Diocese of New Jersey | Bishop Councell

Fogelman Conference Centre, University of Memphis I am writing from the Fogelman Executive Conference Center at the University of Memphis, where I am attending a course in the College for Bishops — a program of the Office of Pastoral Development of the House of Bishops. There are 20 of us new bishops from all across the US, including the Bishop-elect of the Virgin Islands, along with three Canadian bishops. Our program is entitled Living Our Vows. With the help of a faculty of seasoned bishops, we are here to reflect on the office and ministry of a bishop.

At Morning Prayer today we read from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians:

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (II Corinthians 3:2-6)

'The Church Confident' It has often been said that, "You are the only Bible that some people will ever read." So, Paul reminded the church in Corinth, the church is a letter of Christ; and, perhaps, the only Epistle that some will ever read. And what a church they were: deeply divided, puffed up, lax, confused and conflicted and a huge apostolic headache. And yet, by the grace of God, Paul could see the grace of God at work among them and call them a letter of Christ, written by the Spirit, through Paul’s ministry, on human hearts.

"Such is the confidence we have through Christ from God." About ten years ago I read a book entitled The Church Confident. We are a letter of Christ, so that the world may read in our life as the Church the love of God in Jesus Christ for the entire world. We make that claim, not with confidence in ourselves. Nor is our own competence the ground for confidence. "Our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers…" An English Baptist missionary of the 19th century once wrote, "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." In my prayer that our Lord will make New Jersey new, I yearn for us to be confident in our God, by whose grace each of our churches is a letter of Christ to New Jersey and to the world.

Here are some of the letters of Christ that I have seen this month in our Diocese.

At St. Stephen’s, Waretown on Easter 6
I had an excellent visit on the Sixth Sunday of Easter and confirmed and received a large class of Candidates. This is a thriving parish, blessed with the gracious pastoral leadership and faithfulness of the Rev. Austin Murray and Deacon Carolsue Cummings. I love that bell choir!

On to Princeton
We are blessed to have the Procter Foundation in our Diocese for the support of campus ministries at Princeton and Rutgers Universities. Campus ministry is what someone has called "our greatest domestic missionary territory." The Rev. Steve White at Princeton and the Rev. Greg Bezilla at Rutgers are energetic and creative missionaries in their outreach to students, faculty and staff. The Board of the Foundation works very hard to give support, guidance and direction to these ministries. Anyone who knows of Episcopal students at Rutgers or Princeton is encouraged to contact the chaplains, who will welcome them to the Episcopal Church in their university.

Up to the sea
I spent a day at the Seamen’s Church Institute on May 5th. It was my privilege to accompany the Rev. Francis Cho on a ship visit. He has been a chaplain and ship visitor for 20 years at Port Elizabeth and Port Newark. He retired this year and now volunteers a few days a week, maintaining some of his longstanding pastoral relationships with seafarers from around the world. I was blessed to hear the many, many expressions of gratitude for Francis and his ministry that day, both on board ship and at a Eucharist and dinner at the SCI Chapel. As one seafarer told me, "We love him from the bottom of our hearts." Thanks be to God.

And home to the See
Over the last year I have spoken and written of my gratitude for the place of Trinity Cathedral in the life of our Diocese. This wonderful diocesan center, led by a dedicated Dean and staff, is at the center of my prayers for the renewal of our Diocese.
This month I had the delight of seeing an answer to prayer through the leadership of the Rev. Tim Mulder and the people of St. Luke’s, Gladstone. At their annual fund-raising dinner and auction in support of mission and outreach, the people raised nearly $12,000 for the support of our Cathedral, in addition to a gift of $10,000 for Trinity Episcopal Academy.
Later in the month, on the afternoon of the Day of Pentecost, clergy and members of St. Luke’s, Gladstone, St. Paul’s, Bound Brook, St. Martin’s, Bridgewater, St Francis', Dunellen, and Grace, Plainfield filled the Cathedral for a service of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation. I welcome more and more of these celebrations at our Cathedral.

Taking in San Jose, Elizabeth, and to Holy Cross, North Plainfield
On the Seventh Sunday of Easter, I enjoyed my visits to San Jose, Elizabeth, and to Holy Cross, North Plainfield. I can’t hold up my end of a conversation in Spanish, but our Latino churches tell me that they can at least understand me when I read their language. I am grateful to Canon Servio Moscoso for his help with the translation of my sermon. We had a full church and a full meal following the Liturgy. San Jose is a lively and lovely community, filled with faith and joy and gentleness in the Spirit.

I had a joyous time with the people of Holy Cross, North Plainfield, where we had a large congregation (larger than I expected on Mothers’ Day afternoon) led by a wonderful choir. They sang a beautiful contemporary anthem, accompanied by saxophone. There was a great feast (the second one of the day for me) afterward, including some extraordinary barbeque. I thank our God for the ministry of the Rev. Ken Gorman.

All the saints and 'every corner' on Pentecost
On the Day of Pentecost, I was thrilled to visit All Saints’ Parish in Princeton. A beautiful Liturgy, prepared by the Rev. Alan French, Interim Rector, included a marvelous offering of the Ralph Vaughn Williams setting of George Herbert’s poem, "Let All the World in Every Corner Sing." I am still humming that great setting in my mind. In addition, it was a blessing to see the offering of a dance by Reverence Dance Company — a group that danced at my Consecration.

Down the shore on Trinity Sunday at Holy Trinity
It was my privilege and delight to visit the Church of the Holy Trinity, Ocean City, on their Feast of Title, Trinity Sunday. I was thrilled to see a large class of young people and adults, well prepared for the renewal of their Baptismal vows and the laying on of hands. Young people read and sang and danced as part of the Liturgy. It was a radiant day and I thank the Rev. David Laquintano, Deacon Elizabeth Ohlson, and all the lay leaders there for a wonderful visit.

Enjoying hospitality in the storm at Ventnor City
The Church of the Epiphany, Ventnor City, hosted our diocesan staff for a day away from the Diocesan Office on May 20th. In spite of heavy rain and strong winds, we gathered in the parish hall and enjoyed sharing, games, good laughter, good company and some fierce competition in a relaxed and relaxing time together. God bless these servants of Christ. I am blessed to have them as colleagues and friends in New Jersey.

God gave us the Holy Spirit to breathe Christ's life and love into his Church, that we might be the Body of Christ, a living letter, to continue his ministry in the world. It strikes me, more and more, that the prayer that is offered at Confirmation is a prayer for the entire Church:

Strengthen, O Lord, your servants with your Holy Spirit; empower us for your service and sustain us all the days of our lives.

So I am praying for us to be a confident Church, knowing that our competence is not enough and that our confidence is never in ourselves, but in our Lord, who will give us strength and power and the sustenance we need to continue in his service. Paul called the Church in Corinth a Letter of Christ, written on the heart. The Diocese of New Jersey is written on my heart. And if, at times, I find this ministry daunting and discouraging, I receive the amazing grace of encouragement from the saints with whom I am privileged to serve and from those who have gone before us.

Consider the example of Mary, the mother of our Lord, in the words of poet Denise Levertov:

She did not cry, "I cannot, I am not worthy,"
Nor, "I have not the strength."
She did not submit with gritted teeth,
raging, coerced.
Bravest of all humans,
consent illumined her.

May our confidence be in our God. May our consent to serve illumine us. May our ministry give light to the world. We are a letter of Christ.

I am your brother in Christ and yours faithfully,
+George

The Right Reverend George Edward Councell
XI Bishop of New Jersey

P.S. Please come to the service of the Installation of Canons, at Trinity Cathedral, on Saturday, June 4 at 4 p.m., and to the Ordination of Deacons, on Saturday, June 11th, at 10 a.m., also at the Cathedral.