Cathedral Life | Fall 2022

I have just begun my time with you as Bishop-in-Charge, a position that is both a pleasure and an honor for me to hold. I thank you and Bishop Taylor for this opportunity.

Let me tell you briefly what I have discovered so far. You are a warm and welcoming congregation, diverse yet united, thankful to be followers of Jesus. You have an eager and talented Vestry, which has begun working with me to make some exciting plans. You have a peerless staff, always up to any task. And, of course, we have a stunning structure that invites worship of the Holy One.

My main task among you will be to assist you in making a transition to a new chapter in the long and honored history of St. John’s. Early next year I am certain the staff of the diocese will begin assisting you in the process of finding a new dean and rector. You will be engaged in self-study, prayer, and spiritual discernment before coming to some conclusions about the sort of priest you believe Christ wants you to call and about the kind of parish he wants you to be. I emphasize that this is not a job hunt in the usual sense but is, rather, a process of Spirit-led discernment rooted in prayer, resulting in a leader and partner in the Missio Dei. It will require a group of people ready to work hard on the process with the congregation patiently cooperating and praying. In the end the vestry and Bishop Taylor will together extend a call to a candidate. The process will result in a new dean and rector who will serve Christ among you under the supervision of the bishop.

In the meantime, I ask for your cooperation and support in my ministry among you. I assuredly will stumble on occasion. My agreement with you is a part-time one, which means that not everything that you may want to happen will happen. I will do my best for you given my experience, training, age, and energy level.

That’s what I hope to do. I ask that you work at being united, taking this period to become better acquainted, remembered that we are all baptized into Christ and together are his body in the world. I ask that you be ardent and faithful in prayer, opening yourselves to the changes and challenges that inevitably will occur. I ask that you be generous and consistent in giving; the cathedral does face financial challenges. Consider, for example, discovering what percentage of your income you give to the church, plan to increase it by 1% or 2%, and aim toward becoming a tither. For goodness sake, please do not gossip or grumble. Finally, I ask that we have a good, jolly time together; let’s enjoy being with our Lord and Savior and enjoying together worshipping and serving him.

The Right Rev. C. Franklin Brookhart