To the Beloved People of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our risen Lord.
We are grateful for your participation in the Diocesan Landscape Survey! A total of 1,211 surveys were completed. The survey data, along with what is shared at the Listening Sessions, will inform the creation of the diocesan profile. Listening Sessions continue through mid-September. An additional Listening Session has been scheduled at St. Paul’s Flatbush on September 6 from 11am until 12:30pm. You can find a list of the previously announced upcoming sessions here. The information we are collecting for the diocesan profile is one aspect of the faithful work we are engaged in to respond to the Spirit’s call for our diocese.
When the Search and Transition Committees met with the Joint Oversight Committee in May to receive the mandate for our work together, we read aloud the ordination vows for a Bishop found in the Book of Common Prayer. We found that reflecting on the vows is instructive for who we are seeking as the Ninth Bishop of Long Island. We share highlights from them with you now, as we continue to prayerfully seek God’s presence and provision in this process. You can find the examination in its entirety beginning on page 517 of the Book of Common Prayer.
A Bishop-elect must affirm that they are persuaded that God has called them to the office of bishop. Answering God’s call to serve the Church as a bishop is not the result of ambition, but rather faithful discernment by the candidate and the community, prayerfully responding to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
A Bishop-elect promises:
- to accept the call and fulfill that trust in obedience to Christ
- to be faithful in prayer, and in the study of Holy Scripture, that they may have the mind of Christ
- to boldly proclaim and interpret the Gospel of Christ, enlightening the minds and stirring up the conscience of their people
- as a chief priest and pastor, to encourage and support all baptized people in their gifts and ministries, nourish them from the riches of God’s grace, pray for them without ceasing, and celebrate with them the sacraments of our redemption
- to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church
- to share with fellow bishops in the government of the whole Church; sustain fellow presbyters and take counsel with them; guide and strengthen deacons and all others who minister in the Church
- to be merciful to all, show compassion to the poor and strangers, and defend those who have no helper
As we continue to pray together as a diocese for those who will answer the call to be our next Bishop, may the ordination vows guide and direct our discernment process.
Faithfully,
The Search Committee for the Ninth Bishop of Long Island
For more on the Search for the Ninth Bishop of Long Island, click here.