The eCrozier

Tomorrow we have a special one-day convention to elect General Convention deputies and to decide on a diocesan budget for 2014. I won’t give the usual Bishop’s Address (I heard your sigh of relief) because, God willing, it’ll be a short and sweet convention. Instead, I’ll use this eCrozier to share some reflections now that the first quarter of my episcopate is complete. After almost four years as a bishop, I remain convinced that there are three primary tasks for any bishop: (1) Help build healthy, vibrant, mission-driven congregations so that disciples in a diocese incarnate God’s one-way love in their families, workplaces, and communities; (2) Shape the character of a diocese through sound teaching for what it means to follow Jesus and lead his church in a post-Christian context; and (3) Connect a diocese, as it’s appropriate, to the international life of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

While (2) and (3) above are certainly important, I see my most important task as (1) above. That’s why I believe I could do just a mediocre job at (2) and (3) and still have a faithful and effective episcopate even if all we do together is build healthy, vibrant, mission-driven congregations. This can’t be just one priority in a list of many priorities for a bishop. It has to be, as the TV ad says: “Job One.” So, if I’m not putting most of my energy into this, then I’m simply not doing the job God and the people of Georgia called me to do and I should look for other work. I think I am focusing my energies on “Job One,” but I can and must do better.

I don’t wish to be critical of my fellow bishops, but I feel that some, after awhile, begin to spend way too much time outside their dioceses speaking at church gatherings, serving on boards, or pursuing important work for peace and justice. While those pursuits are worthy, they’re also distracting and time-consuming, which may be what these bishops are looking for since any bishop can become frustrated when life in their own diocese isn’t going the way they had first hoped, when things they wanted to change haven’t changed, or when some folk are just difficult to work with. I understand how the grass may seem greener outside the diocese, or at least easier to mow. It’s hard, sometimes frustrating, and always time-consuming work to build healthy, vibrant, mission-driven congregations.

But this started out as a Love Letter, so let me say clearly how much I love being the Bishop of this Diocese. I love it even when it’s hard and frustrating. Sure, God’s mission in our congregations isn’t growing as fast as I’d like it to grow and that’s sometimes hard for me to accept. Besides, some of you just aren’t all that easy to work with (you have no doubt said the same about me! I wish that darn bishop would just cut it out). In all this, though, I’ve grown to love y’all. You’re some of the most committed disciples of Jesus I’ve ever met. Your willingness to hang in there with one another (and me), to be open to God’s future, and to live by God’s amazing grace is an abiding source of spiritual renewal for me. Let’s keep this going!

+Scott