As you may know, I'm one of the 21 clergy and lay leaders who constitute the Bishop Transition Committee. (Bishop Ian Douglas announced his coming retirement back in April.)
But the process of discerning who God is calling to be our next Bishop Diocesan begins with each of us. Our bishop will be part of our community, and their role grows out of the distinctive qualities which make up the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.
With that in mind, I want to invite you to join one of the Bishop Transition Committee's listening sessions on Zoom. They began on August 30, and there's still time to sign up for one! The sessions are designed to encourage us to share from our own unique contexts and experiences. We will gather together to pray, share, and discern together our current strengths and areas of growth as ECCT, as well as where we sense God inviting us next. These holy conversations will then form the backbone of our Bishop Profile.
All the listening conversations are held in a spirit of confidentiality and anonymity. You can see a list of them all and register here. The one that is particularly relevant to members of St. Paul's is:
Thursday, September 16, 2021
Bishop Search and Transition Listening Session: North Central Region
6:30pm-8pm
We look forward to our time together as we pray, listen, share, and discern God's calling as we search for our XVI Bishop Diocesan.
Whether or not you join one of the listening sessions, please keep the Bishop Transition Committee in your prayers. We have shared the following prayer for people to use:
God, Grant the Bishop Transition Committee the gifts of wisdom, humility, and empathy as they discern your will for a new shepherd, inspirational leader, and willing advocate as we further your work in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. Amen.