Dear Truro Family,
Last fall, Bishop John announced his pending retirement, setting in motion a long process for discerning who the next bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Mid Atlantic would be. Last Sunday at 2 PM, the diocese announced 3 candidates: the Rev. David Hanke, the Rev. Patrick Ware, and the Rev. Chris Warner. You can read more about them here. All three of them are gifted pastors with a deep and lively faith in Jesus Christ.
In our denomination, bishops are elected at a diocesan synod, an official gathering of all clergy of the diocese and of delegates elected by each congregation. This electing synod will be held on October 15. Our delegates to the electing synod are Meredith Bowen, Mark Epley, Nancy Gordon, Mary Hudson, Tom Heitman. (We also have 5 alternate delegates who will serve if one of our delegates is unable to attend the Electing Synod: Holly Desmarais, Craig Miller, Clare O’Leary, Carl Sperapani, and Gayle Yates.)
Although the bishop will be elected, the election is meant to be a discernment process rather than a political campaign. Delegates have been asked to consider prayerfully which candidate God is calling to be our next bishop as they review the materials presented by each candidate and as they listen to each candidate in person at one of 2 delegates-only gatherings. (Truro is hosting one of these events on September 27). Please pray for each of our delegates, that we will hear from God who would be the best bishop for our diocese at this time.
Will you also pray for each of these candidates and their families, as they walk through these months of very public discernment? Pray as well for the congregations they are now serving. You can imagine the mixed emotions of church members: delight that their beloved leader is being considered for such an important task combined with sadness or apprehension because his election will mean that he will no longer be their rector.
Faithfully,
Mary