Q&A's on Total Ministry

The Reverend Reporter now realizes that I have been somewhat remiss in not devoting more blog space to the issues of "total ministry," especially since it was a question that came up repeatedly during the candidate visits. I have gone back through my notes (no mean feat since much of it looks like the writings of a chicken walking on paper with inked feet) and have attempted a compilation of answers by each candidate:

Susan Burns understands the concept of total ministry to be "the ministry of all the baptized and the raising up of people with certain gifts to be trained to serve the church in a particular role. It is also the call to everyone in the church to use all their gifts for the mission and ministry of the church... when all members are empowered to use our gifts, our whole lives become a sacramental presence to each other." At another venue Susan also cautioned against the high burnout rates that happen when total ministry comes to mean "free priests" for a congregation. Expecting anyone to work a full-time secular job and then be available to minister to a congregation is not necessarily a good model of total ministry and does not support the concept of clergy wellness. Instead, the idea of total ministry must be regularly re-visited so that its implementation supports ministry and mission.

Cathy Deats noted that total ministry has some different interpretations throughout the diocese, but at its base it is identifying the gifts of all the baptized and empowering them to do their ministry. Right now it seems to be mostly about addressing the sacramental needs of small isolated churches by focusing on the raising up and training of clergy, but that total ministry needs to become what was originally intended: to train all people for their ministries.

Dan Edwards sees total ministry as an authentic way of living out the gospel and that Nevada has long been a leader in advocating it. However, other dioceses are now practicing total ministry and that it can be lived out fully in all churches only if it is practiced as a ministry of all the baptized and not just as a way of training the clergy.

Eric Funston views total ministry as a way that all the baptized are called to do their ministries at God's behest. He believes that baptism is the sacrament of priesthood and that the practice of total ministry is the logical way of recognizing this fact. Eric also believes that in the diocese of Nevada it is also a way of providing sacramental ministry to congregations that can’t afford a professional clergyperson. Eric believes in total ministry as a model for the church and believes that it's practice should be strengthened.

Al Keeney also believes that total ministry, at its best, to be a method by which all members of the Body of Christ are empowered in mission and ministry. He has seen it partially at work in the diocese of Rochester and would like to experience it more fully. To Al, total ministry means that we’re all in this together and we all help each other in their mission and ministry. He also noted that ministry is not just done by the ordained person, but by all the baptized.

Jeff Paul understands total ministry to be "a process of growing toward the fullness of Christ and the totality of ourselves." It’s not a program, it’s a vision for claiming the ministry of all baptized people. Jeff also believes that we need standards for formation and training of both lay people and those in process of ordination, and that we need to re-visit what we mean by "total ministry." Only when we understand what it is we have embraced and can practice it consistently can we offer this gift to the wider church.

Slideshow

I'm in the middle of putting together a slideshow of our travels, but Russ Worthington, the webmaster at Cathy Deat's parish, has also put together a little something. You can enjoy his while I'm still fussing with mine.



Blessings,
RR+

A leftover warmup question: liturgical seasons

In response to commenter Nikki's question about favorite liturgical seasons I did a poll on the bus, and here are the answers I received:

Susan Burns' favorite liturgical season is always the one we currently find ourselves in, so right now she finds herself absorbed in the season of Pentecost. She explained that after we've moved through the great cycles of Lent and Easter it's good to "get basic" and go back to the teachings of the Church through the Gospel readings, which become more challenging as the season progresses. In the late season of Pentecost the Gospels contain many of the more difficult teachings of Jesus and removes from us the delusion that the Christian life is an easy one.

Cathy Deats loves the period beginning on Passion Sunday and ending with Easter Sunday because contained within this very short period is the great story of our faith: death and resurrection.

Dan Edwards' favorite season is Advent because it is a season of hope both in the life of the Church and in our experience as individuals. There are times that things are hard and feel scarce, but that's when the hope of grace is waiting just around the corner to give us the courage to step boldly into the future.

Jeff Paul's favorite season is Lent because it is the season that leads us into the heart of our faith, the season of Easter. It is a time of tension between service and Sabbath, darkness and light, winter and spring. For this reason it is the richest season of the Church year.

Al Keeney loves the Triduum, the great three days comprising Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil of Easter. This time starts with the subdued joyousness of the celebration of the institution of the Eucharist and then moves into darkness. Al loves the solemn prayers of the Good Friday liturgy because they reflect the human condition. Finally, the lighting to the Paschal candle at the Vigil service creates light in the darkness, and the chanting of the Exsultet is the great aha! of the season. In the Triduum liturgies everything comes together in one tight, flowing narrative.

Eric Funston's favorite season is Advent because it is the time when the Church is intentionally living into expectation. There is a sense of quivering, and that something new is coming. We know what has already come, and what we expect will come will be even greater: the best is yet to come and isn't it grand! Advent is also the season when we appreciate and celebrate the Incarnation even more than at Christmas. Because we observe Advent when the rest of the world is deeply enmeshed in the commercialism of Christmas, it is a time when the Church is at its most counter-cultural.

Journey's end, some thoughts, and an unmasking

Now that the walkabout process for the election of the next Bishop of Nevada has come to an end, I would like to share some closing thoughts with my readers.

Chronicling this journey has been an incredibly informative and deeply spiritual experience. As a native Easterner and a long-time San Franciscan who only moved to Nevada last year, I have learned as much about the land, the church, and the people of Nevada as the candidates did. I have also come away from the tour with a realistic portrait of the state of our diocese, its strengths, and the work that still needs doing. I feel more committed than ever to being a part of this exciting and challenging place, and God willing, will be here for a long time doing ministry alongside our next bishop.

I have also gained an enormous respect for both the candidates and the process they engaged in. It was a strenuous trip with many stops and little rest, and in many ways it was also a pilgrimage. The daily rounds of morning and evening prayer, either with the communities we visited or on the bus, the discussions we had, the times of rest and silence as we traveled, and the way that everyone conducted themselves was indicative of the fact that this is in fact a spiritual process of discernment and not an election campaign. I have nothing but admiration for these wonderful priests and their spouses who seek to work alongside the clergy and laity of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada. In Nevada there is often talk of luck, but we are not lucky – we are blessed. The title of this blog, The Desert Shall Rejoice, is a verse from the writings of Isaiah the prophet, and I believe that the desert, along with the rest of God’s creation, rejoices this day and continues to do so in response to God’s abundant love.

This is not goodbye for there is more to come in the next couple of weeks. I will not be posting daily any longer, but I still have material that I have not yet had time to organize and report. I will also be blogging live during the election process so that those of you who are not present at convention will be able to follow the proceedings on October 12th.

Finally, I have had a great deal of fun in the guise of The Reverend Reporter. Anonymity kept the focus of the blog on the candidates, although I do confess to occasionally slipping in my own reflections. Now it is time to be unmasked, and to invite you all to return as we move closer to the election. I ask your prayers for the candidates and their families, and for the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada.

And so we end our walkabouts where we began, with this prayer:

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Blessings,
Karen+



Karen Johanns is Associate for youth and young adult ministries at Trinity Episcopal Church in Reno, NV.

Day 8: Elko to Las Vegas

Today was the last, and longest, ride of the trip. As we boarded the bus in the early morning all were conscious of both the sheer mileage of today's journey and the fact that upon arrival in Las Vegas we would begin the process of saying goodbye to each other. The Reverend Reporter was feeling a little melancholy because I have become so fond of all the candidates and their spouses, and was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable in the knowledge that as a delegate to our upcoming convention I will be one of the people called upon to help choose which of these fine priests should be our next bishop. As the miles and hours rolled by I spent a great deal of time staring out the window struggling with these issues.

Eventually our bus left the monotonous landscape of Interstate 80 and turned onto highway 93 toward Ely. Brown, scrub-covered plains soon turned into fields of golden mustard and flowering sage broken up here and there by irrigated fields. The hills turned into a seemingly-endless array of crags, mesas, and sheer rock walls that pierced a sky that grew increasingly cloudy. The play of shadows between light and darkness changed the colors of the rock, so that while some glowed a burnt red, others displayed cobalt and green tones. At this point The Reverend Reporter put away the computer and spent more time staring out the window in awe. By the time the bus hit the outskirts of Ely I felt drunk on scenery.


St. Batholomew's Episcopal Church is one of the larger congregations on the frontier, and although their priest Richard "Red" Sims was unable to be present we were greeted by members of the congregations and led to the downstairs parish hall for an abundant lunch of soup, salad, and homemade bread. The Reverend Reporter adores chicken soup and good conversation, and enjoyed both with the friendly people of St. Bart's. Following lunch there was an informal question and answer session, and although several excellent questions were asked of the candidates I will post the one which was unique. In reference to the current problem of congregations breaking away from The Episcopal Church in order to join African Anglican provinces, someone asked what would you as bishop do to keep congregations from leaving? Here are the candidate's responses:

Dan Edwards believes that churches should model the Great Commandment of Jesus to love one another as he has loved us, but this doesn't mean that we will always agree. Dan remarked that if we loved only those with whom we agree what we are really doing is simply loving a reflection of our own selves. He believes that all of us need to work harder to remain at the table of God and to carry out the mission of the Church despite our differences.

Al Keeney believes that we need to move beyond our own comfort zones in order to allow people to become part of the larger community. He remarked that true inclusivity had little to do with being liberal and everything to do with making room for people who are different from us and with whom we disagree.

Cathy Deats concurred with what Al and Dan had already said, emphasizing that all Christians are called to bring about the Kingdom of God despite their differences.

Jeff Paul believes that we all need to unify around a vision and pointed to the vision statement in the diocesan profile as an ideal around which people and congregations with differing points of view might embrace. He also remarked that it was necessary for Christians to unify around our mission, not our opinions.

Eric Funston pointed out that the current divisions in The Episcopal Church distracted us from our task of evangelism, noting that people are not going to check out a church which is known primarily for its fighting. He recommends withdrawing from public battles with those congregations determined to leave The Episcopal Church and to concentrate on mission and evangelism instead.

Susan Burns talked about the importance of deep listening, noting that in her experience conflicts arose in communities where people had not felt heard. She believes that the current controversies over sexuality are rooted in earlier conflicts over women's ordination, and while she was clear that she believes that the ordination of women was a positive step, perhaps not enough care was taken to listen more deeply to those with concerns over this change, and that the consecration of an openly gay man to the episcopate was "the last straw" for these same people. She recommended a process of deeper listening and inquiry as a way to keep those who disagree at the same table.

Our time at St. Bart's was all too short, but before boarding the bus The Reverend Reporter took a few minutes to walk around the lovely sanctuary and admire the stained glass windows. We were running a bit late, so we regretfully passed by the local drugstore, which offered an old-fashioned soda fountain and homemade malts. Sigh.

As our bus rolled on toward our final walkabout stop the breathtaking scenery continued unabated, passing by Cathedral Gorge State Park and its bentonite spires. Eventually we reached the old mining town of Pioche and our final stop, Christ Church. There we toured a tiny church that looked and felt straight out of the Old West and chatted with several parishioners. I had the privilege of meeting Jean Orr, Christ Church's priest and still going strong at age 90! The Reverend Reporter sincerely hopes that if God is gracious enough to allow me to live that long that I will be as eager to serve at the altar as Jean is. Although this congregation is quite small its spirit is mighty, and it was a blessing to be there.

Finally the bus pointed us toward the southwest and the bright lights of Las Vegas, where our journey finally came to an end at the same hotel where we started. There the goodbyes began as we left Cathy Deats and her husband so that they could leave for the airport. After a merry final dinner during a rare Las Vegas downpour we laughed, talked, and shared some funny stories. Aftewards we said farewell to Al and Linda Keeney as they too left for their redeye back to New York, and then it was time for The Reverend Reporter to prepare for her own journey home in the morning and a full weekend schedule.


Blessings,
RR+

Frontier hospitality at St. Paul's, Elko

Thursday evening brought us to the end of a long day's journey when we stopped in Elko, home of cowboy poetry and the National Basque festival. We were greeted by members of the congregation, the vestry, their priest Jody Lediard, and Sami the Church Dog. When we came into the parish hall there was a veritable groaning board of beautifully prepared food, and The Reverend Reporter groaned inwardly as I had not yet overcome the effect of the enormous Basque lunch we had eaten in Winnemucca. Still, The Reverend Reporter believes in the importance of politeness, so I managed a few bites and decided that I needed to celebrate the oncoming autumn with a slice of homemade pumpkin pie.


After the plates had been cleared and coffee poured everyone settled in to hear from the candidates, and our Moderator asked the "warmup" question: Other than Nevada, where have you travelled that you would like to return someday, or where have you always wanted to go?

Al Keeney loves to go on pilgrimage, and has travelled to Canterbury, Norwich, and Lindisfarne to do so. He related the story of his most recent pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona off the coast of Scotland, how he injured his foot and could not complete the pilgrimage trek, and how he found himself being ministered to in that moment of sadness.

Eric Funston loves Ireland and its many green hills, and journeyed there with his wife this past May.

Susan Burns wants to return to Abu Ghosh, a settlement east of Jerusalem, where she explored a convent, a monastery, and a hospital where both Arab and Israeli children with chronic illnesses and birth defects are lovingly cared for.

Cathy Deats likes visiting Tulare, California, where her son and his wife live and run a farm.

Dan Edwards regards the Jerome Priory in the potato country of Idaho as a place of spiritual discovery.

Jeff Paul loves New Zealand, where he spent time living and worshipping with the Maori people.

After this question had been thoroughly explored we went off to our different rooms for group sessions. Once again The Reverend Reporter was in a group where not every candidate answered each question, so I will post a representitive sample of questions and answers.

In answer to the question how would you grow our diocese?, Jeff Paul replied that he would make it a priority to build solid youth and young adult programs, and to make sure that this vision of bringing the youth and young adults to a central place in church life was done with appropriate resources and consistency. He believes that as we dedicate our resources to this ministry we cannot help but grow.

Dan Edwards would begin with steps to unify the diocese and reclaim the original concept of total ministry, which is the church as the ministering community, and that each individual is called to recognize and appreciate their own and each other’s gifts. Doing so makes churches exciting, energetic places to be. Dan also emphasized that is important that we engage our ministries with an attitude of abundance as opposed to the model of scarcity in which churches often function. He believes that the question is not how to fill the church, but to ask who needs Jesus and take steps to answer that need.

Al Keeney would begin by paying close attention to those churches that really feel neglected by doing residential visitations. This would entail the bishop being present in one place for a longer period of time, getting to know the congregation and helping them to address the challenges that are getting in the way of growth.

Cathy Deats would get to know each congregation and how they function in order identify the mission of the different churches in their local communities. She believes that when a congregation can identify its mission this is the beginning of growth. We all also need to get in the habit of regularly inviting our friends and neighbors to church, but our church needs to be something we’re excited about.

In answer to the question as bishop, how would you guide us so that we can be more connected to our ministries and to the greater church?, Susan Burns responded that she would come into our communities and stay awhile. She believes that it’s important for the bishop to know what’s going on and what is not going well in the church. The bishop needs to address issues of alienation and estrangement between the northern and southern parts of the diocese and to pay more attention to the issues facing the churches in the frontier. Susan believes that there’s currently a sense of scarcity in the diocese, so issues dealing with the stewardship of resources need to be addressed. She sees a tremendous strength in the diocese of Nevada along with a sense of hope and spirit, especially in the small struggling churches. She asserted that we need to know each other better so that we are better able to draw strength from each other. This should be a missionary diocese to the community at large.

Eric Funston answered the same question by asserting the importance of relationships -building relationships with God, with each other, and between parishes. The bishop needs to set the model of how these relationships function. This requires a ministry of presence, where the bishop and his/her clergy and congregations getto know each other over meals, study and conversation.

It seems as though we could have chatted all night, but the evening was over all too soon. Before we concluded the evening's work we all filed into the sanctuary to recite Evening Prayer, asking God especially for blessings upon this community. Then it was time to board the bus and get some rest before beginning the long journey to Ely, Pioche, and back to Las Vegas.

Blessings,

RR+

Day 7: Fallon to Elko

Photos are back! Pictures will be inserted into older entries as I have time.

After spending the night in Fallon we boarded the bus and resumed our journey to our next stop, Grace-St. Francis church in Lovelock, a tidy agricultural town in Pershing County. When we pulled up outside the pretty clapboard church all of us immediately piled out to take pictures, but The Reverend Reporter noticed that the church was locked up tight and that there was no one to greet us. Our Moderator whipped out her cell phone and soon announced that the church building we were standing in front of was no longer in use, so we all got back on the bus and rode the short distance to the local Methodist church, where the congregation of St. Francis now worshipped.



Once inside the church we met several members of this small congregation, including it's oldest and youngest members. There was no formal question and answer period scheduled, so the candidates and their spouses chatted over cake and coffee for about an hour. The Reverend Reporter, who is a youth minister when not acting as a road blogger, was delighted to find that this church helped to support a youth minister, and I immediately got out my trusty yellow pad and wrote down all the pertinent information. John and Blake, if you're reading this expect to hear from me soon!

Soon it was time to get back on the bus and begin the long ride to Winnemucca. We were deep in cattle and mining country now, as the grazing herds by the road and the mine tailings began to multiply. As we settled in for the long ride The Reverend Reporter thought of the scriptures in Isaiah equating the good news of the coming Messiah with springs in the desert. The parched land surrounding us on all sides was a vivid example of what Isaiah must have been gazing upon such a long time ago.

We finally came to Winnemucca and met with members of St. Mary's Episcopal Church at a local Basque restaurant. The Basque cultural influence is strong in Nevada and The Reverend Reporter was pleased that our candidates would get a taste of a Basque family-style dinner, which consists of mountains of food served in many courses over many hours. We didn't have the time nor the stomach space for the full treatment, so we enjoyed a modified version for our lunch. The congregation of St. Mary's no longer have their own building, and the candidates listened intently to the issues and concerns raised by the parishioners and Peg Fuller, their priest. After too short a time we had to say our goodbyes, but we all noted that we had just visited yet another frontier congregation which desperately needs the help and support of the rest of us in the diocese of Nevada. In The Reverend Reporter's humble opinion, the candidates for our next bishop will need to spend a lot of time out here in the Cow Counties in order to even begin to put things right.

The last leg of this long stretch of road brought us to St. Paul's church in Elko, but alas, the bus awaits. I will report in later on our time at St. Paul's, along with our experiences on this last day of touring the diocese.

Blessings,
RR+

Day 6: Reno to Fallon

Today was a busy day with many stops. We bid goodbye to Reno and made the short journey to Sparks and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, a dynamic congregation with a strong commitment to youth ministry and social outreach. We were greeted with a warm welcome and hearty breakfast, and the candidates and their spouses had an opportunity to tour the facility, complete with beautiful desert garden, bubbling fountain, and lych-gate. We spend about 2 hours at St. Paul's, and the candidates chatted with parishioners and spent some time answering questions. Since the questions and answers in the open forum have already been covered in earlier postings I'll not cover them again except to say that the candidates' answers were, as usual, clear and informative.

After our visit was over we waved goodbye to the people of St. Paul's and headed east towards Wadsworth and the congregation of St. Michael and All Angels. By the time our bus rolled into Wadsworth the scenery had substantially changed to deep hues of brown, and the scent of sage was heavy in the air. Thick clouds brooded over the hills, casting shadows that hinted at rain.

Wadsworth is located on the Paiute reservation, so naturally this church is deeply involved with Native American ministries. As we made our way down the highway our visitors learned about Pyramid Lake and its importance as a sacred place to the Paiute people. The Reverend Reporter has visited the lake and never ceases to be awed by its eerie beauty and serenity. It is a special place indeed.

Upon arriving at St. Michael's we were greeted by Eric Lawrence, who serves the congregation as its priest, his wife Robyn, and members of both St. Michael's and St. Mary the Virgin in nearby Nixon. Several women in the congregation had prepared a delicious lunch of fry bread with an abundance of toppings, and while we ate the candidates listened to the parish's concern for increased outreach to youth and to Native American ministries. The Reverend Reporter ate with one hand and took notes with the other, and although my notes are slightly stained with salsa I was able to read well enough to report the candidates' conversation about Native American ministries:

All candidates agreed that ministries to and with Native American people were absolutely key to the mission of the diocese and the Church at large. They also agreed that they needed to learn more about the specific issues facing Native American Episcopalians and to explore creative ways to expand this work. Jeff Paul described some of his knowledge of Native issues through his work with the Commission on Ministry and said that he thought a return to "circuit riding clergy" whose mission was to provide ministry development in small rural congregations would be of great benefit to parishes such as St. Michael's. Eric Funston strongly advocated a ministry of presence by the bishop, who would spend time among Native congregations in order to learn and share. Dan Edwards referred to his time as director of a Native American law unit in Idaho and southern Colorado and talked about the importance of Native spirituality to his own devotional life. Cathy Deats described her exposure to Native American concerns and spirituality through her work with Carole Gallagher, the first Native woman bishop in the Episcopal Church who served as an assisting bishop in the diocese of Newark. Both Susan Burns and Al Keeney emphasized their commitment to Native American ministries and their willingness to learn through a "ministry of presence."

When the candidates' finished answering questions we all heard a heartfelt plea from Ed Ely of St. Mary the Virgin parish in Nixon. Both St. Michael's and St. Mary's are small churches served by nonstipendiary supply priests, and Ed described how the congregations are shrinking due to the lack of regular, consistent, clergy presence. His voice began to break as he described once-vibrant churches filled with the laughter of children and the many services offered to the surrounding community. Without a minister, Ed asserted, these ministries can no longer take place, resulting in the disappearance of children and youth along with dwindling numbers. "We are becoming caretakers of a museum," Ed told us. "Please remember: the body is here, but we need a head in order to survive."

The ride to Nixon was a quiet one as all of us reflected on Ed's words. After a short drive we were at St. Mary the Virgin, a little church with one of the most beautiful sanctuary spaces The Reverend Reporter has ever encountered. The altar and baptismal font are both made from the tufa rock that builds along the shores of Pyramid Lake, and a traditional Paiute pipe is hung prominently from the sanctuary wall. Fresh flowers, polished candlesticks, and fading stained glass windows combined to give the effect of a small band determined to survive and worship in the beauty of holiness. Before we left Ed stood in front of the altar and chanted the Lord's Prayer in Winnebago, and we all left in quiet admiration of this worshiping community that is still hanging on and needs the help of a strong and dedicated bishop. For a moment The Reverend Reporter wanted to give up all she had to practice ministry in this place, and I suspect I was not alone. As we left Native country we stopped briefly on the shores of Pyramid Lake to pay our respects, and then it was on to Fallon.

In the late afternoon we arrived in Fallon, one of the larger towns in eastern Nevada with a strong ranching and farming base along with the presence of a nearby naval air station complete with a "top gun" school. Upon arriving at Holy Trinity parish we were greeted by a large group of clergy and lay parishioners and treated to a dinner of comfort food: roast chicken, mac 'n cheese, fresh veggies, and rolls. Homemade pumpkin and apple pies tempted those of us with room for dessert, and after dinner was over we all settled in for an evening of conversation. The Reverend Reporter realized that such a dinner was a perscription for drowsiness, and hastened to grab a cup of coffee in order to prevent snoozing.

The evening began on a humorous note when the candidates were asked to name their favorite movie or TV show and to explain why. Al Keeney began on a daring note by naming Monty Python's Life of Brian as his favorite because it poked fun at how pretentious religion can be. Susan Burns loves Groundhog Day not only because it's funny, it's also very deep. She sees the movie as a story about resurrection, and about getting second chances.

Jeff Paul likes the movie Stranger then Fiction because it reminds him of the story of Jesus: if we were faced with knowing all about our death, what would we do? Eric Funston loves My Fair Lady, describing the plot as the story of transformation of Henry Higgins from a person without much humanity to one of compassion and caring.

Dan Edwards' favorite movie is The Horse Whisperer. The main character reminds him of Jesus, who shows up with confidence and assurance to heal our wounds and to bring us back to ourselves. Cathy Deats says that The Wizard of Oz reminds her of total ministry, because the characters look to the wizard for help and then discovered that they possessed within themselves the things they needed all along.

When question time became more serious the two main questions that were asked concerned the candidates' commitment to total ministry and the issue of same-sex blessings. All the candidates re-affirmed their commitment to total ministry and expressed a desire to return it to its roots in the theology of Wes Frensdorff, which means that in places where total ministry isn't functioning well it must be studied and re-envisioned. Since this question has been asked at nearly every stop I won't repeat all the answers here. You can find the candidates' ideas about total ministry on earlier postings in this space.

It was clear to The Reverend Reporter that the issue of same-sex blessings (SSB's) was a topic of major concern to this congregation because the Moderator noted the many questions about SSB's that had been submitted. Each candidate answered this question in the same way they did in earlier stops, although for the sake of accuracy I want to parse Dan Edwards' answer a little bit and note that his position is that while we are not authorized by General Convention to perform a blessing on same-sex relationships in the name of the Church, he believes that it is permissible to allow people to come together to ask God to bless a relationship. It is a fine yet important distinction, and The Reverend Reporter regrets not reporting Dan's answer accurately in previous postings. Every candidate assured those present that they would love, care for, and honor those people and congregations that disagree with their position on this subject and would not force any member of the clergy or any congregation to perform same-sex blessings. They also emphasized the need for mutual respect and continuing dialogue as brothers and sister in Christ.

Now it time for us to move deeper into the frontier. Please pray for us as we continue our journey.

Blessings,
RR+

Coffee and questions at Trinity, Reno

As our bus rolled down the mountain and headed towards Reno it quickly became apparent that we were heading toward the city again. Forests and fields gave way to Costcos and shopping centers, and traffic thickened noticeably along highway 395. Soon we were in Reno and made a quick stop at the northern diocesan office located in St. Stephen's and said hello to Jim McGrew, who manages diocesan affairs there. After a brief tour it was time to move on to Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Reno, one of the two largest congregations in Nevada.

Trinity might be one of our "churchiest" churches, a neo-Gothic and stained-glass affair on the banks of the Truckee River. We were greeted by interim rector John Goddard and members of the vestry, who had arranged a delicious dinner for us. The Reverend Reporter is beginning to fear what the scale will say when I return home on Saturday, but the hospitality along our route has been tremendous and it is safe to say that all of us are grateful.

After a panel presentation the crowd retired to their assigned rooms to ask questions of the candidates. Most of the questions that were asked in the room I was in have already been highlighted in previous postings, but there was one fairly unique one:

How would you as bishop help people make the connection between what goes on on Sunday morning and what happens in our life the rest of the week:

Susan Burns first wants to learn what it means to be a bishop so that she can apply that connection in her own life and work. She believes that it's critical to examine the role of faith in the workplace and to encourage others to examine what it is about their jobs that makes their work a ministry. Susan cited her own work as a Legal Aid attorney as an example of ministry and outreach to those who didn't have the resources to defend themselves. She also believes that the connection between what we do on Sunday and the rest of the week is inseparable. Al Keeney substantially agreed with Susan's observations and believes that it is critical to educate everyone in the church about the connection between their daily life and their faith.

Dan Edwards is convinced that the teaching and preaching that happens on Sunday mornings must address people in their real life. He sees a need for the bishop be out there with people the other 6 days of the week, to be involved with people in the workplace, and to develop workplace ministries. Cathy Deats would find ways to help people to envision their daily work as their vocation and to hold that up as a model of ministry. The bishop should model this by being involved in the daily life of people in the community, knowing what their issues or struggles are. The office of bishop, especially in Nevada, is a working position, is not one where the bishop is separate from the clergy and people.

Eric Funston also holds up the model of the working bishop involved with the life of the people in the church, and he holds up the diaconate as a model of integrated daily work and ministry. To raise up the diaconate in this way is to use another teaching tool that models the servanthood of all people in the Church in our life and work.

After questions had been asked and answered everyone gathered in the church for evening prayer. It was then time for some rest, and The Reverend Reporter went back home for the night.

Next stop: Sparks, Wadsworth, Nixon, and Fallon.

Blessings,
RR+

Thin mountain air and a warm welcome at St. Patrick's, Incline Village

After leaving Galilee the Magical Ministry Tour bus drove on to St.Pat's through a forest of Jeffrey pines. The road hugs Lake Tahoe along the way and we had a lovely view the water and the towering Sierra Nevadas on the California side. This is a view that The Reverend Reporter never tires of seeing, and it was clear that our out-of-town visitors were equally awed. Finally we pulled up to the church, a lovely wood-and-glass structure and were greeted by rector Jim Beebe, the associate clergy, and members of the congregation. After a lovely lunch on their deck we moved into the church for questions and answers.

The question I'll highlight is one that hadn't yet come up: what would you do to support the permanent diaconate?

Dan Edwards is fully committed to the ministry of vocational deacons. He sees their ministry as leading the people of God "to an outward-looking place." He emphasized that while it is often expected that priests be paid, deacons are expected to do enormous amounts of work without any kind of compensation and thinks that this needs to be changed as much as possible.

Cathy Deats is serving in a diocese which didn't have vocational deacons for a long time, and as a member of the Commission on Ministry was asked to develop guidelines for calling and training vocational deacons once her new bishop indicated his support. From this experience she believes that congregations need to be educated about what the ministry of the deacon actually is, and pointed to the deacon's role in our liturgy as a good way to learn about the deacon's call to proclaiming the Gospel, to servanthood, and to send us out "to love and serve the Lord."

Eric Funston believes in the unique role of the vocational diaconate and suggested that perhaps those called to the priesthood be ordained to that role directly instead of serving the customary 6 months as a transitional deacon. This would allow the uniqueness of the vocational diaconate to be stand on its own.

Susan Burns believes that deacons not only model the servant ministries of the Church, but they teach the rest of us how to serve. She disagreed with Eric (gasp! a milestone!) about the elimination of the transitional diaconate because it reminds all priests about the servant aspect of their own ministries.

Jeff Paul, the chair of the Commission on Ministry in Nevada, is supportive of the role of the vocational deacon and suggested that they keep the rest of us mindful of how to transform the world through our baptismal vows.

Al Keeney believes that the vocational diaconate is an "incredible sign" of sacramental ministry. Deacons are "the nags of the Church," constantly reminding us of the people who live beyond our vision.

Blessings,
RR+

Belated report from St. Peter's, Carson City

The Reverend Reporter has two apologies to make before proceeding to a report about the session at St. Peter's. First, it is late and therefore out of sequence, and secondly, I still cannot post any photos, which is a shame because I took a few good pictures of the festivities.

St. Peter's, which is candidate Jeff Paul's parish, is a dynamic and thriving congregation in the historic section of Carson City. After a whirlwind tour of the state legislature building we made the short trip to the church, which was decorated with colorful prayer flags and had a large and welcoming contingent waiting to greet the candidates and their spouses. After a delicious spread put on by Episcopal Church Women we proceeded to introductions and then retired to our various rooms for questions and answers.

Because The Reverend Reporter uses a laptop during these sessions it is impractical to float from group to group, so I usually stay put and report on the questions asked by members of the one group I'm in. This time not every candidate was asked every question, so I'm going to depart from my usual habit of picking one or two questions and reporting on the answer given by every candidate and instead blog a random sampling of questions and responses.

In response to the question what needs of the diocese would you first seek to address Dan Edwards replied that keeping small churches alive would be a high priority, but that the larger and overarching need is to heal divisions by keeping focused on the mission of reconciling all people to each other and to God in Christ. Jeff Paul answered that he would concentrate on ministry among youth and young adults, but would do so in a way that hasn't yet happened in our diocese,which is to provide consistency and ongoing commitment to these ministries. Once again Jeff asked his listeners what we adults are we willing to sacrifice in order to bring youth and young adults into the center of our common life.

Several candidates were also asked about their position on inviting to communion those persons who have not yet been baptized. Cathy Deats is a strong supporter of open communion because she believes that sharing the sacred meal is a way of providing a welcome and hospitality that is more important than the fear of “watering down the sacrament.” Nonetheless, she doesn't believe that any attempt should be made to change the canons because we are still in the midst of dealing with other controversial issues. Susan Burns also supports the practice of giving communion to the unbaptized, and this decision arises from several significant experiences of pastoral care. Al Keeney has practiced it in his congregation, and he believes that the effect of the gift of the sacrament is more important than whether or not we understand it. Each candidate also emphasized that they see their job as not just encouraging unbaptized persons to receive communion, but to provide opportunities for faith formation that will ultimately lead to baptism. Additionally, each candidate has made their bishop aware of what they are doing.

In answer to the question how would you build a relationship with churches in Nevada, Eric Funston, a native Nevadan, remarked that he already knows many people here from his time as Diocesan Chancellor, and that he would like to spend several days in each parish getting to know the issues and needs of the different people in different parts of the state.

At the conclusion of the evening all retired to the church for an evening prayer service and a short bus trip back to the hotel. Now it is late and The Reverend Reporter is back at home for one brief night before hitting the road again. Today we also visited St. Patrick's in Incline Village and Trinity in Reno, and I will report in again tomorrow about those visits.

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake
we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.



Blessings,
RR+

Day 5: Lake Tahoe to Reno

The Reverend Reporter is enjoying the cool breezes and stunning scenery at Camp Galilee, Nevada's "cathedral in the pines," but one consequence of the rustic surroundings is an inability to get an Internet connection on my trusty laptop. I am using the Camp Director's computer at the moment, and this means that I cannot access my notes from the session at St. Peter's last night, and I cannot hog Stuart's computer for very long. We have a long day ahead of us and my ability to report in will be extremely limited, so this entry may be all you see today. Since The Reverend Reporter's mental acuity is not what it once was I will wait to report on the session at St. Peter's and instead give some highlights of our time at St. John's in the Wilderness this morning.

Very early this morning the bus began its climb from the valley floor and pushed on up the pass towards Lake Tahoe. If we had been able to open the windows we would no doubt have caught the delicious scent of pine that The Reverend Reporter always associates with going to a happy place like Galilee Camp and Conference Center. As we crested the top of the pass the first stunning blue glimpse of the lake came into view as the sun began to rise higher in the crispest of fall mountain skies.

Soon our trusty driver was negotiating the short steep road into the camp and the pretty stone building housing the congregation of St. John's. There we were met by Stuart Campbell, the new camp director, members of the Galilee Board, and Jerry Lamb, our faithful Assisting Bishop. After a typically delicious and massive breakfast served up by Chef Mitch we all waddled over to the church for a short question and answer session. Several great questions were asked of the candidates, but in the interest of brevity and so that I can give Stuart his computer back I will post the one which was the most unique of the questions that have been asked so far. It concerns the meeting of the House of Bishops, which is meeting in New Orleans this week to consider, among other things, the demands placed on the Episcopal Church as contained in a proposed Anglican Covenant. The questioner asked each candidate how as bishop they would approach such a meeting:

First, there were several common points of agreement amongst all the candidates. First, they would approach any such gathering in a spirit of prayerfulness and humility, keeping in mind the impact that any decision emanating from the House of Bishops would have on the church at home and abroad. All the candidates would also hope that any meeting such as this would keep its focus on the mission of the Church, which is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, keep focused on issues affecting our common life, and on social justice for all people.

Dan Edwards expressed his desire that all in the Anglican Communion would remain at the table, but he also observed that "we can't tie them to the table either." He sees the proposed Covenant as a work in progress, and if there was any way the bishops could sign off on it he would support doing so, but in its present form the proposed Covenant is not something that The Episcopal Church can agree to support as the conditions and terms of the Covenant violates much of what we have decided upon as a community of faith over the years. He also pointed out that the Covenant's call for adherence to the Thirty Nine Articles and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as the normative standard for worship have never been something that The Episcopal Church has historically understood as our practice.

Eric Funston and Jeff Paul agreed with all of Dan's points, and Eric pointed out that this proposed Covenant is a document which was not a part of the original Primate's Communique issued earlier this year in Tanzania. He is not convinced that a covenant process is necessary, and that our foundational covenants are contained in the New Testament and in our practice of making decisions through the use of Scripture, tradition, and reason. Jeff asked us to consider whether "peace at any price," which adherence to the Covenant would represent, is something we want to agree to when so much of what we would be asked to change would have a direct, negative impact on the lives of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderd (LGBT) in our churches and communities. Jeff also cited some of the infammatory language emanating from leaders in African churches as an example of what "peace at any price" would cost us.

Susan Burns was in agreement with all the preceding comments that were made and remarked that the House of Bishops had already responded to the Primates after the Tanzania meeting when they declared that they did not have the authority to change the decisions made at General Convention. Cathy Deats is not convinced that setting a Covenant down on paper is the way to go - God's law is, after all, already written on our hearts. She is concerned that the angry rhetoric and controversy has already distracted us from our ministry and mission in the world, and that we need to re-focus our energies. Al Keeney's response is that we must always speak the truth in love and to reiterate our love and support for LGBT in the life of the Church, and to keep on clarifying our mission, which is to spread the Gospel in a hurting world. Like Cathy, he also expressed concern that our work is being hampered by angry rhetoric and division.

All in all, it was an excellent session with great questions and thoughtful responses. Now I must go and spend a little time enjoying the wonders of God's creation in this beautiful place along with the rest of the group. This has been good but hard work and there has been precious little time for exercise, so now it's time for The Reverend Reporter to take a hike.


Blessings,
RR+

Day 4: Hawthorne to Carson City

We’re in high desert country now as we roll out of Hawthorne and skirt Walker Lake, shining like a jewel in the midst of the sagebrush. The air is cooler, the foliage is greener, and both trees and cattle begin to dot the landscape. After the heat of the Las Vegas valley The Reverend Reporter (a northern Nevadan) is relieved to finally return to higher altitude and cooler climate. We spent the morning cruising through Pauite country, then rolled passed lush alfalfa fields before driving through the small tidy town of Yerington before dropping down into the Carson Valley and into Carson City, capital of Nevada.

We're back in the city (well, sort of) after getting a taste of rural Nevada, and our first stop after lunch was the State Legislature building, where the candidates meet with representatives of the Religious Alliance in Nevada, an ecumenical advocacy group that "addresses issues of social justice in the state legislature and the public arena." One of the most powerful presentations was by The Rev. Jane Foraker-Thompson, a prison chaplain, who described the crisis conditions inside Nevada prisons and told us about her work in prison reform. Afterwards the candidates met with Justice James Hardesty of the Nevada Supreme Court, and at this point The Reverend Reporter slipped away for a needed caffeine break and to fetch my laptop for this evening's walkabout, which I must hasten away to attend.

Candidate links

In case you'd like to learn more about the parishes where our candidates currently serve, here's a point-and-click list:

Church of the Redeemer, Bethesda MD (Susan Burns)
St. James' Episcopal Church, Hackettstown NJ (Cathy Deats)
St. Francis Episcopal Church, Macon GA (Dan Edwards)
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Medina OH (Eric Funston)
St. John's Episcopal Church, Canindaigua NY (Al Keeney)
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Carson City NV (Jeff Paul)

More questions and answers

There wasn’t a lot of time for questions during our time in Pahrump, but here’s a sampling of comments from the candidates in response to a couple of questions:

One really good question was: what are the weaknesses you would bring with you if you were to be elected?

All the candidates agreed that they were “big picture” people as opposed to detail-oriented managers. Both Eric Funston and Jeff Paul need to rely on others to carry out the details of their vision, while Al Keeney has to be careful about getting out too far ahead of others when he has a Big Idea. He commented that he needs to stay grounded so that others can have the time to see what he sees. Susan Burns has lots of big ideas, but if she isn’t careful she can become tired and overextended. Cathy Deats has a tendency to be overly optimistic and not see the hard details involved with the vision she proposes. Finally, Dan Edwards commented that his “gallows humor” can be helpful in defusing tension, but if he isn’t careful he can cause offense of seem to not take other people seriously.

What a great question, and an excellent reminder that since only God is perfect we all need to make room for the growing edges that other people have and that assisting them in their growth is one of the things that builds Christian community.

The next question came in two parts: what qualities would you bring to Nevada, and how do you feel about the possibility of having to drive long distances to be with very small congregations?

The consensus among all the candidates is that driving wouldn’t be a problem. Dan Edwards has experience driving all over southern Colorado as director of a roving law unit, and Al Keeney loves to travel and meet new people. Both Eric Funston and Jeff Paul are already used to long drives through Nevada, and Susan Burns would welcome the time on the road as an opportunity for reflection.

As far as what qualities each candidate would bring to us, all the candidates emphasized their belief that the presence of the bishop is critical to building up the diocese. They believe in showing up, being with people, and spending time in the congregations. After their time with the people of St. Mark’s in Tonopah and listening to their feelings of isolation and abandonment it became clear to all how necessary it is for the next bishop of Nevada to embrace the missionary spirit of the circuit riders of long ago.

So many questions

The Reverend Reporter is in awe of the candidates ability to field such a large and diverse number of questions at our different stops. It must be exhausting, and on occasion I've wondered whether they sometimes feel like this:

Day 3: Gone from the City - Pahrump to Hawthorne

Early this morning the Magical Ministry Tour left Las Vegas and began our ride out into rural, small town Nevada. The Reverend Reporter, who until this time had never before encountered the grandeur of early morning in the southern Nevada desert, stared out the window in wonder at the razor-sharp mountain ranges that framed the valley around us. It felt very much like being in a cathedral painted with subtle colors as though etched by the very finger of God. Joshua trees dotted the landscape and broken rocks cast shadows on the sand. Then we began to climb "over the hump to Pahrump," climbing from the valley floor into the Red Rocks canyon.

After about an hour's drive we entered the town of Pahrump and met the people of St. Martin's in the Desert Episcopal Church. The spread that had been laid out for us was so abundant that I sincerely wished I hadn't eaten breakfast at the hotel. As The Entourage stood in the frame of their new-church-in-progress and met the people of this dynamic and growing church we heard stories of excitement and anticipation as their community expands and seeks new ways to serve.

On this leg of the journey I met someone amazing: Joan Kennedy, founder of the Knitting Nancys. This group of approximately 15 people started when one of the younger parishioners asked Joan to teach her to crochet, and interest in yarnwork began increasing in the parish. The Knitting Nancys now meet every week and have created blankets for newborns at the local hospital and clinic, donated handmade caps for sailors, and have made lap blankets for hospital patients. Talking with Joan was a wonderful reminder of how God uses what gifts and talents we already have in order to serve and love others as Jesus did for us.

After coffee and questions (which I shall post in more detail tomorrow) all went to the small church for a spirited time of worship. The Spirit is clearly at work in this wonderful community and it was a true blessing to participate in the Holy Eucharist here. After too short a time we were back on the bus for the very long trip to Tonopah.

Cathy Deats finds a fellow ASL signer

Dan and Linda Edwards