More than 100 members of the diocese gathered Saturday at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Carmel for the last of a series of conferences leading to the search for the third Bishop of El Camino Real.   

Led by the Rev. Rob Voyle, director of the Clergy Leadership Institute, and members of the Conference Planning Team, participants discussed their values and their vision for our diocesan future. 

A full report will be made soon by the Conference Planning Team, but in the meantime here is a sample of questions asked and responses given: 

Question #1: What needs to happen to make today's Conference successful for you?

·        We need to move forward

·        We need to develop consensus about who we are as a diocese

·        We need to define our vision for the future

·        We need to develop criteria for what we need in our next bishop

·        We need to develop a practical road map to the future

Questions #2: What do you value about this diocese?

We believe in community

·        Some words participants used to describe their experience of community: Christ-centered, accepting, loving, inclusive, diverse, connected, collegial, transforming relationships. 

·        One person said, "Week by week all of us gather around the eucharistic table, even when we disagree."

We believe in the Episcopal Church:

·        Some words participants used to describe the Episcopal Church: our life and faith are based on Scripture, reason and tradition; liturgical and sacramental;  freedom to think, question, and believe; invites dialogue; accepting of other religions, strong voice for social justice, mission of the church is to make the Gospel relevant to contemporary culture

·        One person said, "We are a people for whom sacramental worship, shared ministry, and service to the world are essential."

We believe in shared ministry:

·        Some words participants used to describe shared ministry: mutual accountability, shared ownership, accountability, distributed ministries, roles for all orders of ministry; world-wide communion; empowerment; mutual servant leadership; common vision, creativity, creating leaders, not followers

·        One person said, "Shared ministry is built into the Episcopal structure; healthy people can work it out."

Question #3: What kind of a bishop do we need to get us there?

·        Some words participants used to describe the next Bishop: Integrity, honesty, vision, empowering ministries, servant leadership, Christ-centered faith.  A leader who empowers leaders. 

·        One person said:  "The day after the bishop's consecration, everyone in the diocese should write a letter to the new bishop, saying what he or she can offer to the bishop and the diocese." 

Question #4: What's next?

The Rev. David Breuer, chair of the Joint Process Committee (JPC), briefly reviewed where we have been and outlined where we are going next.

·        When Bishop Shimpfky resigned in March 2004, the leadership bodies of the diocese (Standing Committee, Council, and Corporation Board) formed the JPC to develop a collaborative process for the search and election of the next bishop. 

·        Rather than begin the search for the next bishop immediately, the JPC and its constituent bodies agreed to a "Waiting Period" for healing, reorganization, and building consensus. 

·        At Diocesan Convention in January 2005, delegates agreed to extend the Waiting Period.

·        Over the past year, diocesan Conferences have addressed the important issues of the Waiting Period.  

·        The Waiting Period will come to an end at Convention in January 2006. 

·        The work of the Search Committee, which will lead our diocese to the call, election and consecration of our next bishop, will begin after Convention in January 2006. 

Do you have more questions?  Contact:

·        Ms. Ann Wright, President of the Standing Committee, standingcom@edecr.org

·        The Rev. David Breuer, Chair of the Joint Process Committee, drbreuer@aol.com