The Diocesan Dialogue
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December 2006

New Presiding Bishop Begins Ministry with Help from Utahns

The gates at the west doors of Washington National Cathedral opened shortly after 11 a.m. on November 4 and Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori stepped fully into her new ministry as the Episcopal Church's 26th Presiding Bishop, calling all members of the Church into deepened service and "shalom."

After Washington Bishop John Chane and Cathedral Dean Samuel Lloyd opened the cathedral's doors in response to Jefferts Schori's three knocks, Jill Beesley, outgoing president of the Diocese of Nevada's Standing Committee and her successor, the Rev. James Kelly, presented Jefferts Schori as their diocese's "bishop, chief pastor, and sister in Christ" and sent her forth to be the Presiding Bishop.

"My brothers and sisters, as we begin this new season of ministry, may our celebration recall us to the unity that is given in Baptism and nurtured by the Eucharist," she said. "May we rejoice in the many gifts enriching the life of our Church and be strengthened to proclaim the Good News of Christ in the world."

The Rt. Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish, Bishop of Utah, served as one of aspersing bishops during the renewal of Baptismal Vows.

She described the service "as a very happy time, an amazing event!"

The Rev. Richard Mendez of Church of the Holy Spirit in Randlett, and Lena Duncan, originally from Whiterocks, were among the Native Americans who performed a smudging ceremony at the start of the liturgy. Mendez and the Rev. Johnson Loud smudged the altar as part of ceremony.

As Presiding Bishop, Jefferts Schori, 52, becomes chief pastor to the U.S.-based Episcopal Church, which includes more than 2.4 million members in some 7,600 congregations in 110 dioceses and one convocation of churches in Europe, spanning 16 countries.

During her homily, Jefferts Schori called the Church to her vision of "shalom." A report on her sermon appears on Page 27 of Episcopal Life. Other coverage of the event appears throughout the newspaper.

Episcopal News Service contributed significantly to this report.

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