GREENFIELD — The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of western Massachusetts came to town to preach and preside at St. James Episcopal Church on Sunday morning.
Congregants welcomed the Rev. Douglas Fisher under the high wooden arches of the church. He walked down the aisles to the sounds of organ music and babies cooing from the pews. The bishop visits all congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of western Massachusetts once every two years.
The bishop led congregants in prayer and helped lead hymns with Rev. Heather Blais.
“God is about unconditional love. That is the essence of who God is,” he said, encouraging attendees to continue to have Jesus as their hope and inspiration.
The congregants felt that the bishop’s visit connected them to the church. “It’s good for us to see him. It ties us all together,” said church volunteer Alison Jackowski.
Congregants took communion and at the end of the service, the bishop invited congregants to take a photo that would be later posted to the bishop’s Facebook page. He shook each congregants’ hand before heading to a coffee hour, where fresh fruit and pastries were served.