Our neighbor to the north, the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, celebrates its 100th anniversary this weekend. The diocese covers are area that was originally part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Bishop Kenneth Price delivered this greeting on behalf of the Pittsburgh diocese at a centennial gala in Erie on Friday, November 05, 2010:
To Bishop Sean Rowe, to the lay delegates and clergy gathered in convention, and to all the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania:
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
All of us in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh take special pride in congratulating you on the centennial of your diocese.
We honor your past, because it is also our past. We praise God for the growth of the church one hundred years ago that allowed the northern congregations of our diocese to become your diocese.
We are grateful to be part of your present, especially as we recall the many ways you are now assisting us as we rebuild.
And, we join with you in imaging your future, together lifting up in the western communities of our Commonwealth that part of the Kingdom of God known as the Episcopal Church.
For just as the body has many members, but is one, so it is with Christ. We pray that our one Lord will lead you as head of the transforming Church of miraculous expectation you are called you to be.
Faithfully in Christ,
+Kenneth L. Price, Jr.
Bishop of Pittsburgh