Her Remarks:

Our Baptismal Covenant has shaped who I am as a child of God, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, and as an Episcopal priest, and has been powerfully formative in my understanding of my vocation in the world and in the church. It is that same Covenant that calls us into conversation.

The Baptismal Covenant has taught me that I am a child of God who created us, loved by Jesus who gave his life and rose for us, and that the Holy Spirit who has spoken through the ages, and continues to inspire the church today— is that same Spirit who sustains me. Our apostolic faith, handed down and entrusted to us, is not merely a series of three paragraphs and 114 words that had meaning thousands of years ago, but rather is a living faith that shapes how we live today as part of that great history of God’s saving acts, and part of God’s future.  Just as the Apostle’s Creed shapes our self-understanding in relationship with God, the vows we make in the Covenant shape how we live our part of God’s story and commission us for work in God’s kingdom.

Nourished by the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, the breaking of the bread and the prayers, my soul yearns to lead other hungry travelers to the feast offered to us by God.  Having lived a powerful experience of repentance and turning to God in response to the Good News of God in Christ, my understanding of God’s call has been ever grounded in a desire to proclaim that Good News not only with my lips but with my life.  Baptism into the Body of Christ and the Communion of Saints forms and informs my relationships with my neighbors who are also God’s beloved children, made in God’s image and likeness. Likewise, it has been my experience and is my conviction that even as we are the Body of Christ, Christ is often most readily encountered in the Other, and until such time as every child of God lives a life of peace, justice and dignity, Christ himself suffers.

The hallmark of my last 14 years of ministry has been the sacred work of empowering individuals and communities to live out their own Baptismal Covenant.  As a chaplain at a university, as a deacon and priest in parishes, and even as co-chair of our diocesan Committee on Holy Orders, my ministry has been about helping individuals and communities of faith know that they are beloved of God, discerning with them their spiritual gifts, and empowering them to use their resources creatively,  as they work with God as disciples of Jesus Christ to bring about God’s reign. Given that our Baptismal Covenant has been so crucial and foundational in my own journey with God, it is no surprise that the delight and passion of my ministry is this sacred work of inviting individuals and communities to live more deeply into their Baptismal Covenant.

I hear this same Covenant sing harmony to the melody of your diocesan profile, and in the conversations we have had thus far. The individuals, congregations and very Diocese of El Camino Real are ready to live into the Baptismal Covenant in new and transforming ways. You are nearing the end of your “Advent Season,” ready for new life and new birth, ready to live God’s call to ministry in the world as a community of disciples.  Having experienced something of a crucifixion, you are ready for resurrection.

I am thrilled to be in conversation with you because I hear you seeking new ways to live out your ministry, ensuring that you are grounded in the apostolic faith, nourished by healthy fellowship, meaningful liturgy and spiritual formation. Desiring health and well-being for all, you are doing the honest work of seeking clarity where there is brokenness, and turning to the Lord for healing.  Knowing that you have Good News to proclaim, you seek creative ways to employ your resources for mission, and invite others into discipleship, that they may engage more deeply in their relationship with God, and live out their Baptismal ministries. By strengthening your mission focus you are finding new ways of encountering and serving Christ in others, loving your neighbors near, and far. While seeking peace, justice and dignity for all of God’s children, your desire to embrace the potential God has given you leads you to embrace more fully your multicultural context, and to reach out to new generations, hungry for the apostolic faith of our ancestors.  At the same time you are called to continue to nourish the spiritual lives of those who have been faithful members of this part of the Body of Christ, and who have been the disciples through whom the Spirit has sustained this Diocese in rockier times.

There are challenges in the Diocese of El Camino Real. You have been honest with me and I know those challenges are real.  But when we are committed to living more deeply into our Baptismal Covenant, each challenge is for us an opportunity to serve as disciples of Jesus, and to embrace the new life promised in him, trusting in his desire to work with us for the inbreaking of God’s reign.

Responses to Diocese of El Camino Real Questionnaire

We want our bishop to be the chief steward of God’s Mysteries, to be rooted in faith and
centered and faithful in prayer, deriving strength from a strong and mature spiritual life.
One who will be listened to and will listen to the counsel of others. To our clergy, our
bishop will be their coach, mentor and counselor; to the laity, their spiritual guide and
fellow traveler.
1. Briefly describe your personal journey to leadership in the Episcopal Church,
and your belief you are called by God to be a bishop in the Church.

When it comes to understanding my vocation, God has always enlightened the people around me, and used their voices to nudge me in the direction of God’s vision for my life and ministry. Or perhaps I tend to get set on my own plans, and God needs the voices of the people around me to get the message through.  I was studying International Relations and Japanese, and planning to serve in the Foreign Service, when God’s message of a call to ordained ministry broke through my defenses via God’s help in surviving a significant personal challenge and the voices of my college chaplains.  I was studying Hebrew Bible in a ThD program at Harvard when I was no longer able to ignore God’s call to parish ministry voiced by the people in my life.   And I was getting into the groove of parish ministry when my colleagues and parishioners began telling me—not asking me, but telling me—that I have a call to the episcopate.

In the last ten months I have spent time in discernment with lay people, priests, deacons  and bishops whom I trust and respect, to get their sense of what I am hearing. They have affirmed that God is calling me to be a bishop. Through prayer and further conversation I believe that is the call I am hearing as well.

What excites me about the possibility of being a bishop is the opportunity to support multiple clergy and congregations as they strive to live out God’s call to them, as they strive to be the Body of Christ in the world, as they work to make the transition from maintenance to mission.  Experience has shown me I am a good mentor and formation supervisor, and that what I have learned in my ministry is a valuable gift to share with other clergy and congregations.

When praying about other vocational possibilitiese, I have not felt stirred in my soul. I am stirred in my soul by the prospect of consulting with many churches, supporting a community of spiritual leaders, both lay and ordained, and working with the other leaders of the diocese to equip the saints in the pews that they may live out their baptismal ministry by serving God in Christ both in the church and in the world.  How exciting!

We seek a bishop who has the determination to address our many challenges such as our
declining church membership, reduced financial support for both the diocese and
congregations, and our great diversity—ethnically, culturally, economically and
technologically. Our bishop will identify and implement processes that will grow new
congregations and other ministries that are healthy and self-sustaining.
2. How have you encouraged church growth including evangelism, faith formation,
and stewardship in your ministry? Please give specific examples of how you
increased worship attendance, financial well-being, and spiritual maturity in
congregational settings.

Our attendance has grown over more than 50% in the six years I have served St. George’s.  Our giving has grown significantly as well.  Both are the result of faith formation programming designed to ground us in our baptismal ministry and to equip those who participate to be disciples of Jesus and spiritual leaders in the church and in the world.

I have encouraged church growth as a role model, teacher, mentor and encourager.  My ability to be welcoming to newcomers, willingness to share the good news of what is happening in the parish, and ability to help new members become connected within the community and the ministries of the church, offers a model for the laity and other clergy in the parish. It has not been up to me to make all the growth happen, but it has been my responsibility to show the rest of the church family different ways of growing the Body of Christ.

A small group encounter with the Gospel, Gospel Based Discipleship has been one way to teach members how to experience themselves as Jesus’ disciples in the 21st Century and to speak to others about their faith, which can then lead to an invitation to friends and neighbors to attend.  Being willing to try new things to meet the needs of different generations has been important, (such as adding a family service to our Sunday schedule, with adult spiritual formation offered when the children are in Church School).  We regularly issue press releases, letting the media, and the larger community, know the Good News inbreaking through God’s work in our parish and beyond.

Growing lay ministries is also an important part of church growth, and starts with foundational faith formation, grounded in the Baptismal Covenant.  We have done this using  I Will, With God’s Help, by The Rev. Mary Lee Wile, as a way to prepare candidates for Confirmation and Reception, incorporating new members, and for spiritual deepening for existing members who seek to set aside a time for intentional spiritual grounding. It is based on the promises we make or that are made on our behalf at our baptism and teaches participants that not only is spirituality a way of praying or a particular act such as reading the Daily Office, but that spirituality is a way of living, a way of being.  The result is that the participants, regardless of their place on the journey, learn new ways of living their baptismal promises. Their relationship with God is strengthened, and their relationships with each other are also given a wonderful, spiritual foundation, building up the community that is Church.

Following I Will, With God’s Help is a program of discerning God’s gifts for ministry, which is then followed by a one-on-one meeting with the parish clergy to help participants discern where God is calling them to serve in the church and in the world.  Those who are called to lay leadership continue with another program called Tools for Ministry, which is, essentially, Pastoral Care 101.  Tools for Ministry has a track record of building strong spiritual leaders as well as pastoral lay ministers.  The first few weeks we focus on our gifts, our personal challenges and weaknesses, because such awareness is important when ministering in pastoral care.  The middle four weeks are spent learning basic counseling skills such as active listening, referral, crisis intervention and ministry to the dying and their families. The last few weeks focus on spirituality, learning different ways to find nourishment and strength for our souls so that we can care for others without “running dry.”

These programs combined have led to a parish that is very strong, that provides a variety of ways for new members to get “plugged in,” that is very engaged in ministering to those in need in the world, and those within the parish as well. People who have engaged this program of spiritual formation are now on the Vestry, coordinating our Pastoral Care Team, serve as lay worship leaders, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, Hospice volunteers, Spiritual Formation leaders, and vocational Deacons.  Others are discerning a call to the Priesthood.

My role in stewardship is very similar: that of role model, mentor, teacher and encourager. It has been important for me to speak with integrity about giving, to be tithing or working toward a tithe, and to help the church reclaim that word, so it is no longer in the category of other “unspeakable” terms such as “evangelism.”  I have led by example, but also to taught, starting with the Vestry and other leaders of the church.  Studies have shown that the Vestry will give no greater a percentage of income than the Rector, and that the rest of the parish will give no greater a percentage of income than the Vestry—even without knowing how much, mysteriously, some part of us knows the proportion and internally sets a limit accordingly.  I suspect this may be true with regards to the role of Bishops and Diocesan leadership as well.

The result has been that many more people than ever are prayerfully tithing or giving proportionally, rather than simply pledging a “respectable” amount. We have been able to grow our programs for ministry due to increased resources borne out of an abundance rather than scarcity model. As we prepare for the Annual Meeting in January every year we fit snugly into our balanced budget, because we are determined to use all of our resources for the mission of Christ, to the last penny, and so have grown in a mission, rather than maintenance, mentality.  It is also the case that in the last several years, although we start with a tight, balanced budget, by the end of December, we have had a four- or even five-figure surplus: more abundance to allocate for ministry and mission.

We want our bishop to be one among us and not one above us—a shared ministry
between our diocese and our congregations, between our clergy and our laity. Our
bishop will challenge clergy and lay to work together in a relationship of trust and
honesty.
3. What have you done in your ministry to resolve conflicts? In addition, describe
how your leadership has led to reconciliation in your congregation and across your
diocese regarding the important issues facing ECUSA today?

When faced with a conflict, my tendency is to pray myself into a place of centeredness, and then to address the conflict openly, head-on.  I am one to name the “elephant in the room,” as a way to encourage openness, transparency, and trust, and also to avoid letting resentments build and fester.  When I know of people who are angry or upset with me, I connect with them directly, and offer a chance for them to share what is in their hearts, and a chance for me to listen. I do not promise that this will lead me to change my mind or direction, but I do promise to listen, and that the other person will be heard.  This is also true when I am upset with someone else.  After I have prayed and I know I will be able to have an honest conversation in a healthy way, I will clearly, and hopefully compassionately, confront the person and the situation.

When there is a conflict between individuals in the congregation (often in family situations), I often function as a mediator, with God’s help, creating a safe space for the parties to hear and be heard.
Listening has been the most important way I have encouraged reconciliation after General Convention in 2003 and again in 2006.  It has also been important to name that all are truly welcome to be part of our church family, naming that God calls us to respect and honor our differences. I regularly remind myself and others that acceptance is not the same thing as approval, that we do not have to approve of each other’s views, but that accepting them is part of respecting the person who holds them.  Although this sounds simple enough, it was hard learned.

By the time 2003 General Convention was on the horizon, St. George’s had done a great deal of work around issues of human sexuality. Even though we had done “so much work” over the preceding 4 years, the Fall of 2003 I learned that assumptions can be dangerous, and that humility and listening are priceless.

Serving as First Alternate (now as Deputy) at General Convention in Minneapolis was a remarkable experience. I felt the entire Convention (not just the issues regarding human sexuality) was the movement of God’s ever-widening embrace and love.  Coming home after Convention, I was “high” on God’s love, and some perceived my ebullience (even some who were in favor of the decisions of Convention) as triumphalism.  I made the mistaken assumption that because we had “done so much work,” that there was more uniformity of opinion than there actually was.
This was an important and humbling experience for me—truly a time to grow. I am grateful to the parishioners who lovingly shared their discomfort and their constructive criticism. Even though it was hard to hear, and even though I felt very misunderstood, I tried hard not to act defensively, and tried simply to listen and to learn.

Since this learning time, I have worked to create opportunities for dialog within my church and the diocese. I met with anyone who indicated a desire, and made a point of seeking out those who I heard were distressed, but who did not come to me directly.  These times of listening went a long way to healing relationships that were strained. Reaching out rather than waiting passively was important.
In 2004 I co-led two diocesan workshops entitled “Living Together with Difference.”  My partner was a rector in the Diocese who has very different views from mine. He and I shared how we maintain our friendship, our love and respect for one another, even though we come at these questions from very different places. Sharing openly my own mistakes, and what I learned about humility and listening, was a part of these workshops.

In general, I make it a point to nurture my relationships with parishioners whose opinions differ from mine. This includes a quarterly lunch with a parishioner of another generation who calls himself my “Dutch Uncle.”  The deal is that he buys me lunch, and gets to tell me whatever is on his mind, and give me plenty of advice whether I ask for it or not. It is often splendid advice. Perhaps because we have such mutual respect and affection, he often tells me that though we may disagree on some things, I am his rector, and he would never want me to try and change who I am.  It is a gift.

Similarly, I have taken the time to nurture my friendship with clergy in my diocese and around The Episcopal Church who hold different theological and political views from my own. One is a truly great mentor with whom I can share important parts of my spiritual journey—even as we laugh about how different our views are on other things.

My work in The Episcopal Church, namely through Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, has allowed me to work closely with laity and clergy whose views are remarkably different from my own.  Our work in resourcing The Episcopal Church to address the Millennium Development Goals, that we may live into the Gospel mandate of Matthew 25, is more important than the issues that might divide us.

Christ is, after all, what keeps us together, and no “issue” is bigger than the truth of the redemption offered each of us in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Keeping Christ at the center keeps us One.

We believe that we have an exciting and spirit-led diocese offering many challenges and
many rewards. We are blessed to be part of God’s people in one of the most beautiful
places on earth.
4. From your understanding based on the profile, what excites you about being
called as Bishop of El Camino Real?

Reading the profile for the Diocese of El Camino Real did stir my soul.  Your sense of discipleship and desire to continue to grow as disciples of Jesus echoes throughout your profile. It is clear that your diocese has tremendous untapped, as yet unrealized, potential. Unrealized potential is an opportunity to do God’s work in exciting ways. What’s more, your profile indicates that as a diocese you are ready, and excited yourself, about working with God to realize the potential, to live into God’s call to you as individuals, congregations and as a diocese.

In particular I am encouraged by your intentional willingness to engage in the realities of your multicultural context, and your desire for further inclusion of minorities. Having taken Spanish for five years, I am excited by the prospect of polishing up that gift that is “rusty but renewable,” and using it to build the Body of Christ.

Your profile expresses a love of our Anglican tradition in worship and theology. At the same time you are seeking a bishop who will empower you to develop innovative liturgies to reach the post-modern generations. As the priest known in some circles as the “mother of the U2charist movement” (http://www.e4gr.org/pray/u2charists.html) and who also loves traditional liturgy, I could not hope for more.

I understand that your diocese has had two very difficult episcopacies, but that you have taken significant steps in the last two years to focus on healing, reconciliation and rebuilding trust.  It is clear that you are seeing a bishop who will work with you, who will not lord it over you, and who will work collaboratively with the diverse leaders and communities within the diocese. My own leadership style is very collaborative, and I value learning from the experiences and insights of the people with whom I serve.

Your profile defines as a challenge the fact that half of your clergy will be nearing retirement age in the next five years.   In fact, this could very well be an opportunity—an opportunity to raise up new vocations for ordained ministry, to draw new leadership to El Camino Real, and to find ways of engaging the wisdom, leadership and experience of the retiring clergy who remain in the area.

In your priorities you note that you value Christian education and formation for all ages, and have a desire to support your young people—young people who I believe firmly are not the “future” of the church, but are truly an important part of the church in the present.  One of the joys of parish ministry has been watching God work in the lives of young people who are beginning to learn what it means to be the people God created them to be. Helping a diocese develop programming that encourages that discernment and development of young people as members of the Body of Christ would be a joy.

Having served in a diocese that values greatly the vocational Diaconate, and having the benefit of the ministry of two deacons in my parish, I am thrilled to hear about how many deacons serve in the Diocese of El Camino Real, and how well-established and healthy your Diaconate seems.

Your Diocesan Profile includes in its list of priorities for your new bishop “clergy wellness in mind, body and spirit.”  Anyone who has struggled with an addiction, survived an abusive relationship, been faced with the challenges of aging, or who has endured a serious disease or illness knows the intimate connection between the human mind, body and spirit  This is one of the graces of the Incarnation; that God intimately understands these realities.  Four years ago, with the support of my bishop and diocesan clergy continuing education committee, I undertook a program of study in Holistic Ministry, that I might better minister to my parish in their struggles with Family Systems, Addiction and Recovery, Eating Disorders, Death, Dying and Grief, HIV/AIDS, the consequences of aging, and the extraordinary stress endured by many people in our 21st century Western society , and other challenges that affect the body, mind and spirit simultaneously.

I do not often list this degree work on my resume, nor on my CDO profile, because it can easily be misunderstood.  It may be helpful to know that as I studied, every class I took became immediately relevant in the parish setting, particularly in pastoral care and crisis intervention contexts.  As someone whose graduate and postgraduate work was focused on Holy Scripture, Church History and Liturgy, this pastoral rounding out of my education was important to my ministry.  I would love to offer this knowledge to benefit a diocese that had made a priority of clergy wellness, mind, body and spirit.

In closing, when reading your diocesan profile, I am excited about the possibility of being called to be your bishop because it sounds as if you are enthusiastically anticipating God’s next call to you as part of the Body of Christ, that you are excited about a future of raising up new disciples of Jesus for ministry in this world that desperately needs to know the Good News.

I am excited because the things you value, the ways you hope to grow, and your desires and hopes for the people and congregations in your diocese coincide nicely with the things I value, my hopes for the Church.

When I read about the characteristics and priorities for your new bishop, I hear echoes of my own experiences in ministry, the gifts the Spirit has given me to use in Christ’s name, and challenges that sound invigorating rather than daunting.

The discernment process will make clear who is called to be your next bishop.  If I am not the person God is calling to join you in this ministry, what I have learned in this process so far, is that if and when I am called to be a bishop, it will be in a diocese with values, priorities, gifts and challenges that look very much like those of El Camino Real.

Web page last updated: 19 May, 2007