In this Issue:

Sauls Nominated for Presiding Bishop

St. Martha's and Martha's Place: A commitment to service

Internationally known author and teacher Newell to be in Lexington

A conversation with the Bishop on his nomination for Presiding Bishop

Commentaries:

Reflection: Miss Della and the Palm Crosses

X-ercizing: Undone

From the Bishop: Anticipation of Easter

Diocesan Calendar

Past Issues

A Conversation with Bishop Sauls on his Nomination as as Candidate for Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

By Kay Collier McLaughlin

Advocate: Discernment is a process which involves an individual and a community. Can you tell us about your process of discernment regarding the call to be a nominee for Presiding Bishop?

Bishop Sauls: Discernment has several parts: One would be of destiny—discerning whether or not I am called to be Presiding Bishop; the more immediate is discerning whether to allow my name to go forward in the process. This discernment began more with the community calling me to ask that question of myself, when several of my colleagues in the House of Bishops asked me to consider that prospect. When I was ordained, there was a sense of being called, and then my name was presented to the community. This is almost the reverse. I had to look long and hard, beginning with two foundational pieces.

I started with my family — specially Ginger. The people of the Diocese of Lexington know that she is my biggest supporter. They may not know that she is also my greatest critic!

So her opinion was very crucial to me. I also engaged my sons more in this discernment than ever before. I have always talked with them at whatever was the appropriate level for their ages. But now they are young adults, and were fully engaged in this process.

The second foundational piece was what I call “praying my way through.” I talked with Brother Douglas, my spiritual director, and went on retreat to be by myself and pray.

Next in importance was working with my colleagues in the House of Bishops. They are real touchstones for me.

Advocate: You have repeatedly said “now it is up to my colleagues in the House of Bishops.” Can you comment more on the importance of this part of the discernment process?

Bishop Sauls: The decision of the community is the second part of discernment. After a person comes to their own sense of what God is calling him to do, the community must decide what God is calling them to do. I have a great deal of confidence in the Bishops of this Church. They are deeply faithful people trying to do the right thing with all of their human limitations. I believe that as a community, they will be listening for God and trying to do His will.

Advocate: What role do politics play in the election of the Presiding Bishop?

Bishop Sauls: I believe that as long as politics are out in the open, they can be a vehicle of the Holy Spirit. I’m not talking about horse trading. I’m talking about conversation, out in the open, about what is best for the church at this time. I believe that kind of conversation is taking place, and it seems to be appropriate. This is a part of how a community discerns.

Advocate: One cannot be part of a national election such as this without experiencing some life changes. What kind of changes are you experiencing?

Bishop Sauls: It has not been too severe thus far! One of the things I had to look at in discernment was that in order to engage this process, I would have to engage both intellectually and emotionally. So one change — and challenge — is to engage the process on both those levels. That means I have to think of myself in a different way, and to be prepared for an eventuality that can’t be clearly seen yet.

A minor thing has been people who want to be in touch and talk about issues —which I would certainly like to do. However, I have a vocation to be the Bishop of Lexington,

— something I am very strongly called to do. I want to continue to give that vocation all of the attention it is due.

A happy change has been hearing from lots of people I hadn’t heard from in a long time. They have been almost entirely encouraging in their sentiments.

Advocate: Being in a leadership position such as Presiding Bishop at this particular point in both Church and world history might seem to be an overwhelming responsibility. Can you comment on your perspective on the position of Presiding Bishop at this point in time?

Bishop Sauls: I don’t want to diminish the task of Presiding Bishop at this moment, and at the same time, the challenge is part of what draws me to the task and makes me willing to test the vocation. It is an enormous challenge — and I have never had an experience of challenge that wasn’t good for me. I have never known any adventure that God has presented me in which I did not come to know God better and to love both God and neighbor more deeply. Frankly, I see being Presiding Bishop at this point in our history as being the adventure of a lifetime! I think it would take what is in me that is good and call it to be better as well as take those parts of myself that need growth and call them to grow. I do not think it would be easy, but I do think it would call me into deeper reliance on God alone, into prayer and into a strengthening of faith, much as being a Bishop has.

Advocate: Another challenge has to be trying to maintain balance between your call to be the Bishop of Lexington and the call to move forward in this process. What is that like for you?

Bishop Sauls: Fortunately, I am as excited and engaged as I can possibly imagine over what we have to do here. I keep the priorities of the Diocese of Lexington written down. The first of every week, I refer to those priorities, just to keep them in focus. And one thing I can say for sure — I am not at all bored! The same kind of excitement and energy for current ministry is easy to apply to how I would start forward if called to do so. I see it as one feeding the other. The more engaged I am on the diocesan level, the more it is applicable to the national level — and the reverse is also true. The more engaged I am on the national level, the more applicable it is to the diocesan level. A good example is our work with Hispanic ministry. We are experiencing a blossoming with Latinos here — and that is directly related to what is needed on the national level. We are bringing creativity to bear to accomplish things in this ministry here in Lexington. It is the same task nationally, writ larger.

Advocate: While the election of the Presiding Bishop is one of the major issues facing General Convention, it is certainly not the only one. What do you see as being some of the major issues to come before Convention?

Bishop Sauls: First, we must find a way to engage in conversation with the Anglican Communion. This has to do with our response to the Windsor Report and the Primates. We must find a way to say to the rest of the Communion how very highly we value the relationship with them, and how we can discern how to allow us all best to be disciples of Jesus.

Secondly, I hope we continue to engage youth and young adults, and that this is reflected in the budget.

Other important issues that will not attract media attention but are critical to our life together are Title IV disciplinary canons, which I hope will be given the attention they are due, and Title III ministry canons. In addition, we will be talking about ecumenical relations, particularly with the United Methodists.

I don’t want to deny the importance of sexuality conversations, but it is my hope that we will begin to put them more into perspective, and not let them dominate our work. If something is going to dominate, I would hope it would be the needs of the poor.

Advocate: What do you most want the people of the Diocese of Lexington to know about this election?

Bishop Sauls: I want to do everything possible so that the people of this Diocese do not understand my participation in this process connected in any way to my love for them. The single most important reason not to have gone forward was my concern that they would feel my acceptance of the nomination was an indication of a desire to leave the people of this Diocese. I am very aware that Bishop Wimberly was a nominee for Presiding Bishop, and particularly aware that he did not stay in the Diocese long after that election. I very much do not want the Diocese to hear implicit in my decision to be in the process any plan to leave.

On the night before my Consecration, at the Bishop’s BBQ, I recall saying to the people that I hoped that this episcopate would be 1) grounded in prayer, 2), at the end, the people of the Diocese of Lexington would know that their Bishop loved them. I do not want to compromise those words in any way.

I would also like them to know that over the next two months I will be working with clergy and lay leaders on a Plan A — an orderly transition for the Diocese of Lexington should I be elected Presiding Bishop, and Plan B — how to re-enter the Diocese of Lexington (should I not be elected) in a way that celebrates the ministry we have left to do together. The Standing Committee, Executive Council , the clergy and I will be working together on this, and the plans will be communicated to the Diocese before the election.

Advocate: Do you see yourself labeled as conservative, liberal or moderate?

Bishop Sauls: I think how one is viewed depends on where the viewer starts out! I have never been viewed as a conservative, but I am viewed as both a moderate and a liberal. I want to put out there what I think, bring what I believe to the table. But I do not think you could find any Bishop who feels more strongly that different views need to be a part of the conversation, or has worked any harder to stay connected to those with different views. I see and respect differences, and want everyone to have a voice, and to be safe in using that voice.

Advocate: At each General Convention, we are aware of demonstrations of various kinds from both ends of the continuum of beliefs, with the tension that accompanies the polarization of the fringes. What do you see happening at General Convention2006?

Bishop Sauls: We must always be careful not to let either extreme set the agenda or call the shots. The genius of Anglicanism is its breadth; the via media — which brings the extremes along, but is not directed by them. This is part of what I mean when I say we must put the sexuality issue in perspective.

One thing I have learned as a Bishop, is that we can trust the people of the Church

— not only in our Diocese, but in the national Church.

In February 2004, following the 2003 General Convention, what impressed me was how the breadth of the center of the Church did not allow division to happen in our Diocese. Our convention directed its attention to the Mission Funding Task Force report, which the people could see made sense, and was fair. I believe this is also true of our House of Deputies and House of Bishops. We know what makes sense and what is fair. We know what it means to be Anglicans, and we will not let the ploys of any extreme deprive us of what it means to be Episcopalians.

Advocate Online Staff:

© 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington

The Advocate is mailed free to all Episcopalians in the Diocese of Lexington. The Advocate is published 10 times a year (monthly Sept.-Mid-Summer, bi-monthly Mid-Summer-June, July-Aug.) by the Diocese of Lexington, a non-profit organization.

Additional subscriptions: $10 per year and address changes should be sent to: The Advocate, P.O. Box 610, Lexington, Ky. 40588-0610.
The deadline for submitting articles, photographs, announcements, and letters is the last Friday of the month prior to publication. These should be sent to:
The Advocate, Kay Collier McLaughlin, Ph.D., Editor, P.O. Box 610, Lexington, Ky.
40588-0610 (Kcollierm@diolex.org).

Member: Episcopal Communicators; Associated Church Press Office: The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Lexington, Mission House, 203 East Fourth Street, Lexington, Ky. 40508-1515. For information call (859) 252-6527.

All rights reserved. The Advocate reserves the right to refuse publication and to edit all contributions. Permission required for reprinting.