Celebrating the gift of the Spirit on Pentecost to guide us “in the deeper ways of God’s love,” Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites Episcopalians to pray for the hundreds of young people gathering July 4-8 at the Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) in College Park, Maryland. Some event sessions will be livestreamed for public viewing.
“We are in such a time as that, when the spirit that Jesus promised will lead us and guide us in the deeper ways of God’s love, and God’s way of life, not only for us, but for the entire human family, until the way of life as Jesus taught us becomes our way of life,” Curry said. “It is the way of love, and the Bible says, ‘God is love.’ And that makes beloved community possible.”
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, EYE is the church’s second-largest event after General Convention, drawing nearly 1,500 young people ages 15-19 from every province. Typically held every three years, this will be the first gathering since 2017, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s dual-language theme for EYE—developed by the youth planning team, which seeks to emphasize welcome and invitation to all young people throughout the church—is “Regreso a Casa: A New Age of Faith.”
“Regreso a casa—returning home,” Curry said. “Returning home: faith in a new age, a new age of faith. The Spirit will guide us all. I am so looking forward to being with you.”
EYE programs focus on helping young people develop leadership skills, spiritual practices, and early stages of vocational discernment. In addition to meeting and socializing with other Episcopalians from around the world, EYE participants will spend time in worship, large-group presentations, small-group discussions, and workshops on a variety of topics. Learn more and view schedule.
Text of the Pentecost message
Regreso a casa, returning home. That is the theme of the upcoming EYE gathering of young people from throughout The Episcopal Church. I am so looking forward to being with you. Returning home: Faith in a new age, a new age of faith. That is the subtheme for this gathering.
I’m mindful that many years ago a woman named Phyllis Tickle—who was a dear friend of mine—died and entered eternal life with our Lord. Before she died, she finished one of her last books. And in that book she said that we in our time will find ourselves living in a time when we must rely on the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised us to lead us and guide us along the way.
At the Last Supper, Jesus said to his disciples, at one point in John’s Gospel he says, “There are many other things that I could have told you, but you can’t handle them right now. This much I will tell you: When I depart from you, I will send the Holy Spirit, and that spirit will lead you into all truth.”
We are in such a time as that, when the spirit that Jesus promised will lead us and guide us in the deeper ways of God’s love, and God’s way of life, not only for us, but for the entire human family, until the way of life as Jesus taught us becomes our way of life. Because it is the way of love. And the Bible says “God is love.” And that makes the beloved community possible.
So come and join us for our gathering. I can’t wait to be there with you.
Regreso a casa, returning home. An age of faith, the Spirit will guide us all.
God love you, God bless you, and see you in July.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Being a Christian is not essentially about joining a church or being a nice person, but about following in the footsteps of Jesus, taking his teachings seriously, letting his Spirit take the lead in our lives, and in so doing helping to change the world from our nightmare into God’s dream. ―Michael Curry, Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus
The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry is Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church. He is the Chief Pastor and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as Chair of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church.
Presiding Bishop Curry was installed as the 27th Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church on November 1, 2015. He was elected to a nine-year term and confirmed at the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 27, 2015.
Read Presiding Bishop Curry’s biography and find out about the Jesus Movement.
Church of the Redeemer
Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world around us.
We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6210 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
The Episcopal Church welcomes you.
