The Calling of a
Bishop Suffragan
THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF VIRGINIA FOR JESUS. FOR THIS TIME. FOR ALL TIME
tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
1
2 3 4 5 6 8 9
Invitation Prayer A Bishop Suffragan Whom Are We Seeking? The Ministry of Our Bishop Suffragan The Process Learn More About the Diocese of Virginia
11 More Information ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DIO CESE OF V IRG IN IA
2 invitation In the Diocese of Virginia, we see opportunity in a world that is rapidly changing, a world where church affiliation is no longer a given and yet a world so desperate for good news – the kind of good news that we find in Jesus and in our call to follow him.
Our people and our work are as diverse as our geography. The beautiful Shenandoah Mountains are home to our Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration and to Shrine Mont, our beloved camp and conference center, where many of us experience the presence of God. Closer to the sea, many of our churches have been around since the Colonial era and remain centers of their communities, focused on meeting the changing needs of their populations. And in Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., a mix of suburban congregations – some old, some newer – work together to offer a voice of hope in the midst of extraordinarily busy lives. The vibrant city of Richmond is the administrative seat of the Diocese and many of our churches there are engaged in the crucial work of racial reconciliation. The 20,000 people we find in our churches on any given Sunday are diverse by many standards. Yet we are
eager to reach out to those who are under-represented in The Episcopal Church and in the Diocese so that our congregations may be communities in which God’s people, in all their differences and similarities, may feel at home with others who are striving to be the Body of Christ in the world. We ask ourselves how the Church, and particularly how the congregations in the Diocese of Virginia, can spread the light of Christ wherever we are, reaching young and old, rich and poor, and those from any race, ethnicity or socio-economic background with a message of hope. We want our words and deeds, like those of Jesus, to heal wounds within ourselves, and between us and our neighbors, so that we might come closer to fulfilling the mission of the Church “to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” If you feel called to join this ministry, we invite you to enter a period of mutual discernment with us by submitting your application for the ministry of Bishop Suffragan of Virginia.
The Diocese of Virginia
The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DI OC ES E O F V I R G I N I A
The Diocese of Southern Virginia
3
tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
Almighty God, Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, who calls, guides and empowers us as your Church: Bless us as your people. Create in us discerning minds as we seek to elect a Bishop in this Diocese. Open our ears, broaden our vision, and enliven our hearts for the work that lies before us. All this we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DIO CESE OF V IRG IN IA
4 a bishop suffragan The ministry of a Bishop is an important one
for the Church and has been from apostolic times. All bishops share in this order of ministry, and the ordination service highlights the collegial nature of the work. Yet there are several significant differences between the ministry of a Bishop Diocesan and that of a Bishop Suffragan. There are some canonically mandated responsibilities for the Diocesan, who is also charged with setting
The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DI OC ES E O F V I R G I N I A
the vision for the Diocese. A Suffragan assists in developing and implementing the vision. The Suffragan also undertakes work specifically assigned to him or her by the Diocesan. Being a Suffragan requires “leading from the second chair,� to quote the title of a popular book. The Episcopal Church has 111 dioceses, and there are currently nine Suffragans serving in diocesan settings.
ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt ttttttttttt
tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
whom are we seeking?
5
The people of our Diocese seek a bishop who
is driven by the love of Jesus that empowers and enables others to live a life of love in the world. We seek an energetic pastor who has a compassionate heart, as well as the ability to inspire us to engage and meet the needs of today’s world. The Diocese of Virginia includes congregations that worship in Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese, as well as predominantly African-American congregations and Mountain Missions in the hollers of the Shenandoah Valley. The increasing cultural diversity in the Diocese enriches our worship and helps to shape our mission. Given these realities, we seek a prayerful, loving and approachable spiritual leader who is able to make connections between the diverse people of our Diocese. We seek a communicator, teacher and pastor who has been shaped by multicultural experiences and who, through those experiences, will encourage and inspire us. We seek a gifted leader with a creative, visionary spirit who, working alongside Bishop Suffragan Susan Goff and with the leadership of Diocesan Bishop Shannon Johnston, will assist our Diocese as it forms a vision for the next century. Our second Bishop Suffragan should be comfortable in a wide variety of cultures, with people of all sexual orientations and expressions, and with people of all ages. Our new Bishop should have a special passion for today’s youth and young adults, along with an ability to communicate with, listen to and inspire them. Our new Bishop will need the grace to empower young adults
During the information sessions, we asked attendees to provide one word to describe the key attribute desired in a second Bishop Suffragan. The word cloud is a graphical depiction of those responses, with those most frequently given responses shown in largest typeface.
in their Christian faith and life and to enhance our Episcopal Church presence on the college and university campuses within the Diocese. The new Bishop will also need the skill to develop the vital financial and human resources necessary to lead this ministry. Our new Bishop Suffragan should be a source of support and a colleague for Bishops Johnston and Goff, becoming with them a college of bishops to lead our Diocese. Our new bishop should possess organizational skills to manage the day-to-day challenges of being Bishop. He or she will need to have the flexibility to work within a framework of ambiguity and be skilled in conflict transformation. This person should be an implementer – a self-starter who can plan, organize and lead groups toward greater faithfulness in mission and ministry.
The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DIO CESE OF V IRG IN IA
6 the ministry of our bishop suffragan We invite you to join us in the Diocese of
Virginia, where you will have the opportunity to quickly become part of a three-Bishop team. Working with Bishops Johnston and Goff in shared ministry, together you will: • seek to support and develop congregations, clergy, and lay leaders; • provide leadership, support and development of diocesan organizations; • serve as a voice of faith in the public square; • offer support and leadership for local, national and international mission; • articulate a vision for the Church in the world in the 21st century; and, • be an active participant in governance and councils of the wider Church. The second Bishop Suffragan will work primarily out of the Diocese’s Northern Virginia office in Falls Church, Va., and will support parishes and ministries throughout the Diocese. In addition to the shared ministries with Bishops Johnston and Goff, the second Bishop Suffragan will provide specific leadership in: • pastoral care for the clergy of the Diocese and their families; • supporting and developing college campus ministries; and, • representing the Diocese in ecumenical and interfaith relationships and strengthening those relationships.
The role of pastoral care of clergy and their families includes helping to guide and strengthen clergy in their lives and ministry and supporting them in addressing personal and work-related challenges. All three bishops will continue to support parish visitations and pastoral care in the Diocese. The new Bishop Suffragan will be “first responder” for the clergy with immediate needs in Northern Virginia. We currently have campus ministries on 5 college campuses within the Diocese. The second Bishop Suffragan will work with young adults on these campuses, with their chaplains and the parishes that support them to develop a vision, identify increased funding resources, and provide a plan for the expansion of campus ministry to other colleges and universities. A significant part of this ministry is to help establish an endowment to sustain our support for college ministry in the Diocese. A solid foundation is in place for our ecumenical and interfaith relations. The second Suffragan will serve as point person for our Diocese in these existing relationships and will foster growth and strength as we continue to seek and serve God in all people and places. While the breadth of the work assigned to the second Suffragan is wide, there is a network of diocesan staff, clergy and laity across the Diocese who share in and support the work of mission and ministry.
ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt these Suffragan is t called empowered t t t t tIttistmy t earnest t t t hope t t and t texpectation t t t t tthat tt t tspecific t t t t t t tAtBishop ttt tttt t tand tt t t t ttot“lead t tfrom t tthe tttttt t t t t tministry tttt t t t t t twill tt tt t t tmore t t t t t t tsecond ttt t tThere t t are t tonly tt tttt ttttttttt responsibilities help youttotdiscern chair.” a handful of t us t in t ThetEpiscopal t t t t tknowingly ttttt t t tortnot tt t call t tist t t t to t you t t t t t t tChurch, t t tmaking t t t this t tat t t trole. t tI have ttt ttt tbeen ttttttt whether this speaking singular learned and ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt abundantly blessing t t t t tintsome t t way. t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t tblessed ttt t t t t as t Ithave t tworked t t ttotbetat t t tintthe ttttttt t t t t t–t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t Bishop Shannon Johnston Diocese of Virginia and in the world, and I look forwardtto t t t t t t ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt unique ministry t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t tsharing t t tthis tt ttt t t twith t tanother t t t colleague. tttttttttttt t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t– t t t t t t t t t t t t t ttttttttttttttt Bishop Susan Goff Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for t tThe tt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt THE DI OC ES E O F V I R G I N I A ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
7
The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DIO CESE OF V IRG IN IA
8 the process The Standing Committee of the Diocese
established a timetable that provides for the election of our second Bishop Suffragan at the Diocesan Annual Convention to be held November 2 and 3, 2018. The Nominating/Search Committee was constituted in early January 2018. During the month of February, 18 listening sessions were held across the Diocese and within a number of regional clergy meetings, parishes were encouraged to engage in sessions within their church, and an electronic survey was widely distributed. The Committee met with our Bishops and diocesan staff members to seek their input. All of this feedback informed the development of this profile and will shape our application and screening process. The profile was posted on April 1, 2018. The Committee will receive names until 5 p.m., Eastern time, Friday, April 27, 2018. The Committee anticipates conducting video interviews from mid-May through mid-June. By the end of June, we will narrow the list of nominees, and mandatory in-person interviews will be held with all semi-finalists during a discernment retreat to be held August 9-11, 2018. A slate of final candidates is expected to be announced by the end of the first week in September. The following week will allow for persons to be nominated by a petition process established by the Standing Committee. The selected candidates will participate in walkabouts in the Diocese in mid-October. ttttt Nominees must submit an on-line application to the Diocese no later than 5 p.m., Eastern time, Friday, April 27, 2018. Click here for the Bishop Suffragan application
If you have problems with the application process, please contact Mrs. Diane G. Miller, Nominating/Search Committee Chair at bpsuffsearch@thediocese.net.
The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DI OC ES E O F V I R G I N I A
April 1, 2018 Profile posted
April 27
Deadline for submitting an online application
Mid-May—Mid-June Video interviews conducted
End of June
Committee will narrow the list of nominees
August 9-11
Mandatory discernment retreat
Early September
Nominee slate announced
Mid-September Petitions
Mid-October
Walkabouts around the Diocese
November 2-3, 2018
Election of Bishop Suffragan at the Diocesan Annual Convention
learn more about the Diocese of Virginia
9
The Diocese of Virginia holds a rich history
dating back to 1607 when Jamestown was settled and the first Anglican service of worship was held on North American soil. In 1785, when the Episcopal Church was established, Virginia became one of its first dioceses. For more on the history of our Diocese, visit Who We Are on the diocesan website. Today, this same energizing spirit fills the halls and worship spaces of the 180 congregations of the Diocese. Urban, suburban, exurban and rural congregations alike embrace their history and traditions as they rejoice in opportunities for rebirth. Many of our congregations are finding renewed purpose and passion as they repurpose land and/or buildings for workforce housing, senior living facilities and community service centers. Northern Virginia and Richmond are considered among the fastest growing regions in the country and, coupled with increasing diversity throughout the Commonwealth, we have further opportunities for growth yet untapped. Seventy-three thousand members give strength to a Diocese that not only survived the departure of 10 congregations in 2006 over issues of human sexuality, but that thrives today. Summer months are a period of deep Christian formation in our Diocese as hundreds of young people ascend the mountain to Shrine Mont Camps and Conference Center. This “place apart� is a true jewel of the Diocese, offering programs for people of all ages. The Diocese of Virginia is home to the Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), the largest and oldest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States, and the largest Anglican seminary in the world. VTS seeks to equip the people of God for their vocation and ministry in the world, emphasizing the ministries of preaching, teaching, pastoral care and social justice. In addition, Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia, Inc. owns and operates 6 schools, whose ethos is unashamedly Christian and Anglican, while the mission is to recognize and serve all human beings as children of God. Episcopal schools have a unique opportunity to work with a wide variety
The Diocese of Virginia at a glance
1785
Episcopal Church granted status in North America
180
Congregations in the Diocese
73,000 20,000 Members in the Diocese
Average attendance on Sunday
425
215
144
65
Resident clergy
Retired clergy
Parochial clergy
Non-parochial clergy
CONTINUED... The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DIO CESE OF V IRG IN IA
10
5 Priorities of the Diocese of Virginia Youth and Young Adult Formation
Strengthening Our Congregations
Evangelism and Proclamation
Mission Beyond Ourselves
Expanding Multicultural and Ethnic Ministries
1
6
Episcopal seminary
Retirement communities
2
3
Camps and conference centers
100
Elementary & middle schools
6
Pre-schools
Church schools
5
2
Campus ministries
Intentional communities of young adults
...CONTINUED
of souls, and to prepare them for lives of meaning, joy and service. The march on Charlottesville in the summer of 2017 was a difficult reminder of the continuing struggle for reconciliation that is part of God’s work in the world – a struggle that the Diocese of Virginia is unafraid to engage, as witnessed by our Bishops and other members of our clergy standing with those supporting love and reconciliation. Our Bishops take these efforts very seriously, encouraging all baptized persons to live their baptismal vows to seek and serve Christ in all persons, strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. The Diocese of Virginia faces administrative and fiscal challenges. Our small staff size often means that we are The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DI OC ES E O F V I R G I N I A
hard pressed to respond effectively to all the needs that come to us. Financial giving from the congregations to the Diocese is low, limiting our ability to engage fully in the opportunities for ministry that face us. Though these are significant challenges, the Diocese of Virginia is strong, with dedicated and committed Bishops, clergy, laity and staff. 2018 is a time of visioning for the Diocese of Virginia. Bishop Johnston has challenged our Diocese to set the course for the country’s largest Diocese in the next century. The second Bishop Suffragan will work with Bishops Johnston and Goff, the Standing Committee, Executive Board, and the committees and related organizations of the Diocese to develop a vision to guide the mission and ministry of the Diocese and its churches.
The Diocese of Virginia is strong, with dedicated and committed Bishops, clergy, laity and staff.
11
for more information Please visit our website at www.thediocese.net for more information on our diocesan life. Here are links to information on our priorities, mission and vision, and several specific ministries supported by the Diocese:
For information on the Commonwealth of Virginia, please click on the following links:
Our Priorities
Mission & Priorities
Welcome to Virginia
Mission beyond ourselves
Faith in the public square
20 reasons to live in Virginia
College ministry
Shrine Mont
15 things about Virginia
8 reasons to move to Virginia
About Northern Virginia
The Calling of a Bishop Suffragan for
THE DIO CESE OF V IRG IN IA
12
We invite you to join us in Virginia!
tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt Bishop t tThe t Calling t t of tat t tSuffragan t t tfort t t t OC ES E O F V I R G I N I A t tTHE t tDIt ttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt tttttttttttttttt
This profile was prepared in 2018 by the Search/ Nominating Committee for Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Virginia.
Mrs. Diane Miller, Chair Mr. Frank Baxter The Rev. Ellis T. (Tuck) Bowerfind Ms. Florence Dale The Rev. Kristine A. Johnson Ms. Mary Johnson The Rev. Dr. Megan Limburg The Rev. Weston Matthews The Rev. Bollin (Bo) M. Millner, Jr.
Mr. Joseph S. Paxton Ms. Janet Peyton Ms. Gabriella Pineda Ms. Mildred Robinson The Rev. Daniel VĂŠlez-Rivera The Very Rev. Hillary West bpsuffsearch@thediocese.net
The Calling of a
Bishop Suffragan THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF VIRGINIA 110 West Franklin St. Richmond, Virginia 23220 804-643-8451 800-DIOCESE thediocese.net Photography used under the Creative Commons License: Vincent Parsons (IFC), Ron Cogswell (p.1), Mike Myers (p.7) and Andrew Bain (p.12) via Flickr.com; John Cross (p.2) and Gay Dee (p.7) via Wikimedia.com. The drawing on page nine is courtesy of the Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, VA. Select graphics were sourced from Freepik.com. All other photos are the copyright of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. All photography pertain to the geography, people and events within or organized by the Diocese of Virginia.