[Episcopal News Service] Episcopalians, congregations and dioceses across the Southeast again are assessing the damage and praying for the best after another powerful hurricane wreaked havoc on the communities in its path.

Via: Episcopalians assess damage from Hurricane Michael’s destructive tear through Southeast

When Matthew Shepard died, on a cold night 20 years ago, after being beaten with a pistol butt and tied to a split-rail wood fence, his parents cremated rather than buried the 21-year-old, for fear of drawing attention to the resting place of a person who had become a global icon for anti-gay hate.

Via: Matthew Shepard, whose 1998 murder became a symbol for the gay rights movement, will be interred at the Washington National Cathedral.

Today’s verdict in the trial of Jason Van Dyke for the murder of Laquan McDonald is a long-awaited measure of justice for Laquan’s family and for the many Chicago residents who have struggled to build a system of policing that all citizens can trust and hold accountable.

Via: Working for Peace with Justice: A Message from Bishop Lee