Extra-Ordinary Sunday
FROM THE RECTOR
This Sunday, our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Larry Benfield, will be with us at all three services. He will preach the gospel and preside at the liturgy. He will lead us in the renewal of our Baptismal Covenant. He will offer the Thanksgiving over the Water of Baptism and the Great Thanksgiving of Holy Communion. He will confirm or receive twenty-two individuals into The Episcopal Church. And he will do all of that as our bishop for the last time.
In hierarchical denominations like ours, one of the labels we give to our bishop is “the ordinary” of the diocese. As our Diocesan Bishop, he is the one who ordinarily preaches and presides in worship whenever he is present, but, more than that, as our bishop, he is responsible for exercising all the duties, privileges, and powers entrusted by Jesus Christ to the universal church in all of the Episcopal congregations in Arkansas. That means that, even though he typically only makes one visit to St. Paul’s each year, Bishop Benfield is the one whose teaching, preaching, pastoral care, liturgical leadership, vision setting, and administration set the tone for all of us.
Bishop Benfield would be the first person to ask us not to treat him like a lame duck, but, since this is his last visit to St. Paul’s before he retires in January, I think we should make a big deal about it—at least bigger than usual. This diocese elected him as our bishop in November 2006. When he retires, he will have served as our bishop for eighteen years. With an average tenure of less than a decade, there are only a handful of current diocesan bishops who have been in their role longer than Bishop Benfield, and, unlike a few too many of his colleagues, he is leaving our diocese in good shape.
I, for one, am thankful for Bishop Benfield’s ministry among us. I first met him at General Convention in 2015, when I served with him on a legislative committee. Back then, I could not have imagined moving to Arkansas, but I remember thinking that it would be a privilege to work in his diocese. The same attention to detail and persistent faithfulness I witnessed at General Convention were waiting when I met him again in 2018—this time in his office—as one of the finalists in St. Paul’s search for a new rector. And, since then, I have enjoyed seeing other gifts, including his humor, intellect, and compassion, at work both in large gatherings and behind the scenes.
Like rectors, bishops come with a particular set of gifts, which they offer in ministry during their tenure. As with anyone in leadership in the church, the measure of success for a bishop cannot be taken in isolation but must be considered in relation to both the needs of the community and the faithfulness of the minister. Bishop Benfield is not perfect, but he is faithful. He has given tirelessly of himself to the clergy, people, ministries, and congregations of the diocese. We need not agree with every decision he has made in order to appreciate the faithfulness with which he has made them. While I am sure that the diocese will receive its next bishop with enthusiasm, I suspect that Bishop Benfield is leaving difficult shoes to fill for his successor.
This summer, we will elect our next bishop. On August 19, our parish clergy and the lay delegates chosen by our vestry—Jeremy Oxford, Jeannie Whayne, Susan Mayes, and Suzi Freeman—will gather in Little Rock for worship and the election. (Do not worry: I will not let a sabbatical keep me from that!) After a candidate is elected by a majority of lay and clergy delegates from across the diocese, that election must be approved by a majority of the Standing Committees from every diocese in The Episcopal Church. Then, if all goes according to plan, the new bishop will be ordained on January 6, 2024.
Right now, the Search Committee is reviewing applications and interviewing individuals who have expressed an interest in serving as our next bishop. Our own Sara Milford is a member of that committee. In early June, they plan to present a slate of candidates to the Standing Committee, who will then announce it to the diocese. After a brief period, during which additional candidates can be added to the slate through a carefully defined petition process, we will know who will be on the ballot. Even though we do not know who they are, this is the time for us to pray for all those applicants and for those who are interviewing them.
Early in August, on a date yet to be announced, St. Paul’s will host all the candidates at a meet and greet, during which we will be able to hear from them and ask them questions. This event will be open to anyone who wants to participate, and I hope you will come. If you have strong feelings about any of the candidates, please share them with any of the clergy or lay delegates.
Later in the fall, our diocese will hold a celebration of Bishop Benfield’s ministry to thank him for his faithfulness. In addition to managing the meet and greets, the election, and the ordination of the new bishop, the Transition Committee is responsible for that farewell. Our own Susan Mayes is a member of that committee. I hope that many of us will travel to Little Rock for that celebration, but we do not need to wait until then to celebrate Bishop Benfield’s ministry. This Sunday is an opportunity to do that.
First and foremost, we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ—the principal reason we gather to celebrate every Sunday. We will also celebrate those who are being baptized, confirmed, and received into this church. But this year we also have the chance to celebrate all that God has accomplished in and through our church and our diocese during Bishop Benfield’s time as our bishop. He is not ready to say goodbye to us yet, but we should acknowledge that this will be his last official visitation as our bishop. Please join us in the parish hall after the 11:00 a.m. service to thank him for his ministry, and please remember to pray for him during this transition as well, giving thanks for him and his faithfulness and asking God to bless him in the years ahead.
Yours Faithfully,
Evan D. Garner