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Qualities of a Bishop Coadjutor
A person called to the episcopate, wrote Gregory the Great, must set a high standard:
In all that he does he sets an example so inspiring to all others, that in their regard he has no cause to be ashamed of his past. He so studies to live as to be able to water the dry hearts of others with the streams of instruction imparted. By his practice and experience of prayers he has learned already that he can obtain from the Lord what he asks for, as though it were already said to him in particular, by the voice of experience: When thou art yet speaking, I will say, “Here I am” (Pastoral Care,
p. 39).
Apart from reading “he” to include women, much of this 1400 year old thinking resonates with what our committee heard in listening events conducted throughout the Diocese in April and May 2008. Our next bishop should be visibly a person of God: “grace filled,” “prayerful,” “inspiring,” “charismatic,” and “visionary” were among the words invoked. She or he should be “compassionate,” “humble,” “trustworthy,” “honest,” “transparent,” “morally strong,” displaying “good self-care and healthy habits.” (Our website contains a copy of the survey questionnaire along with detailed demographic data and summaries of the responses we received.)
Both clergy and laity emphasized congregational development and youth ministry as Diocesan priorities. Lay listeners would also favor more Christian education offerings while the clergy (understandably) supported clergy development opportunities. Many parishioners expressed the strong desire to have Confirmation restored to age 1113,and to have the rite returned to local parishes. Many parishes strongly expressed the desire for more support of spiritual renewal programs, such as Cursillo, as well increasing our outreach to include prison ministry, college chaplaincy, affordable housing, senior ministry, inner city youth ministry, and the like. Clergy and laity alike considered Long Island’s diversity as by far the Diocese’s greatest strength. Our dedicated clergy and laity are recognized as assets, as is the island’s proximity to Manhattan and natural beauty. Many also cited the Mercer School, the Cathedral, health ministries, and Camp DeWolfe as treasures.
The principal challenges identified by respondents to our survey were the need for healing and rebuilding trust in our Diocesan leadership, followed by church growth and congregational development. Some see one of our main assets, diversity, as a challenge, too, because it makes unity more difficult to achieve. A number of persons also consider racism a major obstacle we must contend with. Indeed, if Sunday at 11a.m. is still “the most segregated hour,” as Martin Luther King, Jr. said 45 years ago, Long Island is no exception: Many parishes are still quite ethnically homogeneous, and more than a few Episcopalians from the suburbs travel considerable distances to attend services in “more familiar” and “comfortable” surroundings in “the city,” and vice versa.
What sort of role should our Bishop Coadjutor assume? Both parishioners and clergy seek an excellent communicator, a natural leader who shares power, one who will be highly active and visible in the Diocese by visiting our parishes, having a relationship with clergy and laity alike, and being a pastoral presence. Some feel abandoned and are looking for someone to fix our Diocese ad/or parishes for us. Others want an empowering figure, someone to engage and inspire by sharing power with us. Years of accommodation to an old-style “princes of the church” model may have diminished the numbers who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and determine their own answers to the problems that beset us.
In the nearly 1,700 questionnaires we received from close to 80 parishes, many people offered questions to ask potential nominees:
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“If you were to become our Bishop, what would be your first priorities?”
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“How do you see yourself restoring the trust between the episcopate and the
clergy?”
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“How will you heal the wounds in our Diocese?”
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“What do you really believe about Jesus Christ?”
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"What is your vision?"
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“Where are we going in the next 5, 10, 15 years?”
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“What in your life and relationship with Jesus calls you to be the agent of
God’s transforming love in this Diocese?”
We received relatively few questions about a candidate’s stand on same-sex ordinations or same-sex marriage – and these seemed evenly divided, with a handful of parishes showing strong convictions on one side or the other. Here are some comments from parishioners and clergy that echo these themes:
“We are an incredibly rich Diocese in lots of senses, with amazing diversity: It could be a powerhouse. What we need is to be clear about the responsibility of the steward [and improve] stewardship of the real estate, the monetary assets, and the people assets.” “The average person in Brooklyn and Queens feels no connection to Garden City, ”said a church leader in Brooklyn, while another in Suffolk remarked, “there’s no sense the Diocesan does anything but ask for money and close down churches because they’re too small.” “We need healing at home – it’s not just the rest of the world that needs it.” “Eight people used to run everything around here… and the motto always was, ‘That’s the way we’ve always done things.’ Transparency in the finances has increased in recent years…but not enough.”
So we conclude by seeking a balance in our future bishop: “pure in thought, exemplary in conduct, discreet in keeping silence, profitable in speech, in sympathy a near neighbor to everyone, in contemplation exalted above all others, a humble companion to those who lead good lives, erect in zeal for righteousness against the vices of sinners” (Pastoral Care, p. 45).
We hope that this portrait of the Diocese of Long Island describes an attractive and intriguing opportunity to persons willing to assist us in creating a renewed vision as God’s people of many backgrounds and convictions working together for the Church of the 21st century.
If you feel called to respond “Here I am” and wish to learn more, we invite you to contact us:
Search/Nominating Committee
P.O. Box 712,
PortWashington,NY 11050
Telephone: 18778234334
Email:
info@bishopforlongisland.org
If you know someone whom you believe is qualified for this position and who might be willing to serve, please fill in attached form or use the form available on
www.bishopforlongisland.org/nomination form
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Key Dates
September 30, 2008 – Nominations and applications due;
October – December 2008 – Screening, background checks,
and canonical examinations conducted;
December 2008 – Names of 46 nominees announced.
Petition process begins.
January 2009 – Petition process closes;
February 2009 – “Walkabouts” conducted
March 21, 2009 – Special electing convention at the Cathedral
July 817, 2009 – Elected Bishop Coadjutor approved by the
76th General Convention in Anaheim, CA
September 12, 2009 – Consecration of Bishop Coadjutor by
Presiding Bishop
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