 |
“I’ve heard they’ve had lots of problems. Lots of politics, in-fighting, what have you.”
“It’s a huge diocese. They’ve got a great history. They’ve had some great bishops. They just need to get their act together.”
“Aren’t there lots of competing factions? I’m not sure.”
“Some of the most important parishes in ECUSA are in that diocese. They had a track record of great clergy, great service to the church. I don’t know what’s gone wrong there.”
“I lived there for a time when I worked in New York. My parish was lively and I was active on diocesan committees. Whatever problems they’ve had, they’ll solve.”
The group moves down the hall, and we can’t hear clearly any longer.
So. How much do you know of New Jersey? Is that imagined conversation at all accurate? Or not? What’s rumor and what is fact? Just who are we in the Diocese of New Jersey?
In
our own voices and words
In April 2002,
more than 500 of us throughout the diocese—from Bernardsville
to Cape May, from Trenton to Atlantic Highlands, from Salem to Elizabeth—took
part in focus groups in every convocation.
And we held additional conversations with members of the diocesan
staff, our youth, and Hispanic clergy and laity. 
We tackled four key questions, which are all designed to help you know more about us, and for us to learn more about ourselves.
- What are the strengths of the diocese? What have we got going for us?
- What are our weaknesses? Where can we do better?
- What do we want in our next bishop? What qualities? Gifts?
- What can we improve about ourselves to assist a new bishop? Where do we need to grow?
Although focus groups crossed all our various geograw as the most important qualities in the next bishop, but all in all, there was a strong correlation between the assessment and perspectives of the two groups.
The conversations were spirited, engaging, involved, open, and at times painful. But, above all, the conversations reflect the unmediated, uncensored voices of us, the people of the Diocese of New Jersey.
Ready to meet us?