bishop

This is my Wednesday blogpost, the earlier one was rubbish, don’t read it. I’m certainly not going to, I’m not even going to bother deleting it.

Yesterday I had the great joy of confirming to myself that there is still wisdom in my heritage, the Episcopal Church. I’ve served under several bishops and watched several episcopal elections, and always known capable and deserving local priests, and wondered why the discerners chose as candidates, and the diocese elected as bishops, a stranger “who knew not Joseph.” 

This time in our diocese I was delighted to see among the candidates, and finally as our elected bishop, a hometown boy from just up the road a piece, Russell Kendrick, from Fort Walton Beach. He comes immediately from a parish in Birmingham, Diocese of Alabama, but we chose Russell to be a priest, and we know Russell, and Russell knows us. He will not be wandering around for months or a couple years meeting us and learning about us. Russell is back home, and I am beyond delighted.

Russell met for lunch with local area clergy yesterday, my first time seeing him again probably since his ordination at Nativity, Dothan I don’t remember how many years ago. I am so proud of our bishop committee, and of our electors. 

For clergy, starting out with a new bishop is always a tense period of wait and watch and keep your fingers crossed and your mouth shut. Sometimes you get an arrogant horses patootey, I saw it happen once in an adjoining diocese (no names). But we are starting out with a friend who already knows us and all our parishes, and our strengths, and maybe was out of the diocese long enough to forget most of our quirks. We already love him and don’t have to stand around on pins and needles wondering what we’ve done to ourselves. What a blessing. 

Wednesday II

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