Author: ECCT Storyteller

August 9, 2021

Dear Companions in Christ,

As co-chairs of the Bishop Transition Committee (BTC), we write to inform you about our on-going work as a committee. Our transition process is a spiritual one and is anchored in prayer as we discern God’s call to those candidates who will be led to discern with us. Thank you for trusting us with this vital work as we discern together our next bishop and where God is calling the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (ECCT). Our committee is passionate and will soon call upon each of you to help us in this process. We are also grateful to Bishop Ian for his ministry and all he has taught us. We continue to hold him in prayer as he approaches his retirement in October 2022.

We have organized ourselves into five subcommittees. Each subcommittee has chosen chair/s who work to prepare meeting agendas and coordinate meeting dates with their subcommittee members. The Discernment/Information-gathering subcommittee will be conducting listening sessions throughout ECCT in order to hear from you. Working in concert with the Discernment/Information-gathering subcommittee are the Profile, Interview/Screening, Education/Communication, and Discernment Retreat subcommittees. The Executive Committee of the BTC consists of the chairs of each subcommittee and serves to oversee the communication between subcommittees. Other subcommittees will be formed as needed.

To facilitate information sharing, both across ECCT and with those exploring a call to Connecticut as our next bishop, we have created a website which will launch in the coming days. In addition, we encourage you sign up to receive the BTC eNews. Both will provide helpful information and be the platform for you to share your questions and wonderings with the BTC. Knowing our work is highly confidential, we still strive for transparency. The BTC website and eNews will allow us to provide updates on a regular basis while still maintaining appropriate confidentiality for those exploring a call to be our next bishop diocesan. We are excited to partner in this work with you and will be including a brief bio and photo of each member of our team on the new BTC website. Working alongside the BTC in this process is a consultant from The Episcopal Church’s Office of Pastoral Development, Blanca Silvestrini. We are also served by chaplains from Bethany House, under the direction of Julia Slayton, Executive Director of Bethany House. With God’s help and these guides, we move forward.

As we look toward the future, we remind you to save two dates on your calendar:

May 21, 2022:
Special Convention to elect the
XVI Bishop Diocesan of the Episcopal Church of Connecticut

October 8, 2022:
Ordination/Consecration of the
XVI Bishop Diocesan of the Episcopal Church of Connecticut.

As we noted earlier, the process of discerning ECCT’s next bishop diocesan is one anchored in prayer. We invite you to join us in “A Prayer for the Election of our XVI Diocesan Bishop,” found below, in your personal devotions and in your parish or worshipping community’s “Prayers of the People.” We thank you for your prayers, and we need them.

With blessings,

Marsha Adell and the Rev. Linda Spiers
Bishop Transition Committee Co-Chairs

A Prayer for the Election of our XVI Diocesan Bishop

God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, without you nothing can be done. Send your Holy Spirit to guide the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, especially the Bishop Transition Committee, during this time of transition. Bless and continue the good work begun in your name. Open the committee’s ears to the hurts and hopes expressed to them and broaden our vision to see where you lead. Enliven their hearts with honesty and compassion to do the work that lies ahead, within our church and beyond its walls. Grant us the gifts of wisdom, humility, and empathy. Guide the committee as they discern your will for a new shepherd, inspirational leader, and willing advocate as we further your work in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. Bless and be with our bishop, Ian, as he transitions to a new life serving you. Bless our candidates. Bestow them with the abilities to lead and serve. Let us learn from them and they from us, so we may live your word serving all. All this we pray through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God now and forever. Amen

April 7, 2021

To the Bishops, Clergy, and People of the Episcopal Church in CT:

Today, the Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas, Ph.D. announced his intention to retire as Bishop Diocesan effective October 2022. In consultation with the bishops, the Standing Committee issues this notice to announce the anticipated vacancy in the office of Bishop Diocesan.

We have begun the steps required by the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut; (Canon XVI: Section 1-8), for the Bishop Transition Process. As part of that process, we call for the formation of a Bishop Transition Committee (“BTC”), which will be responsible for the nomination of candidates for XVI Bishop Diocesan, the consecration of the new bishop, and the transition process generally.

“The BTC shall consist of twenty-four members who are adult communicants in good standing, or members of the clergy in good standing canonically resident in our Diocese, selected as follows:

A) Twelve members selected by the Regions, with each Region selecting one lay person who is a member of a Parish or Worshipping Community in the Region, and one clergy person living or working in the Region;
B) Twelve members selected by the Mission Council from a pool of twenty-four lay or clergy persons nominated by the Standing Committee, giving priority to members of the Diocesan Ministry Networks; the resulting group of 12 shall include at least four lay persons and at least four clergy persons.”
(Canon XVI:2)

We request persons interested in being nominated by the Standing Committee to serve on the BTC to submit their names, parish or worshiping community affiliation, contact information (daytime phone, email, and mailing address), and a statement (no more than one paragraph) outlining the assets they would bring to the Bishop Transition Process. Please submit this information to the Secretary of the Standing Committee, Nancy Staniewicz at staniewicz@sbcglobal.net no later than April 19, 2021 at 12 pm.

The Standing Committee will review the submissions and will nominate 24 candidates to the Mission Council by April 22, 2021, giving priority to members of the Diocesan Ministry Networks as required by Canon XVI, Section 2(B). The Mission Council will then select 12 members of the BTC from the Standing Committee’s pool of twenty-four nominees by April 26, 2021 and submit them to the Secretary of the Diocese, The Rev. Sandra Cosman. The Regions will also submit the names of the members of the BTC that each Region has selected to the Secretary of the Diocese by April 26, 2021.

The Bishop Transition Committee for the Election of the XVI Bishop Diocesan will be announced to the diocese by April 27, 2021 and the first meeting will be convened by the President of the Standing Committee, The Rev. Rowena Kemp, on May 6, 2021.

The Standing Committee has also consulted with and advised Bishop Ian on the electing Convention for the XVI Bishop Diocesan, and have consented to holding that convention on May 21, 2022.

We thank Bishop Ian for his faithful and innovative service to our diocese, and we ask that you pray for the leaders who will be raised up in the process.

Faithfully,

The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut

---

Abril 7, 2021

A los Obispos, el Clero y la Gente de la Iglesia Episcopal en Connecticut:

Hoy, el Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas, Ph.D. anunció su intención de retirarse como Obispo Diocesano a partir de octubre de 2022. En consulta con los obispos, el Comité Permanente emite este aviso para anunciar la vacante anticipada en la oficina de Obispo Diocesano.

Hemos comenzado los pasos requeridos por la Constitución y los Cánones de la Iglesia Episcopal en Connecticut; (Canon XVI: Sección 1-8), para el Proceso de Transición del Obispo. Como parte de ese proceso, pedimos la formación de un Comité de Transición de Obispo (“BTC”), que será responsable de la nominación de candidatos para el XVI Obispo Diocesano, la consagración del nuevo obispo y el proceso de transición en general.

“El BTC constará de veinticuatro miembros que sean comulgantes adultos en regla, o miembros del clero en regla que residan canónicamente en nuestra Diócesis, seleccionados de la siguiente manera:

A) Doce miembros seleccionados por las Regiones, con cada Región seleccionando un laico que sea miembro de una Parroquia o Comunidad de Adoración en la Región, y un clérigo que viva o trabaje en la Región;
B) Doce miembros seleccionados por el Consejo de Misión de un grupo de veinticuatro laicos o clérigos nominados por el Comité Permanente, dando prioridad a los miembros de las Redes de Ministerios Diocesanos; el grupo resultante de 12 incluirá al menos cuatro laicos y al menos cuatro clérigos ”.
(Canon XVI: 2)

Solicitamos a las personas interesadas en ser nominadas por el Comité Permanente para servir en el BTC que envíen sus nombres, afiliación parroquial o comunitaria de adoración, información de contacto (teléfono durante el día, correo electrónico y dirección postal) y una declaración (no más de un párrafo). describiendo los activos que aportarían al proceso de transición del obispo. Envíe esta información a la Secretaria del Comité Permanente, Nancy Staniewicz a staniewicz@sbcglobal.net a más tardar el 19 de abril de 2021 a las 12 pm.

El Comité Permanente revisará las presentaciones y nominará a 24 candidatos al Consejo de Misión antes del 22 de abril de 2021, dando prioridad a los miembros de las Redes de Ministerios Diocesanos como lo requiere el Canon XVI, Sección 2 (B). El Consejo de Misión luego seleccionará a 12 miembros del BTC del grupo de veinticuatro nominados del Comité Permanente antes del 26 de abril de 2021 y los presentará a la Secretaria de la Diócesis, la Rev. Sandra Cosman. Las Regiones también enviarán los nombres de los miembros del BTC que cada Región haya seleccionado al Secretario de la Diócesis antes del 26 de abril de 2021.

El Comité de Transición del Obispo para la Elección del XVI Obispo Diocesano se anunciará a la diócesis antes del 27 de abril de 2021 y la primera reunión será convocada por la Presidenta del Comité Permanente, la Rev. Rowena Kemp, el 6 de mayo de 2021.

El Comité Permanente también ha consultado y asesorado al Obispo Ian sobre la elección de la Convención para el XVI Obispo Diocesano, y ha aceptado celebrar esa convención el 21 de mayo de 2022.

Agradecemos al obispo Ian por su servicio fiel e innovador a nuestra diócesis, y le pedimos que ore por los líderes que se levantarán en el proceso.

Fielmente,

El Comité Permanente de la Iglesia Episcopal en Connecticut