Join the Beloved Community on Circle

To celebrate the debut of its new look, the Diocese of North Carolina has created an online community as an offering to all the diocesan faithful.

The Beloved Community of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina is built on Circle, a community platform created specifically for building spaces where those with similar interests can gather and grow.

The intent of the diocesan Beloved Community is to give every Episcopalian across the Diocese of North Carolina a place to connect, build relationships, work, learn, share resources and more.

“There is so much good work happening across the diocese,” said Bishop Sam Rodman, bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina. “We’ve also seen an ever-increasing desire among parishioners and church leaders for opportunities to connect with each other, whether to collaborate on work, to make new friends, to share resources or simply for fellowship. This new online community is an answer to that desire and an invitation for all of us to come together as one diocesan body.”

Though its format may look familiar to those who have spent time on social media, there are notable differences. Circle does not use algorithms, which means the platform does not decide what a person does and does not see. If something is posted in a space of which a member is a part, it will be in that member’s feed. Circle also does not allow ads, which means users’ data is not gathered for profit-generating uses. In fact, Circle gathers only the data needed for members to be part of a given space.

“We have a new diocesan seal and look that was created from voices across the diocese that emphasized a desire to show, above all, that all are welcome, and that as a diocese, we are an inclusive, diverse, faithful Body of Christ,” said Rodman. “Our new Beloved Community is a manifestation of that, and it is a community we will build together.”

Learn more about the Beloved Community of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina on Circle in the video below.