The Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota

From Bishop John T. Tarrant's Address to the Diocesan Convention, 2016:

"Through our baptism we have been invited into a new way of life. The old is dying and a new life is continually being born. The way we treat others is not about being politically correct, but it is about being baptized; about being followers of Jesus.

"Our covenant with God through our baptism begins with a statement of belief: 'I believe in….' and then it moves to how we will live out that belief.

"We say:

"We will continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers. We will support each other through our faith communities; we will experience the real presence, the healing and transforming power of Jesus through the Eucharist; and we will pray; pray for friend and enemy alike.

"We promise that we will persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord. We are going to resist giving into the cynicism of the world. We are going to resist the idea that some how by tearing down other we are building the kingdom of God. And when we do fall, when we fail to live God’s dream we are going to own our failures and turn back to God’s desire for us and others.

"We commit to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ. Everything we say or do, whether at home, in the store, on Facebook or in some other forum, we are going to do with the understanding that it is to be a proclamation of God’s love for this sinful and broken world. There is enough judgment! God, through Jesus, has called us to proclaim forgiveness, mercy and hope. Leave the judgment to God.

"We have agreed to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourself. All persons; means all persons. Not just those who agree with us, or look like us, or act like us, but everyone. We all have been created in the image of God, not just Episcopalians, or Americans or Christians, but we all have been created in the image of God. We agree to treat everyone as if they are Jesus himself.

"And finally we pledge to strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being. ‘Among’, not ‘for’ all people. It is only when justice and peace (well-being) is among people that there is harmony in a society and genuine care and love can flourish. This striving begins by respecting the dignity of each person, of everyone. Do the letters you write, the posts you make, the words you speak respect the dignity of those you communicate to or about? I know they can, I received a communication like that two weeks ago.

"You see to follow Jesus is to live into our baptismal covenant. Being faithful to this agreement will not happen through resolutions or legislation, but it happens as we surrender more and more of ourselves to the living God in Christ Jesus. As we empty ourselves and become filled by the very Spirit of God.

"We are being called as individuals and as a Diocese to follow Jesus, to break open our hearts…. We are being call to pour out our lives on the altar of God, which is the world; so that we can be restored to newness of life as the Kingdom of God draws near."