1998 Address

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251 Danielson Pike • North Scituate, Rhode Island 02857

ADDRESS TO THE 208TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION
RT. REV. GERALYN WOLF
OCTOBER 24, 1998

Review of Past Year
During my address last year, I offered you a banquet table of possibilities, and many of you were thankful for the vision that I set before our diocese. For those of you who may not have heard or read that address, I spoke at some length on evangelism, stewardship, education, the full participation of children in worship, the distinctive ministries of priests and deacons, the role of the diocesan office, the inclusion of young adults at every level of our life, and the state of our parishes.

Through a series of observations and goals, my intention was to create an atmosphere in which conversations would unfold. Though my 1997 address offered a vision that may take an entire episcopate to fulfill, I believe that those remarks are as relevant today as they were then.

We have realized some of the fruits of that vision:

FAM, Financial Assistance to Missions, is developing a mission strategy for the diocese, with the guidance of a consultant;
with a FAM grant three parishes have begun a Coventry Area Project, exploring joint initiatives which may serve as a model for the development of a shared approach to ministry;
commitment to a three year diocesan budget cycle which will clarify procedures and increase accountability;
working to secure outside audits for every parish on a three year cycle, to assure accuracy in reporting and consistency in determining parochial assessments;
negotiated the sale of 10 Brown Street, with closing anticipated for the end of November, 1998;
published the report of the Commission on Ministry, to guide those discerning Christian vocation;
started the new wrap-around format for RISEN, our diocesan newspaper;
negotiated new diocesan insurance plans in comprehensive health care, and blanket property and casualty coverage;
negotiated bulk purchasing plan for office supplies;
initiated TV Ad Campaign, with refinements in design and broadcasting new advertisements will be aired in Lent;
appointed a task force to study nursing home ministry throughout the diocese;
led a pilgrimage to Taizé in which seventeen young adults participated, invited one young adult to serve on the Commission on Ministry; and
initiated at this convention, the diocesan web page.

None of this could have happened without the dedication of my staff, and the laudatory commitment of so many of you throughout the diocese. I am very grateful for your efforts on behalf of the whole community.

Beyond diocesan initiatives, various parishes and deaneries have made a concerted effort in many areas, especially, stewardship, education, the place of children in worship, and communications.

Focus for the Future
This year, instead of a banquet table of possibilities, I am offering a focal point: Christian formation. Christian formation is the process of being formed in Jesus Christ, as understood through our Anglican heritage, its history, traditions, and communal experience and reason. It is the process of being formed and shaped in the heart and mind of Christ as understood and expressed through the Church, the Body of Christ in time and space.

In the past twenty-five years, the Church has placed a strong emphasis on lay ministry. Its primary articulation has been through a series of episcopal licensing for liturgical participation, the shared and older practice of church governance, and the very important contributions of volunteers on every level of church life. But function and formation are not the same.

Christian formation is both spiritual and educational. During this quarter century, there have been many fine programs for spiritual development that have enriched the life of the Church. But the further empowerment of the laity resides in a recommitment to educational formation that will lead to a revitalization of ministry in all its forms.

My experience at General Convention in 1997 and the Lambeth Conference in 1998, suggests that without a clear understanding of our beliefs as received by this branch of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church, we shall surely rely on emotionalism, the influence of the mass media, and those sound bites of biblical reference that neglect the fullness of God's Word.

Even with a rich program of adult Christian education there will be profound differences of opinion. And, so it has been for 2,000 years. But, let our conversations be built on the fundamental principles and texts of our Anglican tradition, and the continuing dialogue within our Communion and with our ecumenical and interfaith partners. I am seeking nothing less than the empowerment of the laity of the church. Real empowerment, empowerment that goes beyond licensing, tasks and committee membership. Empowerment formed through knowledge.

It is the same for the ordained, including the bishop. We must be intentional about continuing education: the development of new skills, the gathering and understanding of new information, filling in the gaps of our learning – which we all have, and purposeful study in the foundations of our tradition.

Challenge to the Churches
During this Church Year of Advent 1998 to Christ the King Sunday, 1999, being the last Sunday after Pentecost, it is my hope that every parish and mission in our diocese will take an active and intentional role in fostering Christian Formation. Borrowing a thought from the Rule of St. Benedict, every parish should be "a school for learning." (St. Benedict was referring to every monastery.)

Let us be challenged to provide opportunities for adult education on a consistent basis in every parish church, moving towards the goal of a weekly Sunday offering. May there be educational programs in our deaneries and diocese on a yearly or seasonal basis. Let us learn the theological and practical implications of the great teachings of our church: the Incarnation, the Paschal Mystery, the Reign or Kingdom of God, the Trinity, the Baptismal Covenant, and how to read and interpret God's Word.

Our faith is compelling, demanding, and life-giving. And I want you to know more about it, so that together we will make a difference in our various communities and the world in which we live.

This year of formation is not an end in itself. Let it be a serious preparation of our minds and souls so that we may enter upon a time of Jubilee in the year 2000. A year when our focus will be outside ourselves.

Jesus Christ, God's Word made flesh, came into the world, acknowledging the goodness of creation, recognizing the power of sin and evil, and offering the gift of redemption. This is surely the abbreviated Cliff Notes of the Incarnation. Our willingness to let Christ be born in us and to carry out his mission in the world, are two of the manifestations of this fundamental teaching.

I am calling for education and formation that leads to an active social witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Late nineteenth and early twentieth century Anglican Catholics and Evangelicals offer us an example of vigorous Christian witness firmly rooted in the basic teachings of the church. The fruits of their conviction can be seen in the hospitals they built, the schools they initiated, the mission churches they served, the re- establishment of Anglican religious communities, and the foreign missionary ventures to which they dedicated their lives.

"Live in Christ Jesus: Transform the World," our diocesan vision statement, clearly articulates an inner journey that leads to an outward and visible witness.

Rosemary Ruether, a Roman Catholic lay theologian said, "A Church that opts for the poor is one that must learn anew what it means to be baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ. For this Church, the cross has ceased to be a golden and jeweled decoration on a church wall, and has become the living reality that Christians bear in their bodies."

Hope for the Faithful
The Paschal Mystery, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, reminds us that we are a church that honors suffering, unites with death in all its forms, and refuses to believe that suffering and death is our destiny. If it be the will of God that our hearts be broken, it could only mean that we were on the way to our deepest joy. (Inspired by Archbp Michael Ramsey). This is our faith.

The Bread which we break Sunday by Sunday is our participation in the life of Christ. The Altar table reminds us of all the other tables in the world, but most of them are nearly empty. Let this year of intentional education and formation, prepare us for the Jubilee, for the year when we take the Christ of our hearts to the heart of the marketplace. A year when "The conversion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is the symbol and the foretaste of the transformation of the material world." (Kenneth Leech, Eye of the Storm, p. 228)

Being formed in Christ, is at the core of our responsibility as the community of the baptized."How might we do this?" Please consider these suggestions which I hope will encourage thoughts and conversations in your church.

Each of you has an incredible resource – at least one person in your church has had three years of formal theological education, and amongst other things, is called by vows taken at ordination to be a teacher: your priest. To all parochial priests in our diocese, exercise this important office of your priesthood, offering your own gifts and coordinating the teaching skills of others.
Whatever you do, keep it simple (but not simplistic), realistic, and focused. This is education for ministry, not for academic certification.
Don't worry about numbers. Begin with those who are interested.
Use time creatively. Almost every parish has a "Coffee Hour." As a gentle beginning, consider taking twenty minutes for a brief teaching.
Every parish has Prayer Books, and our Prayer Book is an excellent resource for our theology.
Most people read the newspaper, and through its pages we can learn to view the news of the world through the eyes of faith.

Weren't we all shocked by the recent murder of Matthew Shepard, a student at the University of Wyoming, and an acknowledged homosexual? Regardless of your thoughts on homosexuality, what matters is how you acknowledge and live out the question asked of you in the baptismal covenant: "Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?" Here is where theology, faith, and daily life intersect.

Jesus said that he calls us friends because he has told us everything that was told to him by his father. Knowing the story of faith is crucial to its proclamation. Our empowerment as Christ's disciples is not rooted in tasks and decision making, but in understanding the foundations of our faith out of which decisions are made with wisdom and substance, and tasks undertaken with greater insight and conviction.

The Psalmist says, "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth." For some people and churches this will be an affirmation of what they are already doing. For others it will be a challenge. (Ps. 88:11)

Episcopal Initiative
On the day of my ordination as a Bishop I was asked this question by the Presiding Bishop, "Will you boldly proclaim and interpret the Gospel of Christ, enlightening the minds and stirring up the conscience of your people?"

In partial fulfillment of that promise, I proclaim these thoughts today. In collegiality with others, I offer the following for the enlightening of minds and the stirring up of conscience:

With the approval of the 1999 budget, the development of a Resource Center will begin in earnest. This will allow us to have a central location for materials and resources which could be viewed on sight and borrowed for parish use. With a rapidly growing inventory of educational supplies, no one parish need absorb the cost of videos, software, paper materials, etc. The resources will be geared for people of all ages, including adults, and will be expressive of a variety of viewpoints held within our Church.
Beginning in early January, 1999 there will be a new full time staff position, entitled, Canon for Christian Formation. This person will be the Director of the Episcopal Conference Center, will develop and coordinate a comprehensive youth and young adult ministry, will supervise the development of the resource center, will work with the center in Christian formation and ministry development, reporting directly to the bishop. It is my privilege to announce that The Rev. Canon Roy Green will serve in this position.
Last convention, I said that a committee would be formed to help us plan for a year of education in 1999 and a year of action in the year 2000. Several people approached me last November, and a Jubilee Committee was formed. They are a small committee with an extraordinary vision, with members representing each deanery. They have planned a two year program entitled, "Voices of Vision." Their hope is to bring to our diocese well known people of prophetic voice and witness who will speak to us of faith and social action. I had hoped to announce the name of the first speaker at this convention, but I am not at liberty to name those who have accepted our invitation until a formal contract has been signed. We are working with Brown University and the Providence Journal in our efforts, and have called upon many people in our state and diocese to assist us in this venture. We plan on a minimum of four major presentations, with follow up educational programs designed for parish use.
Our priests are our parish teachers, and our deacons are called to speak with a prophetic voice. In my teaching role as Bishop, I am inaugurating an annual Advent Quiet Day and Pre-Lenten Retreat. This Advent I will lead a reflection on the Kingdom or Reign of God, with a special Saturday component for our deacons. The Pre-Lenten retreat will be for parish priests. Its focus will be on community, relationships, and authority in parish ministry, led by Esther de Waal, noted lay theologian and author.
In 1999 and 2000, I will make only one official visitation each Sunday. This is a change from my previous practice of two Sunday visitations so that I can have time to extend my teaching ministry. After the liturgy and some light refreshments, I would like the opportunity to teach in each parish, the topic and length of time to be determined in consultation with the parish priest and those working in Christian formation.
I am in communication with Archbishop Samuel, from Pakistan, Bishop Prudence from Rwanda, and now, Bishop Simon Chiwanga from Tanzania, so that we can continue the conversations which we began at Lambeth. This is a special and intentional commitment, to keep the spirit of Lambeth alive, especially since each of us will participate in the next Lambeth Conference.

Life in Communion
We are a church in communion with the See of Canterbury. We are part of a larger community of faith. It extends from our parish altars, to churches in Tanzania, Ireland, and Argentina, and throughout the globe. It moves from conversations amongst vestry and committee members, to those witnesses of old who gathered at the ancient councils of Nicea and Chalcedon. It is a Church of the Exodus, moving on a divinely guided pilgrimage from all that enslaves our hearts to all that speaks of transformation in Christ. It is a community of different colors, languages, and political tensions. As individuals we have our ideas and convictions but as the household of faith, the community of the baptized, we have committed ourselves to the wisdom of the Church. And like the Church in every age, we shall struggle with interpretations, cultural influences, and personal dispositions of dazzling array. Communion is a challenge to be embraced. Communion creates the tension that drives our creativity. Living in Communion, worldwide Communion, diocesan Communion, is a gift of humility. For none of us is the center of the universe.

The resolutions of the Lambeth Conference were many and far-reaching. They have implications for our diocese, which I will commend to Canon Green and the resource center so that we may all learn from and discuss the messages conveyed by the bishops of our Church.

Conclusion
Faith means to be overwhelmed by God, so that we place our trust and confidence in the power of the Trinity and not fall to the power of half truths, cynicism and the religious pessimism that surrounds us on every side.

In order to do this with confidence, we must understand Jesus' ministry. We need to understand the foundation of our faith so that we will feel secure in extending its message.

Saints Paul and Timothy in their letter to the Colossians wrote, "...you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, [be] rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Col. 2:6-7, 9)

These are words addressed to each one of us. 'Live your lives in union with Christ.' It is the Christian invitation. As John Main said, "[We are] not to admire from a distance, not even to worship from afar but to live "in union.' That is the redemptive invitation that the Gospel addresses directly to each one of us." (Main, Moment of Christ, p. 36)

How very grateful I am to join you in this ongoing journey of being formed in the image and likeness of God. Receiving Christ in you and through you has been a gift exceeding all my hopes. On my own, I would have only a glimpse of God's presence. With you, God's light is radiant and compelling. (Inspired by Brother Roger, Taizé) Together we live a spirituality of water and of fire, of cleansing and purifying, of renewal and rebirth. We are a people committed to facing an ever-changing world with a deep trust in God. Together, let us witness to the purposes of Christ, and rejoice in the challenges he has set before us. So says the Psalmist, "I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and glorify your Name for evermore."