Seek!
Fall 2019
Our stories of following Jesus in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Celebrating our Bishops
The Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper (missionary bishop) 1835
The Rt. Rev. Arthur Carl Lichtenberger 1951
The Rt. Rev. Cicero Stephens Hawks 1844
The Rt. Rev. Charles Franklin Robertson 1868
The Rt. Rev. Daniel Sylvester Tuttle 1886
The Rt. Rev. Frederick Foote Johnson 1923
The Rt. Rev. William Scarlett 1930
The Rt. Rev. George Leslie Cadigan 1959
The Rt. Rev. William Augustus Jones, Jr. 1975
The Rt. Rev. Hays Hamilton Rockwell 1991
The Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith 2002
The 11th Bishop of the Diocese of MIssouri 2019
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
ST. LOUIS MO PERMIT 1296
ph: 314-231-1220 www.DioceseMo.org
NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Offices of the Bishop 1210 Locust St. St. Louis, Missouri 63103
PAID
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
2019 Diocesan Convention:
Inside this Issue: Convention Overview
2
Bishop Smith: 3 on electing bishops Bishop Election Q & A Bishop Nominees
3 4-6
Timeline: Walkabouts, Election & Transition
7
Bishop Search Committee
8
Bishop Transition Committee
9
Bishop Collects
9
Diocesan Leadership Election
10
Convention Schedule and Parking
11
Bishop Smith Gift: Deaconess Anne House
12
DAH 7.0
13
Clergy Corner
14-15
Cathedral Anniversary
16
Making History
The 180th Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Friday - Saturday, Nov. 22 - 23, 2019 Christ Church Cathedral St. Louis This year’s Diocesan Convention will make history. For only the eleventh time in 180 years, we will elect a new bishop. This Convention will focus on what it means to be a Church with Bishops. And while much attention will be focused on the bishop election, we also have other important elections and business to conduct at our annual gathering. Highlights of the first day of Convention include: • Updates on the missional life in the Diocese of Missouri, especially as it relates to Making disciples | Building congregations | For the life of the world • A report from the Deaconess Anne House, our Episcopal Service Corps mission in Old North St. Louis • Election to Diocesan offices, including lay and ordained deputies to serve at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2021 • Consideration of a Diocesan budget for 2020 The second day of Convention begins with a celebration of Holy Eucharist. The Rt. Rev. Cathleen Chittenden Bascom, the 10th Bishop of Kansas will be our guest preacher and will offer her pastoral presence as Chaplain to the bishop election. We will begin the voting process after our worship service ends. Diocesan Convention is open to all, but only delegates and eligible clergy are allowed to vote. Because of the importance of the bishop election, we have asked everyone attending to register. We will be checking identification as you enter.Voting members will be seated at tables in the center of the nave. Non-voting guests will be seated along the outer aisles. Unregistered guests are welcome to attend, as space allows.
About Bishop Cathleen: The Right Reverend Cathleen Chittenden Bascom, D.Min., was ordained and consecrated as the 10th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas on Saturday, March 2, 2019, in Grace Cathedral, Topeka. The chief consecrator was Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. Bishop Alan Scarfe of Iowa was the preacher. Seek is a quarterly publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, all rights reserved. For more information about the Diocese, please contact Communications Director Janis Greenbaum at communications@diocesemo.org.
2
Making Disciples
She is the first woman to serve as bishop of the diocese. Bishop Cathleen grew up in Denver, Colo. She earned a B.A. in English with distinction from the University of Kansas in 1984 and an M.A. in Modern Literature from Exeter University (UK) in 1991. She earned her M.Div. at Seabury-Western in 1990 and a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Iliff School of Theology in Denver in 2005. In 2017 she completed an MFA in Creative Writing and Environment at Iowa State University. Bishop Cathleen and our own Bishop Wayne Smith previously served together in the Diocese of Iowa.
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World
The Rt. Rev. Cathleen Chittenden Bascom will be our guest preacher and election chaplain at this year's convention.
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
Electing the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Left: Bishop Smith at A Renewal of Ministry, 2017. Below: Bishop Smith at his seating as Bishop Diocesan at Christ Church Cathedral, 2002.
The bishop election process begins Saturday, Nov. 23, following Holy Eucharist. A complete list of election notifications, processes and procedures is available on our website. Here is a quick Q & A to help understand the basics of the election process:
Who can vote?
Notes from Bishop Smith: On electing a bishop I never grow weary of reminding people in some other parts of the Anglican Communion that the Episcopal Church does not appoint its bishops. It elects them. Our Church is not the only province to elect its bishops, but ours was the first one. The Church of England notably uses a very opaque appointment process to select its bishops. Understanding how it works is akin to learning the rules of cricket, as far as I can tell. Such an arcane procedure pushes against a democratic process which has been ours from the beginning. Even so, to vote in an episcopal election is an extraordinary opportunity. In thirty-nine years of ordained ministry, this November will be only the second time for me to vote for a bishop diocesan. (As a member of the House of Bishops, I have voted for two presiding bishops and three bishops in specialized ministries.) Bishops, though crucial to our manner of being church, are rare creatures themselves. In 178 years of history, the Diocese of Missouri has had ten bishops, the eleventh to be elected next month. I am number 975 in the legacy of the episcopate in the Episcopal Church, Samuel Seabury being number 1. The most recent bishop ordained is number 1122. The intervening 147 bishops tells something about how long I have been blessed to serve in this ministry!
Enough with the facts. Participating in an episcopal election is a high privilege and gives expression for our identity. The ordination of a bishop (that being the rite’s title in the Prayer Book, not “consecration,” as it was in earlier Prayer Books) is not to be missed, so uncommon are these occasions but so important for a church with “Episcopal” in our name. And although infrequently used, the rite takes up a lot of pages in the Prayer Book. The way that we pray when we gather to make a bishop matters, and herein lies a most notable way by which we do theology. So we want to have that rare liturgy easily available to everyone. And a personal note: Episcopalians are hard-wired, by virtue of our history and ethos, to love our bishops. Yes, there are gossip and complaint a-plenty, but these realities do not eliminate a basic inclination. Episcopalians want to care for and admire their bishop. Maybe not some other bishop, maybe not bishops-as-a-whole, but the default position is for us to treasure our own. Bottom-line, and whatever else there has been, I have felt cared-for and, yes, even loved. May my successor be so blessed.
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Lay convention delegates (elected by each parish), canonically eligible, resident clergy will be casting votes.
How will we cast votes?
Each eligible voter will receive unique access to an electronic voting system. (We will have a paper ballot backup.) All votes must be cast on-site and personally. Proxies will not be allowed. The names of the candidates will be displayed on the electronic ballot in alphabetical order by last name.
How many votes are required to be elected bishop? Voting will be conducted by Orders (laity and clergy), with a 50% + 1 majority of each Order required on the same ballot for election.
What if no candidate receives that majority?
If no candidate receives a majority in both Orders, we will take a 30 minute recess for reflection, conversation and prayer. After that recess, another ballot will be conducted. That process continues until one person receives a majority vote in both Orders. If the process is not complete by 5 p.m., Bishop Wayne Smith will place the Convention in recess and announce a date, time and location to reconvene.
When will we know the election results?
Once we have a majority of each order voting for the same candidate on the same ballot, communication of the results will be made to the Secretary of Convention and Bishop Wayne Smith will announce the results. The name will be posted on our website and social media as soon as possible.
DIOCESEMO.ORG
3
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
The Rev. Stacey Fussell The Rev. Deon Johnson The Rev. George Smith
Introducing Our Bishop Nominees
Rector at Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Bradford, PA
Greetings! I’m Stacey Fussell and I have been so blessed to be a part of this process as you discern who God is calling to be the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. Thank you for allowing me to walk with you thus far. I was born on the Naval Air Station at Jacksonville, FL, but I was raised from infancy in New Orleans, LA. That makes me almost a native New Orleanian, especially since I marched for color guard in Mardi Gras parades. Although both my parents were from Southern Baptist backgrounds, I was raised in The Episcopal Church and have the stories of serving as an acolyte to prove it. As a young adult I moved to Houston following a job transfer with Shell Oil Company and added youth group leader and altar guild stories to my repertoire. It was also while I lived in Houston that I discerned a call to ordained ministry. I received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of St. Thomas and I went directly to Virginia Theological Seminary sponsored from the Diocese of Texas in 1995. I returned to the Houston area to serve three years at a wonderful parish in the refinery town of Baytown. After an 18-month curacy I was thrust into a position as interim priest-in-charge at Trinity and worked with a consultant and parish leaders to guide the parish through an intentional interim and help the congregation Continued on page 5, column 1
4
Making Disciples
Rector at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Brighton, MI
Rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church
One of the questions I often ask when I meet someone for the first time is, “Where is homehome?” For me, that is an invitation for the person to share the story of where they are from but also to name where they find belonging.
To all God’s beloved in the Diocese of Missouri, grace and peace to you from your brother in the neighboring Diocese of Chicago. My name is George Smith. As far as I know, I have no direct relation to a bishop you know as Wayne. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and have been an Episcopalian my whole life.
For me, home-home is a kitchen table in a little village on the Caribbean island of Barbados where I was born and raised. My faith was formed at that table under the watchful eye of my maternal grandmother, Constance. She taught me how to pray, how to listen with my heart and introduced me to the beauty of worship in the hymns and spirituals she sang throughout my childhood. Her presence and prayers continued to influence me as I immigrated from Barbados to New York at the age of fourteen. Leaving my mother and grandmother behind was perhaps one of the most difficult journeys my older brother and I could ever undertake. Because of their unconditional love, and the faithful witness of many others, I have been shaped into the person and priest I am today. I wish every young person could be given the opportunity to be loved and nurtured by the church as I was. Being embraced and welcomed by the members of the Church of the Ascension in Mt. Vernon, NY, they became surrogate parents and grandparents throughout my high school and college experience. Continued on page 5, column 2
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World
in Glen Ellyn, IL
Although I went to church with my family every Sunday, I wasn’t baptized until I was nine years old. My parents wanted me to be aware of the significance of baptism and remember it. I still do. My mother died when I was a freshman in high school. With this lifechanging event, questions about God and the meaning of life were intensely a part of my adolescence and journey to adulthood. Being part of a church community sustained me and centered me on the virtues of love, honesty, forgiveness, authenticity and integrity. As a teenager and acolyte, the idea of becoming a priest crossed my mind. If the Holy Spirit was whispering in my ear, I wasn’t ready to listen. In college, I majored in economics and spent a post-grad year in Finland where I worked on a farm and learned Finnish. The Finnish ideals of community and common good were deeply impressed on me. Home from Finland, I worked as an analyst at an investment company in Chicago, earned an MBA from Northwestern and married Cecilia. Continued on page 5, column 3
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue The Rev. Deon Johnson Continued from page 4
Continued from page 4
prepare to have a healthy and fruitful relationship and ministry with the next called rector. I left Trinity in 2001 in response to the call to serve as a church planter in a new masterplanned community Southeast of Houston.
It was the faithful witness of a small parish close to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, that first recognized and nurtured my call to ordained ministry. During my formation at the General Theological Seminary, my love of worship and prayer, instilled by my grandmother, found a home in the sacristy, the liturgy and the busy streets of the city. Liturgy, for me, is about gathering together to be energized, equipped and engaged to seek and serve Jesus present in our communities, neighborhoods and cities.
I worked for several years at an industrial supply company and then for an internet grocery delivery company.
Continued from page 4
"I relish the opportunity to help God’s people discern, articulate and manifest the vision that God is calling us to live into for the sake of God’s Kingdom in a particular time and place." I spent nine very happy and rewarding years at St. Catherine’s as we moved from meeting in a storefront through construction of our first physical church building to opening a thriving church preschool. One of the great joys of serving there was being able to share ministry with so many new-to-the-church folks from so many diverse backgrounds – we grew to have 17 different nationalities represented in our church family. It was also while at St. Catherine’s that I was blessed to become a foster-adoptive mother through Child Protective Services. I accepted a call to serve as rector at Ascension in Bradford in the Diocese of Northwest Pennsylvania in 2010. I have been privileged to serve this historic, rural/small town parish during a time of revisioning that has seen growth and new life in the congregation despite ministering in a depopulating region. We have broadened and embraced our understanding of what The Episcopal Church ‘should’ look like and have begun new ministries that serve and reach others with God’s love. Ascension is now known in our community as a church where all sorts and conditions of people can find a church home. I find great joy in servant leadership in the church. I am particularly passionate about guiding folks to have an encounter and/or deepen their relationship with Christ. I believe that the Gospel offers “Good News of Great Joy for All People” and am especially passionate to Continued on page 6, column 1
The Rev. George Smith
I began my ordained life serving as the Associate Rector of Christ Church, Shaker Heights, OH. This vibrant, multicultural and multiethnic community ignited my passion for social justice and inclusion for those on the margins of the church and society. Their steadfast reaching out to the community, giving voice to community needs and incorporating different cultures into worship, was an important part of my formation for the priest that I am today.
"Liturgy, for me, is about gathering together to be energized, equipped and engaged to seek and serve Jesus present in our communities, neighborhoods and cities." Currently I serve as Rector of St. Paul’s in Brighton, MI where we have been engaged in transformational ministry for the last thirteen years. St. Paul’s is located in the heart of downtown, and has a long history of social activism, particularly around the inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, tackling food insecurity, and youth and young adult engagement. The Holy Spirit has continued to bless our willingness to try new things, to let go of those things that hold us back and to embrace a common vision in following Jesus. We successfully raised over $2 million to renovate and expand our 135-year-old building to better suit our growing needs. They have taught me how to be a better person, a better priest and a better parent. Continued on page 6, column 2
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
"What propels my ministry and desire to serve is The Good News which to me is the love of God, made known in Christ, for every man, woman and child, where no one is left behind or forgotten." As Cecilia and I became parents (Lydia, Frances and Geo), going to church was a priority for us. It was during this time that I began to feel a call to ordained ministry. After a period of discernment, I enrolled at Seabury-Western Seminary in Evanston where a highlight was my clinical pastoral education in the emergency room at Mount Sinai, an inner-city Chicago hospital. This intense experience put seminary theology into incarnational reality. It also sparked my interest in learning Spanish. My first call after seminary was as a curate at Christ Church in Winnetka, Illinois, the Episcopal church of my childhood where I led the youth program, preached, and provided pastoral care. In 2005, I was called to be the rector of St. Mark’s in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, which had suffered a split in membership and faced financial challenges. Over the past thirteen years, St. Mark’s has been my home for ministry where there has been a turnaround in energy, membership, finances and outreach to the community. Among many projects, we have started a preschool, added a service in Spanish, incorporated art exhibits into the life of the church, and raised up leaders for the Diocese of Chicago and National Church. What propels my ministry and desire to serve is The Good News which to me is the love of God, made known in Christ, for every man, woman and child, where no one is left behind or forgotten. A verse of Scripture that I return to again and again for inspiration and direction is, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry
Introducing Our Bishop Nominees
The Rev. Stacy Fussell
Continued on page 6, column 3
DIOCESEMO.ORG
5
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue The Rev. Stacy Fussell
The Rev. Deon Johnson
The Rev. George Smith
see that good news shared with those who have been for too long excluded from receiving that great joy because of social or economic status; race or nationality; sexual orientation or gender identity; intellectual or physical ability; gender or age.
My husband Jhovanny Osorio is originally from Mexico and we are proud parents of Lilohalani (10) and Ja’Lon (8) along with our two dogs Bleu and Jules. Jhovanny loves to cook, a passion that I share, and we often experiment with blending our cultural foods while trying new recipes from around the world. We simply love to eat and we love to feed others. Our house is often filled with the joyful sounds of our dogs, kids, godchildren, cousins and neighbors; together we continue the tradition of inviting everyone to the table. As a family, we love to spend time swimming and relaxing at the lake in the summer, or gathered around the table or a bonfire for a hearty meal and conversation.
of reconciliation.” (2nd Corinthians 5:18) This ministry that Paul refers to is to me the daily work of opening doors and hearts. I feel a genuine joy in seeing the faces of everyone I meet, welcome, serve and pray with. While at St. Mark’s, I have been able to put this into practice every Sunday, every day, not only at St. Mark’s but through civic engagement in Glen Ellyn, in the Diocese of Chicago and in places like Nigromante, Mexico where St. Mark’s has had a sister church since 2006.
Introducing Our Bishop Nominees
Continued from page 5
6
Continued from page 5
I am committed to helping followers of Jesus discover the joys of thinking and reflecting on their faith in theological terms and then equipping them to bring that theological thought and reflection to bear as we work to bring hope, healing and wholeness to our communities. I am nourished by worshipping in the richness and beauty of the Anglican tradition and delight in sharing that nourishment with others. And I relish the opportunity to help God’s people discern, articulate and manifest the vision that God is calling us to live into for the sake of God’s Kingdom in a particular time and place. When asked about hobbies, I’m tempted to say, “I don’t have hobbies, I have teenagers!” In truth, spending time with and enjoying my two daughters is the primary joy of my personal life. Christina is almost 17 and is a dedicated volunteer and serves in leadership in Key Club at the local and state level. Catherine is 14 and excels at all things musical and keeps busy singing, dancing and playing several instruments. As a family we enjoy exploring new places, discussing current events and watching and mocking some mind-numbing reality TV. Personally, I am a voracious reader, modest poet and occasional needlecrafter. We all serve as staff to the very spoiled resident cats with whom we live. I ask for your continued prayers as we journey together in this time of discernment and assure you that you faithfully remain in mine.
Leadership opportunities in the parish, the community, the diocese as well as the wider church, allow me to feed and serve others in Christ’s name. I currently serve in the Diocese of Michigan on the Standing Committee, Liturgy and Music Commission and as a Deputy to General Convention. I also get to serve as a member of the Task Force for Prayer Book and Liturgical Revision. My training and work as a Liturgical Consultant allows me to connect with people from congregations of all sizes across the Episcopal Church. From large urban program churches, to small rural parishes, I have the honor of inviting God’s people into a place of Christ-centered hospitality, particularly around liturgy and worship spaces. When I am not cooking or spending time with my family, I enjoy photography, hiking and being an armchair movie critic.
Continued from page 5
My hobbies include running outdoors in all seasons. I have completed 17 marathons and log about 20 miles a week when not in marathon training mode. Cecilia and I adopted a retired racing greyhound named Quinny who ran 120 races in Florida. Last year, we adopted a companion for Quinny named Bertie, who had never raced due to a mis-formed paw. We love these dogs who are gentle and offer continual unconditional love. I also enjoy swimming, hiking and gardening. I love learning languages and have been semi-fluent in French, Finnish, and now speak, read and preach in Spanish. I started playing the guitar a few years ago and enjoy leading preschool chapel with simple songs. With our children now out of the nest, my wife and I are adjusting to having all of us together only at holidays when we binge-watch Netflix series, play games, enjoy meals together and engage in intense conversations about what is happening in our lives, politics, and the wonder and meaning of life.
Visit our website to view resumes, responses to essay questions and introduction videos for all our nominees: www.diocesemo.org/bishop-search/ announcing-candidates-11th-bishop-missouri/
Making Disciples
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
Walkabouts: Meet the bishop nominees Nov. 4-7 Walkabout Schedule:
The Rev. Stacey Fussell, the Rev. Deon Johnson and the Rev. George Smith will be visiting our diocese Nov. 4-7. You can meet the nominees, ask them questions and share fellowship at one (or more) of these walkabouts.
doors open at 5:30 p.m. / program 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 4: Christ Episcopal Church Cape Girardeau
Nov. 5: Trinity Episcopal Church Central West End, St. Louis
Everyone is invited to attend these sessions. The nominees will move from room to room, one at a time, so you will have a chance to meet all the nominees without having to leave that room. The nominees will present a brief introduction of themselves and then take questions from members.
doors open at 5:30 p.m. / program 6-8 p.m. *Watch on Facebook Live! Facebook.com/EpiscopalDioceseofMissouri
Nov. 6: Calvary Episcopal Church Columbia
We plan to post a video from one of the events on the diocesan website (diocesemo.org) and Facebook (Episcopal Diocese of Missouri) for anyone unable to attend a walkabout in person.
doors open at 5:30 p.m. / program 6-8 p.m.
Registration is appreciated, but only required for individuals who need child care. We would appreciate registration by all attendees by Oct. 28 in order to have adequate child care and food on hand.
Nov. 7: St. Timothy's Episcopal Church Creve Coeur
To register, please visit:
doors open at 6 p.m. / program 6:30-8:30 p.m.
www.diocesemo.org/bishop-search/walkabouts
Bishop Election: Nov. 23
Ordination of our New Bishop: April 25
Election of our next bishop takes place during the 180th Diocesan Convention at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis.
Witness the Ordination of the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri! The service will be held at St. Stanislaus Kostka Polish Catholic Church in St. Louis.
Only convention delegates and eligible clergy are allowed to cast votes, but members and guests are welcome to attend this historic event, as space allows.
Celebrating Bishop Wayne Smith: March 28 All are invited to celebrate the Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith's 18 years of service to our diocese at a gala event at Christ Church Cathedral.
Bishops from around the country are expected to be in attendance, as well as the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael Curry. A celebration reception will follow at the Polish Heritage Center on the church grounds.
Timeline: Election and Transition
The Transition Committee invites members of the diocese to attend a meet-and-greet with our three bishop nominees. This is an important time for us to acquaint ourselves with the nominees—and, just as importantly, for them to learn about the diocese and its people.
More details will be announced soon. The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
DIOCESEMO.ORG
7
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
In Gratitude: The Bishop Search and Nominating Committee The Bishop Search and Nominating Committee is made up of 16 lay and ordained members of our diocese. They worked for nearly a year to pull together the many pieces necessary to provide a slate of bishop nominees to the Diocesan Standing Committee on Sept. 26. Committee Chair Debbie Nelson-Linck began that presentation with words of gratitude for the members of her committee. "I'd like to recognize our awesome group of dedicated leaders from across the diocese who dedicated their time and talents over these past nine months to be part of the Search/Nominating Committee. I'd like it to go on the record that I offer them my profound thanks and praise for being a part of this amazing work of heart," Nelson-Linck said. In total, the Search Committee spent aproximately 4,000 hours in this process, which included: • Conducting 52 listening sessions with approximately 600 people around the diocese. • Sorting through 858 written survey responses to 65 questions. • Producing a printed profile of who we are as a diocese and the traits we're looking for in our next bishop. • Collecting and reviewing applications, then conducting interviews with applicants. • Hosting the top applicants at an intense 3 1/2 day retreat to create a final slate of nominees. Nelson-Linck said the Standing Committee made a courageous decision by asking her to chair the Search Committee. "To date, we are the most diverse group to sit on a bishop search committee. You created history! Our past affected our present and our work together will affect our history in the Diocese of Missouri." The group's work required trust and support among its members. "We established rules of engagement when together that included civility, openness, expression without judgment and listening deeply to one another,"
8
Making Disciples
Sept. 26: Members of the Bishop Search and Nominating Committee at St. Martin's in Ellisville, just before presenting their slate of nominees to the Standing Committee.
Nelson-Linck reflected. "Each part of the process had at its foundation the many voices of the diocese we carried with us always." A theme that resonated with the committee throughout their process was change. "By drawing from the past, you called us together. Diversity was our greatest strength and gift," Nelson-Linck said in her comments to the Standing Committee. "We represent what change looks like in the diocese -- God's people working together and moving us ever forward. A group beginning as strangers worked together with love and respect for a common goal, the work of the church, God's work. "The new season will require us to embrace change, not with fear, but courageously. Together with all the strength and gifts of our diversity, we will face our future with hope, faith and love."
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World
The Bishop Search and Nominating Committee: Deborah Nelson-Linck, Chair, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis Sr. Donna Hawk-Reinhard, Chaplain, ESM, Eden Seminary Ilena Albarron, Holy Communion, University City Elizabeth Kroes-Asher, Advent, Crestwood Richard Entenmann, Grace Church, Kirkwood Matthew Jackson, All Saints, Farmington Rudy Nickens, Holy Communion, University City Bren O’Connor, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis William Sheldon, St. Thomas Deaf Church, Kirkwood Annette Webb, Calvary Church, Columbia Carter Whitson, Trinity, CWE, St. Louis The Rev. Chester Hines, Holy Communion, University City The Rev. Luke Jernagan, St. Peter’s, Ladue The Rev. Harry Leip, Trinity, CWE, St. Louis The Very Rev. Kathie Adams-Shepherd, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis The Rev. Sally Weaver, Trinity, St. James & St. Martin’s, Ellisville The Rev. Tamsen Whistler, Trinity, St. Charles
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
Taking the Lead: The Bishop Transition Committee Now that the work of the Bishop Search Committee is completed, the Bishop Transition Team takes the lead. This group of volunteers is tasked with planning the bishop nominee meetings, the election, the April 2020 consecration ceremony, celebrations of ministry and a wide variety of related tasks in between. If you have questions about any upcoming event, contact chair Jane Klieve at: BishopTransition@diocesemo.org. The Bishop Transition Committee: Jane Klieve, Chair, St. Timothy's, Creve Coeur Greg Dell, Advent, Crestwood The Rev. Renee Fenner, St. Barnabas, Florissant Kurt Greenbaum, St. John's, Tower Grove, St. Louis The Rev. Emily Hillquist Davis, St. Thomas' Deaf Church, Kirkwood Jeff Goldone, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis Doris Lucy-Goodlow, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis Rich Luebcke, All Saints, Farmington Vicki Myers, Grace, Jefferson City The Hon. Mary Russell, Grace, Jefferson City The Rev. Marc Smith, Holy Communion, University City
Oct. 5: Members of the Bishop Transition Committee gather at St. Stanislaus Kostka Polish Catholic Church in St. Louis, the site of our new bishop's ordination.
Are You Praying the Bishop Collects? Have you and your parish been praying the weekly collect for the search, nomination and election of our new bishop? If not, it’s not too late. You will find the prayers on the bishop search page of our website (www.diocesemo.org). The idea of a series of prayers for the Diocese emerged during a July meeting of the Board of Directors of CONFLUENCE, a roofless center for spirituality in the Diocese of Missouri. As a partner organization in the diocese,* our board wanted to encourage everyone in the diocese to pray for God’s guidance and blessing on the many lay leaders, priests, and bishops involved locally and nationally in the search, discernment and election process for the 11th Bishop of Missouri. The Rev. Leslie Scoopmire, Priest-in-Charge of St. Martin’s in Ellisville, had already led the way by composing a prayer for faithful discernment of a new bishop published in the Summer 2019 issue of the quarterly Seek! newspaper. Our Board thought we could build on this
with an even more vigorous “project of prayer” to offer a specific collect each week as the search process moved forward into review of applications, gathering for the discernment retreat, the naming the nominees, and the preparations for the Nov. 22 election. Our board members composed, found, and revised prayers for this purpose quickly, so that the series of fifteen collects was posted to the diocesan website by the beginning of August for all to use. Additionally, the weekly iSeek email began to feature the collect for the coming week in a front-and-center way to encourage all to participate. We are a church of common prayer. These collects join us in prayer each day and week, not led by whims or derailed by distractions, but held commonly together by the Holy Spirit inside of all of us and surrounding us as a diocese. It’s not too late to catch up and pray all the collects, going backward and then forward! The Rev. Paul A. Metzler, D.Min., retired. Priest Affiliate, Emmanuel Church, Webster Groves * To learn more about CONFLUENCE, visit: www.confluencespirituality.org.
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
DIOCESEMO.ORG
9
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
Diocesan Leadership Elections
Much attention is being focused on electing a new bishop at this year's convention. But we will also be electing lay and ordained members to governance bodies in the Diocese.
Disciplinary Board
Diocesan Council
Cathedral Chapter
electing 2 clergy & 1 lay member / 3-year term
electing 2 at-large lay members / 3-year terms
This board meets as needed, but at least once each year after convention. They exist to help in cases where clergy have been presented with charges under the Ecclesiastical Disciplinary Canons (Title IV) of the Episcopal Church Canons.
This group meets 6 times a year and carries out the work of Diocesan Convention between meetings; prepares and oversees the budget; develops and reviews diocesan programs. It is made up of elected and appointed members and functions as the Corporation of the Diocese.
electing 1 clergy & 1 lay member (not Cathedral members) / 3-year terms
Here is a listing and brief description of offices and those nominated for election. *Nominations will be accepted from the floor for open positions.
Clergy Nominations: The Rev. Dayna Jewson
Nominations: George Hartsfield Grace, Jefferson City
St. Luke's, Manchester and Good Shepherd, Town & Country
Lay Nominations: Thomas Smith Emmanuel, Webster Groves
electing 8 clergy and 8 lay members These members will represent our diocese at the 2021 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, to be held in Baltimore, MD.
electing 2 clergy & 1 lay member / 4-year term This committee meets monthly as the council of advice to the bishop and is a visioning group for the diocese.
The Rev. Steve Lawler St. Stephen's, Ferguson
The Rev. Charles Earl Mahan
St. Luke's, Manchester and Good Shepherd, Town & Country
The Rev. Joseph Wallace-Williams St. Peter's, Ladue
Lay Nominations: Carter Whitson
10
Trinity, St. Louis
Making Disciples
Lay Nominations: Rene Sanders Advent, Crestwood
General Convention Deputies
Standing Committee
Clergy Nominations:
This is the legal governing and decisionmaking body of the Cathedral, consisting of elected representatives from the Cathedral as well as at-large reps from throughout the Diocese. (In a parish, this body is called a Vestry.)
Clergy Nominations:
The Rev. Mike Angell
St. Francis, Eureka
The Rev. Dayna Jewson
Betty Bowersox
Adrienne Dillon
The Rev. Ian Lasch
The Rev. Charles Earl Mahan
Grace, Jefferson City
St. Luke's Manchester and Good Shepherd, Town & Country
The Rev. Todd McDowell
Grace, Kirkwood
The Rev. Beth Scriven
Michael Booker
St. Luke's, Manchester and Good Shepherd, Town & Country
Holy Communion, University City
Lay Nominations:
Rockwell House Campus Ministry
The Rev. Leslie Scoopmire
St. Martin's, Ellisville
The Rev. Tamsen Whistler
Trinity, St. Charles
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World
Grace, Kirkwood
All Saints and Ascension, Northwoods
Lisa Fox
Grace, Jefferson City
Shug Goodlow
Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis
Elizabeth Yount
St. Peter's, Ladue
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue Convention Parking will be available at the 9th Street Garage, located at 911 Olive. Parking is included in the cost of convention for delegates. Vouchers can be obtained during convention and will be required when exiting the garage. Otherwise, normal parking rates will be requested when leaving. Parking for guests with disabilities is available on a space-available basis in the Cathedral parking lot (13th and Olive) for vehicles with a state-issued disabled hang tag or license plate.
Convention Schedule Friday, Nov. 22 8:30 a.m. Doors open: Child care open (for those registered) Continental Breakfast 9 a.m. Registration begins 9:30 a.m. 10 a.m. 1-2 p.m.
Convention Schedule Saturday, Nov. 23 7 a.m. Doors open: Child care open (for those registered) Continental Breakfast Registration begins 8:30 a.m. Convention Eucharist
Convention 101
10 a.m. Bishop election begins
Convention begins Working lunch (on site)
5:30 p.m. Convention adjourns
Convention Schedule & Parking
12:30-1:15 p.m. Lunch (on-site) 1:15-5 p.m. Balloting continues (as necessary)
6-7:30 p.m. Light dinner and fellowship Shuttle buses will be running to/from Hotel St. Louis 9th Street Parking Garage Christ Church Cathedral: 8:30 - 10 a.m. and 5 - 8:30 p.m.
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Shuttle buses will be running to/from Hotel St. Louis 9th Street Parking Garage Christ Church Cathedral: 8 - 8:30 a.m. and 1 - 7 p.m.
DIOCESEMO.ORG
11
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
The Gift of Giving Back It is a tradition for members of the diocese to offer a gift to our retiring bishops. After 18 years of service to our diocese and our community, the Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith would like our gift to be the establishment of a discretionary fund to assist Deaconess Anne House members. It's a gift that will keep giving to our community beyond his retirement. Every fall a small group of young adults comes together to live, serve and worship in Old North St. Louis as corps members of the Deaconess Anne House. DAH is a member of the Episcopal Service Corps and is supported by the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. It’s a ministry that is near and dear to the heart of Bishop Wayne Smith. “Deaconess Anne House has proved a blessing for everyone who has lived there -- and for our whole Diocese, allowing us all to reclaim mission in St. Louis City,” Bishop Smith said. 2019 marks the seventh year of active ministry at DAH. The program’s new director, the Rev. Michaelene Miller, was a member of the first DAH class in 2013-2014. She says the program helps young adults discern what it means to be a Christian in the world today. “It’s all about how we can join the work of Christ already happening in the area.”
college graduates to find a job coming out of school. That made joining a service organization like DAH more appealing for some who needed time to discern their futures. Now that the economy has improved, fewer people are applying to the program. The first DAH class had seven members -- this year’s class has three members. Bishop Smith understands how difficult it is for young adults to dedicate themselves to service. He hopes a scholarship fund will help attract and support young adults in this ministry. "A discretionary fund to assist corps members is important because the young adults who live there can find themselves in financial trouble in no time. A major expense at this stage of life may not just be an inconvenience. It could be a diaster." DAH is one of 16 Episcopal Service Corps programs active across the country. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry describes the Episcopal Service Corps as a remarkable opportunity for young adults to spend a year in service, following in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth, walking his Way of Love.
Corps members come from around the country and all religious denominations. They live together in an old house at 1416 Sullivan Avenue in North St. Louis that was lovingly rehabbed by members from throughout our diocese in 2012. Corps members serve 32 hours a week with local nonprofit organizations, receiving only a small personal stipend for their time. The group engages in regular worship services and fellowship events at the Watch for more information coming soon from house and in the community. the Transition Committee about how you can contribute to this gift for Bishop Smith and the Rev. Michaelene explains that when the program Deaconess Anne House. first began, the economy made it tough for many
12
Making Disciples
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
Deaconess Anne House: 7.0 Meet this year's corps members
Madison Orozco
Madeline Cramer
Madison Orozco is continuing on as a second year corps member. She hails from Nashville, TN and graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, CA with a B.A. in International Relations. She serves at ArchCity Defenders, a non-profit civil rights law firm, as a fellow of Community Collaborations.
Madeline Cramer graduated from Bethel University of St. Paul, MN in December 2018 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and English literature.
The Rev. Michaelene Miller The new Deaconess Anne House Director, the Rev. Michaelene Miller, joins us from the Diocese of Arkansas, where she most recently served as the Curate at All Saints’ in Russellville. As the Curate, she worked largely with youth, college and young adult ministries.
“I see the Episcopal Service Corp as an opportunity to learn and grow within the context of a faith-based tradition that has long been important to me alongside those who may be very different from me. Not only will I experience the hard but 'good work' of intentional community within the DAH, but I'll also have the opportunity to work at Haven of Grace where I'll pursue and learn more about my passion of serving vulnerable and underprivileged women. I hope that this year will leave me more equipped to do God's work within the world.”
Michaelene was born and raised in Little Rock, AR, studied psychology at Hendrix College, and received her MDiv from Virginia Theological Seminary. When she is not working, you might find Michaelene cleating up for a game of Ultimate Frisbee, reading with a cup of tea, or hiking through the great outdoors.
Measha Ferguson Smith Measha Ferguson Smith grew up in Quincy, IL and graduated from the Program in African American Studies at Stanford University in 2017. Measha is serving at Missouri Health Care for All. “Marian Wright Edelman teaches us that ‘...service is the rent we pay for living. It is the very purpose of life…’ As an Episcopal Service Corps volunteer, I am listening for how the Great Spirit is calling me to serve, how belief informs action in my life. I am grateful for the support of the Deaconess Anne House community while I discern my path.”
Michaelene said, “As an alumna of the Deaconess Anne House, I am overwhelmed with joy and so grateful for the opportunity to serve in this role. It was at the DAH where I began to learn what it meant to live fully as a Christian and how to follow God’s call to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly (Micah 6:8). I am looking forward to walking with other young adults as they discover their own truths throughout their year of learning how to live intentionally in a Christian community.”
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Visit esc-stl.org to learn more about this ministry
DIOCESEMO.ORG
"During my first year as a member of the Episcopal Service Corps in St. Louis, I not only saw firsthand the inherent connection between my faith and the fight for the liberation of all people, but also really came into myself as a person. I spent my time working as a community organizer at Missouri Health Care for All, as well as getting plugged into the vibrant activist community that exists here, and realized that I had not come to St. Louis by accident. It is clear to me that God has called me to this city, and I cannot wait to continue living into this call during my second year at the Deaconess Anne House."
13
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
The Rev. Joseph Downing Thompson, Jr. Ordination Sept. 26 Bishop Smith ordained Joseph Downing Thompson, Jr. to the Sacred Order of Priests at Immanuel Chapel at Virginia Theological Seminary on Sept. 26, 2019. Joe works at VTS as the Assistant Professor of Race and Ethnicity Studies and Director of Multicultural Ministries. He helps to ensure that seminarians engage with issues of race, justice, and intercultural awareness as part of their theological education. Joe was sponsored for ordination by Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis.
The Ven. Rebecca Barger Archdeacon Diocese of Missouri
Bishop Wayne Smith has appointed the Ven. Rebecca Barger as the new Archdeacon of the Diocese of Missouri. Rebecca was ordained to the Diaconate in November of 2014 and is serving at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Eureka, where she will continue to serve while taking on her new responsibilities. Her appointment is for a three-year term. In her ministry as Archdeacon, Rebecca anticipates assisting in the growth, development and placement of deacons, as well as serving as a pastoral presence to all deacons.
The Rev. Camie Dewey Associate Rector St. Timothy's, Creve Coeur
As the new Associate Rector of Mission and Formation at St. Timothy’s in Creve Coeur, The Rev. Camie Dewey brings a passion for beautiful liturgy, thoughtful and prayerful formation, and a little bit of whimsy and sass to an already thriving community. This is Camie’s first call out of seminary. She graduated with her Master of Divinity degree from Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas in May and was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Colorado in June. She began her ministry at St. Timothy’s on July 1, and seems to be settling in well. Born and raised in Wyoming, Camie was fortunate to be brought into the Episcopal Church as a young girl and grew into her faith attending church, serving as an acolyte, and at diocesan youth events. She first felt her call to ministry at 17 while on staff at Happening. Camie eventually
14
Making Disciples
Building Congregations
moved to Grand Junction, Colorado for college and began attending St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. She would eventually work for the parish as Youth and Family Minister while she discerned her vocational call to the priesthood. Though still new to the area, Camie is excited about living in St. Louis, and learning more about what life in Missouri is like. People often ask her how she is coping with the heat and humidity, and she likes to respond with a reminder that she did just spend three years in southcentral Texas. Camie is an avid sports fan and watched all seven Stanley Cup finals games from Colorado this summer, cheering on the Blues. She is also becoming a Cardinals fan and is a longtime fan of the Green Bay Packers.
For the Life of the World
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
From the U.K. to the Diocese of Missouri:
a toe and we got stranded in Minneapolis because of winter weather, but none of that dampened our enthusiasm for this move.
The Rev. Tom Albinson shares his journey of faith
When we got back to the U.K. we decided to apply for my U.S. Visa since we didn’t know how long that process would take. A few months later Fr. Andrew emailed me saying that he was in Oxford for a conference in August and wanted to meet up for lunch with myself and Anna. So on Aug. 19 we had lunch and I was offered the role, and accepted it. At that lunch I was able to inform Fr. Andrew that a few days earlier I had been granted my Visa to emigrate to the U.S.
In a quiet September ceremony at the Office of the Bishop, I was officially received into the Episcopal Church. I immigrated into the U.S. from the U.K. in January this year and started work as an Assistant Rector at the Church of St. Michael and St. George in St Louis. You may be asking, what would bring a Brit to Missouri? It is a bit of a long story.
A growing faith
I was born and brought up in a town called Wokingham, not too far from Windsor where a certain Royal wedding happened recently. My family went to Church, first to St. Michael’s in Sandhurst, and later to St. Paul’s in Wokingham. It was at St Paul’s that I started to develop a deeper faith in Jesus as I was exposed to an expression of worship enriched with bells, incense and choral singing. During these years I was a member of the choir and a server at the daughter church, St. Nicholas. It was during my four years studying for a master’s in computer science at Loughborough University where I really owned my faith in Jesus as I met with Anglicans from all over the world at the Anglican Chaplaincy. Armed with my computer science degree, I started to look for work in the IT world and found a role as a junior consultant on the Microsoft Team at Unisys. It was a changing world when I started work there. The “dot com bubble” was bursting and the terrorist attacks of September 11 had just happened. I was made redundant from that role after three months and found another job quickly, this time as a computer programmer. Like most people at that time, I moved jobs every 14 months or so for a while until I found a good job where I stayed for five years before leaving to go to theological college.
God calls
Whilst in my last programming job I had a sense that God was calling me to serve in the Church, but I didn’t yet know whether I was called to work in IT and give the time and money that I had, or whether I was called to work directly in the Church. After a time of discernment I followed the latter path. To make a long story short, the panel recommended me for training and I went to Ripon College
Cuddesdon, just outside Oxford. Whilst there I undertook a BA in theology at the University of Oxford and started a postgraduate diploma in ministry at Oxford Brookes University. I also was privileged to spend three months at the College of Transfiguration in South Africa during my third year at Cuddesdon. On June 30, 2012, I was made a deacon at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and started my curacy at St. Mary and St. Nicholas, Littlemore. One year later I was priested at Littlemore, which was a great day. During my time in Littlemore I met Anna, who was working on her PhD at Oxford. We got engaged during a visit to Anna’s family. Anna said yes at the St Louis Zoo. My curacy was coming to an end so after some searching I applied for a role in North Oxford at St. Giles’ and St. Margaret’s. I was offered the role as the Assistant Priest for these two parishes, which I took, and started working there after a whirlwind January of moving house, getting married at Christ Church, Oxford and going on honeymoon in the U.S.
Coming to America
As a priest in the Anglican Communion, I was aware that I could serve anywhere in the world and this was something that Anna and I discussed. We had first-hand experience of the challenges of the U.K. immigration process, and we decided that we would look for my role in the U.S. I was made aware of the role at St. Michael and St. George and sent over my CV. The next day Fr. Andrew rang up and we had several conversations which led to me coming over for an interview on Super Bowl weekend in 2018. On that trip I broke
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
So the wheels were put in motion for me to say farewell to the U.K. for a while. Anna left the U.K. in early December to prepare the new house, and I closed up the old house and finished my role in North Oxford on Christmas Day, then spent the rest of the time until New Year’s Day with my family in the U.K. On Jan. 1 my two bags and I boarded my WOW Air flight to St. Louis via Iceland, and at Lambert International I was reunited with Anna. The next day we drove up to Chicago to pick up our dog Steve from O’Hare.
A warm welcome
I took a few days to get over jet lag and to get used to seeing more than a few inches of snow. I started my ministry at the Church of St. Michael and St. George on Sunday, Jan. 13, where Anna and I were warmly welcomed to this community. Over the past months it has been wonderful to be part of a Church that has a strong choral tradition, a sense of awe and wonder in worship and offers opportunities to serve the wider community in practical ways. I feel at home here and I am excited to be part of the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement here in St. Louis. I can be found on twitter (@tom_albinson) or facebook (revdtomalbinson) and am always willing to meet up for a beer and talk about rugby amongst other subjects.
The Rev. Tom Albinson Assistant Rector Church of St. Michael & St. George, Clayton
DIOCESEMO.ORG
15
Special Convention and Bishop Election Issue
Christ Church Cathedral: Celebrating 200 years of ministry Christ Church Cathedral 200th Anniversary Celebration Weekend Nov. 1-3, 2019 Featuring the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burroughs, the first African American woman to lead as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis Friday, Nov. 1
Anniversary Gala - Windows on Washington
“The history of us is really the history of the diocese. We’re all interconnected.”
An evening of fine dining, music & dancing Special Guest: The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burroughs (this event is sold out) Saturday, Nov. 2
Pursing Racial Justice Luncheon
Cathedral member Dan Linck
Four years before St. Louis was chartered as a city in 1823, Christ Church was organized by 26 people who assembled for a service in a building that previously had been a dance hall and a courtroom. That worship service on Oct. 24, 1819, was the first for an Episcopal-Anglican congregation west of the Mississippi River. Nearly 50 years later, the congregation constructed a permanent church at 1210 Locust Street. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1994. The designation is given to buildings, sites and objects deemed to be of exceptional significance in U.S. history and culture.
Early English Gothic and is cruciform (cross-shaped) in design. Christ Church Cathedral is renowned for its stained glass windows and Aeolian-Skinner organ but its crowning glory is its reredos, the elegantly sculpted wall rising 35 feet behind the main altar.
with the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burroughs (this event is for members of the Cathedral's Pursuing Racial Justice Committee and members of the Diocesan Dismantling Racism Commission only) Sunday, Nov. 3
Celebration Eucharist: 10 a.m.
Guest Preacher: The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burroughs The community is invited to worship, celebrate and meet Bishop Baskerville-Burroughs at a reception following the service.
Comprising 52 religious figures and biblical scenes, the reredos was carved between 1909 and 1911 from creamcolored stone excavated from Beer Quarry Caves, close to Exeter, England. Then its sections were shipped in 230 cases to the Cathedral. Also of note are the bells in the Cathedral tower, which came from the same German foundry that cast the bells for the German Pavilion at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The largest bell weighs 5,732 pounds, making it Missouri’s biggest.
Christ Church Cathedral is an inspiring space for worship, prayer and advocacy for our neighborhood and city. Designed Learn more about our Cathedral at www.christchurchcathedral.us by Leopold Eidlitz of New York, the Cathedral is an example of 14th-century
16
Making Disciples
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World