It is a bit of a daunting task to carefully read 25 applications (consisting of a resume, six essay questions, a CDO form and three recommendations each) in just seven days. Never-the-less, that is exactly what we members of the Search/Nomination committee did.
We gathered at the Incarnation Center in Ivoryton on Saturday morning. After sharing the Eucharist together in the chapel, we met to come to consensus about which of our candidates we would ask to go forward with us to the next step.
This was NOT an easy task! We have an enormously talented pool of priests of the church offering their gifts to us. But our group worked to carefully to discern the will of God through prayer and intercessions throughout the day. We were faithful in carrying out the spirit of reconciliation and unity expressed by members of the diocese in our surveys and focus groups.
As we reviewed each candidate’s application we were asked to keep the qualities of the bishop listed in our profile in mind and discern for each application: Does this applicant have all the qualities needed in our next Bishop? Is this an applicant that looks promising, but needs further discernment? Is this an applicant that does not quite meet our profile, or is this an applicant that is called elsewhere?
Reading from Acts reminded us what of what we were doing. Just as the apostles did when selecting Judas’s replacement, we cast lots. Each committee member placed slips containing each candidate’s name in one of four chalices, based on our discernment of the candidates’ applications. At the end of this casting of lots, we had a few candidates that we were sure that we wanted to go forward with, and few candidates that we were sure are called elsewhere. And a number of candidates that needed additional prayerful discernment. Each candidate was the subject of our prayer and our careful reflection. We discussed each in detail.
It is amazing how the Holy Spirit can work with our diverse group of individuals that is the Search/Nominating committee! We asked questions about how each candidate would respond to our profile: would they nourish the clergy? Could they articulate a vision for the 21st century? Are they formed by scripture and prayer, having a heart for evangelism, mission and ministry of the youth? Do they appear to be creative problem solvers and reconcilors of division? How would they excite and lead us as one body in Christ?
After closing with evening prayer, we left the Incarnation Center to write thank you notes to the candidates that we will not be going forward with. Each candidate whom we felt that God called elsewhere will receive a personal note of thanks from a committee member. While they may not be called to be our next bishop, they are wonderful priests who love the church and engaged in a faithful call to discernment with us. Phone interviews with our remaining candidates begin this week and go forward into next week.
We want to thank everyone who has been praying for us during this time. Please continue to pray for us over the next six weeks as we continue this process of discernment.
