And so, the end

Dear readers, we have come to the end of our journey in the search for the next bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada. It has been my privilege to serve you by providing information about the candidates, their positions on the issues facing our diocese as well as those affecting the Church at large, and to impart in some small way the beauty and uniqueness of the place we call home. All good things must come to an end, and therefore this will be the final post here. The consecration of The Rev. Dan Edwards is tentatively scheduled for January 5th pending the required consents. This event will be covered on the diocesan web site.

I leave you with some final thoughts:

We have been truly blessed that so many gifted and thoughtful people were willing to put themselves forward for consideration in this search. Although the final six candidates undoubtedly had the most grueling work, and five of those six suffered the most disappointment, the Search Committee heard from a number of fine priests who responded to our call. Even though they didn't make the final slate, we were blessed by their interest and attention. When we look at our own faith communities, especially the small struggling ones in rural areas, it can sometimes be difficult to remember that we are blessed by a God of infinite abundance. The process of searching for a new chief pastor can serve as a reminder to us all that we truly serve a generous Lord.

Lastly, I note that in the wider Church blogosphere there have already been expressions of cynicism and, at times, critical comments of a personal nature about our diocese, our bishop-elect, and our former (and now Presiding) bishop. While this is unfortunate, let us always remember that the Episcopal Church in Nevada is comprised of hard-working, faithful, and visionary people who struggle against the challenges of geography, population depletion in vast areas, and financial worries. We have elected a gifted leader to help us expand our vision of stewardship, evangelism, and faithfulness to the Gospel of Christ, and we will do it in our own way: Nevada style, with God's help.

And now, go forth in peace to love and serve the Lord!

Blessings,
Karen+
The Reverend Reporter