus and for us to hear God afresh." 

As we prepare for the upcoming diocesan clergy retreat, Bishop Alex reflects on the importance of intentionally taking time away and creating space for the Holy Spirit to lead us in reassessing our path and priorities.

"As we walk into Labor Day, it is important to remember that work is part of who we are. There is something fundamentally dignifying about work. There is something about the image of God in work, which also suggests to us that whatever our work is, we should do it well, because working well is part of our witness.

Bishop Alex shares his thoughts on how our labor (and our rest!) is a reflection of God's work, and encourages us to view our work as a gift, attached to our identity in bearing the image of God.

"How do we make decisions about what we should be doing as a congregation? At the heart of it, we really need to know what we're about. What is our congregational mission? What are we here to do? Unless we have a good sense of that, there are a million good ideas. And the hardest decisions, of course, are not between this good thing and this bad thing, but between this good thing and this good thing." 

"There's a great line at the end of the last battle in C.S. Lewis' Narnia series, where Aslan sees all the people assembled and says, 'You do not yet look so happy as I mean you to be.' That is something that we as Christians should stop to think about—are we actually as happy as God means us to be?" 

In this week's message, Bishop Alex urges us to remember that God means for us to find both struggle and joy in this life.

"One of the weaknesses of Christian discipleship today in the church, particularly in the West, is we often think that if we follow the Lord, everything is going to be simple and easy. And that is simply not true. Ask the people of Israel and Moses as they walked through the desert. That was clearly the leading of the Lord, and it was not easy." 

In this week's message, Bishop Alex addresses leaders in our congregations, encouraging them in humility and confidence, even as they walk difficult roads.

"As Christians, it's easy for us to consider security as our highest value. Indeed, security does matter... but safety and security can't be all that matter in the Christian life. Ultimately, I do believe that the Christian life is a great adventure from beginning to end. And as with all great adventures, it is filled with joys and sorrows, perils and consolations, all along the way."

Deo volente, the Rt. Rev. Alex Cameron will ordain the Rev. Johnmark Smith to the Sacred Order of Priests on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at Church of the Redeemer, where he currently serves as deacon and youth pastor.

Your prayers and presence are requested.

In his last video before his July vacation, Bishop Alex reflects on his first year as bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, discussing what's surprised him about Pittsburgh, what he's grateful for in his first twelve months, and what he looks forward to in the months to come.

Looking for a new book recommendation for your summer travels or Sunday afternoons? Here are nine of Bishop Alex's favorite books for our summer vacation reading lists. Which of these have you read? And what's in your beach day tote bag?