Diocese of Newark
The Search/Nominating Committee
for the 10th Bishop of Newark
Reflection Sunday:
Our Experiences of Bishops
From the Education Subcommittee
Nominating Committee for the 10th Bishop of Newark
___________The Nominating Committee for the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Newark asks all congregations to assist the committee by taking part in Reflection Sunday, October 2nd (alternative date, September 25th).
Following are guidelines for what you can do with the members of your church on that day. The information collected from this work will be extremely valuable to the Committee in its effort to find the very best candidates for bishop. All in the Committee hope you will take an active part in Reflection Sunday and then send your findings to Profile Committee, St. Mark's Church, 118 Chadwick Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
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A Parish Excercise
Sunday, October 2, 2005
Or Sunday September 25, 2005
Goals
- Increased awareness of a bishop's ministry.
- Engagement of the diocese as a whole in discernment of the 10th Bishop of Newark.
- Input from the diocese as a whole to the diocesan profile.
Adapting this Activity
It will be best if congregational leaders adapt this activity to suit their context.
Materials
- Flip chart paper
- Stand or easel
- Removable adhesive (for posting)
- Markers
- Adhesive dot labels (or additional markers)
- Questions
- Return envelope.
The Setting
This activity can take place in the sermon time, at an adult forum, at coffee hour or other gathering.
Facilitating It will likely be best to have two people to facilitate: one to convene the group and one to record responses.
Time
Divide the time available by the number of questions (likely three). Let people know how long they will have to respond to each question.
Process
- Pose each question to the group and solicit responses.
- Record all responses to all the questions (summarize lengthy responses). Post sheets on wall.
- Give three adhesive dot labels to each person participating in the conversation. (Alternative is to have another color of marker available and people can make three dots, check marks or Xs.)
- Ask the group to review the responses to all the questions.
- Ask each person to place their three dots (or marks) on the responses for which they have the most agreement or energy. Individuals can use their three dots (or marks) however they wish; they can choose three responses for one dot (mark) each or place two dots (marks) on one and one on another or put all three on one response. (This process will assist the Nominating Committee in seeing all of the responses and also reviewing the responses in an informally rank-ordered manner.)
- Congregational leader (clergy or lay) folds the flip chart pages, places them in a response envelope and mails them (preferably on Monday, October 3) to Profile Committee, St. Mark's Church, 118 Chadwick Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
Suggested Questions
- What is your experience of Bishops?
- What characteristics are most important in the next Bishop of Newark?
- What characteristics are least important in the next Bishop of Newark?
Response
Congregational leader (clergy or lay) folds the flip chart pages, places them in a response envelope and mails them (preferably on Monday, October 3) to Profile Committee, St. Mark's Church, 118 Chadwick Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
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This page was prepared by the Education Subcommittee of the Nominating Committee for the 10th Bishop of Newark and may be reproduced for parish use on October 2, 2005, the 20th Sunday after Pentecost.
The role of the Education Subcommittee is to provide information about the history, responsibilities and authority of bishops to clergy and laity throughout the diocese.
The purpose of this series
of learning topics and Reflection Sunday is to provide
information and to stimulate discussion about the search for
a new bishop in this diocese.
Revised December 8, 2005
© 2005 Episcopal Diocese of Newark.