New York Suffragan Nominees

The CALLING of a BISHOP SUFFRAGAN for the EPISCOPAL DIOCESE of NEW YORK
October 26, 2013
From the Committee to Elect a Bishop
he Committee to Elect a Bishop is pleased to offer a slate of five nominees for Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of New York. These are outstanding candidates, priests of great accomplishment, blessed in many ways: with the gifts of teaching, proclamation, witness, and pastoral sensitivity. The love of Christ is exemplified in their lives and ministries. As you read this report, we hope you will discover, as we did, that each offers experience and ability in areas that are important to our diocese: vision, outreach, pastoral care, congregational development, and administration. We encourage you to get to know these candidates through this report. Each nominees profile includes the nominees: Resume and photograph Short answers to the six questions posed during the candidate interviews The nominees have summed up each answer with a Tweet a brief phrase written for the social media site Twitter. Essay length answers to three of the initial application questions Their eloquent statements should serve you well as they did us as a starting point for getting to know them. In addition, there will be seven Walkabouts (local visitations with candidates), which will be open to all, and will be an opportunity to engage the candidates in person. For the Walkabout schedule, see page 37. There are many ways to stay up to date on the election: our website www.suffraganNY.org, the Diocesan Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/EpiscopalNY, or on Twitter using the hashtag #suffraganNY. We ask you to prayerfully consider these candidates and the future of our diocese. Any one of them would be an exemplary Bishop Suffragan, an able partner to Bishop Dietsche, a contributor to the wider church, and a spiritual leader to all of us in our rich diversity. May God bless the Diocese of New York. The Rev. Blake Rider, co-chair The Rev. Nora Smith, co-chair Ms. Susan Heath The Rev. Martha Overall The Rev. Yejide Peters Ms. Tina Pinckney Mr. David Shover The Rev. Buddy Stallings Mr. George Wade, Esq.
Table of Contents
Candidates
The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Rev. L. Kathleen Liles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Rev. Allen K. Shin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The Nominating Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Recommendations of the Committee on the Nominating Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Further Work of the Committee: Introducing the Nominees to You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
For the Election of a Bishop or Other Minister

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop suffragan for this Diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman

Current Position
2002Present Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Arlington, VA
Previous Ministries and Positions

20012002 19992001 19952000 19941995 19931996 19921994 19881992 19841989 19811988 19761980 Associate Rector/Deacon, St. Georges Episcopal Church, Arlington, VA Seminarian, Church of the Ascension, Gaithersburg, MD Rectors Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper, St. Christophers Episcopal Church, Springeld, VA Conference Coordinator, Scholarly Engagement with Anglican Doctrine, Alexandria, VA Chaplain for Union of Black Episcopalians and Adult Bible Study Leader, Meade Memorial Episcopal Church, Alexandria, VA Benets Manager, MATCOM2, Alexandria, VA Independent Desktop Publisher/Marketing Specialist, Washington, DC Director of Commission on Evangelism, Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA Assistant Director, Commercial Builders Council, National Association of Home Builders, Washington, DC Assistant Director, Youth and Government Program, Pennsylvania State YMCA, Harrisburg, PA Master of Divinity, Magna Cum Laude, The Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA B.A. in Economics and B.A. Political Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Education
2001 1980
Ordination
12/2001 06/2001 Ordination to the Priesthood, Diocese of Virginia Ordination to the Diaconate, Diocese of Virginia
Highlights of Diocesan, National Offices and Community Leadership

20132016 2012Present 2012Present 20092012 20062011 20062008 2005Present Member, The Standing Committee, Diocese of Virginia Member, Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) Alumni Association Executive Committee Board Member, Mary Marshall Assisted Living Residence for the Mentally and Cognitively Challenged Member, Executive Committee, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Member, UTO Screening Committee, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Planning Team Member and Speaker, The Episcopal Church Triennial Black Clergy Conference and Black Clergy Leadership Institute Pilot Adjunct Professor, VTS, Oral Interpretation of Scripture 4

Interview and Essay Question Responses
Interview Questions
1. What gives you joy? Family, children, music, singing, writing and laughing (not telling jokes mind you but laughing) all are sources of joy from which I regularly draw. An avid fan of the Arts, I have been known to play a captivating Harriet Tubman and enjoy taking every opportunity I can to experience live theatre. Because I also thoroughly enjoy diverse environments, my life has become a wonderful cross between Jesus call to feed my sheep and the original Starship Enterprise mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before. My greatest joy comes from my life in God through Jesus Christ. I have had the extraordinary privilege of seeing my own life and the lives of others transform after embracing Jesus and finding healing in his gospel. The Episcopal Church enlarges this joy exponentially by being a place where an adult agnostic can come bringing questions, doubts and a desire to be baptized; where an Iranian family whose deferred dream of becoming Christian can be realized; where a Hindu man can find a prayer sanctuary; and where a skeptical same gender couple will discover our hospitality and Gods welcome is real. All this has happened at the parish I serve. My heart rejoices to see things which were cast down being raised up, and things which had grown old being made new, as all things are being brought to their perfection by Jesus. I delight to serve God. Tweet: Witnessing the full embrace of Jesus Christ by people from all walks of life brings me joy. Its Revelation 7:9 come to life #suffraganNY 2. Where do you see spiritual hunger and how do you address it? I see spiritual hunger wherever I go. Popular series like Hunger Games, song lyrics like I live for the applause, television commercials that tell us to spend more money on ourselves and escalating incidences of mass gun violence all speak to a deep longing within us for someone to bear witness to and validate our lives, as well as to our anger and frustration that such hunger has not been satisfied. We crave affirmation, purpose, and unconditional love (and I dont mean from the dog). In the words of St. Augustine: You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. We the Church address such spiritual hunger the only way we effectively can. We offer the gift the world has been given in Jesus Christ the Messiah of God. Programs, meetings, coffee hours, compelling liturgy and inspiring sermons are merely means to an encounter with the living Christ. Cultivating such encounters requires examining ourselves to make sure the gospel we live is the gospel we preach. It also means resurrecting the Jesus of the Gospels, the One who comes to liberate all as well as proclaim the year of the Lords favor, that glorious Jubilee year where God redistributes wealth and manifests justice. As the Church returns to the centrality of Jesus in Gods salvation story, we are certain to see Jesus John 12:32 promise fulfilled: When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself. Tweet: Exaggerated twerking may be latest sign of spiritual deficit only Jesus can fill. See John 4 for Jesus take on promiscuity. #suffraganNY 3. What does the Episcopal Church have to offer those who have negative experience of church? In 1971, Melanie Safka released Look What Theyve Done to My Song, Ma, a haunting ballad about things gone wrong. I can envision Jesus somberly singing this tune while the background choir of the Injured lifts a companion verse, Wish I could find a book to live in, wish I could find a good book. I believe The Episcopal Church (TEC) is that good book. TEC offers authenticity. We make no pretense of being perfect. The liturgy that forms our identity is grounded in the truth and confession that we have not 5
Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

loved our neighbors as ourselves. TEC has courageously, boldly and in many instances publicly led the way in admitting that the Church has been wrong on many fronts (including our acceptance of racism, slothfulness about immigration reform, treatment of women, homosexuals, and victims of sexual misconduct). The Injured often seek a place that is real, that embraces questions and differences of opinions, that acknowledges their pain and works to right the wrong. The Episcopal Church is that place. We offer healing and welcome to people who are just as broken and wounded as we are. We are a people of faith seeking understanding. We dont require doctrinal concurrence. We prescribe a way of living ordered by baptismal vows that demand love and respect for all. Best of all, TEC also offers choice. If you cannot feel the authenticity and love in one parish, drive a few blocks. A different Episcopal experience is right around the corner. Tweet: What sets the Episcopal Church apart? Authenticity, inclusiveness, intellect and working baptismal vows. Come, taste and see. #suffraganNY 4. Lets talk social media. What is your level of comfort with and knowledge of social media? Although not an expert in the machinery of social media, I am comfortable with it and believe social media is here to stay. Whether we are talking about Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, or any other rapidly emerging electronic technology for creating social connection and sharing information, social media continues to transform our world. Already social media has altered our understandings about privacy and compelled the Church to revisit foundational Christian concepts of incarnation and community (i.e., what happens when bodily presence no longer is essential and Jesus Christ goes viral). At the parish level, I utilize younger parishioners for whom the virtual world is a natural, everyday reality to spearhead our social media strategy and fashion our social media policy. Our St. Bernardine Team launched a new website, Facebook page, YouTube channel and twitter account as well as a massive, grant-funded Google ad campaign that puts the congregations name before the world every time someone enters a key word. While on a personal level I have been less aggressive in engaging these new technologies (i.e., I blog, am minimally LinkedIn and love my iPhone 5), I am excited about the results we are seeing as visitors share with us how they have found our parish using social media. Centuries ago Jesus called his followers to fish for people. The fishing rod of yesterday no longer works. I believe the Church will remain visible, relevant and vibrant as our comfort with and use of social media expands. Tweet: Social media allows all Christians to practice fellowship regardless of location and distance. Its worldwide coffee hour #suffraganNY 5. Describe your experience with collaborative working relationships with a supervisor; one where you were supervised and also worked independently. The experience that has the closest resemblance to the roles of Diocesan and Suffragan Bishop is my fiveyear tenure as Assistant Director for the commercial builder arm of a 140,000 member national trade association (19831988). My responsibilities included implementing and promoting a certification program in small commercial real estate development for from 150400 homebuilders as well as managing corresponding conferences. Essentially my job was to bring the dreams of the Executive Director and Board to fruition. In this professional position, I began learning how to listen astutely, balance vision with practical realities (e.g., budget, time, human resources), communicate precisely with various organizational levels, and work collaboratively to revise vision as necessary, all the while honoring the authority and decisions of a supervisor who would cast the vision and then empower me to make that vision happen in accords with his wishes. Here also is where I learned to ask probing and clarifying questions, as well as undertake the requisite 6

research to equip the Executive Director with what he needed to make prudent and informed decisions. I began with very little knowledge about the commercial development process and left being widely respected for my acquired ability to confidently orient new small commercial builders. Since 1988 I have held similar positions in the church where I worked independently under a supervisor/ rector and have honed additional skills in exercising confidentiality and discretion. I thoroughly enjoy giving my all to making my supervisors look even better than they already are. Tweet: Collaborating and honoring the vision of a supervisor ensures the seamless execution of the overarching strategy #suffraganNY 6. How do your skills and talents add to those of Bishop Dietsche? What an extraordinary gift Bishop Dietsche is! I share in his passionate love of Jesus and the Church, his commitment to proactive pastoral care, his celebration of diversity, his courage and willingness to make tough decisions, and his optimism over the future of the Church and the Diocese. In these areas, I am that faithful extra reservoir of fuel Bishop Dietsche can draw upon in his pursuit of the vision God has given him. I am excited to possess practical, hands-on experience in accomplishing for a parish what Bishop Dietsche envisions for the Diocese. I just led a congregation through leaving a survivalist mentality behind, embracing Gods mission, receiving healing from a conflicted past, and opening themselves anew to the Holy Spirits work. That congregation has entered the 21st century with an embrace of electronic technology and radical hospitality that extend to the young as well as the LGBT community. That congregation also is experiencing spiritual renewal as I have infused our life together both with God talk and with compelling and creative liturgy. As a process oriented person, I have found my penchant for detail and dedication to tangible output to be invaluable for the work of translating a vision into practice. I am confident that the journey of listening (Indaba), planning and expecting that Bishop Dietsche envisions for the Diocese will produce life-giving outcomes and believe my passion for liturgy and worship will be an asset as the Diocese undergoes Gods corresponding spiritual transformation. Tweet: Like every good partnership, the Suffragan is to the Diocesan like icing is to cake. We make the substance that much sweeter #suffraganNY
Essay Questions
1. Describe for us your personal spirituality and prayer life. What experiences have most profoundly contributed to your spiritual life? How would you describe your relationship with Jesus? My personal spirituality is Christ-centered, Holy Spirit directed, and deeply rooted in community. A lover of the written word, I come to know God best through the intellect. I balance the thinking, analytical side of my spirituality with a visionary, kingdom building thrust that requires my faith and prayer life to find outward and tangible expression in action aimed at realizing Gods just, redeeming and inclusive kingdom on earth now as well as in heaven. Undergirding my spirituality is a prayer life that is as natural and essential to me as breathing. I walk with, talk to and listen for God throughout each day. I bring discipline and depth to my prayer life by ordering often busy days with the BCPs Daily Devotions. Whenever possible, I end my day with Compline. By punctuating the ordinary time of my prayer life with journaling, blogging, writing poetic responses to my engagement with Christian art and Holy Scripture, and participating regularly in corporate worship, my conversation with and about God remains vibrant, rich and full of surprises.

Three experiences have contributed profoundly to my spiritual life. Once during my childhood, in response to earnest prayer, a light filled the room where I was praying and peace consumed my being. I became convinced not only that God is but also that God hears our cries and stands ready to respond. In my early 20s, I then witnessed for the first time the passing of a loved one. Observing that life is changed not ended by the sacred experience of death liberated me to realize how much God is not restricted to what we human beings see, agree with and/or can understand. Lastly, becoming an Episcopalian also has had significant impact. I have discovered getting more out of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ requires more of us more trust, more obedience, more willingness to say yes to God, and more courage. My focus has shifted from individual to corporate salvation, from human initiative to Gods prevenient grace, and from the brokenness of humanity to the healing and redemptive work of a God who desires abundance of life and blessing for all. I now rejoice to describe myself as a committed, striving, and often obedient yet still imperfect follower of Jesus Christ who loves sharing Gods joy with others. Since giving my life to Christ at age 9 and inviting Jesus to take my life and make it his own at age 25, I am more in love with Jesus, the Lord, Savior and principal mentor of my life, than ever before. 2. By entering our process, you have indicated that you are open to the possibility that God might be calling you to this important and challenging ministry. Tell us how you have perceived Gods call and why you are open to that call. After reviewing the information in our information packet, which of your spiritual gifts and personal and professional experiences would equip you to meet the perceived needs of our Diocese? I opened myself to receiving Gods possible call to the episcopacy with both the Who me? trepidation of Moses and the trusting assurances given in Jeremiah 1:5 (i.e., before you were born I knew you). I started experiencing insistent promptings from the Holy Spirit three years ago as people began naming in me qualities they saw as important to the order of bishop. I initially resisted these nudges in favor of seeing the congregation I serve through to a place of wholeness and growth. Having moved the people of God successfully from angst to active hope and vibrancy, I now am ready to explore with God and others this call. I bring to the Diocese of New York extensive experience serving in a context where geographical extremes also are the norm. As a former member of the Executive Board of the Diocese of Virginia and current member of its Standing Committee, I have grown adept at enlisting my keen listing skills to find common ground across distinct regions and diverse interests. My affinity for such collaboration on the local level has meant being able to feed the hungry, support the homeless, host the churchless and clothe the needy (without exhausting congregational resources) through the mutually beneficial partnership alliances I have fostered. I believe my skills in building networks of support, in connecting with the disenfranchised and the unchurched, and in empowering laity combined with my ardent faith in the redemptive resurrection power of Jesus Christ will be an asset for your diocesan work of listening (Indaba), re-visioning and transformation. One important thread that binds all of my professional roles together is my giftedness in bringing dreams to fruition, whether those dreams are championed by others or are my own. I am just as practiced at being a loyal follower as I am a dedicated leader, and am well known for my ability to raise pointed questions that bring clarity and new perspective to decision-making processes. In my 20+ years serving church communities of nearly every size, I have spent half of those years pastoring pastors/priests and pastors/priests-inthe-making and all of those years extending radical welcome to all people. Young, old, seeker, convert and cradle Episcopalian alike find me to be accessible and my sermons to be memorable, relevant, inspiring and empowering. I believe these gifts, as well as the gifts of joy and laughter I offer wherever God takes me, will serve well both Bishop Dietsche and the Diocese.

3. The new Bishop Suffragan will take our church out into the world, beyond the doors of our churches. Which of your gifts and talents would equip you to do this work? At the same time, where do you experience the Holy Spirit at work outside the walls of the church? How will you work in these areas to encourage the formation of new Christian ministries and congregational development among young adults, young families, and older adults? Where and how have you already done this? At heart, I am a pastor, teacher and evangelist. I love to share Gods story and have been gifted with an inviting smile, a voice some find to be compelling, and a genuine love and appreciation for the mystery and wonder of humanity that make sharing Gods love story all the easier. Prior to entering the Episcopal tradition, I served as Director of a Commission on Evangelism that taught me how to respect the dignity of every human being by sharing the Good News without offending or abusing others. Through the work of that Commission, I walked through neighborhoods, conducted worship in prisons, and brought words of hope to the infirmed. Today, in addition to hands-on outreach and advocacy, I also galvanize Gen Y and Boomer parishioners to proclaim Gods Good News by using website, blog, Facebook, YouTube, and twitter technologies. I am convinced by the fruit I have seen that reaching emerging generations effectively means embracing these newer electronic technologies as well as appropriately introducing multi-media, multi-cultural and multi-generational experiences into parish life and worship. Where I currently serve, we integrate into our worship experiences creative Prayer Book liturgy with art and compelling music drawn from all the authorized Episcopal hymnals. We also have bridged generational and cultural divides by welcoming the international Mothers Union organization and by regularly incorporating our very diverse preschool population into parish life (e.g., we conduct a Baccalaureate Ceremony for graduating five-year-olds). I personally have advanced to blogging and iPhone 5 usage and join with the congregation in celebrating the many ways we have grown as a result of these initiatives. I continue to experience the Holy Spirit at work outside the walls of the church wherever I find death defying faith working to challenge and reverse situations of inequality, injustice, and disenfranchisement. Our pop culture lives are infused with stories and language articulating our deep hunger for God. As your Suffragan Bishop, I will partner with Bishop Dietsche in naming the opportunities before us, telling the story of the many ways in which God already is at work amongst us, and with intentionality, work to give place and voice to all. I will collaborate with experts in and outside our parishes to consult with and equip congregations with the tools you need to engage todays world, especially younger generations. Most importantly, I faithfully will exhort the Diocese of New York to believe that all things are possible with God.
The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss

Current Position
2000Present Rector, Christs Church, Rye, NY

19962000 19911996 19891990 19841989 19801983 19771980 Canon Residentiary, Cathedral of St. John the Divine; Vicar, Congregation of St. Saviour, New York, NY Chaplain, The Cathedral School, New York, NY Theologian-in-Residence, St. Michaels Church, New York, NY Associate Rector, St. James Church, New York, NY Chaplain to the Bishop of New York Assistant Director, Earl Hall Center for Religion and Life, Columbia University, New York, NY Intensive Spanish Language Study, Queen Soa Institute, New York, NY Continuing Education in Creative Writing, Columbia University, New York, NY Master of Divinity, Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY B.A. with Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, Denison University, Granville, OH
Education
2011 1990 1977 1973
Ordination
06/09/1980 06/02/1979 Ordination to Priesthood, Diocese of New York Ordination to Diaconate, Diocese of New York

Episcopal Diocese of New York: Diocesan Trustee (2012Present) Co-chair, Assessment Adjustment Review Board (20092012) Member, Board of Directors, Episcopal Charities (20092011) Co-chair, Special Committee to Review the Assessment Process (20082009) Chair, Diocesan Leadership Commission (20012003) Member and Chair, Racism Task Force Delegate to Provincial Synod 1984 Broader Church Engagement: Board Member, National Association of Episcopal Schools (2012Present) Mentor to newly ordained through Virginia Theological Seminary (20092012) Mentor, Excellence in Preaching Program (2007) Chaplain to Godly Play Trainers meeting, Sewanee, 1997
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Interview Questions
1. What gives you joy? Right now, my (new) hydrangea. A bereaved family gave me this beautiful plant in the week after their fathers funeral; I hesitated to accept it because I have never been good with plants. But I so loved their dad! So I took the hydrangea, transplanted it at home and watched it jealously for those first few days when there was too much heat and too little rain. It is doing fine! Inexplicably, this gives me joy. I loved Howard; I love the plant. I also love to dance always have. Back at Union Seminary, in the vinyl days, we would take over the Refectory on Friday evenings. Stereo system plus albums plus pretzels and, well yes, beer equals DANCE. I studied dance in college, performed a tiny bit after, and have always loved the freedom I experienced in it. Not to mention the sheer joy of moving to music. Cooking gives me joy. I wish I could say that I enjoy cooking for others but honestly its just the act of cooking itself that makes me happy. Sometimes on a Saturday as I prepare to preach I will make a big pot of soup for the coming week.. I like to cut onions (go figure.) This leaves me feeling oddly grounded and at peace. I love to sing; I love to preach; I find deep joy and peace at the altar. But, yeah, dancing does it. I should do more of that. Tweet: Dance, bake, plant, preach, sing, grow, move! Live into simple things, even onions. 2. Where do you see spiritual hunger and how do you address it? The problem with spiritual hunger is that it so often presents itself as a hunger for something else. Our endless searching for personal perfection; for the right outfit; for the right balance of home and work all belie a need for something else that we can scarcely recognize. There are people around us who dont believe there is any such thing as a spiritual life; and then there are those who will acknowledge a spiritual life but misunderstand its nature. What they seek without exactly knowing it is the eternal: something, someone who will outlive and outlast them, in whose service they might grow and find peace. God. I like to find the areas where people are already stretching toward God, though they may not call it that. Yoga, meditation, serving in a soup kitchen, the kind of self-examination that goes on in psychotherapy any of these could be indications that someone is hoping to go deeper, to experience a greater sense of meaning, of purpose or of hope. Or they may simply be in crisis. The divine life often remains hidden, and they may be uncomfortable identifying their quest as a spiritual one. I listen respectfully before making suggestions. I do suggest church, though the regular practice of worship, a community of believers, a place to seek God in a more methodical, deliberate way with the help of other seekers and teachers. Tweet: Longing for God presents as longing for other things love, money, perfect house, perfect look. Seek God. Better deal. 3. What does the Episcopal Church have to offer those who have negative experience of church? Oh, an enormous amount! I think we have so much to offer! People come to us having been hurt by religion in a number of ways, depending upon their age and experience. Some have been hurt by their former churchs stand on sexuality; others have been frustrated by fundamentalist teachings or having been told not to think or to question religious teaching. Others have simply been hurt by poorly handled conflict: tension between pastors and laity, change in worship styles, unresolved conflicts over local church politics. 11

But the Episcopal Church has worked to promote the dignity and well-being of all of Gods people, regardless of gender, sexual identity, race, ethnicity or social class. We have worked at it we have not always succeeded but in the spiritual life no effort is wasted. As for fundamentalism, isnt it wonderful to be in a denomination that allows one to read, to think, and to question? Isnt it ultimately more respectful to scripture to say, as Madeleine LEngle used to say, I take the Bible far too seriously to take it literally? The structure of our worship provides space for people to breathe, a kind of protection from religious manipulation. The ritual the Eucharist in particular gives us a space and way to be together with all our differences, to experience ourselves as Gods beloved together. It has a powerful unifying force. Tweet: Episcopal Church offers biggest tent ever. All seekers welcome: God deeply interested. 4. Lets talk social media. What is your level of comfort with and knowledge of social media? Christs Church has a website (www.ccrye.org) of which I am inordinately proud; each Sundays sermon appears there and on YouTube by mid-afternoon the same day. We have a Facebook page. Newcomers check us out on the website, and that has been a good thing. I learn of events in my parishioners lives through Facebook postings, and this has been helpful, if limited. Not everyone uses it. The sermon distribution has been surprisingly helpful. Some parishioners will send a link to their families in other parts of the country to share and discuss. Some older parishioners will listen to the sermons from home; it helps them stay connected when they can no longer make it to church on Sunday. One member searched and found a favorite, older sermon which had suddenly taken new meaning for him. On my personal Facebook page I tend to lie low. I am a beginner, and am most comfortable using it to communicate simple news to friends and acquaintances. If Ive had a Skype conversation with my son (Peace Corps, Mozambique) I may post a note. I still hope that these media will help people come into the church building at some point, into community, where we can be together and learn from one another face to face. Sunday morning is our finest hour, and we do that best live, in real time. Tweet: Tweet, post, and chat: spread the Good News. Come inside for more: hear, taste, smell, touch, commune. Free coffee. 5. Describe your experience with collaborative working relationships with a supervisor; one where you were supervised and also worked independently. This is hard to answer, as I have been Rector of a parish for the last 13 years; I have deal more with vestries than with supervisors. I can say that my own leadership style is collaborative. With the staff of Christs Church I try to be as transparent and clear as possible while allowing them the widest possible berth to grow, to try new things, to speak up as we work out problems together. I prefer a working system that is relatively flat, or as flat as I can make it, as opposed to hierarchical; I want to encourage staff to initiate new programs, but also to consult with me and with one another regularly as they do. That way when we try new things we arent stepping on one anothers toes. I suspect that our bishop enjoys collaborating in just that way. I was told some years ago when I was an Associate Rector that I was entrepreneurial, and didnt quite know how to take it; is that a compliment? I think it means that I can work independently but need to make a conscious effort to let others know what Im doing and if possible, why. Can I step back and let someone else take the lead? Im happy to do that, to do whatever needs doing. I would have to remember that I was assisting as a bishop and not just as administrative staff. Tweet: Bp. Dietsche moves boldly forward; Id be honored to be his colleague and second. 12

6. How do your skills and talents add to that of Bishop Dietsche? I really appreciate the pace that Bishop Dietsche has set, and the vigor of his leadership. I think he has given us a remarkable first year (not even!) There is a lot of work to do, though, and I dont see how one bishop albeit a gifted and anointed one could cover all the bases. In parish life and with the Assessment Review Board I have had a fair amount of administrative experience with the diocese in the last 10 years; Im patient with administration. I like convening meetings, dont mind group process and enjoy brain-storming. I have supervised a fair number of staff at this point and have learned to communicate and delegate in ways that would support his leadership. I enjoy mentoring younger people; have contacts in the Episcopal schools community and throughout Westchester that might be helpful in our work together. Bp. Dietsche is the appropriate voice for our approach to the world and I am glad. I am slower to speak out on public issues and would be happy to step back and let him do that. He should speak first; I can give the supporting second speech. I would enjoy that. Tweet: Strength, humility and patient attention make for smooth operating systems.
Essay Questions
1. Describe for us your personal spirituality and prayer life. What experiences have most profoundly contributed to your spiritual life? How would you describe your relationship with Jesus? The first and strongest influence in my spiritual life was my father, Ernest. A Salvation Army officer and the son of missionaries, he rose early every morning to read and pray, and preached with humility and grace. I accepted Jesus when I was seven years old after hearing my maternal grandfather preach. I vowed to follow Christ then and have spent the rest of my life trying to make good on that promise. My fathers serious illness, when I was 12, brought me into a circle of prayer for healing that I never forgot; I felt the presence of Jesus, palpably, and understood what deep currents of love were coursing through my life and the life of my family. Though we prayed at home nightly after dinner and our religious life was devoted and rich I found myself longing for more. A high school sweetheart, Irish Catholic, introduced me to his church and to the Eucharist. College faculty at Denison started me reading theology: Martin Buber, Reinhold Niebuhr, Tillich. I took a Rockefeller fellowship for a trial year in seminary at Union, in New York, and there found the Episcopal Church. Over the years my spirituality has leaned toward the contemplative; I have had friends and directors among our religious orders, including Sr. Elise, CHS; Sr. Andrea, OSH; Fr. Paul Wessinger at SSJE. Esther de Waal, whom I met in Japan in 1982, guided some investigation into Celtic spirituality and introduced me to Benedictine life. My present director is a Roman Franciscan, and I suspect that because of my early life among the Salvationists the Franciscan temperament suits me best: disciplined, loving, full of forgiveness. My husband and I sit each morning for 20 minutes of centering prayer; I take up the daily office later in the day as I can. I give full attention to the Eucharist especially when I celebrate and offer intercessory prayer throughout each day. My early experience of healing prayer remains with me and so I am careful to offer the laying-on-ofhands and anointing whenever it seems right. A weekly Bible study in the parish with a group of outspoken and questioning women helps me enormously. But basically, I find I need to turn to God for everything. So I pray a lot in whatever method is practical at the time. Jesus is my friend, my perfect teacher.
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2. By entering our process, you have indicated that you are open to the possibility that God might be calling you to this important and challenging ministry. Tell us how you have perceived Gods call and why you are open to that call. After reviewing the information in our information packet, which of your spiritual gifts and personal and professional experiences would equip you to meet the perceived needs of our Diocese? God will call many of us to consider this position, and only one will be chosen. So while it seems presumptuous to imagine that God is calling me, obedience suggests that I must at least try on the thought, and I have. I hear God calling me in several ways. Friends and colleagues have urged me to allow my name to stand because they believe me to be qualified to lead. Women look to me to take up this role because I have years in the priesthood. My mother and both grandmothers took the pulpit; perhaps that legacy would be useful to the House of Bishops. I have more than ten years of experience as rector of a parish, and will not easily forget the hard lessons learned there about people, stewardship, the nature of responsibility and the astounding faithfulness of God. A bishop needs that experience these days, and I have it. These are the practical indicators of my calling, and I think that I have to consider them just as carefully as I would consider the whispering of the Holy Spirit within my own heart. My professional experience has led me from campus ministry to diocesan staff work as Bp. Moores chaplain, to school chaplaincy, to congregational leadership in two of the most diverse parishes in the diocese St. Michaels, Manhattan, and St. Saviour at the Cathedral and in two of the most homogeneous St. James and Christs Church, Rye. I have worked with rich and poor alike; have preached to children in schools and prisoners at Sing Sing; have celebrated in Spanish and con-celebrated in Haiti; have mentored newly ordained clergy and guided aspirants through the steps that lead to ordination. I think I hope that I would bring maturity and kindness to this role, healing and peace. When a bishop comes to my parish for confirmation there is a moment of connection that cannot be replicated in any other way. I know we are the church every other day of the year but on that day we are more purely, more strongly the church; it is as if we are momentarily complete. The presence of a bishop awakens us, arouses our concern for the world outside our own parish and calls us into the world. Could I awaken the church in that way? Not by myself, but by the grace of God working within me, and with the peoples consent, I believe I could. 3. The new Bishop Suffragan will take our church out into the world, beyond the doors of our churches. Which of your gifts and talents would equip you to do this work? At the same time, where do you experience the Holy Spirit at work outside the walls of the church? How will you work in these areas to encourage the formation of new Christian ministries and congregational development among young adults, young families, and older adults? Where and how have you already done this? When I entered seminary I had been interrupted in my path towards a career as a news writer; I had been accepted at the Columbia School of Journalism and went to Union instead as a Rockefeller Trial Year Fellow. I was editor of my college paper and have always enjoyed writing. I enjoy public speaking, and have been doing it for most of my life even, when I was young, on street corners. I took an interest at Union in religious broadcasting and am happy that my parish has a strong digital presence on the web and on YouTube. I see the Holy Spirit at work almost everywhere. Lately I have been in physical therapy for a shoulder injury; I sense the Holy Spirit at work among those young therapists, earnest in their work, caring for strangers, building an odd community of the halt and the nearly lame as we stretch, pull, and push our way back to health. I am not so much a planter of churches as a healer of churches. I think we have extraordinarily beautiful things to offer in the Episcopal church, and many many who will respond to what we have. 14

We have emergent churches from immigrant groups all over the diocese; lets cultivate those congregations. We also need to bring the so-called price point down for being an Episcopal church; having a local church should not be a privilege reserved to the rich. As for congregational development, I learned long ago that this is best done through personal contact, one person or family at a time. We are helped by social media and broad communication of our message but what we do best, we do face to face. Live worship in real time with real people singing and praying together; we have in that very experience a treasure that is at risk of extinction. There is no substitute for a broad and sincere welcome for the newcomer, the struggler, the child, the old dear. A robust, sincere Sunday morning service with a strong education component offered by cheerful, loving people thats priceless.
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The Rev. L. Kathleen Liles

Current Position
1998Present Rector, Christ & Saint Stephens Church, New York, NY

19941998 19911994 19901991 19881990 19821985 19791982 19751979 Senior Associate Rector, Trinity Church, Southport, CT Associate Rector, Saint Peters Episcopal Church, Cheshire, CT Interim Rector, Zion Episcopal Church, North Branford, CT Assistant to the Rector, Saint Peters Episcopal Church, Cheshire, CT Director of Public Relations and Publications, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO Director of Public Affairs, Arkansas Division, American Red Cross, Little Rock, AR Graphic Designer, Self-Employed, Little Rock, AR
Education
1990 1988 1975 Master of Sacred Theology, Medieval Church History and Art, School of Divinity and Institute of Sacred Music, Yale University, New Haven, CT Master of Divinity, School of Divinity, Yale University, New Haven, CT Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting), Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
Ordination
1989 1988 Ordination to Priesthood, Saint Peters Episcopal Church, Cheshire, CT Ordination to Diaconate, Trinity Cathedral, Little Rock, AR

2012 2011Present Deputy to the General Convention, Episcopal Diocese of New York Member, The Standing Committee of the Diocese of New York
2009Present Member, Board of Trustees, American Friends of the Anglican Centre in Rome 2008Present Chair, Congregational Support Plan, Episcopal Diocese of New York 20052012 20042010 20012007 20012002 Chair, Diocesan Convention Resolutions Committee Member, Board of Directors, Episcopal Charities Member, Board of Trustees, Episcopal Diocese of New York Vice-Chair, Assessment Review Task Force, Episcopal Diocese of New York
2003Present Member, Board of Trustees, St. Hildas and St. Hughs School, New York, NY
20002004, 20082009 Dean, Mid-Manhattan Deanery, Episcopal Diocese of New York 19992005 Member, Board of Trustees, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale
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Interview Questions
1. What gives you joy?
I find joy in meaningful work work with a purpose getting up in the morning knowing that there is work to be done that matters really matters and going to bed at night feeling that something I did made a difference a genuine difference. If I dont feel that way, I know I am either not paying close enough attention or not doing the right things. I love the hymn verse that says, for lives bereft of purpose high, forgive, forgive, O Lord, we cry (574). I would not want to feel that it didnt matter whether I got myself up in the morning. But the purposeful work does not always have to be church work. It might be building a bookcase to get my books off the floor. That cannot be described as a higher purpose, but perhaps it is a worthy one. Basically, I enjoy the feeling that comes from knowing I completed something that needed to be done. By comparison, ministry can be intangible. We dont always see the fruits of our plantings. Also I enjoy the out-of-doors, both to play and work. I try to get to the park each morning before Morning Prayer. Another great joy comes from my passion for art and music. This passion guides my liturgy, my own creative endeavors and my appreciation for those of others. Tweet: I like to get up, get out, make a difference. See the sunrise. Smile at the rising moon feeling tired and happy. 2. Where do you see spiritual hunger and how do you address it? I see spiritual hunger everywhere in our society. The success of the Left Behind series, the resurgence of apocalyptic movies and the popularity of themes like the eternal nature of vampires provide evidence that our culture craves meaning that goes beyond the here-and-now. But people often do not find that meaning in socalled institutional religion because either they have heard simplistic answers to complicated questions, or they are turned off by the mean-spiritedness of those religious people who judge more than they love. I try to provide opportunities for people to ask questions, to help them come up with new ways to think about God and to share those thoughts with others. At my church, we offer high-quality adult education that allows people to grow spiritually. In this environment they are able to explore and question, rather than simply learn by rote what others have thought. Tweet: Questioning the meaning of life leads to new questions that are often more interesting than the answers. Its a process. 3. What does the Episcopal Church have to offer those who have negative experience of church? Sometimes I think half my congregation had a negative experience of church growing up in whatever tradition they came from. I marvel that they still go to church at all. They find a home with us because of the tolerance rather, appreciation for varieties of opinion that can be found here. I wonder if the motto of the Moravian Church In essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty; in all things charity. (Rupertus Medenius) might be an appropriate motto for us as well. The view of religious culture in our society has been largely formed by the religious right for the past 20 to 25 years. I find people are both surprised and pleased to discover that ours is a tradition where the historic catholic faith is celebrated at the same time that questioning is encouraged. I try to make sure our children have a positive experience of church and come to view it as a place where they feel good about themselves and about God. If we do our job right, these little ones will grow up to be themselves the parents of church families. Tweet: If the church has let you down, climb back up and take another look. A different angle can change the view. 17

4. Lets talk social media. What is you level of comfort with and knowledge of social media? I am quite comfortable with social media and technology and utilize them in my ministry. We have a dynamic website and keep it up-to-date. There is a link on the website that leads to our parish Facebook page. That page is vibrant, changing several times a week. Our parishioners are connected to it by liking and many respond to our posts. In addition, for some time we have had a monthly electronic newsletter CSSeNews. Most people receive their parish news this way. When special events such as a death in the parish or special concert or worship service come along we send a CSSeNews Special Notice to our membership. Tweet: Like our FB page and know whats next at the church. Its better than finding out tomorrow you wanted to be somewhere tonight. 5. Describe your experience with collaborative working relationships with a supervisor; one where you were supervised and also worked independently. I have had plenty of opportunities to work collaboratively since each of my 25 years of ordained ministry was spent as part of a multi-clerical church staff. For the past 15 years, curates have reported to me, while previously I answered to a rector. For the first 10 years of my ministry (except for one year when I was an Interim Rector in a vacant parish) I served as Assistant to the Rector, Assistant Rector, and Senior Associate Rector. I enjoyed worked closely with the rectors with whom I served, although in each instance I was given a portfolio of responsibilities that allowed me to work rather independently. For four years prior to coming to New York to be a rector myself, I worked closely with the rector and another assistant priest. I enjoy collegial relationships and have no problem being a lieutenant rather than captain when I feel the captain with whom I am working is honest and trustworthy. Tweet: Being part of a team pulling together is a great way to work. The best fields are plowed that way. 6. How do your skills and talents add to those of Bishop Dietsche? I believe Bishop Dietsche and I would work compatibly and companionably and that I would balance him in a number of ways. I am as comfortable in the city parishes as the rural congregations. I am an organized leader who is effective with groups. I would be able to keep the trains running on on-going projects while he was attending to situations appropriate for the diocesans oversight. I have 25 years in parish ministry and believe that would be helpful when working with congregations. Tweet: A mixture of compatibility and differing perspectives makes for a broader bandwidth and sharper picture.
Essay Questions
1. Describe for us your personal spirituality and prayer life. What experiences have most profoundly contributed to your spiritual life? How would you describe your relationship with Jesus? The roots of my spirituality were planted in the black soil of the Arkansas delta. When visiting my grandparents we would walk through the privet hedge that separated their house from the Baptist Church and enter a world of joyful singing, colored windows and paper fans with a picture of Jesus knocking on a door. Here I came to love Jesus and know that he loved me. Here I led a congregation for the first time a rousing rendition of Hes got the whole world in his hands that crowned two weeks of Vacation Bible School. I was 18

hooked. Years later at Yale I rigorously applied myself to study and came to recognize the complexities that characterize religious thought. I grew to appreciate conceptual nuance and the endless variety of approaches to the sacred. But, if that intellectualism were stripped away, what remains is that deep well of faith born in me on those hot, summer mornings in that small Baptist Church. When I need a cool bucket full of solace or strength that is the place I draw from. I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. When I was seven our town became the focus of the nation when the local High School was forcibly integrated amid a violent atmosphere. This event affected me profoundly. I began to pray daily that Jesus would save us all. With more years and my introduction to the Episcopal Church when I was 17 that habit of daily prayer eventually grew into Morning and Evening Prayer, which is the framework of my prayer life today. The Central High School crisis had a lasting influence on me and eventually led me to become active with the Civil Rights Movement as a young adolescent. This experience introduced me to the rhythm and cadence of the Black church where I grew to appreciate the relationship between music and prayer. My worship these days is centered in the prayer book tradition with chant and incense. But because of the formation I had in the Baptist Church of my youth and the many Black churches I had the honor of worshipping with during those troubled times, I still know how to talk to Jesus in that one-to- one style and do so throughout the day, each day. 2. By entering our process, you have indicated that you are open to the possibility that God might be calling you to this important and challenging ministry. Tell us how you have perceived Gods call and why you are open to that call. After reviewing the information in our information packet, which of your spiritual gifts and personal and professional experiences would equip you to meet the perceived needs of our Diocese? When we offer ourselves to God, we can be sure God will never leave us alone. And I mean that in two senses. God will be with us to comfort and renew us when we need it and we will never be allowed to remain the same person. We are continually called into new places. It is only in retrospect that we can see how we have been prepared all along to embark on a new path. I have served the church in a variety of settings, in small parishes and large ones, both urban and rural, and engaged in numerous diocesan assignments. I did not undertake any of these duties with the intention of preparing myself to serve as Bishop Suffragan. However, had I charted a course of preparation, it would have looked a lot like the path I have been on for the past 25 years of ordained ministry. Perhaps that is especially true of my experience with the Congregational Support Plan. As chair of this diocesan program for the past five years, I have had the opportunity to visit many congregations to meet with clergy and lay leaders. We have discussed various concerns related to resources and lack of resources. These conversations filled me with hope for the church even as we looked to the challenges ahead, for I witnessed a deep desire and commitment to succeed even in the direst of circumstances. I became energized by these discussions and from them began to recognize a growing sense of vocation to episcopal ministry. Serving as Bishop Suffragan would call upon the breath of experience I have gained in the church in organizational management and development, worship, pastoral care, education, preaching and teaching, strategic visioning, implementation and community leadership. Fifteen years as rector of a parish that has grown in vitality and strength increasing in members, programs, pledge income and ministries to our neighbors has equipped me to join with the diocesan bishop to lead the diocese in a time of numerous challenges. I have seen hope in the diocese. We need a common vision to focus it in order that we may move forward as a unified body.
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3. The new Bishop Suffragan will take our church out into the world, beyond the doors of our churches. Which of your gifts and talents would equip you to do this work? At the same time, where do you experience the Holy Spirit at work outside the walls of the church? How will you work in these areas to encourage the formation of new Christian ministries and congregational development among young adults, young families, and older adults? Where and how have you already done this? I have not always been a parish priest. I have lived as a working artist, professional singer, graphic designer, public relations executive and graduate student. I came to the middle of Manhattan by way of Yale University and a Connecticut shore village, but prior to that I lived for a time in a remote Ozark mountain cabin, an Arkansas delta farmhouse, as well as a Midwest urban slum populated by the full spectrum of humanity, from honest working folk and those looking for work, to misfits and criminals. I have chopped wood, installed art exhibits and participated in board meetings with a view of the Chrysler Building. I traveled with a youth group around the country in a converted school bus, stopping at churches to perform a Life of Christ program in exchange for housing. I have had an assortment of experiences and lived in a wide range of environments. I believe God intended it to be so, for all of it has equipped me for ministry, taught me how to learn from others and to be at home in a variety of settings. In the days ahead we will benefit from looking at new ways to be in community. We have much to offer a world that longs for the fundamental things which all human beings desire love, a higher purpose, and a sense that what they do matters in the end. But we, too, have much to learn from the world. New ways of being church and engaging in ministry will keep us open to a Living God who never tires of calling us into new places. It is clear that we will need to be open to creative ways of living the gospel life in a new economy that works against the old models. Years ago, I was sponsored for Holy Orders by a small congregation that worshipped in a converted pool hall. In spite of the simplicity of our worship environment or maybe because of it we could focus on what held us together. The love of God in Christ melted us like wax into one big candle. And with that candle we cast a light all our neighbors could see. That experience taught me that the essence of church can thrive in a dusty pool hall or parish basement, far from the whiff of incense. It is love and mutuality that invites the spirit of God to dwell.
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The Rev. Allen K. Shin

Current Position
2010Present Rector, St. Johns Episcopal Church, Huntington, LI, NY

20052010 20022005 19962001 19961999 Fellow and Chaplain, Keble College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Honorary Assistant, All Saints Church, Margaret Street, London Curate/Assistant, Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, New York, NY Assistant Officer, Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry, Episcopal Church Center, New York, NY
Education
20012005 2001 1996 1983 Post-Graduate Research in Patristic Studies, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Master of Sacred Theology, General Theological Seminary, New York, NY Master of Divinity, General Theological Seminary, New York, NY Bachelor of Art, Music/Vocal Performance, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
Ordination
12/07/1996 06/15/1996 Ordination to Priesthood, Diocese of New York Ordination to Diaconate, Diocese of Chicago

Faculty Member, School for Deacons at Mercer School of Theology, Diocese of Long Island Board Member, Protestant Campus Ministry at Hofstra University, Long Island Council of Churches Huntington Inter-faith Clergy Association Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry Commission, Diocese of Long Island National Episcopal Korean Ministries Convocation Board Member, Metropolitan Japanese Ministry
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Interview Questions
1. What gives you joy?
The relationships I have with other people are often the significant source of joy for me. The relationship with my wife, Clara, gives me great joy. I truly believe that God has brought us together as a gift to each other to cherish and nurture each other and to enjoy each others company. My relationships with family and friends also give me much joy. I also find joy in the pastoral relationships with those I am called to serve, be they my parishioners or strangers outside the parish. When my ministry and presence make a small difference in peoples lives, it gives me joy and makes me thankful for the opportunity. Then, there are things for my personal enjoyment and enrichment such as classical music and opera, reading, writing, cooking, running and taking walks. The greatest joy, however, is life itself. Life, I believe, is a gift God has given me to enjoy and be happy in. So, whatever I do in life I try to make it fun and enjoyable. This, in turn, helps me bring creativity and meaning to the things I do. I find joy in being a faithful and creative steward of life in all its joys and sorrows, in its successes and failures, and in its peaceful and challenging moments. I have learned that Gods grace encompasses and redeems all of life. Discovering the surprising grace of God especially in the moments of crisis and challenge has given me the greatest joy in life. Tweet: Discovering the surprising grace of God especially in the moments of crisis and challenge has given me the greatest joy in life. #suffraganNY 2. Where do you see spiritual hunger and how do you address it? Spirituality is our innate capacity to connect with the sacred. Spiritual hunger, thus, is as natural as physical and emotional hunger, and I see it everywhere. The plethora of spiritual books in Barnes and Nobles and the pages and pages of spiritual books and resources on Amazon.com signal the spiritual hunger of this age. I see spiritual hunger in the parishioners who come to the Christian Education class on Sunday morning or mid-week evening, in the youth group members who show up for Sunday evening activities, in the children who cannot wait for the Holy Communion class to begin, in the young adults who question the faith and the religious traditions they grew up with, in the church visitors who are shopping for a spiritual home, in the patient who is diagnosed with cancer and searching for an answer, the parent who is grieving the loss of her child and wrestling with faith, in the gay person who is seeking a safe space to search for his spiritual identity, and so on and on. All quests in life are the cries of spiritual hunger and are fundamentally quests for a deeper meaning of life. In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus welcomes the woman into a safe space of his grace where she can question and seek and engages her in an honest and deeply personal conversation. Hospitable and honest conversation that welcomes each other into a space of Christs grace can satisfy our spiritual hunger. Tweet: Honest and hospitable conversation which welcomes each other into a space of Christs grace can satisfy our spiritual hunger. #suffraganNY 3. What does the Episcopal Church have to offer those who have negative experience of church? It pains me to hear of the painful experiences some people have of the church. In all honesty, the Episcopal Church has also done its share of causing people pain. Kathleen Norris rightly observed that churches can be as inhospitable as any other institution. Church ought to be a place of true Communion, which values and celebrates the dignity and the freedom of every human being and which witnesses to the reconciling grace of God at times of difference and conflict. Despite its shortcomings, the strength of the Anglican tradition is its 22

rootedness in the spirituality of Communion, the spirituality of democratic polity that values the grassroots movement of the Holy Spirit rather than a rigid, hierarchical polity. As a member of the global Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church, I believe, has striven to live into the ethos of true Communion. The Episcopal Church offers a welcoming, generous and safe space for the seekers to question and search for the truth of God. In recent years, I have seen many people who have been estranged or hurt by other churches find their new spiritual home in the Episcopal Church because of its generous and welcoming spirit. Grounded in scripture, tradition and reason, the Episcopal Church offers a reasonable and balanced approach to faith and religion. Its rich liturgical tradition and spirituality also witness to the power of ritual and enrich peoples spiritual life. The Episcopal Church, I believe, has much to offer in witness to Christs grace and mercy. Tweet: Grounded in scripture, tradition and reason, the Episcopal Church offers a reasonable approach to faith and a welcoming and safe space for seekers. #suffraganNY 4. Lets talk social media. What is your level of comfort with and knowledge of social media? When I was chaplain at Keble College, I experienced the change in the students communication habits. While it took days to get email replies from students, I would get instant communication from them through Facebook. I also learned that they prefer texting rather than calling, even they were sitting next to each other. In my current parish, the first thing I did when I arrived was to create a new website and a new Facebook page. We have also tried the Google ads and the Facebook ads to boost the visibility of our church. We diligently keep up with new posts on the website and the Facebook. Some Facebook posts have had over 300 reaches. A recent post about our new solar panels generated 295 reaches. I recently posted an Erma Bombeck quote, which received 215 hits. Although I dont post Twitter messages regularly, I follow the Twitter posts of a number of people and organizations. Good and effective communication is the heart of good relationships and successful ministries. In different ages of the past, new technologies have revolutionized the way we communicate and socialize, be it the radio or the TV or the telephone. These technological advances have transformed the way churches do their mission and ministries. The latest internet communication and social media are the new communication tools that are revolutionizing our culture and society. Ministry today requires the skills to engage in the new social media for effective communication. Tweet: Good and effective communication is essential for successful ministry and requires skills in the latest internet communication and social media. #suffraganNY 5. Describe your experience with collaborative working relationships with a supervisor; one where you were supervised and also worked independently. Collaborative working relationships must be grounded in trust, integrity, transparency, respect and effective communication. I have been fortunate to have had supervisors with whom I could work collaboratively. At the Episcopal Church Center, my supervisor, the Rev. Winston Ching, and I collaborated and coordinated our skills and efforts to grow Asian ministries in various dioceses and to develop partnerships with the Anglican Churches in Asia. I was entrusted to develop and nurture Asian youth and young adult ministries at the national level and to work with various dioceses to strengthen and develop Korean ministries. At St. Mary the Virgin, Times Square, I served under two rectors, the Rev. Canon Edgar Wells and the Rev. Stephen Gerth. I had a wonderful collaborative working and collegial relationship with both. I was entrusted with developing and running the Christian formation program, overseeing the sacristans and the lectors and developing the new 20s & 30s ministry. At Keble College, Oxford, my supervisor was the head of the College, Professor Dame Averil Cameron. 23

Although it was a bit trickier than the parochial setting, I enjoyed a wonderful collaborative working relationship with her. While she was my supervisor in the wider college affairs, as a lay person she respected my position as the Chaplain in the matters of pastoral care and the chapel affairs. We also collaborated well in fundraising efforts for a new pipe organ. In my current parish, I practice collaborative leadership with my staff and the vestry. Tweet: Collaborative working relationships must be based on the key values of trust, integrity, transparency, respect and effective communication. #suffraganNY 6. How do your skills and talents add to those of Bishop Dietsche? First of all, I offer who I am as a Korean-American. Having immigrated to the US at the age of 14 with virtually no English, I have learned to work hard and develop a strong work ethic. The immigrant experience has also taught me to be open and easily adapt to new situations. As a bicultural person, I have developed innate bridge-building skills to reconcile the different cultural contexts and influences for my personal life and to be comfortable with the paradoxes of opposing cultural perspectives. So, community-building and communion are central to my vision of ministry and life. I bring ample experience in congregational development from the level of oversight. As Assistant Officer for Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry at the Episcopal Church Center, I worked on projects at the national and the international levels, providing consultations to various Asian congregations and to their respective dioceses, organizing national Asian youth and young adult conferences and ministering to them as their chaplain, and working with the Anglican Churches of Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Having worked in England, I gained a great deal of insight and experience on the polity and the culture of the Church of England. I bring first-hand experience in young adult ministries in parishes, as a college chaplain and in national conferences. I even started a new campus ministry while I was in the Diocese of Chicago. I also offer theological knowledge of high integrity which I have gained from my academic research at University of Oxford, UK. Tweet: I offer who I am as a Korean-American, ministry experiences at local, national and international levels and theological knowledge of high integrity. #suffraganNY
Essay Questions
1. Describe for us your personal spirituality and prayer life. What experiences have most profoundly contributed to your spiritual life? How would you describe your relationship with Jesus? My personal spirituality is grounded in the baptismal covenant, the sacramental life of the Church, and praying the Daily Office. Having served at several historic churches in the Anglo-Catholic liturgical tradition in New York, London and Oxford, I have a deep appreciation for the liturgical spirituality of the Anglican tradition. I am inspired by and deeply committed to the gift and the spirit of Communion, the true union that celebrates the freedom of diversity in the reconciling love of God. This, I believe, is the heart of the Anglican spirituality and of the Anglican Communion. Prayer is the most important thing that nourishes me in my spiritual life and sustains me in my ministry. I cannot imagine getting through a day without prayer. When I was a small child in South Korea, I grew up in a large household with my grandparents, aunts and uncles. My grandmother, who was a very devout Christian, used to gather the family for prayer and hymn singing every night. I still remember the sound of my familys four-part hymn singing, accompanied by my grandfather on the harmonium and my grandmothers prayers which seemed to endure forever. Although my aunts and uncles and I used to take part reluctantly at the time, I have come to realize that this childhood experience deeply formed me in the spirituality of daily prayer, common worship and the value of community. 24

The most profound life-changing experience occurred 22 years ago when my younger sister suddenly died from a car accident at the age of 20. It thrust me into total chaos and confusion and made me question everything from my lifes mission and values to my faith in God. At my sisters funeral, there were 30 or so teenagers. My sister had worked at a rehab center for teens with drug addiction. One by one they told a story of how my sister had helped them change and get their lives back together. My mother later gave me my sisters Bible which was the only thing miraculously salvaged from her totaled car. In my subsequent spiritual journey, guided by my parish priest and mentors, I gradually came to see the gift of new life my sister gave to those broken teenagers and the new life to which she was calling me. This experience and journey led me to renewed faith in God and a deeper personal relationship with Jesus. As I reflected upon my sisters work and death, the baptismal call to seek and serve Christ in all persons took on a new personal meaning for me. The source of the pastoral ministry for me is the self-giving love of Jesus on the cross and the mutual love of the Trinity. Where love is deeply experienced and genuinely shared, life can change and new life can begin. Jesus love is life-changing and life-giving, because it is deeply personal and genuine. We are called to love the Lord our God. I believe that my calling, first of all, is to love Jesus Christ my Lord and my God. 2. By entering our process, you have indicated that you are open to the possibility that God might be calling you to this important and challenging ministry. Tell us how you have perceived Gods call and why you are open to that call. After reviewing the information in our information packet, which of your spiritual gifts and personal and professional experiences would equip you to meet the perceived needs of our Diocese? Gods nudging voice often comes in oddly unexpected ways. On the morning of May 6, I was leading a parishioner aspiring for ordination in discernment. At the end of our conversation, she asked me out of the blue whether I had ever thought I might be called to be a bishop someday. I laughed and said that it was a matter of calling and not something I thought much about. An hour later I saw the email from the Diocese of New York, announcing this search process. I laughed at the coincidence but something in me continued to nag and pull to pray and discern on this opportunity. Then, some friends encouraged me to put my name in for the position. Discernment is best done in prayerful communion with other people. So, I asked my wife and some trusted friends to pray and discern with me. With their prayerful help, I have decided to submit myself to the formal process of discernment for this awesome and challenging ministry. The most wonderful and exciting treasure of the Diocese of New York is its remarkable diversity. Unity presumes diversity, and true Communion, I believe, celebrates the freedom of every unique individual gift and reconciles the diversity of the gifts in the love of God. I would value many unique gifts of the Diocese on all levels and dimensions of its common life and celebrate its diversity with freedom and joyful gusto. In my interpersonal and pastoral skills, I value and honor people of all social, political and economic backgrounds, and of all ages, gender and sexual orientations. As a bicultural and bilingual Korean American, I thrive in diversity and have developed skills to adapt easily to new situations and changing environments and to be comfortable with lifes paradoxes. I am passionately committed to the young adult and the youth ministries. I have started the 20s & 30s ministries in the parishes I have served, including my current parish. As the chaplain at Keble College in Oxford, I mentored many students in their spiritual search and nurtured a number of them to ordained ministry. In my work at the Episcopal Church Center, I organized a number of national Asian youth and young adult conferences and ministered to them as their chaplain. I have experience in congregational development from the level of oversight. As the Chaplain of Keble College, I was responsible for working with 70 parishes under the Colleges patronage, which consisted of visiting these parishes, strengthening their ties with the College with joint events and services, assisting them in their needs, and overseeing their search processes for new priests. At the Episcopal Church Center, I worked 25

closely with the Korean and other Asian Episcopal congregations around the country and guided some Korean congregations and their clergy in their conversion to the Episcopal Church from other denominations. I also provided consultations to various dioceses on the Korean and the Asian ministries. 3. The new Bishop Suffragan will take our church out into the world, beyond the doors of our churches. Which of your gifts and talents would equip you to do this work? At the same time, where do you experience the Holy Spirit at work outside the walls of the church? How will you work in these areas to encourage the formation of new Christian ministries and congregational development among young adults, young families, and older adults? Where and how have you already done this? The bishop is caught up in the mission of the Holy Spirit not only in the pastoral oversight and encouragement of the congregations but also in the Christian witness in the public discourse for justice and peace in the society and in the partnerships and networks of the Episcopal Church at large and of the global Anglican Communion. Having served in the Church of England and at the Episcopal Church Center, I have working knowledge and perspective of the national church and of the global Anglican Communion. With my theological training and intellectual discipline gained from the post-graduate level research, I strive to be an effective communicator of and a witness to the Christian faith with spiritual and theological integrity. I also bring skills in healthy pastoral leadership and experiences in congregational development. I see the Holy Spirit at work in many facets of life in the outside community, perhaps even more actively than within the church at times. In the local charities which care for the homeless, the AIDS victims and the undocumented immigrants, in the volunteers working for the post-Sandy relief efforts, in the youth members organizing fundraising events for cancer and diabetes research, and in the people caring for the shut-in elderly neighbors, the Holy Spirit is already at work and Gods mission is being carried out. It is no longer enough to create programs to attract people to the church. Churches need to engage and partner with the local charities for mission and to be the missional resource to people who are already engaged in mission in their lives. My current parish with other churches and synagogues has partnered with a local community service organization, Family Service League, in a project called, Huntington Interfaith Homeless Initiative this past winter. Our Latina curate and some lay people have gone out into the local Hispanic community, meeting people, leading prayer groups in peoples homes and nurturing a core group for the Hispanic ministry outside the church. Last year we held the first Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration and are launching the Spanish Eucharist to serve the growing Hispanic community in Huntington. These efforts have heightened the awareness of my current parish in the larger community of Huntington. I am also personally involved in the Huntington Interfaith Clergy Association, the Huntington Clergy Coalition and the Long Island Council of Churches and am a board member of the Protestant Campus Ministry at Hofstra University. At Keble College Chapel, I began the annual interfaith Holocaust Memorial service with the local Jewish congregation and an Interfaith Prayer for Peace with the Islamic Student Society of Oxford University. In partnership with some non-Chapel members, we also launched the Oxford chapter of Free Cakes for Kids, which provided birthday cakes for the children of the underprivileged families in Oxford. In conjunction with the Colleges art club, I also organized an art exhibit in the chapel which drew many students who would not otherwise enter the chapel door. Through these outward ministries, more people in the College and in the greater Oxford community became aware of Keble College Chapel and the chapel community grew as a result. It is no longer enough, in my opinion, to be a welcoming church at the threshold of the building. The church needs to go out and engage with the larger community and open their doors in the mist of the mission field outside the four walls of the church. Faithfulness to Gods mission calls us to openness to vulnerability and risk-taking in what the Holy Spirit is already doing within us and in the midst of our community. It can bring about the spiritual conversion and renewal of the church. Faith assumes conversion, and mission is essentially a journey of faith and conversion toward Gods kingdom on earth. 26
The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson

Current Position
2009Present Rector, St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Oakland, CA

20032009 20012003 20002001 19942001 Rector, All Saints Episcopal Church, Great Neck, NY Assistant Priest, Church of St. Matthew & St. Timothy, New York, NY Associate Rector, Cluster Parish of San Jose, San Jose, Costa Rica Church of the Good Shepherd, San Jose, Costa Rica Priest in Charge, ad-honorem (1997, 20002001) Deacon in Charge, ad-honorem (19951997) Lay Minister in Charge (19941995) Auditing Assistant, Banco Banex S.A., San Jose, Costa Rica Auditing Assistant, Embotelladora Tica S.A. (Coca-Cola), San Jose, Costa Rica
19951997 19931994
Education
2013 2001 2000 1993, 1995 Doctor of Ministry, Ministry Development, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA Master of Sacred Theology, Liturgy, General Theological Seminary, New York, NY Master of Divinity, General Theological Seminary, New York, NY Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting; and Licensure/Master, Public Accounting, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
Ordination
1997 1995 Ordination to Priesthood Ordination to Diaconate

Diocese of California: Co-chair, Committee on Nominations (third year) Member, Executive Council, Canon to the Ordinary Search Committee, and Ecclesiastical Trial Court Supervisor, eld placement of seminarians Diocese of Long Island: Secretary, Trustees of the Estate Belonging to the Diocese of Long Island, Inc. (2 terms) Member, Ecclesiastical Trial Court (2 terms), Diocesan Council (2004) Chair (2009), Member (20032009) Commission on Liturgy and Church Music Provisional Deputy, General Convention 2009, English-Spanish Translator GC 2000 Secretary (1 year), Assistant Secretary (4 years), Black Clergy Caucus Co-chair, Hispanic Commission (2 years) Board of Advisors, Hispanic Program, General Theological Seminary
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Interview Questions
1. What gives you joy? Life gives me joy. People ask me: Why do you smile so much? I find no reason to frown all the time. When there is a situation that merits a frown or tears, I fully engage that moment, but for the most part life is continuously providing reasons to smile and be joyful. My oldest daughter sometimes wakes up really early, while its still dark, and she walks in very quietly and stands beside Karla or me and waits until we open our eyes. After being half scared to death a few times I have come to realize how blessed we are that God gave us this little girl that looks over us, just waiting for the opportunity to say: Good morning daddy. My day begins with joy. My family gives me the greatest joy. Second on my list is a tie between leading the communion service and preaching. While celebrating the Eucharist I get this great sense of deep connection not only with the community gathered in the same place with me but with the wider community of Christians coming together all over the world to invoke Gods presence. I feel that connection extending to past and future generations of faithful people. Preaching allows me to share Gods gift to me with others. Two things that I most add to my list are driving and cooking, they both bring me great relaxation and enjoyment. Life gives me joy by providing reasons to smile and be joyful. My family gives me the greatest joy. Tweet: There is a tie between leading the communion service and preaching. Driving and cooking bring great relaxation and enjoyment. 2. Where do you see spiritual hunger and how do you address it? I see it everywhere. It is important to understand the two words: spiritual and hunger. I believe that all humans are constantly trying to be in contact with the essence of themselves. This essence receives by different names in the world. In the church we call it the spirit, the Holy Spirit, that breath of live we were all given when we were born. All human beings are constantly trying to find ways to achieve a deeper contact with that. It shows up in different ways, and people give it different names. You hear people say: I am spiritual not religious. It seems to me that what they are trying to say is: I am looking for something that touches me deep within my being, but I dont know exactly what to call it, and I am not going to call it Church or God because I have had bad experiences with the use of those words. What the church has to offer is a language that helps them better understand that. Where our work lies in the future is to break down the customary way in which we go about doing it. For centuries we have built up a language that not everyone can understand. We need to break this language so that we are able to offer it, to those who are searching, as a tool in finding what they are looking for. It is imperative that we step out of our beautiful buildings and make ourselves available to those looking to be in dialogue with us about the being we call God. It is everywhere. People are always trying to understand their essence. We offer a language that helps understand it. Tweet: We must step out of our beautiful buildings and be in dialogue about the being we call God. 3. What does the Episcopal Church have to offer those who have negative experience of church? What I would say to someone who comes to me is that you are welcomed as you are. There is no part of you that is not acceptable. God made you and loves you as you are and so do we. You have wonderful gifts and we hope that you would be willing to share them with us. You have something to give us and hopefully we have something to give you as well. I say come share your gifts with us. Share your knowledge, experience 28

and vision of God. Hopefully in that sharing you will get what you are looking for and what God has called you to share will be enriching to this community. I believe the Episcopal Church is a place where we treasure peoples gifts. Where we want to see people of different walks of life come in and contribute to the overall life of the faith community and all of those gifts together form the beloved community. Reflecting not only what we have to give but also what others have shared with us. I say the Episcopal Church welcomes you, just as you are. There is nothing about you that is not welcomed here, not the way you look, walk, talk, think. We offer unconditional welcome, a place to share their knowledge, experience and vision of God, and their gifts are treasured. Tweet: There is nothing about you that is not welcomed here, not the way you look, walk, talk, think. 4. Lets talk social media. What is your level of comfort with and knowledge of social media? Social media is what many, especially our youth in church use today to be in communication with each other, and therefore it is important for the church to be aware and up to date with the use of this media. Personally, I have a Facebook account, I text regularly and I have three email accounts that keep me busy. In my current ministry setting, people use both email and Facebook to share their thoughts and concerns around a wide range of topics and issues. In this regard I personally do not make comments to ongoing open conversations, but I do follow them in order to have a sense of what is being talked about around me. I believe that interjecting my opinions into an ongoing exchange may make participants decide to censor themselves. By being a passive participant I am able to get a sense of deeper thoughts of other members of my community. On another front, I believe that maintaining the churchs website looking fresh, and with up to date information is critical to fostering the desire or interest in being part of our community. Many people go to the internet to find a church close to them that may pique their interest. An attractive looking and easy to navigate website goes a long way in helping us make a good first impression. 5. Describe your experience with collaborative working relationships with a supervisor; one where you were supervised and also worked independently. I can honestly say that I have not had a bad or even awkward relationship with anyone who has been my supervisor, from my first summer job in seventh grade, through my years working as an accountant and auditor, as well as the 35 years I have served in various volunteer and paid positions in the church. Before working as a full time priest I held jobs as an audit assistant for three different companies. In the Diocese of Costa Rica I worked alongside my Bishop and father as a resource in financial issue, as well as a lay and later ordained leader. During my time at seminary I worked for a year at St. Marks Church in Jackson Heights with responsibility for the Hispanic ministry and youth program. My most recent experience in a role where I had a supervisor was my time at the Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy in Manhattan, where I had the opportunity to work with Fr. Gordon, the rector at that time, Mother Kopren and Deacon White. Under Fr. Gordons leadership we developed a very collaborative ministry team, where each of us took responsibility for particular areas of the life of the parish. In retrospect, I believe that what made this team work so well was the clarity Kristen, Horace and I had regarding Jay as the rector, and though he requested and valued our work and opinions, we knew that we were there to help him fulfill his vision for the parish. I can honestly say that I have not had a bad or even awkward relationship with anyone who has been my supervisor. Tweet: The most recent at St. Matthew & Timothy in Manhattan, the team worked well because there was clarity and respect among us. 29

6. How do your skills and talents add to those of Bishop Dietsche? I begin by saying that every individual has a particular call to ministry and there are no two alike. In regard to Bishop Dietsche and me, we are two complete different persons, though when it comes to issues of social justice and the centrality of the Gospel we are of a similar mind. I believe that the differences in our personal and cultural backgrounds widen the perspective with which any given issue may be addressed. I am a black, Hispanic, Gen X, immigrant, lifelong Episcopalian, son of a bishop. These things, and more, make my vision of the world and the church different, though in no way more valuable, than Bishop Dietsches. My opinions are founded on my life experiences. Living with a bishop, I have an insiders view of the episcopate: the good, bad and ugly; the good significantly outweighs the bad and ugly. I did almost 20 years of youth work in Costa Rica and New York. I was the first campus chaplain when the Diocese of Costa Rica started its university ministry. As an immigrant I became very aware of the heightened level of suspicion with which we were seen after 9/11 and how that affected the process that thousands of us went through for residency and citizenship. When I read the Bishops sermons and letters he states his opinion in a way that is different from mine, mainly because of the different perspectives on a topic, but the final analysis may find us in a similar place. Bp Dietsche and I have different personal and cultural backgrounds but on social justice and the Gospel we are similar. Tweet: We can address an issue with a widened joint perspective. Every individual has a particular call to ministry, no two are alike.
Essay Questions
1. Describe for us your personal spirituality and prayer life. What experiences have most profoundly contributed to your spiritual life? How would you describe your relationship with Jesus? Long ago, I gave my life over to God, because with God in charge the possibilities are endless. I believe that if Jesus Christ was willing to let Gods will be done in his life, I can only gain if I allow that same will to be done in mine. I live my life in continued conversation with God and in discernment of the divine plan. Additionally, I take advantage of opportunities for corporate worship as well as the recommended individual devotions of the Cursillo movement. As a little boy, I was profoundly blessed with the knowledge of Gods presence in my life. There are many events that have been significant in the development of my spiritual life: the gift of family, many years working with young people, preparing for and delivering sermons, and others. Many things have changed in my life over the years, for life without change is no life at all; the one thing that has been constant, unchanging and unmovable, is Gods presence and guidance. One overwhelming event that stands out in my faith journey was my fathers death. He died on August 12, 2002, as my mother sang the spiritual It Is Well With My Soul. In my sermon at his requiem, I emphasized our thanksgiving to God for the many years of dedicated service granted to our bishop and the blessing of having him as a friend, husband, father, brother and companion on this earthly pilgrimage. I asked that we recommit ourselves completely to the service of God until we take our last breath, the last heart beat. What I preached on that day is what I try to live into each day. I am a servant of the Gospel, until I take my last breath, knowing that God is in control, not only while I live this life, but most especially once my earthly pilgrimage has ended. Most recently, the experience of entering the process with my current parish was transformative. After being invited to consider this call that would take us across the country to a place where we knew no one and to leave behind family, friends and the comfort of the known, Karla and I prayed and reflected for a full month. We decided to participate in the process with a renewed sense that if this is what God was calling us to do, then God would help us find the way. I believe my relationship with Jesus is strong. Jesus is with me every moment and in all cir30

cumstances. I talk, walk, cook and cry with Jesus. I believe Jesus is by my side always, the savior of my life, a brother and a friend. 2. By entering our process, you have indicated that you are open to the possibility that God might be calling you to this important and challenging ministry. Tell us how you have perceived Gods call and why you are open to that call. After reviewing the information in our information packet, which of your spiritual gifts and personal and professional experiences would equip you to meet the perceived needs of our Diocese? My prayerful study of the vision for the Diocese of New York leads me to believe that this ministry may be what God is calling me to do next as a minister of the Gospel. The Diocese continues to embrace its call to tend to the spiritual needs of its members while offering itself as advocate and supporter of those who struggle for justice, equality and inclusion. I am a true believer of the Churchs ministry in accordance with the great commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. (Mat. 28:19-20) Jesus places no restrictions on who is eligible either to receive or give the message of salvation. Our commitment to social justice has to begin with the practice of justice within the walls of the building where we worship, in prayer, study and even in coffee hour. The challenge for the Church is to realize that we have all been created by God and are all called to the mission of the Gospel of Jesus. The challenge for us as individuals is to allow God to use us with our particular gifts and experiences to carry out the mission of the eternal and perfect kingdom, and even more important, to allow others to do the same. Throughout my life, I have been blessed with many opportunities to interact and minister with people of a wide variety of cultures, languages and faiths. I have worked with small and large parishes, children, youth, young adults and seniors, Caucasian, black and Hispanic, bisexual, heterosexual, homosexual, transgender and inquiring. Being open to respond yes to Gods call and being willing to allow God to lead into a way of new possibilities and challenges is an essential part of what it means to be a disciple. In my years of ministry in four Dioceses and several congregations, I have been participated in outreach efforts to the local and global community, touching the lives of people in Sub-Saharan Africa, Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, New York, and in the streets of Oakland and San Francisco. We have stood in protest with the undocumented and visited some in jail. I have also participated in committees and boards of community organizations. Like many others, I prayed with those who were working at the World Trade center and St. Pauls Chapel after 9/11/01. I also participated in the continued journeys of firefighters in Great Neck, serving as the Episcopal chaplain to that communitys two fire companies. 3. The new Bishop Suffragan will take our church out into the world, beyond the doors of our churches. Which of your gifts and talents would equip you to do this work? At the same time, where do you experience the Holy Spirit at work outside the walls of the church? How will you work in these areas to encourage the formation of new Christian ministries and congregational development among young adults, young families, and older adults? Where and how have you already done this? In sharing ones faith with people who may not share, understand or care about what we believe, we must have and exercise a deep level of tolerance and acceptance of difference. When I enter a conversation with someone of a different or no faith, I do so under the assumption that they have something to teach me. This has allowed me to enter into true and lasting relationship with people whose theology differs greatly from my own. If we believe that the Spirit of life is present in all living things, then we have to believe in Gods presence in all people, and that all people were created in the image of God. It follows that the image 31

and presence of God is stronger outside our buildings than inside, for there are more images of God combing the corners of the earth than there are in places of worship at any given time. Gods Spirit is present at home, in schools, universities, hospitals, sports arenas, malls, at the beach and even at the supermarket. The church has to continue reinforcing to its members that our worship takes place within the buildings, but our ministry takes place beyond the walls and into the places where people live and move and have their being. Throughout my ministry, I have tried to take advantage of every possible moment to share my faith and have others share theirs with me. When I lived in Great Neck, I spent a lot of time in conversation with Jews, as well as disenchanted Roman Catholics, immigrants, body builders, fire fighters and police officers, and many others who would never step into an Episcopal Church building, but who would call me if they had questions or thoughts about God or any other thing that touched their hearts. My regular presence as a parent at my daughters school led teachers and parents, whose faith background may have been unfamiliar to me, to stop me on the street and engage in philosophical conversations about life and faith. What I enjoy most about my personal call as a child of God is the opportunity to see Gods presence and Epiphany (God in humans made manifest) in those around me. It seems clear to me that my current ministry at St. Pauls gives me and all of its members an even broader range of possible manifestations of God to admire and give thanks for, not only in the pews but in the streets. As I see it, the Church should never be a gathering place for clones, but rather a place where the only sameness is Gods loving and saving presence.
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The Nominating Process
he Canons of the Diocese require that a Committee to Elect a Bishop be prepared to convene when the Bishop and the Convention call for an Episcopal election. At the Diocesan Convention in November 2012 Bishop Dietsche called for the election of a Suffragan Bishop, the Convention concurred, and the Committee to Elect a Bishop was constituted to begin its work. The Committee consists of nine persons, two appointed from the Standing Committee, two elected by Diocesan Convention, two appointed by Bishop Dietsche, two appointed by Diocesan Council, and the Chancellor of the Diocese as an ex officio member. The committee first convened in April 2013 to elect its chairs and organize its work, including the appointment of working sub-committees. It was a time for committee members to learn more about each other and to begin to understand the scope of their work. In a subsequent meeting that month the committee met with Bishop Dietsche to hear his thoughts about the qualifications and skills of the Suffragan Bishop. Following that meeting Bishop Dietsche presented the committee with a detailed description of the job of Suffragan. In early May the committee prepared and circulated a Candidate Proposal Form for use in placing potential candidates in nomination. The form was circulated widely through digital media, within the Diocese, the National Church, and internationally. At the same time an Application Package for the Discernment for a Bishop Suffragan was prepared to be sent to potential candidates. By mid-June, the end of the application process, the committee had received 41 nominations. Of the 41 persons nominated, 31 indicated their interest in continuing in the discernment process. On June 15 the committee met to discuss their review of the 31 completed applications and identified 17 candidates for further consideration. In early July the committee began the assessment of the 17 candidates by use of Skype interviews; live, real-time meetings via a video connection that allowed free discussion and questions of the candidates. Interviewing was conducted by three teams of three members of the committee. On July 20 the committee met to further review the 17 remaining candidates and identified 11 candidates to meet the committee in retreat in mid-September. Prior to the retreat one candidate withdrew from the process. In the weeks leading up to the retreat committee members contacted candidate references and reviewed sermons presented by each candidate. On September 1214 the committee convened with the candidates in retreat, worshipping together, engaging in small group discussions and listening to presentations. During the retreat each candidate met with Bishop Dietsche. The innovation of the Skype interviews and the retreat replaced the practice in earlier discernment processes of teams of members making on-site visits to potential candidates. On September 28 the committee convened to complete its discernment and selected five candidates for presentation to Diocesan Convention on December 7 for the election of a Bishop Suffragan. Throughout the process the committee has been keenly aware of the need and the wish to communicate effectively the full scope of the task of Suffragan Bishop and to relate all aspects of the nominations and election process, using means of communication that span all ages and generations, including wide use of digital and social media.
Nomination by Petition
The period to join the election by Petition opens Monday, October 7 and continues for 20 days, ending at 5:00 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday, October 26. Individuals seeking to Petition are requested to inform the Committee to Elect a Bishop immediately via email at admin@suffragan.dioceseny.org. Please be in touch with the Committee even before the Petition is submitted. It is vital that the various pieces of documentation, reference checks, and background checks begin as quickly as possible. A great deal of this work can begin prior to the Committees receipt of the peti33
The Nominating Process (cont.)

tion. Those who are preparing to nominate a candidate by petition must have that candidates assent. For a petition to be valid it must be signed by no less than 25 Clerical or Lay Members of the current Convention. Clerical Members are Deacons and Priests who are canonically resident in the Diocese of New York, and as otherwise defined in the Canons of the Diocese (Canon One). Lay Members of Convention are those duly elected and registered to represent their parishes at the upcoming Convention, and as otherwise defined in the Canons of the Diocese of New York (Canon Two). It is not necessary that those signing the petition do so on paper. Endorsements of an individuals candidacy by petition may be obtained via a collection of emails. Such emails should be gathered together by the candidate, and submitted to the Committee as a complete package. Individuals seeking to join the ballot by Petition must submit the same materials asked of those nominated by the Committee: an application along with essay questions, names of references, and a video of a sermon. The application package may be found at www.suffraganNY.org. The background checks that are required of all candidates include one performed by Oxford Document Management Company as well as reference checks performed by the Committee. Each Petition must be acceptable to the Diocesan, and each candidate for Petition must also engage the Chancellor in a conversation regarding his or her background (as did those nominated by the Committee). Absent a successfully completed background check prior to the election, a nominee by petition, even though elected by the Convention, cannot have her or his election confirmed. In the event of a subsequent failure of the background check, the election would be null and void, and the entire multi-year long nomination process would have to begin again.
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Recommendations of the Committee on the Nominating Process

The Committee
The Committee was constructed of three laypersons, five clergy, and the Chancellor of the Diocese. Our group represented a variety of geographic areas and constituencies, which was key to our process; ensuring a variety of voices was heard. We affirm that the canonical method of electing and naming members assured, as much as was possible, a diversity that was representative of the diocese. We agreed from the outset that we would make use of both a paid consultant and a chaplain. The chaplain we selected was not chosen from the committee, nor was that person a member of the committee. Our chaplains presence at all voting meetings, and at the off-site conference for semi-finalists, was a resource we would suggest no committee do without. Our chaplain kept us centered in prayer, and was also a resource for the candidates when we were at the off-site semi-finalists conference. Our paid consultant was an invaluable resource, in particular for the co-chairs of the committee, with whom she was in constant contact. She helped us all be aware of timetables, kept us on task, and provided best practices information. In a committee where almost everyone was working another full-time job, it was very helpful to have someone who already knew how to do this work keeping an eye on our process. We used her resources to inform our own practices and decisions, crafting a process that worked for us.
Committee Procedures and Practices

The Committee agreed from the outset to have two co-chairs who would serve as conduits of information for both the candidates and the committee. The co-chairs were elected at our first meeting. We also agreed on the need for an administrative assistant. Fortunately for us, that person already worked in the office of one of the chairs, and we were able to hire him for additional hours to be in charge and control of the enormous amount to information that flowed through once the application process began. We cannot overstate the need for such a person. Internally we agreed to several processes that were recommended by prior committees and have continued to work well for us: Complete confidentiality is first and foremost. This must be the firm foundation upon which all procedures are established. Relatedly, we agreed to recuse ourselves from the discussion should our rector (in the case of the laity) be an applicant. We agreed to decide all things by consensus, and were guided through this by pausing for prayer when we had disagreements that required a member or members to assent to something they may have initially disagreed with. We suggest that this method contributed to cohesion and a good environment in our meetings. The presence of our chaplain made this very workable. As in the past, we agreed not to promote publicly or privately the candidacy of any of our nominees.
For Future Committees

One of our key early discoveries was that good administration begets good results. We spent too much time learning on the fly that we all needed to have technological savvy, or access to someone who did. So much of our information- and even our interviews- were conducted electronically that we spent many hours trying to upload, download, and reload videos and documents before we figured out how everyone might be able to share the information in a secure fashion. In the future, a committee might very seriously consider having an administrator, or a separate communications guru, who has strong technology and electronic communication skills, and that these methods and procedures be well understood in advance of the call for applications. We were the first committee in this diocese to conduct all interviews of potential semi-finalists via Skype video calls. Though we were not all initially proficient with the technology, we still found a way to make 35
Recommendations of the Committee on the Nominating Process (cont.)

this work well, and generally agreed that it was a positive experience to be able to see each persons interview through the recorded calls. This did, however, also add to the workload, as we were all required to view all (in our case, 19) videos, many of which were an hour in duration. However, we felt this was well worth the time, and believe it contributed in a positive way to our deliberations, as we had all seen the same interview and were not relying from a report from the field by only two members of the committee. This method had the added advantage of being extremely cost-effective. A previous committee recommended the purchase or lease of laptops for all committee members. This is still something to consider as not everyone was able to readily use their own computers and networks. Electronic communication is a present reality and a future necessity. There is no way to overstate the amount of work that is required to do this job well. For the nine months that we have been convened, many of us have worked dozens of hours a week on our Committee and SubCommittee work. This is work that really must be shared as evenly as possible, and so one needs to be ready for the sacrifices of vacation days, weekends, and evenings that are required. We estimate that each one of us had to read over 500 pages of material before we even met for the first screening. Despite all this hard work, not one of us would say that it hasnt been worth the sacrifice. This is a call and a privilege for which we express our gratitude to God, to the people of the Diocese of New York, and to all those who felt a call on their hearts and were willing to offer those hearts to the service of God in Gods church. In doing this work, the committee has been capably assisted by many individuals. We would like to express our thanks to Gregory Citarella, Parish Administrator at Christ Church in Poughkeepsie, who served as our staff assistant; to Sara Saavedra, Assistant to Chief of Finance and Operations and Diocesan Benefits Administrator who served as one of our translators; and to Lila Botero, Parish Operations Manager and Administrator at the Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy, who also served as a translator. The Committee is also thankful for the expertise and guidance provided by Nicholas Richardson, Director of Communications for the Diocese of New York; and to the Rev. Canon Shawn P. Duncan, Canon for Media and Mission of the Diocese of Long Island, who served as our consultant in areas of social media. And a great many thanks to our consultant Judy Stark who kept us on track with many checklists, schedules, and best practices; and to Brother Scott Wesley Borden, Prior of Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, who kept our minds, our hearts and our souls engaged in a spirit and attitude of prayer throughout these many months. The process will near its conclusion during the week of November 11 with a series of seven Walkabout meetings throughout the Diocese during which clergy, parishioners and interested others will have an opportunity to meet the candidates face-to-face, hear them present their views and reply to questions from the public. The process will conclude with the election at the Diocese in convention on December 7. Dated: September 28, 2013 Respectfully submitted, The Rev. Blake Rider, co-chair The Rev. Nora Smith, co-chair Ms. Susan Heath The Rev. Martha Overall The Rev. Yejide Peters 36 Ms. Tina Pinckney Mr. David Shover The Rev. Buddy Stallings Mr. George Wade, Esq.
Further Work of the Committee: Introducing the Nominees to You
he work of the Committee does not end with this report. The Committee must now acquaint the Diocese with the nominees and minister to them between now and the election. This report is only the first step in that process. A short video will soon be made of each nominee that can be viewed on the diocesan website. Again, it is hoped that this will be a useful way to get to know more about the nominees and to hear them in their own words. A DVD of the interviews will also be sent to every congregation. Seven meetings are being offered for Convention delegates and others to get acquainted with the five nominees: Tuesday, November 12 1 p.m. Trinity Church, 100 Main St, Fishkill 7 p.m. The Church of St. James the Less, 10 Church Lane, Scarsdale Wednesday, November 13 1 p.m. Christ Church, 76 Franklin Ave, Staten Island 7 p.m. Trinity Wall Street, Manhattan (with video livestreaming*) Thursday, November 14 1 p.m. Grace Church, 130 First Ave, Nyack 7 p.m. St. Anns Church, 295 St. Anns Ave, Bronx Friday, November 15 1 p.m. The Church of the Heavenly Rest, 2 E 90th St, Manhattan These seven regional meetings are designed to allow Clergy in the Diocese, Convention delegates, and anyone else who is interested to meet the nominees in person. At each venue, the format for the meeting will be the same. While there are seven Walkabouts, we understand that not everyone who wishes will be able to attend. To allow access to as many people as possible, the Nov. 13 Walkabout at Trinity Wall Street will be livestreamed over the internet via Trinitys website. Those watching will be able to participate virtually by posing questions online. Questions will be accepted via Facebook on the Diocesan Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/EpiscopalNY) and via Twitter using the hashtag #suffraganNY.
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The CALLING of a BISHOP SUFFRAGAN for the EPISCOPAL DIOCESE of NEW YORK

October 26, 2013

From the Committee to Elect a Bishop

For the Election of a Bishop or Other Minister

The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman

Previous Ministries and Positions

Highlights of Diocesan, National Offices and Community Leadership

The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman

The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Kim Latice Coleman

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss

Previous Ministries and Positions

Highlights of Diocesan, National Offices and Community Leadership

The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss

The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss

The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss

The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss

The Rev. Canon Susan C. Harriss

The Rev. L. Kathleen Liles

Previous Ministries and Positions

Highlights of Diocesan, National Offices and Community Leadership

The Rev. L. Kathleen Liles

Interview and Essay Question Responses

The Rev. L. Kathleen Liles

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. L. Kathleen Liles

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. L. Kathleen Liles

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Allen K. Shin

Previous Ministries and Positions

Highlights of Diocesan, National Offices and Community Leadership

The Rev. Allen K. Shin

Interview and Essay Question Responses

The Rev. Allen K. Shin

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Allen K. Shin

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Allen K. Shin

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Allen K. Shin

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson

Previous Ministries and Positions

Highlights of Diocesan, National Offices and Community Leadership

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio J. Wilson

Interview and Essay Question Responses (cont.)

The Nominating Process

The Nominating Process (cont.)

Recommendations of the Committee on the Nominating Process

Committee Procedures and Practices