May 10, 2021
Dear friends in Christ,
In a few days, the Standing Committee, thanks to the work of the Nominating Committee, will report to the Diocese the names of the priests nominated for consideration as the next Bishop of Pittsburgh.
For nearly five months now, your Transition Committee has been preparing for this day and the incredibly important work that follows. Our immediate task is to welcome the nominees to this Diocese during the discernment process that culminates in the election, God willing, of the IX Bishop on Saturday, June 26, and to help you, the faithful of this Diocese, and your clergy and lay deputies gather all the information necessary to discern with the Holy Spirit the person to lead us as bishop.
Throughout this process, we are observing all the appropriate Covid regulations and precautions. We want everyone to be safe.
We have already met, via zoom, with clergy, wardens, and lay deputies to outline what happens next, and we want to share that with you. Throughout this process, we encourage you to visit our website linked to the Diocesan website for the latest information. Here is the direct link: https://www.episcopalpgh.org/pebs/.
Once the nominees are announced, their names will be released with written biographical material. Shortly thereafter, we have asked each nominee to produce a short (less than 5-minute) video to share more about themselves and their desire to serve this diocese. In early June, each nominee will engage in a Q&A video in which we will pose questions to each nominee. We have a special form on our webpage where you can submit questions you would like asked.
The week of June 14 to June 19 is our “Meet & Greet Week” where all the nominees will be here in the Diocese for in-person gatherings. We will have final details about this soon, but the current schedule calls for nominees to be at several large parishes (for proper social distancing) on the evenings of June 15 (St. Michaels, Ligonier), June 16 (Christ Church, North Hills), June 17 (Calvary, East Liberty), and June 18 (St. Paul’s, Mt. Lebanon). We will also have a live online Q&A session for you with the nominees that week as well.
The electing convention on Saturday, June 26, will also be online, and the voting clergy & deputies will be fully briefed on this process. While clergy & deputies are free to vote their conscience, we encourage every parishioner to share their views with your deputies and clergy. The convention can be viewed online in real time, and we are arranging for the bishop-elect, once discerned and elected, to speak to us all at the end of the convention.
Following the election of our IX Bishop, in late August or early September (date to be determined) we will have a grand party to celebrate the ministry of our VIII Bishop, Dorsey McConnell and his wonderful partner Betsy McConnell.
The final task of your Transition Committee will be the consecration and seating of our new bishop, another holy and grand affair. The consecration, led by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, is set for Saturday, November 13, at Calvary Episcopal Church, followed by the formal seating of the new bishop on Sunday, November 14, at Trinity Cathedral. We will need lots of volunteers to help make these truly special occasions for everyone.
We know you will join us in making the nominees feel at home here in Pittsburgh. Most of our parishes have contributed to a video we have produced to introduce and welcome the nominees to our diocese. You can soon watch it, too, on our website. If you have any questions at all, get in touch with one of us, or email us at transition@episcopalpgh.org.
Over the next few months, we ask for your prayers for everyone involved in the discernment, election, celebration, consecration, and seating of our IX Bishop. This is truly an exciting time to be an Episcopalian in the Diocese of Pittsburgh!
Yours faithfully,
The Transition Committee
Jon Delano, Chair
Florence Atwood, Vice Chair
Rev. Canon Dr. Cathy Brall
Gerry Dalton
Maximillion Elliott-Quinerly
Kathy Farrington
Tom Moore
Eric O’Brien
Mary Ann Slater
Rev. Julie Smith
Rev. Luke Zerra
Dr. George Zitnay
Rev. Dr. Don Youse, Chaplain
Judy Stark, Consultant