Be with us and guide us, Holy Spirit of God, as we seek your will for the future of our Diocese. Help us to discern the needs and hopes of your people in Western New York, so that our search for a Bishop may proceed with clear vision and joyful obedience. We pray through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Bishop Search Committee did not meet in April, as members of the committee are traveling during April and May to visit candidates in their home parishes.During those visits, we are meeting with the candidates, their spouses, their staff, and leaders in their congregations, and we are worshipping with their congregation on Sunday.These visits are designed to help us experience each candidate’s gifts of hospitality and leadership. They also offer the opportunity for the candidates and their spouses to have open and extended conversations about living and serving in the Diocese of Western New York.
The Bishop Search Committee’s ministry is now entering its final phase. We will meet on May 22ndto discuss our visits and to discern together whom to invite for informal visits to the diocese in June; after those visits background checks will be done, and at our meeting on July 24th we hope to select a slate of four or five candidates whose names we will give to the Standing Committee. Once the Standing Committee publishes these names, there will be the opportunity to nominate a candidate by petition.
As we continue in this process, we are very excited, for we feel very blessed with the candidates who have come forward.However, we cannot share any information about these candidates. The purpose of this secrecy is to keep our own discernment focused and our conversations among ourselves open. We want every candidate to have an equal chance to be seen and heard, undistracted by the larger conversations that will be appropriate once the slate has been selected. We want to be open to the Holy Spirit, and our discernment of where God might be leading us—and leading our candidates—is more reliable if it grows out of open and extended conversations among those of us who have been thinking and reading about this matter together for the past year.We have been entrusted with a profoundly serious and wondrous ministry, and each of us is putting every effort into being trustworthy.So please don’t tempt us with questions!We will share our experiences when we can.Please keep us in your prayers, as well as the Transition Committee, the candidates, and the congregations of our diocese, that we may be faithful to the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we have been given.
We give profound thanks to everyone who has nominated a candidate, who has entered the process, and who has prayerfully discerned that this is not the right call at this time. The Holy Spirit is indeed at work in all our hearts, and it is no small act of courage to contemplate “walking this tightrope.”Our shared purpose is to be open to the Holy Spirit, who guides all that we do:
Almighty God, giver of every good gift, look graciously upon your church and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this diocese, and those who offer themselves as candidates, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Search Committee Update: April 2010
Written by Edward Hill
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 11:12 am
The Bishop Search Committee met on Saturday March 27, joined by our consultant, Judith Stark.We selected candidates who will continue in the next stage of our discernment together.During April and May, committee members will visit selected candidates in their home parishes.
We give profound thanks to everyone who has nominated a candidate, who has entered the process, and who has prayerfully discerned that this is not the right call at this time. The Holy Spirit is indeed at work in all our hearts, and it is no small act of courage to contemplate “walking this tightrope.”
Many congregations have completed the Lenten Study developed by the Bishop Search Committee’s Education Team.They report that participants have learned a lot from the discussions, and that their reflections and conversations have helped them to better understand the role of the bishop in their lives and what it means to be a bishop.
Other congregations are planning to adapt this program for use at another time, perhaps in the late spring or the fall.Although the Scripture reflections for each session draw upon the readings for the Sundays in Lent, there are two other sections that can easily be adapted for another season:One section presents brief biographies of bishops with questions about what insights they give into the qualities and skills we seek in our own bishop; a third, in the Leader’s Guide, offers information about the process of becoming a bishop and invites reflection on our own diocese and congregations.As we celebrate Eastertide together, let us continue to learn and to pray for guidance on this journey together.Our shared purpose is to be open to the Holy Spirit, who guides all that we do: Almighty God, giver of every good gift, look graciously upon your church and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this diocese, and those who offer themselves as candidates, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Search Update March 2010
Written by Search Committee
Thursday, March 11, 2010 6:26 am
The Bishop Search Committee met on February 27, joined by our consultant, Judith Stark. We selected candidates who will continue in the next stage of our discernment together. During the month of March, we will be checking references for these candidates.
We give profound thanks to everyone who has nominated a candidate, who has entered the process, and who has prayerfully discerned that this is not the right call at this time. The Holy Spirit is indeed at work in all our hearts, and it is no small act of courage to contemplate “walking this tightrope.”
Many congregations are using the Lenten Study Program that is available, with a Leader’s Guide, at the “Education” link. Drawing upon the Scripture lessons for the five Sundays in Lent and historical portraits of bishops who have served in different periods in the history of the church, this program introduces participants to different questions in the election of a bishop: Week #3 – What is the process of becoming a bishop? Week #4 – What is our Profile and the mission of the diocese? Week #5 – What do we see to be the Mission of God in this diocese? Each session begins with a prayer that highlights the theme of the day, followed by questions for discussion in response to brief biographies of two bishops and a Scripture passage, and ends with two questions: • In everything we have talked about today, what one thing do we take away as an important spiritual insight for our own lives? • What one thing would we like to offer from this discussion as an important piece of wisdom for our next bishop? This program is most suitable for adults and teens. Because a children’s program will be more effective and useful nearer the time of the election and consecration, the Education Team will prepare a program for youth and children that will be available next fall.
Learning, reflecting, praying: By sharing in this preparation together, we will not only be ready to greet our new bishop, but we will also become the diocese our new bishop is called to lead. Our shared purpose is to be open to the Holy Spirit who guides all that we do: Almighty God, giver of every good gift, look graciously upon your church and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this diocese, and those who offer themselves as candidates, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Search Process moves to the next step
Written by Search Committee
Saturday, February 6, 2010 6:48 am
During the month of February, the Search Committee will be interviewing candidates by telephone. All our conversations are confidential until we present the final slate of candidates to the Standing Committee in August. We have received 30 applications from men and women from every region of the United States, from Canada, and from Europe. Although each person is drawn to our diocese for very different reasons and would bring different gifts and experiences, all indicate that they have read our profile carefully and prayerfully and see our challenges as opportunities for creative action. We give profound thanks to everyone who has nominated a candidate, who has entered the process, and who has prayerfully discerned that this is not the right call at this time. The Holy Spirit is indeed at work in all our hearts, and it is no small act of courage to contemplate “walking this tightrope.”
Lenten Program now available
Written by Search Committee
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 4:56 am
The Bishop Search Committee is no longer accepting applications or nominations.We have received 30 applications from men and women from every region of the United States, from Canada, and from Europe. Although each person is drawn to our diocese for very different reasons and would bring different gifts and experiences, all indicate that they have read our profile carefully and prayerfully and see our challenges as opportunities for creative action.
We give profound thanks to everyone who has nominated a candidate, who has entered the process, and who has prayerfully discerned that this is not the right call at this time.The Holy Spirit is indeed at work in all our hearts, and it is no small act of courage tocontemplate “walking this tightrope.”
During the coming month, the Search Committee will evaluate these applications to decide which candidates to interview by telephone.
The Search Committee Education Team has developed a 5-week Lenten Study Program that is available, with a Leader’s Guide, at the “Education” link (above).Drawing upon the Scripture lessons for the five Sundays in Lent and historical portraits of bishops who have served in different periods in the history of the church, this program introduces participants to five different questions in the election of a bishop:
Week #1 – What is a bishop?
Week #2 – What do bishops actually do?
Week #3 – What is the process of becoming a bishop?
Week #4 – What is our Profile and the mission of the diocese?
Week #5 – What do we see to be the Mission of God in this diocese?
Each session begins with a prayer that highlights the theme of the day, followed by questions for discussion in response to brief biographies of two bishops and a Scripture passage. Each session ends with two questions:
• In everything we have talked about today, what one thing do we take away as an important
spiritual insight for our own lives?
• What one thing would we like to offer from this discussion as an important piece of wisdom for
our next bishop?
This program is most suitable for adults and teens. Because a children’s program will be more effective and useful nearer the time of the election and consecration, the Education Team will prepare a program for youth and children that will be available next fall.
Other materials to help congregations and individuals learn more about the Episcopate are also available at the Education link. A New Bishop:Questions and Answers, and a Bishop Trivia Quiz, address questions we may not have thought of asking, such as How old do you have to be to become a bishop? (30) and What are the different kinds of bishops? (Suffragan, Coadjutor, Assistant, Diocesan) to questions that require more complex answers such as What is the role of a bishop?What is apostolic succession? How are bishops elected? Why do we need bishops?These materials can be used by individuals and congregations for less formal opportunities for learning:They can be incorporated into newsletters and bulletin inserts, for example, or they can be the starting point for discussion groups.
Learning, reflecting, praying:By sharing in this preparation together, we will not only be ready to greet our new bishop, but we will also become the diocese our new bishop is called to lead.Our shared purpose is to be open to the Holy Spirit who guides all that we do:
Almighty God, giver of every good gift, look graciously upon your church and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this diocese, and those who offer themselves as candidates, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer to Guide our Search
