Final Bishop Candidate Meeting

The final 5 hour long

Bishop Candidate presentation was this afternoon. The election for the 3rd
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino
Real (ECR) is on Saturday, 16 June. I think this week’s discernment process
has been moving and fascinating for all involved. Two of the candidates
mentioned this in their final statements. One said that ours was the 25th meeting
she had this week but that the time had gone so quickly, it was a wonderful
experience, a gift for which she was grateful. Another said that the process had
been a moment of grace in her life, exciting, challenging and a wonderful experience.

At each of the four meetings I have attended (16 hours in all), I learned
something new about the 5 candidates. There was great variety in their level of
inspiration and energy from session to session. The
All Saints’ (Palo Alto) lay delegates and
clergy attended at least one meeting each and most went to several. Eight of us
had dinner tonight after the final presentation to discuss our thoughts and evaluations.

I already wrote some of my impressions in my

9 June blog. What I have heard and seen in addition today:

1. 
   The Reverend Paige Blair “Effervescent Paige”
   
   Ministry themes include reaching the unreached, and listening
   
   
   God doesn’t want us to waste any of our gifts
   
   
   Mind, body, spirit
   
   
   Spoke of holding a
   “U2charist” (communion service with
   U2 music) expecting 400 attendees and getting
   800 instead (raised $4100)
   
   
   MDGs and Matthew 25:
   “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ ‘…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'”
   
   
   Sees the ECR diocese as ready to live into its potential
   
   
   I am older than I look. I am tougher than I look
   
2. 
   The Reverend David Breuer “Hometown David”
   
   Technological eptitude
   
   
   Being intentional, authentic
   
   
   Church is at the center of life, not its circumference
   
   
   Reciprocal authority of the Bishop comes from the community of the baptized
   
   
   Fixing deferred maintenance
   
   
   Moses as a model for leadership: look ahead to a place of new
   self-definition and knowledge of God’s purpose for us
   
   
   Transparent church walls
   
   
   MDGs,
   SMUM – Make a society where it is easier to be good
   
   
   ECR is in a place of balance, of health as a result of the work of its
   clergy and people
   
3. 
   The Venerable Mary Gray-Reeves “Venerable Mary”
   
   A priest’s sacramental goal is to bless and feed
   
   
   Experiencing God’s grace, loving the unloveable
   
   
   The reconciling presence of Christ is bigger than our conflict, hold on
   to our faith in that, not onto our rightness or wrongness
   
   
   Enters the text of the Bible through the Gospels and through Jesus, her
   savior and saving grace
   
4. 
   The Reverend Gale Davis Morris “Grandma Gale”
   
   No final decision alone, out of community context, reach a decision
   we can all live with
   
   
   Sad that Bishops are becoming only good administrators, not pastors
   
   
   Trust, authenticity, mutual respect in diocescan relationships
   
   
   Come for the food, stay for the company
   
   
   MDGs are a worthy and
   faithful endeavour
   
   
   Believes in the resurrection of the diocese of ECR
   
5. 
   The Reverend John Palarine “Quiet John”
   
   In the diverse center of the church, committed to bringing everyone
   into the conversation
   
   
   Reconciler
   
   
   People feel heard, values are not compromised
   
   
   Deal with difficult issues with clergy, not just “Kumbaya” and cupcakes
   
   
   Build churches through spirituality, sharing each other’s journeys
   
   
   3 phases for a youth program: create vision, raise up adult leaders,
   youth-lead youth ministry