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Bishop Robinson Becomes Bishop of New Hampshire With cheers and applause, the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson became the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire on Sunday, March 7, 2004. Nearly 700 people welcomed Bishop Robinson in St. Paul’s Church, Concord, as he accepted the bishop’s staff from retiring Bishop Douglas Theuner and then was seated in the bishop’s chair. The service was a mere 11 months since the Nominating Committee presented five names to the diocese for the election of a new bishop. Robinson, 56, was the only nominee from the diocese and had served here for nearly 30 years, the past 17 as canon to the ordinary. The election of Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion, has created tremendous debate within the worldwide church. “What a journey,” Robinson said during his sermon. “I am so proud of you and I am so proud to be your bishop.” With a catch in his voice and tears in his eyes, he thanked Bishop Theuner for his courageous leadership, adding that he was standing on the shoulders of many courageous people – both gay and straight – who had gone before him. While no protesters were visible on Sunday, the new bishop acknowledged the importance of the moment. “Journeys of faith, you know, are a risky business,” he told the congregation. “God is always calling us out of our comfort zone.” He told the congregation that he hopes the diocese -- and the greater Anglican Communion -- can be united by engaging “in infinite respect and radical hospitality.” “We’re trying to be infinitely respectful to folks who think we’ve done a crazy thing. But we’re going to win them back, one by one,” he said. He also noted that “we have welcomed back people with radical hospitality. So many people returning to the church after many years.” He challenged the diocese to take more risks for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus, he said, was always in trouble with the religious authorities for associating himself with the wrong people and for being in the wrong places. “If you dare to preach a God who is so loving and forgiving that no one is beyond God’s embrace, you’ll get into trouble,” he said. The service of investiture began with three loud knocks on the door of St. Paul’s, with Robinson calling “Open for me the gates of righteousness.” Bishop Theuner and the Standing Committee led Robinson to the altar, where he renewed his ordination vows to Bishop Chilton Knudsen of Maine, president bishop of Province 1. After passing the diocesan crozier, Theuner presented Robinson with a personal crozier: a genuine Palestinian shepherd’s crook, carved from olive wood by a shepherd in Bethlehem. The simple staff has one embellishment: a gilded scene of the skyline of Jerusalem. Acknowledging the applause and cheers, Robinson said, “I’m just having the best time being your bishop. The rest of the world is watching us. This is going to be a great adventure.” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Bishop and
Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire met today in
response to the London meeting of the Primates from the 38
autonomous Provinces of the worldwide Anglican Communion for prayer, bible
study and discussion. We acknowledge and affirm the wisdom of the Primates
of the Anglican Communion in their statement. We echo their affirmation
that "what we hold in common is much We commend their resolve to follow the 1998 Lambeth resolution calling for the Church to "listen to the experience of homosexual persons, and ... to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ." We warmly invite the Primates, and anyone else in the Anglican Communion, to come to New Hampshire and experience our shared communion here. We invite them to join us in worshiping, praying, studying scripture, breaking bread and celebrating our unity in God's love and mercy. We grieve that others in the Anglican Communion have felt deep pain with these issues. Despite our differences, we pray that we can move forward together in service to our Lord. Much energy and many resources have been expended over the issues of sexuality in the life of the Church. We long for a time when the Church can focus her ministries on the many urgent needs in so many other places. We reaffirm our belief that the Diocese of New Hampshire faithfully and prayerfully considered and followed a Spirit-led process for the election of our new bishop. Canon Robinson was elected based on his nearly three decades of ministry in the diocese, his considerable pastoral skills, and his vision for ministry. His sexuality was incidental to his call to serve as our bishop. We look forward to focusing on our mission and ministry, addressing the pressing needs within and beyond the Diocese of New Hampshire. We look forward to the consecration of Bishop-elect Robinson on November 2, believing that God has called him to this ministry, a call confirmed by diocesan election and by the consent of General Convention, in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church. We believe the Spirit is calling us forward into an ever-deepening relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we might reach out to all of God's children, and become God's loving arms in a world that hungers for that relationship. The Bishop of New Hampshire The full text of the Primate's Statement and the text of the statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury can be found on the Anglican Communion's New Service website.
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MEDIA RELEASE Canon Gene Robinson Elected Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire CONCORD, N.H. – June 7, 2003 – The Rev. Canon Gene V. Robinson was elected bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire today on the 2nd ballot. Canon Robinson is the first openly gay man in the Episcopal Church to be elected as a bishop. The other nominees were: the Rev. Ruth Lawson Kirk, rector of St. Peter’s Church in Glenside, PA; the Rev. Canon Pamela Mott, pastor at Trinity Cathedral in Portland, OR; and the Rev. Robert Tate, rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields parish in Philadelphia, PA. A fifth nominee, the Rev. Joe Goodwin Burnett was elected bishop of Nebraska in May. The leadership of the national Episcopal Church now must ratify Canon Robinson’s election during the General Convention, meeting in Minneapolis in late July. Both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies will need to approve his election by a two-thirds majority. Canon Robinson has served as canon to the ordinary in New Hampshire since 1988 where he coordinates diocesan staff and ministry of the current bishop, the Rt. Rev. Douglas E. Thuener. Since 1983, Robinson has served as executive secretary of the Episcopal Province of New England, and since 2001 on the Board of Trustees of the General Theological Seminary in New York City. A 1969 graduate of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, he has a B.A. in American Studies/History. In 1973, he completed the M. Div. at General Theological Seminary; after ordination he served as curate at Christ Church, Ridgewood, New Jersey. Upon moving to New Hampshire in 1975, Gene co-owned and directed an accredited girls’ summer camp and horse farm. As founding director of Sign of the Dove Retreat Center in Temple, New Hampshire, he facilitated spiritual direction and designed programs for a variety of groups. He also managed the diocesan Living into Our Baptism program of spiritual growth and development. Gene enjoys entertaining and cooking, gardening, music, and running. The father of two grown daughters, Jamee and Ella, he lives with his partner Mark Andrew, employed by the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services.
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A summary of TITLE III, CANON 22: Of the Election and Ordination of Bishops If the date of the election occurs within 120 days before a meeting of the General Convention, the Standing Committee of the Diocese shall forward to the Secretary of the House of Deputies evidence of the election of the Bishop-elect by the Convention of the Diocese, together with evidence that the Bishop-elect has been duly ordered Deacon and Priest, evidence of acceptance of election, and a testimonial signed by a constitutional majority of the Convention, a summary of biographical information relating to the Bishop-elect, and certificates from a licensed medical doctor and licensed psychiatrist, appointed by the Ecclesiastical Authority with the approval of the Presiding Bishop, that they have thoroughly examined the Bishop-elect as to that person¹s medical, psychological and psychiatric condition and have not discovered any reason why the person would not be fit to undertake the work for which the person has been chosen. Forms and procedures agreed to by the Presiding Bishop and the Church Pension Fund shall be used for this purpose. The Secretary of the House of Deputies shall present the testimonials to the House, and if the House consents to the ordination of the Bishop-elect, notice of its consent shall be sent to the House of Bishops. If a majority of the Bishops exercising jurisdiction consent to the ordination, the Presiding Bishop shall notify the Standing Committee of the Diocese electing and the Bishop-elect of the consent. Upon receipt of the consents and assurance of the acceptance of the election by the Bishop-elect, the Presiding Bishop shall take order for the ordination of the Bishop-elect either by the Presiding Bishop or the President of the House of Bishops of the Province of which the Diocese electing is part, and two other Bishops of this Church, or by any three Bishops to whom the Presiding Bishop may communicate the testimonials. In case a majority of all the Standing Committees of the Dioceses do not consent to the ordination of the Bishop-elect, the Presiding Bishop shall declare the election null and void and shall give notice to the Standing Committee of the Diocese electing and to the Bishop-elect. The Convention of the Diocese may then proceed to a new election. No person shall be ordained Bishop unless the person shall at the time, and in the presence of the ordaining Bishops and congregation, subscribe to and make the declaration required in Article VIII of the Constitution. Constitution, Article VIII Declaration: No person shall be ordained and consecrated Bishop, or ordered Priest or Deacon to minister in this Church, unless at the time, in the presence of the ordaining Bishop or Bishops, the person shall subscribe and make the following declaration: I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation; and I do solemnly engage to conform to the Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of the Episcopal Church. Summary of Constitution, Article III No one shall be ordained and consecrated Bishop until the attainment of thirty years of age; nor without the consent of a majority of the Standing Committees of all the Dioceses, and the consent of a majority of the Bishops of this Church exercising jurisdiction. But if the election shall have taken place within three months next before the meeting of the General Convention, the consent of the House of Deputies shall be required in place of that of a majority of the Standing Committees. No one shall be ordained and consecrated Bishop by fewer than three Bishops. A Bishop shall confine the exercise of such office to the Diocese in which elected, unless requested to perform episcopal acts in another Diocese by the Ecclesiastical Authority thereof, or unless authorized by the House of Bishops, or by the Presiding Bishop by its direction, to act temporarily in case of need with in any territory not yet organized into Dioceses of this Church.
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May 11, 2003 Judith Esmay, Chair of the Election and Transition Committee, announced that Joe Burnett has withdrawn from our search process as he has accepted the call to become the Bishop of Nebraska. Joe was elected on the first ballot in the Nebraska election held on May 10, 2003. The members of the New Hampshire Search Committees congratulate Joe on his election and thank him for his thoughtful participation in our process.
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CONCORD, NH (April 2, 2003) – The Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire
today announced the names of five nominees for the ninth bishop who will
be elected on June 7, 2003. The nominees are: The Rev. Joe Goodwin Burnett, Professor of Pastoral Theology at the School of Theology, the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. The Very Rev. Ruth Lawson Kirk, Rector of St. Peter’s Church, Glenside, Pennsylvania, and dean of the Montgomery Deanery in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. The Rev. Canon Pamela Jane Mott, Canon Pastor at Trinity Cathedral in Portland, Oregon. The Rev. Canon V. Gene Robinson, Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of New Hampshire. The Very Rev. Robert L. Tate, Rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, and dean of the Wissahickon Deanery in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. A profile of each nominee is available on the diocesan web site: www.nhepiscopal.org/BishopSearch Announcement of the nominees was issued simultaneously to all congregations in the diocese at 10 a.m. this morning. The nominations were made by a search committee of lay and clergy leaders from 151 names submitted from throughout the United States during the past 18 months. Questions about the nominees or the selection process should be
addressed to the Rev. Hays M. Junkin, president of the Standing Committee,
at 603-491-3403, or by e-mail to
nhbishopsearch@mcmxi.com. |
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A
homily by Susan Langle |
July/August 02 |
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December
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| Homily |
Lent 4, Year B 2003 My beloved niece Aimee participated in the Rotary Exchange Program which sends high school students to live and study abroad for a year. Aimee was supposed to go to South Africa but due to the recently collapsed apartheid system, at the last minute she went to Santiago, Chile. For the first time she learned to speak Spanish, experienced life in a heavily polluted metropolis and a household with little brothers. Culture shock indeed. When she came home she had a terribly hard time conveying the joys and troubles of her life in Chile to her friends and her family. Cross cultural travel creates the feeling of being a stranger in our own land. It also helps us to see our home more clearly than if we just stayed put. For the past year, I have been on one of those intense journeys in the Bishop Search process. I’m feeling a little bit like one of the weary but amazed travelers heading home on a different road after finding the Christ Child in Bethlehem. The mission is accomplished, the Search Committee has finished its job, but the joy of this winding journey has not worn off and I need to share it. Randy has been kind enough to let me speak a few moments this morning to try to tell you a little bit about my adventures and discoveries. The search process has come full circle. It started in the early spring last year with the choosing of the Committee by the convocations. Volunteers were sought to ensure the process would reflect the issues and concerns of the little North Country churches, parishes with snowbirds and summer folk, and dynamic city parishes. The Committee included lay and clergy, cradle Episcopalians and those of us who have found and fallen in love with the Episcopal Church. Robin Thomas, Rector of Trinity Church Meredith and Lee Custer, husband of Peg Custer, recently retired rector of St. Andrews in the Valley were willing to thoughtfully and prayerfully participate on behalf of the Lakes Region congregations. I did not volunteer, despite lobbying. I knew that there were not enough fish in my basket. I said No NO NO NO. Too busy, not me. No thank you. I learned that you can’t say ‘no’ to Louise Locke. You can’t say ‘no’ to Rectors who sit on the Standing Committee and just put you on the committee. I learned you can’t say ‘no’ to what you are supposed to do. You cant say ‘no’ to experiences in which you find deepest gladness. But then, you all knew this. Beginning with its very first meeting, the Search Committee has been a School of Prayer. Every gathering has been infused with prayer, and included this Collect for the call of our next Bishop: Loving Creator, you call us together and you send us forth to be your witnesses in all places. We ask you now to lead us, accompany us, and direct us as we seek that person who is to be our next bishop. Grant us perception, faithfulness, and joy that we may hear your still small voice. And then, give us the courage to follow as you lead us along the way. In the name of Christ Jesus, who is the shepherd and bishop of our souls. Amen Our prayer and our Search has been informed by the conflict unfolding in the world over the last year. We asked the Candidates to tell us about their leadership in response to the events of September 11 and were inspired to hear how their prayer life, rooted in the Gospel, guided their ministry of presence and hope. The response of each Nominee to this question will be available on the Diocesan Website. I invite you to read them. We prayed for the transformed hearts that Peacemaking requires. We prayed for listening ears that would hear each others voices and discern the voice of the Holy Spirit. We constantly asked the Spirit to guide us to find Nominees each of whom would make a fabulous Bishop for New Hampshire. Not once did we take a vote. As the decisions became harder, we began to sing our prayers claiming the strength of our well loved hymns and blended voices. I learned that in prayerful listening it would become very clear what choices we were to make. But then, you already know this. The Search process also provided a year long Seminar in Leadership. Our church is wrestling with how we, as people formed in Christian scripture and tradition, can speak authentically about our faith to the post modern, largely unchurched world outside our walls. Our church is struggling with how we will care for spirit-filled children and searching youth who are right here in our midst and who need our blessing and encouragement. Our church is in debate about how we exercise our collective prophetic voices on issues of justice and doctrine. Are we committed to participate in the spiritual dimension of the ongoing public discussions about funding education, war and peace? Are we ready to authorize a blessing unmarried couples whose common life is rooted in God’s love? And we are in tension over money, about the Diocesan Budget. Whose money is it? How is it being spent? What is our obligation to one another? The scriptures we have heard this Lent all ask us to think about leadership. Not the command and control or entrepreneurial models our culture endorses. The Lenten lessens instead describe leadership in and of a caring community. Noah’s response to disaster in the land was to invent and build an Ark, to preserve as much of Creation as he could, and to trust that a day of starting over would come. Abraham learned that faithful leadership does not require sacrificing our children on the altar of obligation, but requires us to protect them. Moses brought us the commandment to love one another in very practical ways. And Jesus. He was indignant about the collusion of the temple authorities with exploitation of the people. Jesus utterly rejected Peter’s panic that his call to do justice and practice mercy would get him killed. Today we heard John’s version of Jesus’ last meal with his followers. This isn’t the cosy upper room banquet with friends we celebrate on Maundy Thursday. Here everyone is invited. No reservations. No charge. No fancy dress. Come as you are. Taste and See. The organizers were sure they could not pull this one off. The point of the story is that leadership, in the style of Christ, helps us see that we have life and have it abundantly and that we have plenty to share. Every one of the Nominees for Bishop has thought deeply about these issues facing our church and our world. Each one has the capacity to lead us in discernment, dialogue and creative pot luck to feed the hungry world that is knocking at our door. God is indeed doing a new thing in our midst and each of the Nominees will be able to help us see the new path and follow it. Vision has been at the heart of our work as a Search Committee. We have been very intentional in asking questions that illuminate the ways in which the deeply rooted spiritual life of the candidates have formed them and their sense of God’s call. We have been searching for a partner in our spiritual journey; someone who will walk with us not someone who would bring a fully formed strategic plan or agenda and say “here it is.” After all, we are the Live Free or Die state and proud of it. The questions we have asked candidates who visited New Hampshire in January required the Committee to think about who we are, and where we are going. “What is your understanding of Power and Authority?” “How would you encourage the active participation of youth?” “What is most important about your life and ministry?” “How have you experienced broken relationships and God leading you in reconciliation?” “What do you believe about the Resurrection?” Profound questions. How might you and I answer them? Our process included an opportunity for each of the candidates to spend an hour asking the Committee their questions. This was very illuminating. They wanted to know if we mean what we say in our materials – that we are a healthy Diocese; that we know and cherish each other. They wanted to know our tensions, our growing edges. They wanted to know how we see our next bishop helping us to live into a theology of abundance, a theology of community and deep communion. The last candidate who met with the committee in January asked, in my opinion, the best question. We were invited to reflect on the times of transformation and transcendence that we have experienced in this church that we love. Robin Thomas talked about the joy Trinity Church experienced when they were accepted at Diocesan Convention as a full fledged parish. One person talked about the privilege of still worshiping in the church in which he was baptized. Lee Custer described being enfolded in love when St. Andrew’s celebrated the ministry of his wife and blessed her retirement. One woman talked about the reception of her husband of many years into the Episcopal Church and how that deepened and reaffirmed their marriage promises. One person described the electric sense that leaped through the Capitol Center for the Arts when we all stood together to celebrate the Bicentennial Eucharist. Maeve Blackman talked about sitting vigil in the early morning hours before the Gulf War in 1991 and becoming profoundly aware of her connection to everyone who had ever prayed at St. Paul’s. I of course, talked about the oral history of this parish family - ordinary saints who are the Salt of the Earth. We are a wonderful church, a fabulously diverse chorus of the “Saints of God’. But you knew that. The work of the Search Committee is done. Tomorrow night the Standing Committee will receive our list of Nominees. Wednesday morning information about them will be posted on the Diocesan website. And now your work begins. I trust that you will use your inquiring and discerning hearts. I trust that you will get to know these people who have offered to serve as our next Bishop so that, together, we will make a wise and spirit led choice on June 7. Let us pray: Holy Wisdom, in your loving kindness you created and restored us when we were lost: inspire us with your truth, that we may love you with our whole minds and run to you with open hearts; guide us by your grace in the choices we make, that your church may be empowered and your people served, through Christ our Savior. Amen. (A prayer of Alcuin of York, adapted) |
| March 03 |
Bishop Search
Update
By Margaret Porter During December, search committee
members conducted telephone Gathered around a speaker phone, the interview team asked each
Interviews lasted exactly an hour. After evaluating responses, the
Follow-up questions from the committee occurred as necessary. In a |
| January 03 |
The
technology’s in the details By Margaret Porter As NHEN was going to press,
members of the Search and Nomination committee were conducting telephone
interviews of those “screened in” from among the 51 clergy who entered the
discernment process in November. Last May, the Standing Committee urged the Bishop Search committee members to be "Open, Transparent, Fair and Spirit Driven." Thanks to modern technology -- including but not limited to the Internet, graphics software, and digital video compression -- combined with creative thinking, the committee is setting entirely new standards of openness and transparency. In October, an article about these innovations appeared in "The Living Church." Jim Putnam, communications subcommittee chair, enlisted designer Cheryle Cerezo of CherWare, to create and maintain the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire bishop search site. Says Jim, "The web site has enabled us to reach out around the world to those interested in our Episcopal search with high quality, consistent information. We were lucky to find Cheryle, who not only is an Episcopalian but had already designed a bishop search site for Oregon before we contacted her." Stan Barker of Adworks, webmaster for the Diocese of New Hampshire, linked the diocesan site to the search site. The initial roster of nominees received a diocesan profile booklet. Although a copy was on display at the Diocesan Convention, few people within the diocese had an opportunity to view it. A Web version, containing complete text, graphics, and photos, can be seen at www.nhepiscopal.org/BishopSearch/Profile/diocesan_profile.htm Excerpts of the video may be downloaded from the web site via media players QuickTime (Mac users) and RealOne (PC users). Keep in mind that this is experimental technology, and prone to glitches. The 14-minute video cassette is available for purchase. To order, contact Search Committee co-chair Cathie Talbert or Margaret Porter. The $10 price includes shipping; any additional donation will help offset production costs. Checks should be made out to Diocese of NH, with "search video" written in the memo section, and mailed to Marthe Dyner, 63 Green Street, Concord, 03301. The profile video, produced in collaboration with Sean Tracey Associates of Portsmouth, features: the Rev. Susan Ackley of Plymouth; the Rev. Judith Freeman Clark of East Concord; Bayard Coolidge of Pittsfield; Robyn Cotton of Concord; the Rev. William Exner of Goffstown; Will Gundlach of Concord; Jean Haley of Concord; Joe Knox of Pittsfield; Rilee McCabe of Littleton; the Rev. Ellie McLaughlin of Berlin, Molly McCarthy of St. Paul's School, Marge and Pat Morris of Pittsfield; Ned Mulligan of Concord; the Rev. Kevin Nichols of Pittsfield; Patti Nichols of Pittsfield; the Rev. Deacon Willis Ottery of Dunbarton; the Rev. Ann Stevenson of Portsmouth; and the Rev. John Thompson-Quartey, St. Paul's Church, Concord & St. Paul's School. Throughout their evaluations of bishop candidates, committee members continue to be mindful of the opinions and hopes and needs expressed by clergy and laity across the state. Those who completed questionnaires, attended focus groups, participated in the video, shared photographs, and offered up prayers have significantly contributed to this discernment. In March, the Bishop Search Committee
will present the Standing Committee with a list of 4 to 6 final nominees.
We ask your continued prayers and that you will join with us in the
following prayer for those in the process. |
| December 02 |
51
Clergy in discernment process by Margaret Porter The Bishop Search committee announced that 148 names were received during the nomination period that ended the first of October. Of these, 92 (62%) were nominated by e-mail, many were obtained through a match with their CDO computer profile, and some were self-nominated. Each nominee received the profile package containing a descriptive 16-page illustrated profile booklet, a 14-minute video profile, the financial report for the diocese, application materials, timeline, and expectations of candidates. Thirty-seven nominees declined, and 60 chose not to respond at all, neither accepting nor declining nomination. Fifty-one persons felt called to enter into our process of discernment. Twenty-five states are represented, and one foreign country. The Rev. Canon Gay Jennings, consultant to the search process, commented, “I am delighted with the response of the wider Church. A positive response from 51 men and women from throughout the Church speaks very well of the Diocese of New Hampshire and its reputation for mission and ministry.” In the coming weeks, the entire Search Committee will evaluate the applications, following guidelines developed by the Screening Subcommittee. The focus of screening is to “screen in” rather than “screen out,” identifying which candidates will proceed to the interview phase. Telephone interviews will take place during the first two weeks of December. Afterwards, some of these candidates will be invited to visit New Hampshire in January for in-person interviews with the committee. In February, committee members will visit these candidates’ home parishes. In late March, the search committee will submit a list of 4-6 final nominees to the Standing Committee, at which point the committee will be discharged. The process will continue under the supervision of the Election and Transition Committee. Specific rules governing the election of the next bishop, agreed upon at Diocesan Convention, are posted on the Bishop Search website, http://www.nhepiscopal.org/BishopSearch/ Lay delegates to be selected at upcoming parish meetings will replace those whose terms will expire before the electing convention. On June 7, 2003, they will join the clergy at St. Paul’s Church, Concord, for the electing convention. That day, the 9th Bishop of New Hampshire will be announced. After the election, the diocese will request concurrence at the 2003 General Convention, with consecration of the Bishop Coadjutor set for November 2, 2003. As their evaluation of the 51 applicants proceeds, the Search Committee asks that the diocese continue to pray for everyone involved. |
| November 02 |
BISHOP SEARCH 2002: Introducing the interview and communications subcommittees
This is the second in a series of short
introductions to the various people across the diocese who are serving on
committees in the Bishop Search Maeve Blackman, Chair, has been a clergy spouse for 50 years. Before retirement she was director of volunteers and director of special services at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has served in many leadership roles at St. Paul’s, Concord. At the diocesan level, she chaired the Commission On Ministry and worked on the task force on human sexuality and the task force on clergy compensation. The Rev. Dr. Robert "Odie" Odierna, has served as Rector at Church of the Good Shepherd for 17 years. A Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Odie helped found the Nashua Pastoral Care Center, a Jubilee Ministry Center of the Episcopal Church. He described the search committee’s work as an “exciting, challenging, inspiring process….one of the best committees I have had the privilege to serve on.” Lee Custer has been a parishioner at St. Andrew’s-in-the-Valley, Tamworth. A retired mechanical engineer, he is a clergy spouse (Peg retired from St. Andrew’s in August) who serves on the Commission of Continuing Education of Laity Committee. Of the search committee’s work, he said, “The workings of the group as a whole and in the subcommittees have been innovative, stimulating, and thought-provoking.” Sonja Ceurvels of Stratham
worships at St. John's, Portsmouth. She works as an esthetician and makeup
artist in Hampton Falls. Says Sonja, “This process is a new experience for
me and has opened my eyes and my heart to the miraculous ways the Holy
Spirit guides all of us throughout the Diocese….I think our next Bishop
will be truly blessed to be here!” Jim Putnam, Chair, served as Senior Warden of St. James’s, Keene, facilitated the transition from an interim to the current rector. He is President of Markem Corporation. The martyrdom of his friend and neighbor, Jonathan Daniels, inspired him to enter the Peace Corps—he and wife Judy spent 3 years teaching English in Libya and Thailand. He describes his subcommittee as “a small, virtual taskforce that does much of its work on-line.” Working closely with Cathie Talbert, webmaster Cheryle Jones Cerezo, and Stan Barker, system administrator. Jim has coordinated the Bishop Search website http://www.nhepiscopal.org/BishopSearch “We hope the people of the Diocese as well as others will use it to stay up to date as we move ahead.” Cathie Talbert of St. James’s, Keene, is Search and Nomination Committee co-chair and a member of the Standing Committee. Her dual membership makes her the ideal liaison between the two groups. “At the beginning, we made a commitment to use consensus rather than voting to arrive at all decisions. The Search and Nomination committee has faithfully adhered to this commitment—even when ordering pizza toppings!” Debra Harris serves as Senior Warden of All Saints', Littleton, and co-chairs our Companion Diocese program with Limerick and Killaloe and Quebec. She previously served on the Clergy Compensation committee and continues as a member of Companions in Jubilee Committee. Most recently, she has been engaged in coordinating the three major events of this year’s diocesan Bicentennial observance. Margaret Porter, introduced last month because she also serves on the profile subcommittee, said, “I especially enjoyed my work on the Diocesan video, which involved Profiling and Communicating simultaneously,” she says. A published author and active volunteer, she’s currently a Democratic candidate for the New Hampshire House of Representatives, District 37 (Hooksett, Allenstown, Epsom and Pittsfield.) Search consultant Gay Jennings is Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Ohio and deployment officer for the Diocese of Ohio. She said she and her husband Albert, both outdoors folk, hope to live in New Hampshire someday. He’s a hiker and a biker and she skis. “The three committees—Standing, Search and Nomination, and Transition—are filled with creative, capable, and dedicated clergy and laity,” Jennings said. Chaplain to the bishop search process, the Right Rev. Arthur Walmsley, retired Bishop of Connecticut, is a resident of Deering. As a leader of worship, he aids and encourages the Search Committee as it fulfills its charge to be “Spirit Driven,” and shares personal insights on the experience of becoming and being a Bishop. |
| October 02 |
BISHOP SEARCH 2002: Introducing the profile and screening subcommittees.
This is the first in a series of short
introductions to the various people who are serving on committees in the
Bishop Search. October’s installment highlights members of the profile and
screening subcommittees, both of which are part of the larger
Search/Nomination Committee. The Rev. Scott Erickson, chair, is school chaplain and head of the humanities division at St. Paul’s School, Concord. His talent for organization and skills as a facilitator are unmatched; he excelled in the care and feeding of his subcommittee. The Rev. David Jones, co-chair of the Bishop Search Committee, participated heartily in the profile process—welcoming each opportunity to eat soft-serve ice cream at St. Paul’s School refectory where the subcommittee often met. Rector at St. Paul’s Church since 1991, he is chaplain to the State Senate and a board member of the Concord Regional VNA. The Rev. Beth Hilgartner, vicar of St. Luke’s Church, Woodsville, represents the Northern Convocation. A writer (A Parliament of Owls was released in August), she’s also a musician, a flower farmer, and a knitter. Though she claims to be chronically short of sleep, she adds, “It has been exciting to see how the Spirit draws unexpected things out of each of us.” According to Margaret Porter, the subcommittee accomplished much in a short time “by praying well and working well together, and never losing sight of our timeline.” A parishioner at St. Stephen’s, Pittsfield, she lives in Epsom with husband Chris and two dogs. The author of fiction and nonfiction works, she is currently researching and writing a literary biography. The Rev. Alice Roberts, chaplain at the New Hampshire State Prison for Women, has received a grant to serve as chaplain of the infirmary at the men’s prison in Concord and to start a Hospice program for terminally ill inmates. “Because I live in Newport, I belong to the Western Convocation, but usually worship in Hopkinton unless I am doing supply somewhere.” She is married to Russell Berry and has four adult children and two grandsons. One of the Lakes Region Convocation “Loonies,” the Rev. Robin Thomas is rector at Trinity Church, Meredith. Asked about serving on the subcommittee, she says, “There has been much of faith in recognizing that all that we do now will not be revealed for many months, and that if we do our work prayerfully, we will have an amazing future to live into.” Canon Bobbe Fairman assisted the
subcommittee, ex-officio, providing valuable insights from her perspective
as a deployment officer. The Rev. Tim Rich is rector at St. John’s Church, Portsmouth, and lives in Eliot, Maine, with his wife, Meghan, and two daughters, Micaela and Quinlan. Assessing his experience on this and other diocesan committees, he says, “My appreciation for the ministry of this diocese and my respect for fellow search committee members leave me eager, optimistic, and excited to see whom the Holy Spirit might guide us to elect.” The Rev. Barbara Thrall, rector of All Saints’ Church, Littleton, represents the Northern Convocation. She said, “It’s vital that we get so many heads together, entertain so many points of view, we allow so many eyes to look over the work, that so many hearts are joined in prayer for this person we seek and for this diocese we serve. As a former head of the White Mountain School once said, we are among things greater than ourselves…God is with us, to be sure, and will continue to be.” Susan Langle of All Saints’ Church, Wolfeboro, is a delegate to the Lakes Region Convocation, added at-large to the Bishop Search. A lawyer who serves on several diocesan committees, including the Commission on Congregational Development, which she chairs, she envisioned the Kitchen Table Advocates ministry to ailing and frail elders needing health care advocacy. Deb Ogin, from the Southern Convocation, is an active member of St. David’s Church, Salem. Her comment: “The Search Committee put forth their vision statement stating that the process would be Open, Transparent, Fair, and Spirit-Driven, and I believe that they have lived up to that vision.” The Rev. John Denson, rector of Christ Church, Exeter, represents the Seacoast Convocation. “What impresses me most,” he said, “is the way members of the Search Committee work so well as team. The level of trust among us is high, I believe, for two reasons. First, the clergy and laity of the Diocese of New Hampshire see themselves working together as a collegial ministry. The Search Committee is a microcosm of this commitment. Second, we share a common commitment to remain open to the Holy Spirit as our guide in this process.” Gail Wolek, ex-officio, is secretary to the full Search and Nomination Committee. She serves as Clerk of the vestry at St. Paul’s Church, Concord, and is the executive assistant to the Governor of New Hampshire, Jeanne Shaheen. She said, “Discernment, prayer, faith, and commitment to nominating the best possible candidates for New Hampshire are the driving forces that have thus far achieved a level of innovation and creativity that could well become a model for other search committees in the future.” |
| September 02 |
Bishop search, New Hampshire-style By Margaret Porter In keeping with the Granite State’s reputation for independence, the Search and Nomination Committee is breaking new ground in its efforts to discern who will lead the diocese as Ninth Bishop of New Hampshire. Rather than mass mailing the printed diocesan profile, the usual method for announcing a bishop search and for soliciting candidates, the profile subcommittee will rely on a color postcard. The card briefly describes the diocese and the type of leadership desired, and it requests nominations and prayers. A longer, more descriptive narrative profile will be sent to the nominees and other dioceses. In another departure from tradition, the printed profile will be accompanied by a videocassette featuring interview and images from our diocese. Creation of the profile video is a join effort of the profile subcommittee and Sean Tracey Associates of Portsmouth. Tracey, a parishioner at St. John’s, Portsmouth, has extensive credentials in documentary and advertising film production, both regionally and nationally. Says the Rev. David Jones, Search and Nomination Committee co-chair, “I am so proud of this search committee in the way we pray together, laugh together, and then think up outrageous and radical ways to listen to the Holy Spirit’s directions.” The language of the postcard (reproduced at right), the printed profile, and the content of the profile video are based on results of the discernment phase that occurred this summer. During “Survey Sunday” week in June, 1506 questionnaires were completed by the deadline and delivered to the University of New Hampshire’s Survey Research Center for data entry and tabulation. A subsample of 427 surveys received after the deadline was coded for the open-ended response section only. Thus there were 1933 total participants. In June also, 15 focus groups were convened throughout the diocese, in all six convocations and in eight parishes. Opinions shared in these forums affirmed and amplified the survey findings. Interviews with church leaders,
including the Rt. Rev. Douglas Theuner, Bishop of New Hampshire, and the
Rt. Rev. Philip Smith, retired Bishop of New Hampshire, provided
additional information and insights used for the creation of a diocesan
profile. The following Province I bishops were also consulted: the Rt.
Rev. Gordon Scruton, Bishop of Western Massachusetts; the Rt. Rev. Jim
Curry, Bishop Suffragan of Connecticut; the Rt. Rev. Chilton Knudsen,
Bishop of Maine, and the Rt. Rev. Tom Ely, Bishop of Maine. Heidi Shott,
director of diocesan communications for the Diocese of Maine, shared her
experience of the bishop search process. Respondents to the diocesan survey
indicated they want a bishop who will: maintain a healthy and vibrant
spiritual life; have a sense of humor; nourish the clergy and their
families; be a visible presence in New Hampshire; possess and communicate
a clear theology; and help define strategy and implement a vision for
ministry. Across the state, parishioners described the chief strengths of
the diocese as its diversity of thought, tolerance, and openness; its
small size and small churches; its family-like relationships; its outreach
programs and social ministry; its laity and its clergy. Participants identified the bishop’s
role as pastor, leader, teacher, and communicator. They said the bishop is
responsible chiefly for: the support of clergy and pastoral care;
outreach; holding a vision for growth and development; stewardship;
evangelism; being visible and active in the diocese. Focus groups cited
current New Hampshire strengths as: the small size of the diocese; its
dynamic bishop; clergy support; and faithful, committed people across the
diocese. They suggested these areas for improvement: follow-through on
mission and outreach; levels of stewardship and charitable giving;
reaching out to the unchurched; and vision for supporting small or growing
parishes. A summary of survey results was sent to each congregation. Detailed analysis and regular updates on the process are available at the Bishop Search website, http://www.nhepiscopal.org/BishopSearch The closing date for nominations is
October 1, 2002. The full profile package-- printed profile, video, and
application materials—is expected to be available Sept. 15. |
| July/August 02 |
Search and Nomination Committee: During June, all congregations in the diocese participated in the search for the next Bishop of New Hampshire by completing a questionnaire and participating in focus groups within their convocations and individual parishes. Topics included the importance of pastoral and ministry skills, leadership, administrative abilities, worship, theological views, and strategies for church and diocesan mission. This research phase officially began on "Survey Sunday," 23 June, and ended on Sunday, June 30. A questionnaire developed by the Profile Subcommittee (the Rev. Scott Erickson, chair) was distributed at church, and/or printed from the website; completed questionnaires were delivered to the Survey Research Center at the University of New Hampshire for analysis. Opinions gleaned during this "snapshot period" will assist the subcommittee in creating our Diocesan Profile, a printed descriptive publication made available to those persons who become candidates. The will describe the Diocese of New Hampshire's attributes and will clarify the specific needs and mission of its people, as defined through the survey and focus groups. Next up, the Screening Subcommittee (the
Rev. Tim Rich, chair) and the Visitation Subcommittee (Maeve Blackman,
chair) are developing guidelines for the screening of candidates, the
interviewing process, and the logistics of visitation. The Communications
Subcommittee (Jim Putnam, chair) works with all subcommittees to
facilitate the sharing of information internally and externally. A website
has been commissioned for the Search Process (go to
www.nhepiscopal.org) to
inform the entire diocese of progress and developments. Says Putnam, “We
are excited about the new web site and hope it will be useful to all who
are interested in our search far and wide.” While the mission and purpose of the Standing Committee and the Search and Nomination Committee may be easily understood, the mission and purpose of the Election and Transition Committee may not be as familiar. The ministry of this committee can best be described as a “ministry of hospitality.” The committee members are responsible for caring for all the final candidates and their families during their time in the diocese and, when selected, for offering welcome and hospitality to the bishop-elect and his or her family. The committee will also prepare a sacred space in which to hold the electing convention, the consecration of our new bishop coadjutor, and his or her installation. The committee will also plan an event to celebrate the ministry of Doug and Sue Theuner. Several dates have already been set, so be sure and write them on your calendar:
We will keep you updated as plans begin to take shape. It is an exciting and yet a challenging time for all of us in New Hampshire. We ask for your prayers in this journey to “discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” |
