Bishop Doug Sparks

Spring 2026 House of Bishops Meeting Recap

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Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings who are the Episcopal Church in Northern Indiana!

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Crucified and Risen One!

I wanted to take the opportunity, by way of a video, to share the work that was done by the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church at our Spring Meeting from 18 - 23 March at Camp Allen, an hour north of Houston, Texas.

We focused on Discernment for Priesthood, Formation for Priesthood and Post Ordination Formation for priests over a three day period. Our conversations were enhanced with the presence of 12 representatives from Episcopal Seminaries and local formation programs including the new President of Bexley Seabury, Dr. Mark Lee. I've had the privilege and responsibility of serving as Chairperson of the board for the past three years.

I have included a PDF of the House of Bishops "Pastoral Word to the Church" as well as a PDF of a Prayer at the Outbreak of War and a Litany for the Nation in Time of War that the bishops prayed at last Sunday's Holy Eucharist. 

If you have any questions regarding the work that was done or resources from our HOB Spring Meeting, please send me an email.

Blessings these Lenten days,

Doug 
(he, him, his)

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

Bishop Doug Announces Resignation Timeline as Bishop Diocesan

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On 11 February 2026, I sent an email to Dean Brian Grantz, in his capacity as President of the Standing Committee, sharing my timeline leading to resignation as Bishop of Northern Indiana. It is my intention to resign as Bishop of Northern Indiana on 31 August 2027. I remain humbled and honored to have served as your bishop these 10+ years and will continue to give you my sincere commitment during the next 18 months.

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Statement on Immigration Detention Centers in Indiana

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Dear Sisters, Brothers, Sibling in The Episcopal Church in Northern Indiana.

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Prince of Peace!

Greetings from Santiago de Compostela where I am serving as a Volunteer Chaplain at Casa Anglicana, greeting pilgrims who are beginning or have completed their walk on the camino and praying with those who make their way to the church for a time of prayer and worship.

As many of you know, plans were announced several weeks ago about the possibility of using a State Correctional Facility in Miami County, in our diocese, as a detention center. Several clergy asked if it might be possible to address this concern as The Episcopal Church in the State of Indiana. In the midst of exploring that possibility, by God's providence, Bishop Tracy Malone, Resident Bishop of the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church offered a compelling reflection on the proposed action and how best we, as Christians, might respond. With her "wholehearted" permission, Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows and I are sharing Bishop Malone's Statement throughout both dioceses. I share it with you for your reflection and action.

Every blessing,
Doug (he, him, his)

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

This past week we received the concerning news regarding the proposed development of immigration detention centers within our state. Even more troubling is the language being used to describe these facilities—“Speedway Slammer”—words that demean the humanity of those affected and make a spectacle of their suffering. Such rhetoric is not only dehumanizing; it is antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To equate the pain and displacement of our immigrant siblings with entertainment or speedway culture is to disregard their sacred worth. It is a mockery of the divine image in which every person is created. Many in our Conference have expressed deep concerns about what such facilities would mean for justice, compassion, and the God-given dignity of every person—especially those who are most vulnerable among us. As the body of Christ, we must not remain silent in the face of language or policy that diminishes human dignity.

We recognize the complexities of immigration systems and the responsibilities entrusted to civil authorities. We understand the tensions communities face in navigating safety, law, and compassion. Yet our call as disciples of Jesus Christ is unwavering: to affirm the dignity of every person, to stand with the vulnerable, and to speak truth in love. We remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:35: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Some of you have reached out asking how you might faithfully respond. I hear your concerns and offer the following guidance:

  1. Contact your elected officials: Urge them to pursue transparency, accountability, and policies rooted in compassion and justice. You can find guidance on how to contact your representatives on our Conference website’s immigration resource page.

  2. Pray without ceasing: Lift in prayer all immigrants, refugees, and those impacted by our nation’s immigration policies. Pray also for those in positions of authority—that they may lead with wisdom, empathy, and moral courage.

  3. Reject Dehumanizing Language: Speak out against rhetoric that strips people of their dignity. Language matters. Let ours be rooted in love, truth, and the affirmation of sacred worth.

  4. Educate and Equip Your Congregation: Engage with trusted resources, stories, and testimonies that illuminate the realities of detention and displacement. Let education lead to empathy, and empathy to action.

  5. Partner in Solidarity: Connect with ecumenical faith partners and advocacy organizations that walk alongside immigrants and refugees. Offer tangible support. Be a presence of hope and healing.

May we, as the Indiana Conference, rise to this moment with courage and conviction, welcoming the stranger as we would welcome Christ himself. Let us multiply love, cultivate joy, and inspire hope—bearing faithful witness to the gospel through our ministry of hospitality, justice, and mercy.

Bishop Tracy Smith Malone
Indiana Conference

Reunification Discernment Leadership Team

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15 February 2023

Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings in the Episcopal Church in Northern Indiana!

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Light for all people!

As Bishop Jennifer and I promised in our video shared with all of you on Monday, 30 January 2023, regarding a discernment process focused on the possibility of reunification with the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, it is with a sense of joy and hope, to announce the leaders who will be part of the discernment team from our diocese.

The Rev. Clay Berkley, St. David's, Elkhart (member at large)

Mr. Evan Doyle, Gethsemane, Marion (Diocesan Council)

Mr. Paul Kincaid, St. Paul's, Munster, (Standing Committee)

The Rev. Canon Ted Neidlinger, Christ the King. Huntington, (Diocesan Council)

Mrs. Stephanie Pawlowski, Trinity, Logansport (member at large)

Mrs. Brenda Rigdon, St. Anne's, Warsaw, (Diocesan Council)

I also want to take this opportunity to share with you those leaders in the Diocese of Indianapolis that Bishop Jennifer has appointed:

Mrs. Joan Amati, St. David’s, Bean Blossom (Executive Council)

The Rev. Canon Jodi Baron, Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis (member at large)

Mr. George Eastman, St. Paul’s, Richmond (Standing Committee)

The Rev. Allen Rutherford, St. John’s, Mount Vernon (Executive Council)

Mr. Greg Seamon, Trinity, Lawrenceburg (Executive Council)

Mrs. Katherine Tyler-Scott, St. Paul’s, Indianapolis (member at large)

Our joint discernment will be facilitated by the Rev. Jennifer Adams, who serves as rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Holland, Michigan. Rev. Jen, as she prefers to be called, brings a wealth of experience serving and leading as a priest in the Diocese of Western Michigan and the wider church and Anglican Communion.  Bishop Jennifer and I believe she will guide us well as she has experienced the collaborative relationship between the dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan and as she is facilitating a reunification discernment between the dioceses of Bethlehem and Central Pennsylvania.

The first meeting of the Reunification Discernment Team will take place on 17-18 March.  Bishop Jennifer and I will participate in this initial retreat time along with the leaders of both of our dioceses, facilitated by Rev. Jen.

I invite you to continue to pray for all of us…as we open our lives to the new possibilities that God may be inviting us to consider.  I conclude with a sentence from scripture that has helped to form and fashion me as a follower of Jesus,

“Glory to God whose power, working within us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:  Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.  Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20,21

Every blessing,

Bishop Doug

(he/him/his)

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

Letter from Bishop Doug Regarding Reunification Discernment

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Dear Sisters, Brothers, Siblings in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana,

Grace and peace be with you in Jesus, the Light for all people!

After more than a year since initial conversations with members of the Standing Committee and Diocesan Council, Diocesan Missioners and with Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, I want to share with all of you via a press release and a video, news about the forming a discernment group for the purpose of exploring the possibility of reunification into one diocese and Episcopal presence in the State of Indiana.

Bishop Jennifer and I have been committed to working together since we began ministry as bishops in 2016 and 2017 respectively.  It seems right at this time, to move the conversation and discernment into a public space, inviting others into the work of discernment, to imagine what the Holy Spirit may be calling us to do as we continue to engage God’s Mission throughout the state of Indiana.

Please uphold this initiative in your prayer and know that as the discernment group is formed, Bishop Jennifer and I, along with our Missioners and Canons are committed to keeping you informed along the way.

Every blessing,

Doug

(he/him/his)

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks
VIII Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana

Read the full press release.