Our Calendar commemoration of The Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary (July 26th) was spent with the Jewish faith community of Temple Israel in Springfield. The Diocese of Springfield has long enjoyed a familiar as well as supporting relationship with Rabbi Emeritus Barry Marks and now Rabbi Arthur Stern. Those who study and offer praise to Almighty God within Temple Israel are leaders within our community (including Governor J. B. Pritzker) and share an appreciation for our Diocese, especially our Cathedral.

Originally constructed in 1959, Temple Israel is a stately building appointed for all sacred uses of the Jewish faith including an impressive bima which is the raised area in the front of the Sanctuary. Its central feature is the Ark, which contains the scrolls of the Torah, the Five Books of Moses. The lectern on the west side of the bima is for prayers, preaching, and announcements, while the inclined desk on the east side is used for unrolling and reading of the Torah scrolls. Within the Sanctuary are many symbols of the Jewish faith: the six-pointed star (Shield of David), the seven-branched candelabrum or Menorah, the Lions of Judah, and the tablets of the Ten Commandments.

Bishop Burgess was invited to attend the Friday evening Shabbat service with Denise and to offer the address. His address held up the special relationship we share as people of God’s promises while being those who traverse desert wilderness on exodus. He referred to scriptural passages from the books of Hosea and Isaiah while examining how extemporaneous prayer so popular in an impatient world limits our understanding of God while inviting false teaching and heresy. The address included words of a prayer attributed to St. Patrick, the fifth-century British missionary Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland, and from their Hashkivenu prayer, asking for God’s protection through the night.

Following the service, dinner was served in the assembly hall where acquaintances were made or renewed and greetings were exchanged. Sadly, and standing as an indication of a fallen world, the evening’s gathering was ushered in and out by a visible security presence at the door.

Psalm 122 - A song of ascents

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,*

"Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2 Our feet are standing*

in your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built like a city*

that is closely compacted together.

4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD,*

to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.

5 There the thrones for judgment stand,*

the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:*

"May those who love you be secure.

7 May there be peace within your walls*

and security within your citadels."

8 For the sake of my brothers and friends,*

I will say, "Peace be within you."

9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,*

I will seek your prosperity.

*Photo is from a previous event held at the Diocesan Center

posted 7/31/24

The Amen sounded from God’s people again in Bloomington this past Thursday. The feast of St. Benedict of Nursia was observed before the altar of St. Matthew’s with the celebration of the Holy Mysteries and the rite for the Celebration of a New Ministry (BCP pg. 559). Father Tom Reeves was recognized, called, and seated as their rector. Received as a priest of the Church in July of 2022, Fr. Reeves has served the last two years as priest-in-charge of St. Matthew’s. This parish is gaining momentum in Sunday attendance, outreach, hospitality, education, stewardship, and mission. Their leadership is present, engaged, and expectant. This parish church hosts 13 twelve-step recovery groups each week by opening the doors to their well-maintained campus. Father and Mrs. (Karen) Reeves complete us while adding a weighted presence to the seriousness of our mission and the priority of our calling. Pictured with Fr. Tom and Karen Reeves are the altar party, the attending clergy, and those who presented Fr. Reeves to Bishop Burgess for seating. Congratulations!

(posted 7/15/24)

On Monday, Canon Kamenya returned after a day-long clergy conference to give the Burgess’ a quick tour of the Anglican Cathedral and the Market Place. He is a dedicated priest who has been ordained for 25 years. Living near the airport, he gets calls from many bishops to act as their ambassador. He is married and has three grown children, all university-educated. The Burgess’ then treated Canon and Mrs. Kamenya to dinner as the opportunity to thank them and to hear more about the vocational journey that both families share. On Tuesday, the Burgess’ took the hotel shuttle back to Dar es Salaam Airport to board the three-hour Air Tanzania flight to Tabora with a thirty-minute layover in Mpanda. Bishop Elias Chakupewa has been in direct WhatsApp communication and shares how he is looking forward to greeting Bishop Brian and Denise Burgess when they arrive on Tuesday afternoon.

Please keep this time of travel and Companion Diocese relationship ensconced within your daily prayer. Bishop Burgess will send additional updates as time and wireless communications allow.

posted 6/11/24

We then traveled to St. John’s parish where we met their rector and toured their after-school youth center as well as a weekend academy of over 260 students. They teach skills such as computer literacy and sewing. The students are fed and are also taught Christian ethics and doctrine. Although organized, the facilities are rudimentary as one room contained 1990s-era IBM computer hard drives with monitors. The children are taught on these computers to become proficient in skills they will need as they take their place in a technologically advanced world. St. John’s is building a new church to meet the needs of this dynamic parish. The progress continues as the funds appear. The foundation has been poured and the exterior walls have been raised. Sheets of corrugated metal roofing are now being put into place. The Nave is the length of the Nave of our own cathedral in Springfield. This is quite a commanding presence in a community that is heavily Muslim. To summarize, I have never seen so much being accomplished on behalf of the mission of the Church so joyfully with so little.

Lunch was served at the cathedral, and we had the opportunity to speak with the coordinator of the Mother’s Union in Tabora. She wanted to know about the reach and influence of women in the Episcopal Church when it comes to advancing the church and advocating for children and women. We then toured The Tabora Zoo. It was primarily an outside, unfenced area where we saw an orphan elephant, monkeys, gazelles, zebras, and warthogs grazing on their own. The more beautiful but aggressive animals were in large contained areas (Lion-Simba, Lioness-Fiona, and a leopard). 

The good people of the Anglican Diocese of Tabora have been most welcoming and patient with us. Tomorrow we are meeting Bishop Elias at 8:30 AM in order to travel to Kahama. We are going to bed each night tired but extremely fulfilled. Please keep Denise and me in your intercessory prayer and this wonderful Diocese in your prayer of thanksgiving.

Mungu akubariki (God bless you)

+BKB

posted 6/12/24

We then checked into our hotel for the next two evenings, changed our clothes, and left with Bishop Chakupewa, “Momma” Asofku, the priests and drivers in our caravan to inspect the home being built for Bishop Elias ahead of his retirement. Since there is neither state nor church pension in Tanzania, the faithful are directed by Church Canons to provide a retirement home for their bishop. It is a beautiful home about halfway completed with high ceilings, large open windows, three bedrooms/bathrooms, and a spacious kitchen. There is a guest house and a house helper’s quarters behind their home being constructed simultaneously. The Diocese of Springfield is donating to the construction of their home in recognition of the relationship we have shared for almost a decade. Denise and I presented a sharing cross for their home where the cutout cross leaves a silhouette, and each family will keep one part for our homes. These serve as reminders of the relationship we share as dioceses and families and to pray for one another’s family, diocese, and our people.

We then headed back into town where we ate dinner together in an open-air restaurant before returning to our hotel for rest and preparing for Friday.

A note about the Toyota Land Cruiser that Bishop Elias is chauffeured in. It was a gift given to the Diocese of Tabora seven years ago by the parish of St. John the Baptist in Mount Carmel. The 4-wheel, drive, all-terrain vehicle has over 147,000 miles on it and it is being maintained meticulously by Bishop Elias’ driver and mechanic, Joe. Having been here and now having traveled hundreds of miles with Bishop Elias, I can assure you that this is not a luxury item, it is most necessary. The roads here are terrible and Joe is a master at avoiding very large pot-holes, ravines, and insane detours which at times require our cutting through the off-road paths to make it safely to our intended destination. Bishop Elias has expressed his gratitude to us several times and publicly in several meetings.

Thank you all for your faithful stewardship and your constant intercessory prayer. This is a Diocese that is constantly singing and dancing in the face of adversity and need which brings forward mightily and in an incarnate way, the reign of Christ. Amen!

+BKB

posted 6/13/24

All of our meals were served at the same restaurant in Kahama. The juice drink made to order by mixing pineapple and watermelon juice with a bit of sugar was the most refreshing. The young man who works the juice bar behind the scenes at the restaurant attends St. Paul’s parish. He made it a point to introduce himself to me so that I would know it was he who made our juices for our meals. Later that afternoon, we went back to the hotel, changed our clothes, and were taken to the street market for shopping. During dinner, Bishop Elias thanked me for preaching, but said, it was too short. I preached for over 20 minutes with an interpreter stretching that out to over 30 minutes.

A note about our interpreter. His name is Fr. Bartholomew (Fr. Bart) and he serves as principal of the Bible College in Tabora. He studied at the University of the South in Sewanee for two years (MA in Sacred Theology) before coming to the Diocese of Tabora from another Tanzanian diocese. He is most joyful and a great deal of fun to work with. He knows many of the professors and administrators that I knew when I attended seminary at Sewanee. We had a great deal to share and to celebrate.

Upon procession to the courtyard, a group picture was taken of all assembled clergy and then lunch was served. The Synod was called to order within Canon Nashon Nkugwe Hall, the secretary declared a quorum and the three houses were seated separately by orders (lay, clerical, and bishop). Canonically, each church of the Diocese is allowed three delegates (one priest, one layman, and one laywoman). The priests sit opposite of the lay delegates. When the Synod was adjourned for the evening, many remained for dinner, committee meetings, fellowship, and Bible study. We were taken back to our hotel by Bishop Elias and “Mama” Lucy (title of respect for a bishop’s wife).

This morning we reported to the assembly hall to convene the Synod with a Morning Prayer service. This Diocese sings and chants a cappella effortlessly. Their harmonies are brilliant. Prayers of the people are sung saturating every inch of the space and go on to ensure all intercessions are accounted for. After a few reports, we broke for breakfast (fresh cake donuts, and tea or coffee). Bishop Elias gave his Synod report and then the floor was opened for delegates of the other two houses to make comment on his report, which they did for over an hour showing support of his vision for the Diocese and pointing out some discrepancies that were noted. Bishop Elias and Mama Lucy took me and Denise off campus at this point while they continued the discussion. We went to the Tabora Market to purchase Tabora honey (the best in the world), check on tomorrow’s flight at the Air Tanzania office, meet the Moravian Bishop, and visit a Roman Catholic book store. We returned to Synod and took our seats as delegates were still discussing the strategic plan. We heard from Dr. Njerango, a consultant, on the Diocesan strategic plan. He is a celebrated churchman and consultant from the capital city, Dodoma.