Chiming In

So I've got good news and bad news.

The good news is that the bishop search survey deadline has been extended by one more week. You have until August 7 to complete it online here. It takes about 10-15 minutes of time (or more, if you have lots you want to say).

The bad news is that they extended the deadline because they've had so few people take the 10-15 minutes to fill it out that they simply can't conclude the surveying yet.

On Sunday in a show of hands only six people had completed the survey, so it seems that you may need some convincing as to why you should bother investing even a few minutes.

We are part of the Episcopal Church, and "episcopal" literally means bishop. Our church's central structure and legitimacy arises from our bishops, because our bishops are traced back to the earliest apostles. Our bishops inherit the faith from others, and help ensure that we, too, possess that same faith and belief, and pass it on in turn to our descendants. They wear pointy hats, carry shepherd's crooks, and have fancy titles (the Right Reverend), but the point of bishops is to guard and spread the faith we all share. They are historic bearers and preservers of our church.

Interesting, you say, but still, why should I care?

The next bishop of Rhode Island will inherit a diocese on the ropes. We have declined from 65 to 53 churches in 10 years (more than one a year), and we're likely going to contract by a similar number in the next five or six. ECC is facing a genuine existential threat. ECRI will likely have to alter the way it operates due to drastically declining contributions from our churches. The Cathedral is crumbling, and the cost of repairing/restoring it seems insurmountable. The Bishop's office has only four program staff members, but will likely shrink to two or three in the next two years as diocesan apportionment dollars shrink. Only a handful of our 53 are growing, most are shrinking, and some are spending down their endowments at crazy, unsustainable rates.

The situation is tough. Whoever will inherit this historic role will have a daunting task ahead.

But I am convinced that with a renewed commitment by the people of this diocese to growth in the name of Jesus Christ, and with the gifted leader of God's own choosing as our bishop, we can not only survive this crisis, but actually thrive. We need someone who will not shy away from painful, unpopular decisions, but who has a vision forward for closing sacred cows, planting and growing churches, expanding youth and young adult ministries, fostering ministries of service that demonstrate to the state and world the sort of Lord we follow.

And maybe you have other ideas for what is needed here in our diocese, which you could share in 10-15 minutes in the survey. It will effect St. Peter's. It will effect South County. It will effect your life and faith. This matters so very much. I hope you'll let your voice be heard.