Father Boase's Monthly Message

Father's Monthly Message

September 2010

Dear Friends,

Please find below the latest COMMUNIQUÉ concerning the search for the next Bishop of Springfield.

The Episcopal Diocese of Springfield: Standing Committee
821 South Second Street, Springfield, Illinois 62704-2694
Tel: (217) 525-1876 Fax: (217) 525-1877
Email: standingcommittee@episcopalspringfield.org
www.episcopalspringfield.org

COMMUNIQUÉ
To: The Clergy and Congregations of the Diocese
From: The President of the Standing Committee
Subject: Episcopal Election Process: Walkabouts in the Diocese

On behalf of the Standing Committee, I want to update you on current information relating to the visit of the Episcopal Election candidates and their spouses to the Diocese from Tuesday, August 31 to Friday, September 3, 2010. The clerical and lay delegates, at our Nominating Synod held on Saturday, August 7, 2010, in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Springfield, Illinois, nominated as our final list of candidates:

The Reverend Matthew A. Gunter, Rector of St. Barnabas, Glen Ellyn, Illinois (Diocese of Chicago),

The Reverend Daniel H. Martins, Rector of St. Anne’s, Warsaw, Indiana (Diocese of Northern Indiana), and

The Reverend Canon E. Mark Stevenson, Canon to the Ordinary (Diocese of Louisiana).

These candidates will continue with us in our search and discernment process as we prepare to elect our Eleventh Bishop. The next series of events in the process are the “Walkabouts.” The dates and venues for the walkabouts are:

Tuesday, August 31 - First United Methodist Church, Mt. Vernon, IL 1133 Main Street, Mt. Vernon, IL
Wednesday, September 1 – St. John’s Episcopal Church, Decatur, IL 130 West Eldorado, Decatur, IL
Thursday, September 2 – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Alton, IL 10 East Third Street, Alton, IL

All walkabouts are scheduled to commence at: 6:30 p.m.

Questions have been received from both the clergy and laity of the Diocese and the candidates have received the nine questions they are required to answer at the walkabouts.

The Standing Committee has modified the format of the Walkabouts:

Each walkabout will begin with Devotions, Introduction and Instructions at which the three candidates will be present. Each candidate will meet separately with the assembled gathering during which time the other two candidates will be sequestered.
Each candidate will begin his time with a short prayer.
Each candidate will be allotted three 10-minute sessions for a total of 30 minutes for questions and responses as follows:
- Response to Required Questions 10 minutes
- Response to “Fishbowl” Questions 10 minutes
- Response to Clarification Questions 10 minutes
—Questions of clarification will be submitted during the formal part of the walkabouts by attendees who only need explanation on the candidates’ responses to any of the three required questions. Clarification questions will not be asked on “fishbowl” questions. Any clarification questions submitted may be modified so that they are non-embarrassing or non-threatening while at the same time reflecting the intentionality of the question. These questions of clarification will be read by the moderator and not by person submitting the clarification question. Candidates will not be engaging in dialogue with the audience during the formal sessions of the walkabouts.

—After the formal session of the walkabouts, a social time for coffee and light refreshments is allowed for casual interaction with the candidates and their spouses and to ask the candidates any further questions. —The expectation is that the formal part of the walkabouts will last two hours.

—Candidates are expected to use the entire 30-minute duration of their Question and Response session allotted to them. Should a candidate complete the responses to their questions before the 30-minute limit, or there are not an adequate number of questions for clarification, the candidate will be expected to respond to additional questions from the “fishbowl.” —The formal sessions of the walkabouts will be videotaped so that those in the Diocese who are unable to attend would have the opportunity to view what took place. In light of the fact that different questions will be asked at each walkabout, it also provides the Diocesan Family the ability to view and hear the formal part of each walkabout meeting. The videos of the three walkabouts will be downloaded to our Diocesan web site only.

Please convey this information to the members of your congregations and encourage them to attend the walkabouts. This is an important aspect in the life of our Diocese and an opportunity for the Diocesan Family to meet and get to know the candidates and their spouses. It is also an occasion for us to hear the candidates respond to questions that are relevant to all of us and our Diocese as a whole.

We look forward to seeing you at the Walkabouts. Blessings!

Yours sincerely,

Fr. David