THE BISHOP'S BLOG
February
1, 2005
Feast of Brigid of Kildare
Welcome to the Bishop’s Blog -- an informal journal that I will update, from time to time, for posting on our diocesan website. In it I'll record my activities and observations along the way of the John 10:10 Pilgrimage ('Looking for Life in all the Right Churches') that I began in October 2003.
Begininng
the year with Handel 
January was a busy month: some travel, several special services,
a blizzard, and a couple of percussion performances along
the way. I began the New Year with a visit to the Parish
of St. John the Evangelist in Duxbury, Massachusetts. My
dear friend and seminary classmate the Rev. Michael J. Marrone
celebrated his final service prior to his retirement on January
9. Michael had asked last year if I could be present and
take part. It was a glorious ending to a 17 year-old partnership
between Michael and St. John’s. The three-hour (!)
Liturgy ended with the Choir singing the 'Amen' chorus from
Handel’s Messiah. At Michael’s request, I played
the timpani part. It was great fun and a real privilege to
congratulate parish and priest on a good run, together.
House
of Bishops, Salt Lake City
I attended the meeting of the House of Bishops in Salt Lake
City, January 12-13, for the purpose of beginning our discussion
of the Windsor Report of the Lambeth Commission on Communion.
It was a good beginning. There were 142 bishops present.
We saw a breadth of participation that I had not witnessed
in the meetings in 2004. I believe that the Word
to the Church statement is a fair and accurate reflection
of the substance and the tenor of our conversations. On the
following Sunday, it was my privilege to preach at St. Bartholomew’s
in Cherry Hill, thanks to the invitation of the Rev. Peter
Manzo. I used the occasion to report on the meeting of the
bishops. I intend to post that report on the website in the
near future. 
Ordinations,
new ministries, celebrations, and visitations
January was a month for ordinations and celebrations. It
was my joy to ordain to the priesthood the Rev. Petrina Pyatt
and the Rev. Valerie Redpath (on January 15th); and the Rev.
Nancy Hite-Speck (on January 23rd). Nancy’s ordination
took place at St. Mark’s, Basking Ridge, on the day
following the blizzard. There were about 50 hearty souls
in church that morning and all was done with great joy, in
good order, with good humor.
Last month also saw the Seating of the Very Rev. Diane Nancekivell as Dean of Trinity Cathedral. It was a great day and a wonderful celebration of a Diane’s strong, loving, and wise leadership for our Cathedral. I thought of the Collect for Ordinations: Let the world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up; and things which had grown old are being made new; and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
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It was an honor to preside at the Celebration of a New Ministry between the people of Trinity, Cranford and the Rev. Patricia Eustis. I was happy for Patricia and her husband Gus and all the people of God. It was good to see Bishop and Mrs. Pettit, who were at Trinity from 1972 to 1981.
I
made my first official Visitation to St. Paul’s,
Westfield, on January 30th. Thanks to the Rev. Andrew
Hamersley and many lay leaders, they are in the final
stages of a beautiful renovation of their worship space.
They had made a lot of progress since I was there on
December 19th for the Ordination of the Rev. William
Thiele. 
Anniversaries,
budgets, conventions -- and a Bishop's Ball
I invite your prayers and thanksgivings for Bishop Belshaw,
who celebrates the 30th anniversary of his Consecration as
Bishop on February 3rd. Thanks be to God!
Last week the Diocesan Council approved the proposed budget for 2005 and the preliminary budget for 2006. These will be presented to Clergy and Lay Delegates at a series of Pre-Convention meetings over the next several weeks, along with reports of other Committees and a general orientation to our Diocesan Convention, March 4-5. Please note that our Keynote Speaker this year will be Professor Horace Clarence Boyer, Ph.D., and General Editor of Lift Every Voice and Sing II.
I
enjoyed a wonderful day with our Christian Educators
at the Cathedral last Saturday, where our featured speaker
was the Rev. Dr. Melford E. (Bud) Holland, Jr., of the
Episcopal Church Center staff. God bless all those who
teach in our Church Schools.
The
highlight of all these highlights was the 46th Annual
Bishop’s Ball, also held at the Cathedral last
Friday night. (Did you know that the Cathedral hosted
over 60 diocesan events in 2004?). Kep Short and the
Youth Council worked very hard to prepare for this traditional
gathering. We were blessed by the performance of musician
Paula Larke. It was my delight to play my new conga drums
(a Christmas present from Ruth!) on one number with Paula,
who was most gracious toward this amateur. 
Speaking of youth, I welcome your prayers for the Acolyte Festival, to be held this Saturday, February 5th.
So, this is the beginning of an ongoing record of some of the aspects of this ministry, in which I am privileged to serve, with the help of your prayers, my dear friends in Christ.
On St. Brigid’s Day, I leave you with a famous excerpt of her vision of life in heaven.
I should like a great lake of ale, for the King of kings. I should like the angels of heaven to be drinking through time eternal. I should like excellent meats of belief and pure piety. Barrels of peace. Vessels of love. Cellars of mercy. I should like cheerfulness to be in their drinking. I should like Jesus to be there among them. I should like the people of Heaven, the poor, to be gathered around us from all parts. That’s what I would like.
Dean Alan Jones adds these comments: 'We are all befriended. We are here to befriend others.' (from Sacrifice and Delight).
Right onward!
+George