Assisting Bishop Jefferts Schori: Frequently Asked Questions

The transition team of the Episcopal Diocese has shared this FAQ with us:

Bishop Jefferts Schori (pictured here with the Rev Canon Brooks Mason
& Bishop Mathes) attended our 2014 Diocesan Convention

What is an assisting bishop?
An assisting bishop is a bishop appointed by the standing committee to serve under its direction for a certain period of time. An assisting bishop already exercises episcopal authority, which means he or she has the ability to perform ordinations, confirmations, receptions and visitations. Assisting bishops are qualified bishops who have previously resigned all previous responsibilities, or are qualified bishops of a church in communion with the Episcopal Church. Assisting bishops do not have voice and vote in the house of bishops on behalf of the diocese they serve. Bishop Jefferts Schori will have voice and vote in the house of bishops, but not on behalf of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.


How was Bishop Jefferts Schori selected?
The standing committee of our diocese worked hard to solicit the interest of a short list of candidates for this position. With much prayer and careful consideration, the committee selected Bishop Jefferts Schori to be our assisting bishop.


How long does this appointment last?
Bishop Jefferts Schori will commence her tenure with us on Sunday, August 13 and continue until December 31, 2018. This may be extended until our fifth bishop is consecrated.

What will Bishop Jefferts Schori do?
In her ¾ time role, Bishop Jefferts Schori will visit congregations, baptize, ordain, assist with the selection and promotion of candidates for ordained ministry, provide pastoral care to clergy members, confer with the standing committee and the executive committee of the diocese and provide some shared oversight along with the standing committee.

Will she reside in San Diego?
Yes, she plans to live in San Diego while serving as our assisting bishop while maintaining her permanent residence in Reno, Nevada.

Letter from the Dean re. episcopal transition

Dear people of St. Paul's, By now many of you have read the letter our Bishop sent out early Monday morning, letting us know that he has accepted a call to serve the community at Virginia Theological Seminary. This comes as a surprise to many of us. Bishop Mathes has led the Diocese of San Diego for twelve years and has shepherded it through some tumultuous times. He has built a collegial clergy community and transformed the face of diocesan leadership with the move of the offices to the Episcopal Church Center. He has been an exemplary and inspiring bishop. As his cathedral, St. Paul's has enjoyed a special relationship with our bishop, celebrating our major feasts together and benefiting from his presence at midweek services and special occasions alike. Bishop Mathes welcomed me to San Diego three years ago and has been a steadfast encourager and mentor for me as a new Dean. His wife, Terri, offered the cathedral her professional expertise in our 2015 staff transition, and she is a beloved member of the congregation. We owe both of them much, and we will miss them dearly. The good news is that the Episcopal Church has a strong and deliberate process for the transition of bishops, and our Standing Committee, which will lead the diocese during the interim, has a good roadmap to follow as this diocesan community sets out on the road to discern whom God will call as our next bishop. You can read the Standing Committee's letter here. I have no doubt that a number of Cathedral members will be involved in various ways as this process unfolds over the next two years. Meanwhile, St. Paul's Cathedral will continue to Love Christ, Serve Others, and Welcome All without interruption. Our day-to-day, Sunday-to-Sunday life will not change. St. Paul's will continue to be a leader and resource for the rest of the diocese, and we will support the diocesan staff in every way possible. I know you will join me in praying for Bishop Mathes, Terri, the diocesan staff, and the Standing Committee as they navigate the coming weeks and months. We will have several opportunities to give thanks for our Bishop's ministry among us and to say goodbye in appropriate style. He will be with us for the Easter Vigil and on Easter Day, and we will certainly plan a splendid liturgical leave-taking event in early July, marking the formal end of his episcopate. Virginia Theological Seminary is blessed to be welcoming the Mathes family and we have been blessed to have them among us. Thanks be to God for faithful leaders and for a church which can meet the challenge of change. Your sister in Christ,   The Very Rev Penny Bridges, Dean

Seminary Snapshot: The School for Ministry

Two of the Cathedral's seminarians, Chris Harris and Richard Lee, are attending the new Diocesan School for Ministry.  This is a new way of doing seminary, different from the full time residential graduate programs.  At the School, students meet on Saturdays, all day, for a 14 week semesters, while continuing in their regular jobs during the week.  They also participate in Theological Field Education out and about in the Diocese.  The course for ordination as a priest takes three years.

Before Richard and Chris tell us more about their individual experiences, we thought we'd address some of the frequently asked questions about the School.  Thanks to Hannah Wilder, Simon Mainwaring, and Bishop Mathes for answering these questions!

Who can attend?
Anyone can apply to attend the School for Ministry. Applications are reviewed and students are notified within six weeks. Auditors are also welcome to apply.

Is the curriculum comparable to what is taught in a traditional seminary?
Yes. Whilst, due to the smaller scale of our operation, the number of subject areas covered by the SFM is smaller than the residential seminaries in TEC, we do offer the same breadth with the exception of Hebrew and Greek, which we do not offer. We offer classes that cover all of the seven canonical areas required for ordination to the priesthood and more besides. Most importantly, the quality of instruction is as high as a traditional seminary. All of our faculty have Masters level education and a good proportion have doctorates too.

Where we step ahead of most traditional seminaries is in offering a skills-based curriculum that seeks to integrate the practice of ministry with rigorous academic learning. The pedagogy of many traditional seminaries still utilizes the 'banking model' of education that seeks to prioritize the acquisition of knowledge. Educational institutions across America of all varieties are moving toward a more adaptable and contextually rigorous model for learning, which the SFM pursues.

How can one full day a week be equivalent to a residential seminary?
Postulants have four, two-hour classes a week plus at least 16 hours of prep time during the week. Traditional seminaries do not conduct 8 hours of classes per day, 5 days a week, but integrate classroom learning with other aspects of seminary life such as chapel, fellowship and in some cases part-time work. The rate of learning at the SFM, therefore, is similar to a traditional seminary. 

The distinctive aspect of institutions such as the SFM is that the outside-the-classroom reflection that our students undertake is out in their working/retired lives in the world. In essence, the model - in contrast to the residential seminary - is not learning in a time away from the world, it is learning within the world.

Do students get an M. Div. (Masters of Divinity)? 
No. The School for Ministry is not currently accredited.  An M. Div. is not required for ordination.

What IS required for ordination? 
The bishop of the diocese (the ordinary), with the consent of the Standing Committee,  has the discretion to ordain those whom s/he believes have met the canonical requirements of ordination.

Are deacons and priests ordained from the School qualified to serve throughout TEC, or are they limited to the Diocese of San Diego?
Once ordained by a bishop of the Episcopal Church, our deacons and priests are able to serve in any diocese as much as any other deacon or priest would be.

Murder at the Cathedral!

Join members of the Diocese for a special performance of Pizzetti's Murder in the Cathedral on Friday, April 5, 2013 at 7 p.m. at the Civic Theatre in downtown San Diego. Tickets Available Via Special Website with a 20% discount on most areas.

There's also:
An  exclusive Community Conversation to be held in St. Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m., featuring San Diego Opera's Artistic and General Director Ian Campbell (also stage director for this production) and San Diego Opera's Geisel Director of Education and Outreach Dr. Nicolas Reveles. There'll be audio clips and a chance to ask questions about the opera. After the discussion, refreshments will be served in the Great Hall.
FREE EVENT.

And, an online silent auction - an opportunity to help support the Bishop's Appeal by bidding on a pair of amazing Orchestra tickets (valued at $400)  for the performance. The Silent Auction is currently open for bidding and will close on March 8 at noon. Bidding starts at $200 and all proceeds go to the Bishop's Appeal.  http://www.charityauctionstoday.com/store.php?username=edsd

FAQ:
How much are tickets? 
Tickets range from $45 to $210 with many price breakdowns in between. The San Diego Opera is offering a 20% discount on almost all areas. The website for purchasing tickets allows patrons to select their own pre-discounted seats) from any section of the theatre. We also waive the $7:50 handling fee. Price Chart (PDF) Purchase tickets here: www.sdopera.com/promo/offer/edsd

What else is happening on the night of the opera?
There are two extra fun elements to your night at the opera. At 5:30 p.m. there's a free backstage tour where everyone can learn what goes on behind the infamous red curtain and find out just what it takes to make an opera happen. Then at 6 p.m., there's a lovely VIP reception in the glamorous Beverly Sills Salon of the Civic Theatre, hosted by the Diocese. Bishop Mathes will give brief remarks and you'll enjoying delicious hors d'ouevres.

I've never been to the Opera before. What do I wear? 
This is San Diego - we're pretty casual. It's completely up to you what you wear, but I'd say most people like to dress up a little bit for such a lovely and special event. If you're doing the backstage tour, we'd advise flat shoes as there are steps. Here's a link to our Opera Etiquette information - hope it helps.
http://www.sdopera.com/Experience/OperaCourtesies

Will I like the music? I hope it isn't horrible modern music with no tune .
Pizzetti's Murder In the Cathedral is gorgeous. Written in the late 1950s at the end of the composer's life, Pizzetti uses his three great musical influences and beliefs. He really believed that in opera, the music should match the drama. He didn't write music that was difficult or nonsensical to his audience because he wanted to audience to engage with what was happening on stage. It is therefore extremely melodic, lyrical and accessible. He was influenced by Verdi and Puccini and also, to an extent, the impressionist composers, for example, Debussy. The music is beautiful and perfect for setting the scene in a huge Gothic cathedral. He also was fascinated with Gregorian Chant and early medieval church music, which he manages to interweave through the melodies and themes with incredible skill - perfect for the year 1170 when the opera takes place. The opera has echoes of a film score. It supports the drama and helps the audience connect to it rather than scares them away by being so atonal. The world-renowned bass-baritone, Ferrucio Furlanetto, sings the role of Thomas Becket. He has a divine voice that will melt your heart.

What language do the singers use? Will I understand the story?
At San Diego Opera we perform the operas in the languages in which they were originally written. Even though the story takes place in Canterbury, England and is based on the play by the Anglo-American playwright. T.S. Eliot, the opera was written in Italian and therefore is sung in Italian. We do however, have super titles above the stage giving an English translation throughout to help you understand even more. That said, there's so much drama in the music you won't find it difficult to know exactly what is happening. http://www.sdopera.com/Experience/Supertitles

Downtown? How is the parking?
San Diego Opera is perfectly located with ample and reasonably priced parking available. Click here to learn more. http://www.sdopera.com/Experience/Directions

I don't like to drive at night? Are there any other options?
Absolutely. We recognize that this can be an issue and so we offer the Opera Caravan. http://www.sdopera.com/Experience/Directions (same link, scroll down)

More info about the production:
http://www.sdopera.com/Operas/Murder_in_the_Cathedral

A week in the life of Bishop Mathes

Do you ever wonder what a bishop does? We asked our Bishop James Mathes to describe an average week in his life, and he kindly sent us this description:

On Sunday mornings, I spend time with a different congregation each week. These visitations are a great source of joy for me. They are a time when I can rejoice in each congregation's ministry, listen for the ways I may learn something new, and in many cases, share stories from the wider diocesan community.  These visitations are a fundamental way in which I strive to be the connective tissue of the body in this diocese.

I celebrate or preside at every service and afterward, I will often have lunch with the vestry (governing body) of the congregation. 

Regularly the service will include baptisms, confirmations, receptions and reaffirmations, all of which require careful planning and organization on the part of the congregation.  

Recently I have requested that each congregation provide a time for me to teach, and a time to serve. I've handed out food, washed cars, washed feet, and assembled bag lunches for the homeless. It's been a great source of revitalizing energy for me, and a good way to connect with the people of our diocese.

You may read all about my visitation guidelines and expectations here: http://www.edsd.org/customary/ 

Mondays are my days off and are usually spent at home in my woodshop, or with my wife, Terri.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are office days. These days are quite full of meetings with clergy, staff, individuals exploring ordination, community leaders, ecumenical partners, etc. I offer the opportunity for all clergy to meet with me during their birthday months as a way to check in and let them know I'm available for them, as their pastor.

I am on the board of Episcopal Community Services and The Bishop's School, and attend regular, monthly meetings for each. I am the president of the Diocesan Executive Council; our regular, monthly meetings are on Saturdays. I meet with the Standing Committee, which is the body that functions as my trusted advisors, and the Commission on Ministry, which manages the process of discernment for those pursuing ordained ministry. I meet with anyone who makes an appointment and would like to talk with me. I have an open door policy with my staff, so that time permitting, I am available to them whenever they need me. 

Recently I have been hosting fireside briefings in my home on week nights to help familiarize people with our new diocesan Mission Plan, the guiding principles of our common life in the coming months and years.

During the week I sometimes drive to the Riverside highlands or to the desert for regional office hours. These provide an easy way for people in all regions of our diocese to meet with me without having to drive to San Diego.

Fridays are my writing days. If necessary, I will come into the office on Fridays for meetings, but I prefer to stay home and write sermons, articles and other materials.

Saturday mornings bring Executive Council meetings. We move our meeting to a new congregation each month to help us get a tangible sense of our diocese. Special services such as centennial celebrations, new ministry celebrations, and others, will often fall on Saturdays. Saturday nights find me leading services, or attending a vestry meeting.

Sunday morning begins the whole, joyous process over again!

Diocesan Convention: Post-convention reflections

Did you go to Diocesan Convention (Feb11-12 2011)? What's it about? Jill Sanford shares some reasons for going, and thoughts on having been.

Sandra Lawrensen and I were elected to be delegates from the Cathedral to this convention so our attendance was not optional. Other years we have gone voluntarily and here are some of my reasons::

1) I am basically somewhat nosy so attending helps me better understand how the diocese operates: who is in charge of what, what is being spent and for what, etc. Just helps me feel connected to a bigger picture of our Church.

2) I like to see who else is locally Episcopalian these days: what are they wearing, etc., and it is a chance to connect with folks I have met in past years from other churches.

3) At least once during the week-end, there is a chance to have a meaningful conversation with someone I would not have met any other place.

4) The Convention Eucharist is always moving, in part because of the amount of work it takes to coordinate so many participants, banners, choirs. It is a reminder of our shared theology that transcends contentious issues.

For those who have not yet attended a convention, I recommend going (at least once). It is a great way to see our church in action in the community.

My main impression after this year's convention is that we seem as a diocese to have moved past "drama", and can now focus on the environment and social programs.

Jill Sanford

A few additional notes: you can check out a draft of the strategic plan . You can also take a survey about it .

1st Sunday after the Epiphany at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

Last Sunday, there was a service of Hope and Healing at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Ocean Beach, as the church was returned to the Episcopal Diocese. Robert Heylmun gives us the backstory.

Today we celebrated the regaining of the church and property of Holy Trinity, a victory in so many ways and on so many levels.

The previous rector had led his congregation down the dark paths of unexamined traditionalism, lighted only by the smoking torches of the same pitch and tar used in medieval times to ignite the bundles of wood below burning martyrs. That same dim light had helped the former congregation to slam shut the church doors against women clergy and gay people who aspired to holy orders. Once shut, the darkness that had pervaded the building served only to isolate the hovering congregants further from the love and light of the Gospel message. Like Adam, they had sinned, knew they were naked, and tried to hide from God.

That didn’t work. Also like Adam, they were expelled from their particular garden which they had defiled by bigotry and hatred, and today we triumphantly entered a relighted sanctuary where the spirit of love would once more shine forth, a sanctuary reconsecrated to the work of God’s kingdom. A victory over the darkness.

For me it was a victory over the particular prejudice against gay people that had been the hallmark of the previous rector’s thinking. He had some years ago, suggested a debate over the issue of homosexuality and the church, and a number of us took him up on his idea. We formed a committee to engage speakers, and we found a neutral place where the debate would take place. The rector had the imprimatur of the man who was bishop at that time; he would oversee the proceedings.

The morning session of that debate moved along with both sides giving their various views; scripture came first, and a wide interpretation of these ensued. Then came the history of the church, strangely much more vague than even the biblical interpretations. The morning session concluded with Bill Countryman’s very moving and reasoned position that centered around the all-embracing love announced in the Gospels. Then it was lunch time. The bishop got up to give the blessing for the noon meal and to wrap up the morning’s work. In essence he derailed every pro-gay argument: “Of course, we must apply to the entire Anglican Communion for permission before going forward,” or something to that effect.

Many of us wondered why we had been brought to this debate if one side of it could so easily be dismissed and dissolved. I met the bishop at the door. “I want to take issue with what you just said by reminding you that the Episcopal Church of the United States did not wait for the Church of England to give permission for heterosexuals to divorce and remain communicants of the church. Neither do we need the C of E’s permission on this issue. You have essentially ended all debate here today.”

His rejoinder: “You are always in my face about this, Robert. If you don’t like the way things are going for you here, perhaps you’d better leave.”

“I have no intention of leaving, Brother Hughes. I want to see what other damage you plan to do to a large part of God’s people.” With that we all went to an uncomfortable lunch.

The afternoon session went on with the biblical traditionalists losing more points as their appeal to their long-held and generally indefensible beliefs became more and more transparent. Nevertheless, nothing positive in behalf of gay and lesbian people in the Diocese of San Diego happened as a result of that debate. We were to wait for some years and for a new bishop.

That program had been planned on the grounds of Holy Trinity in Ocean Beach, and thus it was with a great deal of joy that I sat in the nave of that church today and saw the fruition of our efforts all of those years ago. Something else happened. I am not a believer in ghostly visitations per se, but I am a believer in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is my custom after taking communion that, once having returned to my seat, to open the Prayer Book to the psalms. Any will do, and whatever I turn to continues my meditation while communion concludes. Today I did just that. Psalm 37 flopped open and I quote several verses here:

4 Take delight in the Lord,

And he shall give you your heart’s desire,


5 Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him,

And he will bring it to pass.


10 For evildoers shall be cut off,

But those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.

I do not go so far as to say that the former congregation of Holy Trinity or its rector are ‘evildoers’; I would not like to take it upon myself to make such a judgment. Suffice it to say that they have been misled, darkened in mind by their determination to preserve what they believe to be sacred tradition. I leave it to them, their conscience and their place before God to unravel the heavy shroud with which they have prepared their brand of religion for burial.

Meanwhile, we go on in the name of Christ, avoiding undue pride in the victory over darkness and prejudice that God has given us, and instead clothing ourselves in the virtues of humility and love, and thus preparing ourselves to worship and to serve.

--Robert Heylmun

Photo: the community of Holy Trinity Church, with well wishers from St Paul's and Bishop James Mathes, on Sunday 1/9/11

A visit to Borrego Springs: An installation

Like many San Diegans, we went in search of wild flowers in the desert this weekend. (Note: they are excellent, and probably will be worth seeing for the next couple of weeks.)When we visit Borrego Springs, we enjoy visiting the bright Episcopal church of St Barnabas, which is located on Church Lane, all of a row with the Lutheran, Catholic, and Methodist churches.

St Barnabas has an amazing altarpiece, which is a large, picture window open to the spectacular scenery outside. It also has a lovely labyrinth laid out in the sand in white stone, where you can walk the path with finches calling overhead.

Upon arriving at the church at the (frankly unGodly ;-) hour of 8.30am for the Sunday Eucharist, we found the parking lot unexpectedly empty. A nice man met us and told us that there would be a special service at 3pm to install their new Rector, Rev. Laura Brecht. After a 2 year search, she had been called and Bishop Mathes would be there to celebrate her installation. (The nice man turned out to be Rev Laura's husband, Lyle!) So, off we went to snooze under an ocotillo, returning at 3pm to join a completely full church to join in the warm welcome of Rev. Laura to Borrego Springs. We took the liberty of taking a number of pictures.

The congregation is clearly enthused to have Rev. Laura and her family among them, and her joyful exuberance in the day was a delight. We wished everyone well, and headed back over the mountain to San Diego. We have a hunch Rev Laura will be a great addition to the Diocese.

If you make your way out to Borrego Springs, be sure to visit St Barnabas. They are a very warm and welcoming community. And if you're lucky, they will serve their usual sherry after the 8.30 service. Very civilized, St Barnabas!

Susan Forsburg & Lisa Churchill are Cathedral parishioners

Convention Report: The Right Person for the Right Job at the Right Time

When I was a young man transplanted from what was then a very provincial Southern California to NYC, the center of urbanity; I was assigned as a training exercise the presentation a motivational speech to a group of rookie colleagues. I punched all the old buttons I remembered from orientation talks, kitchen table parental talks and half time pep talks: pride, training, teamwork, desire, determination, the thrill of winning and the consequences of defeat. I finished to a positive response from my peers and felt good about my grasp of the motivational challenge. And then my boss pulled me aside.

“Greer”, he said, “nice words, but you don’t get it.” “You see” he went on,“ winning is only a little about high pitched emotions and mostly about how we execute our assigned task. We all have different skill sets and success is dependent on correctly matching our skills with the task at hand. Moreover, our current availability - even attention, is governed by a host of external considerations. So the key to motivation and winning is to find the right person for the right job at the right time.”

When I have applied this lesson I’ve generally had good results and when I have not, I’ve usually set myself up for disappointment.

Yesterday I participated in the Diocesan Convention and during the various reports and presentations and particularly during Bishop Mathes’s address, I couldn’t help but marvel at the difference five years have made in the life of our diocese. I mean no criticism of anyone by saying that when Bishop Mathes was elected we were an unhappy, divided, probably insolvent, problem region. If there was blame to be assigned, all deserved a share.

And now just five years later and despite having had two very difficult financial years, continuing property disputes, the near failure of our principal social services agency, a ruinous fire to our diocesan camp, a large turnover in rectors, and the unrelenting pressure at home and from our General Conventions for full inclusion of all God’s people, we have clearly turned the corner. The list of achievements is impressive.

The reports speak for themselves and those who like the details can access them from the diocesan office, but what became clear during the various presentations, is that repeatedly, our bishop reached out and found the right person for the right job at the right time. And it has made all the difference.

As I left the convention continuing to think about this simple success strategy, learned so many years ago, I concluded that our bishop’s success is largely because he too has been the right person for the right job at the right time.

Are we lucky or what?

--Jim Greer

Did you go to the Diocesan Convention? Please add your comments to this thread, or if you have a meatier comment, send it to us as a post. Thanks!

Christmas around the Diocese

I think one of the coolest things about being an Episcopalian is that we are more than just our own church. We are a diocese, which extends from North County San Diego to the Mexico-US border, from the Pacific Ocean to Yuma, Arizona. We encompass San Diego, Riverside, Imperial Counties and Yuma, Arizona, with the Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes serving as our bishop. We can rely on a support network much bigger than St. Paul’s, wonderful and robust as it is. 49 other congregations share our liturgy and structure while maintaining their own identity. To give you a feel for that uniqueness, watch this slideshow of the Christmas season in churches around the diocese, and turn up your speakers!

Happy Advent!


Hannah Miller is Communications Coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. If you have any questions about the Diocese, contact Hannah at hmiller@edsd.org