It is with both excitement and a heartfelt invitation: the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh’s Fellowship Committee is launching an innovative “Diocesan Passport Program,” designed to deepen our connections with one another, broaden our understanding of the varied expressions of parish life in our midst, and remind us that sometimes we don’t truly see our own home until we’ve had the joy of traveling beyond it.
Why a Passport Program?
We all know the thrill of setting foot in a place we’ve never been before—the new faces, the unfamiliar sights, the surprising ways others worship and serve. In that moment of discovery, our hearts expand, and we gain fresh perspectives on our own traditions. If you’ve ever returned from a trip halfway around the world and described your hometown differently, you know exactly what we mean!
The Diocesan Passport Program brings that spirit of pilgrimage home, inviting each of us to step outside the walls of our own parish, meet fellow Episcopalians, and celebrate the rich tapestry of faith we share across the diocese.
How It Works
- Print Your Passport. Beginning on August 24, print your pocket-sized passport booklet, available here. Clergy and lay leaders, please display these prominently in your narthex, parish hall, and outreach newsletters. Encourage every worshipper, newcomer, and visitor to take one home.
- Travel and Collect Stamps. Visit any other parish on a Sunday, at a midweek service, during a concert, or at a community event. When you arrive, introduce yourself as a Passport Traveler and ask the clergy to sign your booklet.
- Share Your Stories. Snap a selfie with parish members or clergy during your visit. Share it with the diocese at life@episcopalpgh.org. Post it on social media with the hashtag #DiocesePassport2025. Let us build a virtual tapestry of the places we’ve been and the people we’ve met.
- Recognition. At our Diocesan convention this year we will share the photos and the percentage of each parish that has participated by getting at least one passport signature.
Inviting Every Parishioner
To all who call one of our parishes home, we say: the Passport Program is your invitation to go deeper, to reach beyond your comfort zone, and to marvel at the breadth of God’s work in our midst. Consider these personal challenges:
- Go with a friend. Invite someone who’s never been to another parish—maybe a newcomer in your own community—so you can discover together.
- Attend a new service. Try an evening prayer service if you usually attend morning Eucharist, or visit a parish that celebrates differently. Notice what speaks to you—and what surprises you.
- Offer to host. When travelers arrive at your parish, be intentional about introducing them around, offering them a bulletin, and stamping their passport. Your welcome may be the highlight of their journey.
- Reflect and share. Keep a journal or blog about what you learn at each stop. How did worship feel different? What did you learn about God’s work in another neighborhood? How did the experience enrich your own faith?
A Pilgrimage of Community
This isn’t just a fun game or a tourist’s checklist. It’s a pilgrimage of the heart and spirit—an opportunity to recognize that, though our parishes may differ in architecture, style of worship, language, and local outreach, we share a common baptism, a common faith, and a common calling. When we travel together—literally moving our feet from one parish to the next—we embody the unity that Christ prayed for “that they may all be one” (John 17:21).
Join Us on the Journey
Clergy and lay leaders, please join me in championing the Diocesan Passport Program. Make announcements, pray for pilgrims in your liturgies, and weave this adventure into the life of your congregation. Parishioners, pick up your passports, pack your curiosity, and set out on a journey of discovery—right here in our own backyard.
May this program spark new friendships, deepen our sense of belonging to the wider Body of Christ, and remind us that sometimes, to really see “home,” we must venture beyond it and return with fresh eyes.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
The Diocesan Fellowship Committee
Kathy Baird, St. Peter’s, Blairsville
Don Block, St. Stephen’s, Wilkinsburg
The Rev. Brandon Cooper, Christ Church North Hills & St. Paul’s, Kittanning
Anthony Crisafio, St. Andrew’s, Highland Park
The Rev. Arthur Dilg, Christ Church, Indiana
Wilma Gaughan, St. Thomas, Oakmont
The Rev. Carol Henley, Calvary, East Liberty
Jane Parkhurst, St. Andrew’s, Highland Park