Dear brothers and sisters of Epiphany-
As you may be aware, our Diocese is in the process of seeking a new Bishop Diocesan, our senior Ecclesiastical Authority.
It’s a similar process to what we’ve been doing at Epiphany as our parish seeks its next Rector.
There is a committee called the Bishop Search Committee, appointed by the Standing Committee, just as Epiphany has a Discernment Committee appointed by the Vestry. They are seeking information about what persons in the diocese feel is most necessary as they discern among potential candidates. They’ve done some listening sessions, like Epiphany’s focus groups, and they are doing a survey, just like Epiphany did.
And if you do it quickly (it’s just open through Friday of this week), you can fill out the diocesan survey, just as you may have done it here in our parish.
Right now, this work of listening sessions and surveys will lead the committee to develop a profile about the Diocese of Virginia and the hopes and challenges we face as one of the largest and most complex dioceses in the nation (179 parishes, 2 diocesan centers, 6 diocesan homes and the largest Anglican seminary in the world), as well as the gifts and skills we hope our next Bishop Diocesan will bring. As with any large and complex system, capturing the breadth and depth of our Diocese is challenging, but you can add your voice, your observations, your hopes and dreams, to their body of knowledge as they prepare this profile. Again, the survey is only open until Friday, so please do it as soon as possible.
You can also read a lot about the process, the members of the committee, and other facts of interest on the link I’ve just given you. That said, it parallels much of what we are doing at Epiphany.
In terms of our own process of transition, we are making good progress.
Interviews are taking place, and as Don Brill shared with the Vestry Monday night, everything is moving as it should. For a more detailed view on how the process works, you might want to check out the videos of the teaching I did on the process a few weeks ago (click on the “Mary Explains It All For You” tab on that page), particularly if you had experience of other transition processes in other denominations or if your most recent experience of transition occurred a decade or more ago. The process has evolved because the world has evolved, as has the work of the priesthood.
Eventually, the Discernment Committee, chaired by Ryan H., will make its recommendation to the Vestry. That will not happen until there is a final formal background check and a conversation between the candidate and Bishop Susan. The Vestry will meet with the candidate and discern if they will affirm that recommendation of the Discernment Committee. If the answer is yes, they will call the candidate. Then, and only then, will negotiations about the compensation package and things like start date begin. Given the fact that the parish indicated the compensation that was available and the benefits that would be offered, such negotiation is usually not a drawn-out thing. Once a Letter of Agreement is approved by the Vestry and signed by the Senior Warden and the Bishop, then an announcement can be made, the timing of which is coordinated with the parish the cleric is leaving.
Some folks have expressed some concerns that I’m contracted through January 1, 2022. What if the new priest isn’t on board yet? Although the contract says January 1, it also makes provision for me to continue on a month-to-month basis so there will be a smooth transition. So have faith, friends – you will not be left without an onsite priest for a long period until the new priest begins.
In all of this, we are called to pray. Pray for those who have expressed their willingness to be considered. Pray for the Discernment Committee, who have worked faithfully and prayerfully. Pray for our great staff, who continue to be diligent and creative and energetic in their work for us all. Pray for the parishioners who wonder what the future will bring. In the words of St. Julian of Norwich, 14th century mystic, “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” Julian was spot on in the 14th Century, and her words are still a guidepost for the faithful in the 21st Century. All shall indeed be well.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Mary+