Transcript:
Greetings, beloved in Christ. I hope that you are well on this day. For the past few weeks, I have been praying for all of those going back to school this season. I’ve been praying for teachers, for administrators, for counselors, for custodians and cafeteria workers, and above all, praying for students, praying that their minds will be opened and that they will get the education that they need. Education is a passion of mine. I believe that every child deserves an amazing education. It is one of the reasons why I am proud of the Episcopal schools in our world. As Episcopalians, we base our faith on scripture, reason, and tradition, recognizing that our God has gifted us with intellect, and that we are called to use that intellect to understand our world better and to learn how to love others in the name of Christ.
I stand here as a proud member of the Board of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal School. St. Elizabeth’s is a K through eight school right here in Denver that makes inclusiveness the major part of its agenda. St. Elizabeth wants to include all people regardless of race, regardless of socioeconomics, regardless of ethnicity, or gender. They hold that piece of Episcopal ethos that we respect the dignity of every human being. As part of their rigorous curriculum, they build in understandings of justice, compassion, and inclusion, helping to shape students, not teaching them what to think, but teaching them how to think. St. Elizabeth’s is committed to offering that education, not just to those who are wealthy enough to pay for it, but also providing scholarships so that those students who are motivated and desiring the best in education can find it there.
I hope that if you are in the Denver area and you are considering schools for your children, that you will think about St. Elizabeth’s. It is my dream as your bishop that at some point in the future, we would have a high school modeled on those same principles. I do dream daily about the Episcopal High School of the Rockies, and with God’s grace that might become a reality. But I commend to you the value of education, and I hope that you’ll join me in praying for all of those going back to school. Blessings.
