October 29, 2009

Click here to read Bishop Gepert's piece written for the op/ed section of the Kalamazoo Gazette

   

   

March 6-10, 2009- The Dominican Republic

Click here to view "The Record" - The Diocesan of Michigan's newspaper report covering the trip

   

   

   

   

  

  

  

 Click here to view the full photo and other photos from the Diocese of Michigan's newspaper  

    

   

   

  

July 15-August 4, 2008 - Lambeth Conference

• Click here to view a letter from the Bishop (July 23)

• Click here to view a letter from the Bishop (July 18)

  

  

September, October, November, 2009- Sabbatical

Click here to download the Bishop's Sabbatical letter - June 2008

 

• Respecting Adult Decisions

  • When I have opportunities to talk about Church growth, I am often asked, 'How do we go about getting the members who have left, to return?” [continue]

  

• Criticism: Building Community or Tearing it Down?

• Misdirected criticism is, in my opinion, the biggest roadblock to churches becoming vibrant and healthy Christian communities. On the other hand, properly directed criticism can lead to the growth of an individual and a community of faith. [continue]

  

• Do Emotionally and Spiritually Weak People
  Dominate the Church?

• The Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians says, “...the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need this.” (12:22-23) [continue]

  

• Overfunctioning is Poor Stewardship

• A woman, I will call "Molly," came to see me when I was a parish priest. Her presenting problem was that her husband didn't appreciate her and seemed distant in their relationship, her children were lazy and didn't contribute to the functioning of her family by doing chores. She was tired and depressed and burned out. She complained vehemently about the way in which her family did not take responsibility for anything. "I have to do it all!" she proclaimed, "I'm stuck with all the responsibility." Molly was a classic over-functioner. [continue]

  

• Passion vs. Intensity

• It is so important for me to have a trained and wise spiritual director. I am blessed to have such a director. “You are a passionate person,” she said, “you are also intense. I liked the first part of that statement, but I didn’t like the second part. [continue]

  

• About the Windsor Report

• As many of you know, Canterbury has issued a document called 'The Windsor Report,' which has addressed the "goings-on" in the Anglican Communion. [continue]