And in more ways than one, for on a personal note - I have never attended and participated in the election of a bishop before now. (Remember that other parts of the Anglican Communion do it differently, if at all!) I had grumbled at the crack of dawn start and the early drive on a Saturday, but gathering with some five hundred delegates and visitors, not to mention the press and general media, in the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City was an unforgettable experience. It was not just the gathering and the music and the electricity in the air, it was the tangible fact that we were making history in what has been a fractured diocese, and doing so as a people craving a sense of direction and unity. Plus, doing it in the most gorgeous neo-gothic cathedral in the United States may have added to the sense of occasion !
Elected? The Reverend Lawrence C. Provenzano from Massachusetts. And on only the second ballot. An overwhelming acclamation from both clergy and lay delegates. A vote for something, and something new.
That's it. I'm exhausted. A great day over, and not only a sermon still to finish, but today's Bishop-Electing Gossip to catch up with on Facebook! (And come to think of it - with a name like Provenzano, I bet he likes excellent Italian food!)
1 comment:
Tim, I found your new blog, thanks to Saintly Ramblings. It was a joy to meet him in Leeds. He gave me a hilariously funny packet with a calendar, postcards, refrigerator magnets, etc. from a certain website. Soon, I shall post a picture of me laughing at the calendar.
Congratulations on the election of your new bishop! I pray that your diocese grows in the love and knowledge of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
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