wfn.org | Churches in Europe to elect next bishop in charge

[ENS@ecunet.org]

For more information contact:
Jan Nunley
Deputy Director
jnunley@dfms.org
http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens

2000-225

Churches in Europe to elect next bishop in charge

by Nell Toensmann

     (ENS) Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold has agreed to a 
request by the Convocation of American Churches in Europe to 
permit them to elect the next bishop in charge of the Episcopal 
Churches in Europe for the first time. 

     This decision enables the convocation to have a greatly 
expanded list of potential candidates for bishop. Historically, 
the position has been filled by an appointed part-time bishop, 
usually retired after serving in another diocese, with the 
responsibility of providing pastoral oversight to the American 
congregations in Europe. An exception to this was the appointment 
of the Rt. Rev. Edmond L. Browning as full-time bishop from 1970 
to 1973.

     With the arrival of the current bishop in charge, Jeffery W. 
Rowthorn, in January 1994, the position was increased to a full-
time appointment with greatly expanded responsibilities. The 
bishop's current portfolio includes building a closer working 
relationship with the other three Anglican jurisdictions in 
continental Europe--the Church of England, the Spanish Episcopal 
Reformed Church, and the Lusitanian Church of Portugal; forging 
closer ties with the Old Catholic and Porvoo Lutheran Churches of 
Scandinavia and the Baltic; and broadening the mission of the 
Episcopal Church in Europe, in addition to the primary 
responsibility of providing oversight and pastoral care to the 
existing congregations.

     Meeting in their annual convention in Nice, France from 
October 19-22, the delegates of the convocation churches passed a 
resolution requesting the presiding bishop to call for the 
election of the next bishop suffragan. The resolution was 
presented because of the convocation's unique standing in the 
church. Though not legally recognized as a diocese, it functions 
in many of the same ways as a diocese does within the United 
States, with eight churches, five mission congregations and four 
other-language ministries. One of the main differences is that 
the geographical area encompasses five European countries. The 
convocation is aligned with Province II (primarily New York and 
New Jersey dioceses, as well as Haiti and the Virgin Islands), 
but is unique in that it falls under the jurisdiction of the 
Presiding Bishop and has not until now shared fully in the choice 
of its bishop in charge.

     A search committee will now be established to begin 
selection of the next bishop in charge of the convocation. With 
Rowthorn's retirement at the end of December 2001, the 
convocation faces a challenge that must be addressed during the 
next twelve months. 

--Nell Toensmann is communications officer for the Convocation of 
American Churches in Europe.

Following is the letter that Bishop Rowthorn sent to the 
Convocation.

     December 6, 2000

     Dear Colleagues,

     On this feast of St. Nicholas I am delighted to report that 
the Convocation has just received a splendid Christmas present.

     In response to the resolution adopted by Convention in Nice 
on Saturday, October 21, the Presiding Bishop has now given his 
consent to the election of my successor as Bishop in Charge. The 
Episcopal Leadership Working Group is being asked to propose 
names to Bishop Griswold to assist him in forming the Search 
Committee. These names will be shared with the members of the 
Council of Advice for their reactions before being sent to the 
Presiding Bishop. However, the actual choice of the members of 
the Search Committee (how many members and who they are) will be 
for him to make.

     I have no doubt that several factors contributed to Bishop 
Griswold's decision:

    * the fact that the resolution was adopted by Convention with 
no votes against;

    * the extremely positive reports given to the Presiding Bishop 
by the three members of his staff who were present in Nice 
(Canons Carlson Gerdau, Patrick Mauney and David Perry);

    * the care with which the Episcopal Leadership Working Group 
prepared the set of documents requested by the Presiding Bishop 
following the adoption of the resolution (and, of course, their 
work over the past year and more);

    * the excellence of the video which Michele Spike prepared 
with your help and with financial assistance from the three 
Boards;

    * the spirit which marked the meeting of the Boards in New 
York on November 14;

     * and, I suspect, the Presiding Bishop's very positive 
experience when he worshiped at St. Paul's in Rome on November 
19. Taken together, these all made a profound impression on him 
and the outcome is an answer to our hopes and prayers.

     The coming year will be a moment of unprecedented 
opportunity for us in our life and witness together here in 
Europe. As I said in my sermon at our final Eucharist in Nice, so 
I say again in the name of us all: "Come, Holy Spirit, come!"

     With great joy and affection,
     Your brother in Christ
     The Rt. Rev. Jeffery Rowthorn
     Bishop in Charge