Diocese of New Jersey | Bishop Councell

I have seen God's goodness in the life and witness of the people, clergy and congregations of the Diocese of New Jersey for over three years now. Last month Sarah Paige, Administrative Assistant, and Icelebrated our third anniversary in ministry here at Diocesan House. What a privilege it is to work with Sarah and the entire diocesan staff. We are a small staff for a large diocese. We work hard, we work well and we play well together. I thank God for these dedicated servants of Christ who do so much to guide and uphold the ministries of our Diocese.

Along the John 10:10 Pilgrimage, nearing the completion of my first lap…
On September 24th I enjoyed my first visits to St. Luke the Evangelist, Roselle, and to Holy Cross, Perth Amboy.It took me three years and 63,000 miles, but I got there. We had a good Celebration in Roselle, with a great choir and a goodly fellowship and lots of laughter at the parish picnic, even after the rains came. I thank the Reverend Terry Blackburn, Rector, for his faithful and dedicated service and for his gracious hospitality.

The family-sized Church of the Holy Cross gave me a warm welcome, followed by a great feast. (No wonder they warned us, in the College for new bishops, to watch out for all the sheet cakes at all of the parish receptions.) It was great fun for me to meet the people of Holy Cross and to give thanks for the pastoral care and faithfulness of the Reverend Francis Cho, their priest.

One of the highlights of this last year—no, of the last three years—took place on Saturday, September 30th, on a visit to The Church of the Holy Spirit in Tuckerton. That day a large congregation (including visitors from the Monmouth and Atlantic Convocations, ecumenical and other guests) gathered for a Liturgy that included Confirmation and Reception, the Celebration of a New Ministry and the Dedication of a new church home for Holy Spirit! God bless Canon Lee Powers, the Reverend Terry Martin, the leaders of Holy Spirit and the members of several diocesan bodies that gave direction, support, encouragement and approval for the purchase of this former Roman Catholic church building.
Holy Spirit is a small but growing congregation, with radiant joy and wonderful enthusiasm for mission and church growth. They have been born again. Since they moved into this new location they have gained 30 new members. That's a good news story; one that I would love to celebrate in many other parts of our Diocese.

I was glad to be able to be present for the thanksgiving celebration and ending of the pastoral relationship between the Reverend Stephen Rozzelle and the people of St. Mark's, Basking Ridge, when Father Rozzelle retired on October 1st, after 28 years as Rector. There were many wonderful and varied tributes, including the presentation of a stole by the children of St. Mark's. Well done!

On October 14th I was delighted to preside at the Institution of the Reverend Paul Rimassa as Vicar of Trinity Church in Rocky Hill. This small congregation has accepted a large challenge to grow in attendance, membership, outreach and program. God bless them.

On October 15th I made my first official visitation to the Church of the Atonement, Laurel Springs, where my seminary classmate, the Reverend Jeff Kirk, is the Rector. We celebrated a Liturgy that included the Baptism of a woman who was to be married in the church later that same week.

On the afternoon of October 15th I was honored to celebrate the Eucharist for Oasis, a ministry that supports congregations that wish to provide welcome and hospitality for gay and lesbian people. The leaders and members of Oasis met at Holy Trinity, Collingswood, where it was my privilege to install their officers. Some very talented singers/songwriters and guitarists entertained us at the reception that followed.

I began my second round of visitations to congregations on October 22nd, when I returned to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Pitman (photos below). This is a very lively, warm, active congregation, where lay leadership is empowered by the Reverend Patricia Pierce, Rector.

On October 29th I baptized, confirmed and received dozens of new Episcopalians at a lengthy but glorious Liturgy at Grace Church in Elizabeth, one of our Hispanic congregations:

It was deeply moving to me to witness again the faith and devotion of this church and the faithfulness of the Reverend Ramon Liz, Vicar.

I attended the most beautiful and reverent offering of Evensong I have ever experienced in a parish hall, at St. Bernard's, Bernardsville on the afternoon of the 29th. (Photo below right) After a fire gutted their church building two years ago, this parish has struggled through other challenges. Led by their able Interim Rector, the Reverend John Cerrato, they're under reconstruction, both in their building and in the repair and healing of their faith community. Thanks be to God.

During November 4th and 5th, Ruth and I attended the glorious services of Investiture and Seating of the twenty-sixth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori. Our Presiding Bishop is a sister in Christ, a faithful, strong, loving and wise pastoral leader. And she was confirmed by the Right Reverend Alfred L. Banyard at St. Andrew's Parish in New Providence, New Jersey, in 1965.

Our time in Washington included a meeting and dinner with my bishop classmates—a timely reunion as we each enter the fourth year of our consecration. What a blessing it is to have such faithful colleagues; and to know their spouses as well. God is good.

Along the way during these weeks I completed the Convocation gatherings begun last September. I am thankful for all of those congregations who hosted these meetings and for those who attended. The spirit of these meetings was strong and positive and hopeful.

I was honored to preside at the Celebration of a New Ministry at Christ Church, New Brunswick, where the Reverend Deborah Meister was instituted as Rector on November 9th (the night of the Rutgers' football victory over Louisville!). Likewise, it was an honor to preside at the Institution of the Reverend Paul Van Sant, Sr., as Rector of St. Stephen's Church in Whiting, at a Celebration on Saturday, November 11th. These celebrations are among the greatest joys that I experience in this ministry.

A Celebration on the horizon next year is that for the new Dean of Trinity Cathedral, Trenton. At a meeting of the Major Chapter of the Cathedral on Tuesday, October 24th, I nominated the Reverend René R. John, Rector of St. Thomas' Parish in Brooklyn, New York, to be our next Dean. The Chapter accepted the nominated and unanimously elected Fr. John. You can read about Dean-elect John and his family in 2 Times a Month. The Celebration of this New Ministry is scheduled for Saturday, February 17th, at 3 p.m.

I enjoyed a glorious visitation to Grace Church, Haddonfield, on November 12th (photos below). Grace will always have a special place in my heart because it was there that I made my first visitation as a bishop, in October 2003. It was wonderful to meet with the members of the Vestry, the Reverend Pat Close, Rector and Deacon Colleen Spaeth.

I also was privileged to meet and pray with the Pastor of Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church (above), whose congregation has been worshipping in Grace's parish hall while Mt. Pisgah rebuilds their church, damaged by fire. See, how these Christians love one another.

On the afternoon of November 12th I visited Christ Church, Collingswood (photos below), whose Vicar is the Reverend Canon Jim Moore. We had a church full for the Liturgy. A great feast followed. God bless Canon Moore and so many other retired clergy, who continue faithful ministry week in and week out, often in smaller churches with limited resources.

St. Luke's, Westville, and Holy Spirit, Bellmawr, have been in a long-standing relationship as congregations led by the Reverend Mantelle Bradley. I enjoyed my first visit to St. Luke's on November 19th (below).
During a Liturgy that was enlivened by the participation of small children (!), I challenged these two churches to explore a merger that would allow them to be more faithful stewards of their resources for more effective mission. Thanks be to God, leaders of the two churches met with Canon Lee Powers two days later and began their conversations. God bless them for their faithfulness and willingness to let go of the past in order to embrace a different future ministry, for Christ's sake.

I had a wonderful return (second lap!) to St. Martin's, Lumberton, on the afternoon of November 19th (below). The Reverend Anna Powell, Deacon Mickie Smythe and the people are bursting with energy and joy, both in worship and in outreach. It was a blessing to see their building, completely restored after the flood of the summer of 2004. And it was a real privilege to work alongside the children in the assembly of Thanksgiving Baskets.

I was honored to accompany Deacon Smythe and a parish couple in the delivery of one of these baskets. This is holy work—and I thank God for this and every congregation that touches the lives of our neighbors through generous gifts, offered in the name of Christ.

All the time; God is good.

Right Onward!

GE Councell

The Right Reverend George E. Councell
XI Bishop of New Jersey

Recent reads

Incarnation, by Alister McGrath (Fortress Press, 2006)

Redemption, by Alister McGrath (Fortress Press, 2006)

A Generous Orthodoxy, by Brian D. McLaren (Zondervan, 2004)

Who Moved My Church? by Mike Nappa (RiverOak Publishing, 2001)

How to Talk to a Yankee Fan, by Andy Wasif and Rick D'Elia (Seven Locks Press, 2006) Thanks to the Reverend Steve White, Chaplain, The Episcopal Church at Princeton University.

Listening to…

Continuum, by John Mayer (Thanks to the parishioner of St. Bernard's, Bernardsville, who drew my attention to the lyrics of the song, "In Repair": I'm in repair / I'm not together, but I'm getting there.)

Corinne Bailey Rae, by Corrine Bailey Rae

From This Moment On, by Diana Krall

Highway Companion, by Tom Petty

Last Man Standing, by Jerry Lee Lewis (Thanks to Pam Seremak, Parish Administrator of The Church of the Holy Spirit, Lake Forest, Illinois.)

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