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Seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance in finding and preparing for our next bishop. Together.



The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

Almighty God, giver of every good

gift: We thank you for the gift of your Son,

Jesus Christ, and for the witness of your

whole church in his name. We thank you

for your Holy Spirit, empowering us for

ministry. So guide the hearts and minds of

all those who shall choose a bishop in thisdiocese and those who will respond to the

call, that we may receive a faithful pastor

who will care for your people. May our

discernment transform our spirits and draw

us closer to you, Almighty God. Amen.

Dios omnipotente, dador de todo buen don, te damos gracias por la bendición

de tu Hijo Jesucristo y por el testimonio de toda tu iglesia en su nombre. Te

damos gracias por tu Santo Espíritu que nos otorga el poder para realizar el

ministerio. Te pedimos que guíes los corazones y las mentes de las personas

que han de elegir al próximo obispo u obispa para esta diócesis y también a

aquellas personas que van a responder al llamado de Dios, para que de esa

manera recibamos a ese pastor o pastora que cuide a tu pueblo. Que nuestro

discernimiento transforme nuestro espíritu y nos acerque a ti, Dios omnipo-

tente. Amén.

a Prayer for the Calling of a Bishop Coadjutor

Photograph by Krisn Myers Harvey



3 Bishop Coadjutor Search 2013-2014

Welcome

Welcome! On behalf of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, we

welcome you and thank you for your interest in our process of elect-

ing a bishop coadjutor. Whether you open this profile out of curiosity, be-

cause you feel called to consider applying for the position, or because youare considering nominating a potential applicant, we are grateful for your

inquiry. Participating in the process of building this profile has offered us a

rich opportunity to learn more about the current joys, desires, and needs in

our diocese. This profile offers a snapshot of who we are in the Episcopal

Diocese of Massachusetts. Like any snapshot, it cannot convey all that we

are, that we hope for, or that we do.

If you are a potential applicant for this position, we are grateful for your

prayerful consideration of answering God’s call to join us as bishop coadju-

tor of our diocese. We hope that this profile will aid you in your discern-ment process. We believe that God already knows who will be our bishop

coadjutor. Through your faithfulness and willingness to walk this path of

discernment, the Spirit’s choice will become manifest. We pray that our

shared journey will be filled with Christ’s presence and that we will all come

to a deeper understanding of God’s will for us.

Welcome to our process, and may God bless all of us in the path we are

walking, together.

The Discernment Committee for the Election of a Bishop Coadjutor

Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

August 5, 2013




The Process After our current Bishop, the Right Rev. M.Thomas Shaw, SSJE (The Society of St. John

the Evangelist), called in January 2013 for the

election of a bishop coadjutor for the Diocese

of Massachusetts, the Standing Committee was

charged with the responsibility of naming two

committees: one for the discernment of a slate of

applicants for the election of the bishop coadju-

tor (henceforward the Discernment Committee)

and a second committee to manage the transitionof a new bishop coadjutor (henceforward the

Transition Committee).

The Discernment Committee openedthe application process on August

5. Third-party nominations of candidates must be received no later

than August 26. (Candidates need not benominated to apply.) All candidates

must submit their application materialsno later than September 23.

The Standing Committee had a process that in-

cluded naming people who members of the

Standing Committee thought might effectively

serve as chairs and vice chairs of those two

committees. The Standing Committee ap-

proached these people to gauge their interest

and willingness. The committee solicited written

answers to questions and conducted telephone

timeline AT A GLANCE

June

Survey/deanery listening groups were com-

pleted, compile ndings and share with Pro-

le Commiee.

July

Complete prole and develop nominaon

and screening instruments.

August 5

Post online prole and announce that the

nominaon and applicaon period is open.Candidates need not be nominated to apply.

August 26

Nominaon period ends.

September 23

Applicaon period ends.

November 7-9

Retreat for 8-10 selected candidates with

commiee members.

November-December

Interviews will be conducted with candidate

at their locaons.

January

Announce slate of candidates.

March 16 – 22

The Transion Commiee will coordinate

walkabouts and plan for elecng conven-

on. Walkabouts involve candidates travel-

ing through the diocese to meet us.

April 5

Elecng convenon.

September 13

Consecraon of the Bishop Coadjutor of the

Diocese of Massachuses. The Presiding

Bishop will be in aendance. Site to be de-

termined.

2013

2014




and in- person interviews, which led to the

chairs and vice chairs being called.

Those chairs, once selected, worked with the

Standing Committee to finalize the Discernment

Committee and the Transition Committee. Each

deanery had been asked to submit a list of peo-

ple, lay and ordained, who were interested in

serving on these two committees. All but one

deanery submitted a list of names. The Standing

Committee, in consultation with both chairs andvice-chairs, selected committees that they felt

represented a diverse set of gifts and strengths

likely to be helpful in each process, drawing

from the pool of names offered by the deaneries

and their own knowledge of thoughtful emerg-

ing leaders in the diocese. The chairs and vice

chairs contacted the selected individuals to

make certain they would indeed accept the as-

signment, and the committees then were named publicly by the diocese.

All three committees met in retreat on April 27, 2013, and, in conjunction with the con-

sultant to this process, Ms. Suzanne Foucault, established the outlines of the discernment,

election, consecration, and transition processes. The presence of prayer underlying this

process has been the foundation of all our work.

The Discernment Committee began its work with a series of listening sessions across the

diocese. These listening sessions were opportunities for members of the diocese to pro-

vide input to the Discernment Committee, as well as to listen to one another ’s views. The

listening sessions included: separate sessions for the laity of each deanery, the clergy of

the diocese (in three regional groupings), the Hispanic and Chinese congregations of the

diocese (in Spanish and Cantonese, respectively), the diocesan staff, and senior diocesan

Grace Church in Salem




leadership at the diocesan and cathedral offices. In addition, those not able to attend a ses-

sion were invited to provide the same information via electronic or paper input form.

The findings of the listening sessions, coupled with other documents from the diocese and

the Episcopal Church, were used to prepare this profile of the Diocese of Massachusetts,

including its recent history, and the capacities, skills, knowledge, and attributes we seek in

our bishop coadjutor.

Beginning August 5, 2013, the Discernment Committee solicits applications from and

nominations for individuals who discern a call to this ministry. Nominations must be re-

ceived by 5:00 pm on Monday, August 26,

2013, and applications must be received by

5:00 pm on Monday, September 23, 2013.

A nomination is not required for application

to the process.

In addition to contact information, the appli-

cation requests answers to a variety of essay

questions, as well as other corroborating ma-terials. From the submitted applications, the

Discernment Committee will read, pray, and

reflect on what has been offered in order to

discern which applicants to invite to partici-

pate in telephone interviews. Simultaneous to

conducting telephone interviews, the Dis-

cernment Committee will begin the process

of talking with references for the applicants.

After this series of conversations with appli-

cants and their references, the Discernment

Committee will identify eight to ten appli-

cants in whom we perceive the call to this

A lector reads at Christ Church in Needham

Photograph by Thomas Gaitley




ministry being in alignment with the diocese’s current needs and desires. These appli-

cants will be invited for an intensive retreat from November 7 – 9, 2013, where the entire

Discernment Committee will meet with them and engage in a series of conversations, in-

terviews, exercises, and reflection. Those applicants will be with the committee for two

days and then depart. The committee will continue to meet for the remainder of the week-

end and reflect on what they have seen and heard.

From the participants in this retreat, the Discernment Commit-

tee will select a smaller pool of applicants. Members of the

Discernment Committee will undertake visitations to the par-

ishes or current ministry contexts of these applicants, further interviews, and other screening methods. We will then arrive at

a list of four to five applicants, as per the mandate of the Stand-

ing Committee, and present them by mid-January, 2014.

At that point, the Standing Committee will announce the slate

and also open the process for admission to the slate by petition.

All petitioners will be expected to answer the same questions

and provide all the same material as those who were nominatedor applied to the process and be screened in a manner deter-

mined by the Standing Committee.

Walkabouts of the entire slate of applicants will be held

throughout the diocese in mid-March, tentatively between

March 16 and 22, 2014. During walkabouts, meetings with

congregations throughout the diocese at a variety of parishes,

missions, and other diocesan sites will be conducted.

The special convention to elect the bishop coadjutor will then be held April 5, 2014.




The Ministry of the Bishop Coadjutor The bishop coadjutor will serve with our dioce-san bishop, the Right Rev. M. Thomas Shaw,

SSJE, until the time of Bishop Shaw’s retire-

ment, the date of which has not been deter-

mined. The bishop coadjutor will then become

the bishop diocesan. Serving the diocese since

2003 as bishop suffragan is the Right Rev.

Gayle E. Harris.

The episcopal ministry the bishops will share is

one of service and support to the people of the

diocese in their ministries and in their

deepening conversion in Jesus Christ

through baptism. The bishops seek to carry

out their service through a ministry of for-mation and teaching; preserving and en-

couraging community in parishes, mis-

sions, and chaplaincies; and connecting

individuals and congregations to the wider

church and world. Their commitment to

being present in congregations during reg-

ular Saturday and Sunday visitations is of

primary importance.

The diocesan bishop of the Episcopal Dio-

cese of Massachusetts serves as chief pas-

tor of the spiritual life of the Episcopal

Church in eastern Massachusetts, its 183

Christ Church, Andover




congregations and people, both clergy and lay.

As shepherd of the diocese, the bishop serves as

the spiritual leader and teacher in creating com-

munity and nurturing the faith of the body of

Christ.

Together with the people of the diocese, the

bishop envisions, plans, develops, and is re-

sponsible for the overall strategy of the diocese

to maximize the apostolic work of leading, su-

pervising, and uniting the church.

The diocesan bishop also serves as the president

of the Corporation of the Protestant Episcopal

Diocese of Massachusetts and is responsible for

the overall temporal organization and manage-

ment of the Diocese, one of the largest in terms

of baptized membership in the country. The

bishop is a member of the House of Bishops

and will participate in General Conventions.

Historically, the Bishop of Massachusetts has

been a respected participant in the Lambeth

Conferences. The Diocese of Massachusetts,

through its mission work, is a large contributor

to those in need throughout the world. Thus, the

Bishop of Massachusetts has a significant role

in the Episcopal Church and the larger Anglican

Communion.

St. Francis Statue


First Communion at St. Luke/ San Lucas in Chelsea



The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts 1

Whom We Seek Given the importance of the role of bishop coadjutor, we prayerfully reached outto clergy, laity, and staff in our diocese for input about the characteristics and traits

they would like to see in their next bishop. Over the course of one month, we con-

ducted fourteen lay listening sessions, three clergy listening sessions, and two fo-

cus groups for staff members. In order to reach those who were unable to attend a

listening session, input could also be provided electronically and via mail. In addi-

tion, the Discernment Committee had many discussions to identify key attributes

of an effective bishop coadjutor who is to become bishop diocesan. Through this

process, several themes emerged, which are described below.

Bishop as Prophet and Witness in the World

We hope to be challenged to honor our sense of mis-

sion and outreach beyond church walls by someone

who will be a prophetic visionary and will help us

to live out Christ’s mission in the world. Our bishop

coadjutor will articulate and embody an experienceof God in a way that leads us more deeply into our

mission.

Life within our diocesan community is rich with

varied viewpoints. We seek someone who will have

and continue to develop a shared vision in the dio-

cese that includes a wide range of voices.

Our diocese has a rich history of advocating for all

people to be fully included in society and our Chris-tian community. Our bishop coadjutor will be some-

one who is committed to the work of social justice

and to articulating those positions to the greater

community.

Bishop as Pastor

One of the principal roles of the

bishop coadjutor is to be a pastor

and a shepherd. We seek someone

who expresses care and compassion

for both the clergy and laity with hu-mility and a disposition to listen to

the concerns of all. Our bishop coad-

jutor will be someone who can relate

to all people, personally and corpo-

rately.

We believe that a Christ-centered

life is integral to the ministry of

bishop. Our bishop coadjutor will

have a prayer discipline and spiritual

presence and will be able to convey

that spirituality and share it with oth-

ers.




Bishop as Church Leader

The Diocese of Massachusetts has 183congregations, which are spread out over

5500 square miles and are diverse in

terms of size, resources, and de-

mographics. At times, some congregations

feel disconnected from the life of the dio-

cese. We are looking for someone who

will help congregations feel partnered

with each other and with the diocese.

Our individual and collective congrega-

tions are a critically important aspect of

the diocese and are essential to our con-

tinuing invitation to people to join the

body of Christ. We are seeking a bishop

who has a deep appreciation and

knowledge of the joys and challenges of

parish ministry and will apply this

knowledge in supporting congregationsand clergy in their work. Our bishop will

possess the leadership expertise necessary

to assist in spiritual growth while acceler-

ating or redirecting diocesan aspirations.

In addition to a large number of congrega-

tions, our diocese includes a number of

diocesan-wide programs and staff. Our

bishop coadjutor will be someone whotakes a systemic and collaborative ap-

proach to administration and is a skilled

manager of people and resources.

Bishop as Nexus

In order to maintain a sense of connected-ness and belonging in a large Diocese, we

seek someone who values communica-

tion, uses multiple methods of communi-

cation, and has a familiarity with a variety

of uses of twenty-first-century technology.

Massachusetts is a culturally and linguis-

tically diverse state. We seek someone

who has an appreciation for multiculturaldiversity and who is comfortable com-

municating with people in a culturally re-

sponsive manner. Knowledge of another

language is preferred.

Above: The newest m

is blessed at the Bless

the Children at Christ

Church/ Iglesia San Ju

Hyde Park.

Le: Celebraon of t

of the Dead at St. Luk

Lucas in Chelsea




Who we are: Past The Diocese of Massachusetts officially datesfrom September 8, 1784, when delegates from

a few struggling parishes around Boston met

with brethren from Rhode Island in the first

convention of the Episcopal Church since the

Revolutionary War.

The Episcopal Church in Massachusetts has

always carried with it a spirit of congregation-

al independence, gifted to us by the Puritan

foundation of the Commonwealth. It took a

great sense of mission to build a Diocese out

of a hand-

ful of

eighteenth-century parishes, but the spirit matched the

purpose. Under the nineteenth-century leadership of

Bishops Griswold, Eastburn, Paddock, and Brooks,

the Church in Massachusetts entered the nineteenth-

century as the second largest Episcopal Diocese in thecountry. Along with this expansion in numbers was

commensurate growth in the work and missionary

program of the episcopate. During the 25 years from

1860 to 1885, 89 new parishes and missions were or-

ganized, bringing the number to 164. By the 1880s,

diocesan-wide solicitations had succeeded in freeing

the bishop from a reliance on a parish income. The

diocese continued to expand rapidly.

The radical and accelerated pace of social and eco-

nomic change in the late nineteenth century gave

enormous opportunity for mission. The church re-

sponded to the plight of homeless mothers, orphans,

immigrants, and the sick and elderly through agencies Christ Church in Cambridge




like the Episcopal City Mission, the Church Home Society, St. Luke’s Home, and St.

Monica’s Home. As early as the 1860s, women within the Church had become well orga-

nized and were assuming responsibility for a large part of the Church’s missionary work.

The Dakota League of Massachusetts (later the Women’s Auxiliary) became the Episco-

pal Church Women. The Girls’Friendly Society was founded by Elizabeth Edson in

1879, in Lowell, as a missionary service assisting women who were being enlisted into

the new industrial work force.

By 1900, the activities and responsibilities threatened to become unwieldy. Inheriting this

large collection of very independent parishes, agencies, and administrative units, Bishop

William Lawrence undertook the task of molding the administrative and missionary work

of the diocese to fit a modernized world of advancing technology, metropolitan centers,and increasing social pressures

– for the first time creating five

geographic sub-units called

Archdeaconries – the precursor

to today’s 12 deaneries. He lat-

er advocated the establishment

of the new Diocese of Western

Massachusetts from two of

these Archdeaconries. The

newly compacted eastern Dio-

cese of Massachusetts was uni-

fied in a common mission and

around a physical and symbolic

center. The vision for a Cathe-

dral Church where renewal,

study, and interdependence

could be forged for parish, agency, and bishop was brought to fruition in 1912. St. Paul’sCathedral in Boston was commissioned to be the “People’s Church.”

For some years, the diocesan offices were located on Beacon Hill, across Boston Com-

mon from the cathedral. In 1987, the former diocesan office space on Beacon Hill was

sold and the cathedral and its adjacent buildings were renovated. The diocesan offices

St. Paul ’ s Cathedral, Boston




were moved to the new facilities on Trem-

ont Street, still across from the Common,

under the leadership of Bishop John Co-

burn. In 1988, the new facilities were

dedicated as our Diocesan Center for Mis-

sion around The Lord’s Table.

The diocese has a long tradition of public

witness. Bishops from William Lawrence,

Anson Stokes, John Burgess, John Co-

burn, David Johnson, Barbara Harris,

Thomas Shaw, Roy “Bud” Cederholm, toGayle Harris have supported an emerging

ecumenical movement and through it pro-

vided leadership and awareness to the is-

sues of their day. These issues included a

variety of gifts of Christian witness in the

world: opposition to war, advocacy of

civil rights for all, a concern for the prob-

lems of urban areas, opposition to the

death penalty, advocacy and inclusion of persons with HIV/AIDS and their families

and partners, and reform of public educa-

tion. They also exercised leadership with-

in the denomination on issues such as the

ordination of women, world mission, eco-

nomic equality, and anti-racism. In 2000,

our current bishop, the Right Rev. M.

Thomas Shaw, SSJE, 15th Bishop of Mas-

sachusetts, spent a month in Washington,

DC, as a congressional intern, exploring

the church’s role in public life. With the

leadership of Bishop Shaw, the diocese

continues to bring the church’s witness to

legislative actions at the state and national

levels on a range of economic and social

justice issues, including criminal justice

reform, urban violence, quality education

for inner -city youth, equal rights for

transgendered people, and marriage equal-

ity.Bishop Barbara C. Harris speaks at an event entled “How Diver-

sity Transforms the Culture of Leadership”




Historically, people of African descent and others have

been part of the story of Christian witness in the Diocese

of Massachusetts. Out of this context has emerged Seven"Historically Black Churches'' and historic bishops, in-

cluding the Right Rev. John M. Burgess and the Right Rev.

Barbara C. Harris, and many other leaders, including our

current Bishop Suffragan, the Right Rev. Gayle Harris.

These churches represent the fruit of the African Diaspora

including the Caribbean. Also representative of the emerg-

ing diversity of peoples are people from Latin America, Haiti,

Asia, Brazil and the African Continent. They add to the whole church

in sharing the gifts of their ministry.

Style of worship varies considerably within the diocese. The peculiar

religious setting of Calvinist Massachusetts, together with the influ-

ence of Anglo-Catholicism – brought in part by the monastic commu-

nities Society of St. John the Evangelist, the

Society of St. Margaret, and the Order of St.

Anne– made this diocese a natural home for

what became known as “ broad churchman-ship,” or the tolerance for diversity of belief

with a basic unity of worship. Today, there

are a variety of liturgical practices in the diocese, with services cele-

brated in a many languages, such as Cantonese, Spanish, Haitian Cre-

ole, Luganda, and Dinka.

The diocese is also known for some auspicious

firsts. In 1970, the Right Rev. John M. Burgess was

installed as the diocese’s twelfth bishop, thus be-coming the first African-American diocesan bishop

in the Episcopal Church. In 1989, the consecration

of the Right Rev. Barbara C. Harris as the first

woman to be elected a bishop in the Anglican Com-

munion marked an historic event in the Diocese of

Massachusetts and the Anglican Communion.




Who we are: Present The State and Our Uniqueness

The Diocese of Massachusetts is among the largest in the Episcopal Church in terms of

membership, with 64,640 baptized members. (Source: Episcopal Church Annual 2011).

The diocese covers the eastern third of Massachusetts, stretching from the New Hamp-

shire border in the north, to the Cape and Islands in the south, and extending as far west

as the border of Worcester County. The diocesan area includes the counties of Barnsta-

ble, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Norfolk, Middlesex, Plymouth, and Suffolk, and the town of

Southborough in Worcester County.




This area is the most densely pop-

ulated of the Commonwealth of

Massachusetts, with a census-

estimated population of 4,253,894

inhabitants by April of 2011,

which is roughly 65 percent of the

total population of the Common-

wealth (6,547,629). During the last decade, the region has experi-

enced an increase in the number of immigrants from diverse areas

of the world. Recent census data shows that the number of immi-

grants living in Massachusetts has increased over 15% from 2000

to 2005. The biggest influxes are Latin Americans from both Cen-

tral American and South American. Among South Americans, the

largest groups to increase appeared to be Brazilians. (“Annual Es-

timates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions,

States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009”. United States Census Bureau.)

Hispanics are now the second largest minority in the State, comprising 10.1 percent of the

population and reaching heavy concentrations in our Diocese (17.4 percent in Essex

County and 20.8 percent in Suffolk County, according to the US Census). Significant

Photograph by Ma Con




numbers of people from Africa, the Middle East, and

China are contributing to the growth in diversity in the

Commonwealth.

The greater Boston area is known for its schools and

hospitals. Students from around the world come to the

many institutions of higher learning, of which there are

103 in Massachusetts. Our hospitals are internationally

renowned for their excellent treatment of patients and

for their research work. These strengths have led as

well to growth in the area’s biotechnology industry.

According to the 2013 Directory of the Diocese, there

are 183 congregations in the Diocese of Massachusetts:

159 parishes; 8 missions; 6 summer chapels; 5 campus

chaplaincies; and 5 with special congregation status.

These congregations are grouped into 12 deaneries,

whose boundaries are drawn according to the natural

watersheds of eastern Massachusetts. Each deanery

elects two representatives to serve on the Diocesan

Council. Each also has a liaison on the diocesan staff.

Deans are priests appointed by the bishops to enhance

pastoral care and communication among the clergy of

their respective deaneries. (Source: http://

www.diomass.org/inside/governance/deaneries )

The Right Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE is the current

bishop of the diocese. Elected, ordained, and consecrat-ed a bishop in 1994, he succeeded the late Right Rev.

David E. Johnson as bishop in 1995. He is assisted by

the Right Rev. Gayle Elizabeth Harris, Bishop Suffra-

gan, elected in 2002 and ordained and consecrated in

2003. Retired bishops suffragan, the Right Rev. Bud

Christ Church/Iglesia San Juan, Hyde Park

Parishioners prepare a meal for Monday

Lunch Program

http://www.diomass.org/inside/governance/deaneries








Cederholm and the Right Rev. Barbara C.

Harris, also assist with special projects and

needs.

Diocesan Structure

In 2008 the current organizational structure

for diocesan operations was introduced. The

structure has five functional areas and a dioc-

esan leadership team, with the canon to the

ordinary as the chief of staff. The five areas

are: administrative services; congregationalresources and training; episcopal and dioce-

san support; deaneries, congregations, and

clergy; and strategic ministries.

The diocesan staff, in place to serve and sup-

port congregations, numbers about 25 on-site

members. The office buildings of the Cathe-

dral Church of St. Paul at 138 Tremont Street

in downtown Boston are the primary officespace of the diocesan staff. This space is

shared with approximately 30 other people

from the staffs of the Cathedral Church of St.

Paul, Episcopal City Mission, the Trustees of

Donations, and the Church Home Society,

and with the deacons and volunteers with

dedicated diocesan responsibilities. An addi-

tional cadre of approximately 15 campus min-

isters, mission vicars, and other off -site pro-

gram staff are included in the roster. The heart

of the staff week is a Wednesday chapel ser-

vice followed by an all-staff meeting. A fall

staff day and spring staff retreat are annual

occasions for development and support.

Include: Barbara C. Harris Camp and

Conference Center

Church Home Society Episcopal City Mission

Trustees of Donaons

Common Cathedral of Ecclesia

Ministries

Religious Orders: Order of St.

Anne-Bethany; Society of St. John

the Evangelist; Society of St.

Margaret

Schools:

Epiphany School, Bostonand Esperanza Academy (tuion-

free) and Brooks School, Groton

School and St. Mark’s School

(prep schools)

Afiliated Institutions and Organizations





Some Recent Events:

Our Together Now fundraising campaign,

publicly launched in November 2011,

reached its $20-million goal as of June

2013 and is funding an array of initiatives

(see p. 35 for further details).

The Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center is

one of the ministries supported by the campaign

St. Paul’s Cathedral:

before and aer

Other diocesan personnel and strategic ministry programs include the Life Together/

Micah internships program, the deacon for Global Mission Partnerships, project director for Global Mission, the missioner for Hispanic Congregations, missioner for African

Ministries and the deacon for Disaster Preparedness and Response office.

The diocese is home to three monastic communities, the Order of St. Anne, the Society

of St. Margaret, and the Society of St. John the Evangelist. Bethany House of Prayer pro-

vides spiritual direction, workshops, and retreats. Episcopal Divinity School, an institu-

tion independent of the Diocese of Massachusetts, is one of our valued sources of theo-

logical education and expertise.

In October 2012, our Cathedral Church of St.

Paul celebrated its 100th anniversary as the ca-

thedral church of the Diocese of Massachusetts

and “a house of prayer for all people.” In May

2013 the cathedral installed a significant pieceof public art, a nautilus sculpture, in its long-

empty pediment. The pediment project is the

first part of more extensive renovations planned

for the cathedral church. Future renovations will




include replacing the box pews with kneeler chairs around a central altar; a glass-walled en-

trance and chapel area that will make the in-

door life of the church more visible and invit-

ing; skylights to bring in natural light; energy-

efficiency improvements to the heating system;

and a new elevator to improve accessibility.

In November 2012, the Diocesan Convention

launched a major antiviolence initiative in memory

of Jorge Fuentes, a 19-year -old leader in the dio-

cese’s youth programs at St. Stephen’s Church and

St. Mary’s Church in Boston, who was murderedoutside his home in September 2012. The Jorge

Fuentes Antiviolence Task Force and its develop-

ing B-PEACE for Jorge Campaign is focused on

helping end violence through youth programs; sup-

port for parents and families; jobs for teens and

young adults; partnerships with under -resourced

public schools; and gun reform advocacy. In May

2013, 650 Episcopalians from 55 parishes across

the diocese made a witness against gun violence inthe Mother ’s Day Walk for Peace in Boston’s Dor-

chester neighborhood.




515 people were confirmed or re-

ceived at six confirmation services

held in the spring of 2013 at the Ca-

thedral Church of St. Paul.

We continue to grow in ordained vocations. In

2013, this diocese saw the ordinations of three dea-

cons, four transitional deacons, and five priests,

and the reception of one priest from the Roman

Catholic Church. There are now 2 serving bishops

with five retired bishops in residence in the dio-

cese, 576 priests, of whom 228 are retired, and 37

deacons, of whom 4 are retired, in the diocese.

Photograph by Thomas Gaitley

The 2012 Diocesan Convention took up is-

sues of bank divestment, criminal justice re-

form, and disaster preparedness. Continuing

the diocese’s long tradition of public witness

and activism on social justice issues, the bish-

ops and members of the diocese have partici-

pated recently in public advocacy on issues that

include marriage equality, immigration reform,transgender equal rights, gun reform, and cli-

mate change/environmental stewardship.

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Diocesan Leaders and Structure

The Diocese of Massachusetts is governed, as one would expect, by the Diocesan Convention

and, between annual conventions, by the Diocesan Council. The Standing Committee is charged

with specific canonical duties, especially regarding ordination and the election process for a

new bishop.

Diocesan operations are organized and staffed along the following lines:

The diocesan bishop is assisted by a suffragan bishop and by a canon to the or-

dinary.

The Office for Congregations and Clergy is headed by the canon for congrega-

tions, assisted by a director of transition ministries and a director of congrega-

tional resources and training. These three ordained leaders are assisted by vari-ous support staff and administrators.

The Canon for Ordained Vocations works with the Commission on Ministry in

the selection of persons for ordained ministry and oversees their formation.

The Right Rev. M. Thomas Shaw,

SSJE, Bishop Diocesan The Right Rev. Gayle Harris,

Bishop Suffragan




The Offices for Development, for Communication, for Human Resources, and

the Office of the Treasurer assist and support the functions of the diocese intheir respective areas.

The cathedral is staffed by a dean, a canon pastor, and an associate minister, as

well as staff who support the liturgical, administrative, meeting and hospitality

functions provided by the cathedral and the offices for the diocese. The canon

for Asiamerican ministries is part of the Cathedral staff.

Two archdeacons were appointed in March of 2011 to assist with the formation

and deployment of deacons. They support and direct the educational program

for the diaconate (currently supporting deacons’ education in this and several

other dioceses in the region), as well as issues of deployment and ministry for

the deacons throughout the diocese.

The Easter Service is celebrated at Christ Church in Needham

St. Mark’s Church in Foxboro




God’s Mission and the Ministries of the Diocese

As members of the Episcopal Diocese of

Massachusetts we believe God in Christ is

working everywhere in the world to heal,

to reconcile, to love every person and all

of creation into wholeness. Through the

life, cross and resurrection of our Lord

Jesus Christ, the power of sin and death

has been broken; life and hope is the new

reality. It is our mission to join God's transforming

mission. We will form our children, our

young people and our adult members,

through prayer, worship and Scripture, to

become followers of Christ, that we might

discern where God is carrying out thismission in our world. And we will send our

people to serve with Christ, inviting

everyone and all of creation to share in

the just reign of God.

Our Mission The Diocese of Massachusetts engag-es God’s work in the world locally,

nationally, and internationally through

its congregations and the ministry and

partnerships that take us beyond

church walls. This is a diocese deeply

committed to living out our faith in

Jesus Christ and seeking to participate

in God’s mission in the world.

Equipping congregations for minis-

try and mission

A major part of the ministry of the Di-

ocese of Massachusetts comes through

its 183 congregations. We take seri-

ously the mission of supporting our

congregations through financial re-

sources and ongoing education and

training opportunities.

In 2013, diocesan grant programs are

channeling $270,000 to congregations

to support the development and ex-

pansion of congregationally- based

programs. These include, among oth-

ers, Congregational Development

Grants, which allow congregations to strengthen current programs and try new ones.

Grants have been used for innovative adult education programs, ministry workshops for

new members, and expanding youth ministries.

The Creation Care Initiative helps provide leadership, education, and support for parishes




to care for the gift of God’s creation. The

Initiative provides Simple Acts Grants of

$500 to $1,000 each and Green Improve-

ment Grants and Loans of up to $15,000.

These grants have been used, for example,

to improve the energy efficiency of church

-owned buildings.

The diocese supports mission parishes in

strategic communities where opportunities

for growth and special service seem partic-ularly important, including the Spanish-

and Cantonese-language congregations,

and the urban population surrounding St.

Stephen’s in Boston’s South End. Funding

is intentionally offered to the five Hispan-

ic/Latino Ministries supporting their work

in education, formation, liturgy, and dioce-

san-wide events. In 2011, a Missioner for

Hispanic/Latino Ministries was appointedto coordinate and empower these minis-

tries. The diocese also supports The Cross-

ing, a ministry at the cathedral church and

a community in the tradition of the emer-

gent church. Members of the Crossing are

committed to the practice of radical wel-

come and the raising up of young adults as

leaders in the church and in the work of

building a more just society.

At the diocesan level, one of the ways that

the staff assists congregations is through

the Congregational Development team.

This work includes the Diocesan Resource

Center, with a full-time staff member, who

connects lay leaders and clergy with re-

sources to deepen their ministry, especially

church school curricula and programs for

lifelong formation. This team is also re-

sponsible for assisting in clergy transitions

and major changes in congregational struc-

ture. They plan congregational resource and

training workshops such as the annual

Spring Learning Event, Fall Resource Day,Anti-Racism training, Eucharistic Visitors

training, and Safe Church training.

The ministry of the congregational consult-

ants and coaches helps empower congrega-

tions with particular needs or concerns.

These teams, mostly lay leaders, offer expertise in areas of finance, building man-

agement, leadership, governance, and stew-

ardship.

Lanas from several parishes gather at a weekend Spiritual Ret




The Office of Youth Ministries offers fellowshipgatherings and retreats for youth in middle and high

school as well as pre-confirmation retreats for par-

ishes in the diocese. These events are coordinated

jointly by diocesan staff and the young people who

make up the Diocesan Youth Council. The office al-

so coordinates the Youth Leadership Academy, help-

ing teens develop and practice leadership skills,

which are important to their ministries now and for

the future.

The Life Together Program brings 28 young adults,

ages 21-35, into intentional community for vocation-

al discernment, leadership development, and social

service. Life Together provides training and experi-

ence in leadership and social change, placing young

adults in churches and mission- based non- profit organizations. In 2012 the program

launched two significant expansions. The first, Life Together -

South Coast, based in Fall River and New Bedford, focuses on

immigrant advocacy, youth leadership development, and issues

of economic justice. The second, The Esperanza Academy

Teaching Fellowship, in conjunction with AmeriCorps, provides

four teachers to the tuition-free middle school for girls in Law-

rence.

The Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center , located in

Greenfield, New Hampshire, is loved by many in the diocese.The camp has a particular mission of Christian formation for

youth and their leaders and for bringing together the diverse

people and congregations that make up the diocese. Campers

return year after year and many later return as counselors. The

camp and year -round conference facilities, open to non- profit

Forming our children, young people, adult members, and clergy

Photograph by Chris Foglia

Children play at the Barbara C. Harris

Camp




educational and religious institutions, are

located in a beautiful setting in woods and

lakeside, calling all who visit to an appre-

ciation of the wonders of God’s creation.

An important part of the character of East-

ern Massachusetts is the number and qual-

ity of its institutions of higher learning.

The diocese supports campus ministries at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Boston University, Boston College,

Northeastern University, Harvard Univer-

sity, and Tufts University.

are offered for continuing formation, tran-sitions, and retirement. Some of these no-

table programs include education and sab- batical grants, Fresh Start for new andtransitioning priests, the Pre-Lenten re-treat, the annual spring three-day ClergyConference, Fall Clergy Day, and a sup-

port network for retired clergy.

The diocese looks to continue and expandthe ministry of deacons in Massachu-setts. The diocese has a deacon formation

process that is open to diaconal candidatesand postulants here and from other dioces-es in New England, with participationfrom Connecticut, New Hampshire andRhode Island. The diocese currently has33 deacons active in congregational and

diocesan ministries that continually callour attention to the poor, the weak, thesick and the lonely beyond the four wallsof our church. Two of the deacons serveas archdeacons.

Clergy are supported through the manystages of their vocational life. In particu-lar, the diocese guides postulants and can-didates through their process from dis-cernment to ordination. Other programs

Bishop Bud greets guests at his rerement recepon

The Episcopal Chaplaincy at Harvard




The people of the Diocese of Massachusetts are reaching out intheir local communities and beyond to respond to those in need and

to build a more just society.

Many of our local churches offer afterschool and summer programs

to the children in their communities. 2013 is the 14th summer for

the B-SAFE (Bishop’s Summer Academic and Fun Enrichment)

Program, which annually employs 125 teen counselors and pro-

vides more than 600 elementary and middle school children withnutritious meals, academic support, and fun. Many parishes

throughout the diocese partner with B-SAFE to help provide, food,

recreational and educational opportunities, and logistical support.

Following the death of B-SAFE graduate and teen counselor Jorge

Fuentes in 2012, efforts to end gun violence have become a focus

of diocesan advocacy and organizing activities. In particular, the

diocese launched the B- PEACE for Jorge Fuentes Campaign

(Bishop’s action steps toward peace; Program for youth; Employ-

ment for teens and young adults; Academic excellence in public

schools; Communities for families; and End to gun violence) and

invited all congregations to participate in one of the B-PEACE ob-

jectives.

The Urban Resident Program places newly-ordained clergy (three

in 2013) in city parishes for three years. With the guidance of an

experienced mentor, each resident develops skills and gains experi-ence in the challenges of urban ministry, while expanding the min-

istries of the parishes they serve.

St. Paul’s Cathedral serves as a model for working with people fac-

ing homelessness. St. Paul ’ s MANNA (Many Angels Needed Now

Inviting everyone to share in the just reign of God




and Always) Community hosts several programs with the

homeless of Boston. A weekly lunch brings parishioners from

throughout the diocese into the city to share in ministry with

and to those living on the streets. In turn, the homeless com-

munity offers ministries including Christian contemplative

prayer to groups like Life Together.

In relationship with the diocese, The Leadership Development

Initiative trains congregations in community organizing prac-

tices to be prayerful and prophetic leaders in their communities

and to fight for social change.

Diocesan Sending Serving, House of Mercy, Mission Tithe

Matching and Mission Tithe Council grants support congrega-

tions in developing and expanding their outreach and mission

work. The diocese as a whole also engages in these efforts

through such programs as Jubilee Ministries, which in the past

served those suffering with and from the devastating effects of

the AIDS epidemic in Africa

St. Stephen’s in Lynn

and is currently discerning how it will minister in Africa in thefuture. The Committee on Palestine and Israel provides educa-

tion, coordinates advocacy, and offers pilgrimages in conjunc-

tion with the Diocese of Jerusalem.

As part of the To-

gether Now Cam-

paign, the diocese

has committed

ten percent of the$20 million raised

for mission work

outside the dio-

cese.

St. Nick visits Grace Church in Salem St. Andrew’s in Framingham




If you ask us who we are... The new bishop coadjutor will be welcomed into the diocese by a people facing the challengesof change with the blessing of resources, both spiritual and physical, and ready together, to

bring God ’ s church into the future.

We articulate our Christian values as

public witnesses to the broader

communities – religious and secular – to

which we belong.

We pursue social justice work that

advocates the inclusion of every person

as a full member in our society and the

Christian community.

Witnessing to the world

We offer a range of programs that engage

youth and young adults and give them

opportunities to engage in formation and

leadership activities.

We seek to expand opportunities for adult

formation and education. We pride ourselves on active lay leadership

and are committed to the development and

support of future lay leaders.

Christian formation




We strive to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, to

demonstrate Christianity's ongoing relevance for the

world and, and to continue inviting people to join the

body of Christ.

We wrestle with the challenges that the use of part-time

clergy by smaller parishes has created for continued

growth and sustainability. We seek creative ways to work

together and with the diocese to become more financially

secure and to continue to be present for future

generations.

Envisioning the Church of tomorrow

We embrace a mission of local and global outreach. Several

diocesan-level ministries focus on the needs of inner -city

youth.

We envision the development of new and existing ministries

to better support the needs of our aging populations.

We are mindful of our role as stewards of God’s creation.

Diocesan Green Improvement Grants support congregations

in this ministry. We seek to expand our environmentalministries in coming years.

We struggle to maintain a balance between resources

directed to diocesan programs and those directed to

parishes, as well as finding a balance between urban

ministries and those serving communities outside of Boston.

Offering a wide range of programs to do the work of Christ




We value the diversity of our diocese. At the same time, we sometimes struggle

to be fully inclusive of social, theological, and liturgical diversity on a range of

issues.

We strive to live with one another in Christ, despite the tension of these

differences, and to work toward common goals.

In a diocese with congregations that are diverse in terms of geography,

socioeconomic status, and culture, we sometimes feel disconnected from each

other. We seek to create a community that engages each congregation equally

and connects individuals and congregations with each other and the diocese.

Appreciating our multicultural and diverse diocese





Our Finances Our 2013 budget reflects our diocesan mission to join in God’s transforming mission in theworld. It is a guide for the work that God is calling us to do and a comprehensive vision to meet

the needs both within and outside our diocese.

Convention unanimously approved a diocesan budget for 2013 of $6.3 million in core revenue

and expenses and $1.7 million in supplemental revenue and expenses. The primary difference

between core and supplemental is the source of revenue – with core revenue coming from par-

ish assessments, contributions in lieu of assessment, predicted dividend and investment income,

and spending policy draws from trusts and endowments and the supplemental budget funded by

development efforts, bishop’s discretionary fund grants and extraordinary draws on unrestricted

endowments.

The 2013 budget, as presented, is a balanced budget, as required by diocesan canon.

The accompanying charts show the total funding sources and roughly where the money is being

spent.

2013 budget AT A GLANCE




Between 2006 and 2012, fourteen congrega-

tions have closed their doors, making $4.5

million available from liquidation of the as-

sets of these closed congregations. In order

to reinvest in the long-term viability and vi-

tality of our life together, Diocesan Council

set aside half of these net proceeds ($2.25

million) to establish a Fund for Congrega-

tional Vitality. This endowment fund is used

for aid in the form of clergy salaries, intern-

ships, and building repair. The remaining

half of the net proceeds has been made

available for distribution by council, for spe-

cial needs and projects as needed between

conventions.

Together Now campaign In 2011 our diocese launched an ambitious, comprehensive fund-

ing campaign that reached its $20 million goal in June 2013. TheTogether Now campaign grew out of a vision that God is calling

us forward as a diocesan community, and this campaign is

providing the means to answer God’s call in some very specific

ways. The primary initiatives of this campaign include:

$2 million for mission outside of the diocese;

$2 million for caring for God’s creation through green grants and loans to further sus-

tainability initiatives;

$4.5 million to empower our congregations to respond effectively to their changing

communities so they might continue as beacons of Christ’s light to the people of east-ern Massachusetts across boundaries of race and class, generation, and language;

$7.5 million for raising up a new generation in faith and service through the Life To-

gether young adult internship program and Hub ministries, and the Barbara C. Harris

Camp and Conference Center;

$4 million for the transformation of our cathedral.

Epiphany Pumpkin Patch in Walpole




We are proud that one of our key fundraising components is the use of collaborative capital

campaigns in partnership with dozens of individual congregations. These collaborative cam-

paigns raised approximately $12 million in funds for individual parishes to use in their local

contexts of mission and ministry, as well as donating a portion of their resources to the broader

diocesan campaign.

Together Now offers a powerful picture of our diocese renewing itself and its mission. It enables

the diocese to continue nurturing new generations in the love and knowledge of God and then

sending them out in mission, not merely for the sake of growth in numbers or perpetuating tradi-

tions, but because the world needs what God has given us to offer – now.

For more information

Please visit our diocesan website, at www.diomass.org.

Photograph credits: top right, boom le, and boom right by Julie Shea

http://www.diomass.org/





Membership of Committees

The Standing Committee

The Rev. Zenetta Armstrong, President

Mr. David Bergquist, Vice President

The Rev. Marya DeCarlen

The Hon. Judith Dilday

The Rev. Amy McCreath

The Rev. Mark McKone-Sweet

Prof. Bianca Silvestrini

James Wagner, Esq.

Note: This membership will change after the

Diocesan Convention of 2013. At that time

the President and Vice President will end their

terms, two new members will be elected atConvention, and the Standing Committee will

then elect new leadership

The Discernment Committee

Dr. David Urion, St. Anne’s-in

-the

-Fields Church, Lincoln (Chair)

The Rev. Laurel Deery, Grace Church, Salem (vice-chair)

Mr. John Anderson, St. James’s Church, Groveland

The Rev. Johanna Barrett, Trinity Church, Topsfield

Mr. William Boyce, Grace Church, New Bedford

The Rev. Lynn Campbell, Christ Church, Needham

The Rev. Dr. Libby Gibson, St. Mary’s Church, Barnstable

Ms. Michele Griffin-McGregor, St. Andrew’s Church, Framingham

The Rev. Edgar Gutierrez-Duarte, St. Luke’s/San Lucas Church, Chelsea

The Rev. Eric Hillegas, St. Chrysostom’s Church, Quincy

The Rev. Michael Hodges, St. Paul’s Church, DedhamDr. Alexandra Killewald, Christ Church, Waltham

Mr. Ryan McDonnell, Christ Church, South Hamilton

Ms. Mary Beth Mills-Curran, St. James’s Church, Cambridge

The Rev. Ema Rosero- Nordalm, St. Stephen’s Church, Boston

Ms. Julie Shea, St. John’s Church, Winthrop

The Ven. Geoffrey Smith, Parish of St. John the Evangelist, Hingham

The Transition Committee

The Rev. Deacon Julian Fredie, Chair

Ms. Angela McConney Scheepers, Vice Chair

Ms. Libby Chafe

The Rev. Karen Coleman

The Rev. Jon Eden

The Rev. Dr. Lisa Fortuna

The Rev. Alan Hesse

Ms. Claudette Hunt

The Rev. Adam Linton

The Rev. Kit Lonergan

Mr. Peter Lucey

Ms. Bessie Lyman

The Rev. Jeff Mello

Ms. Beverly Merz

Mr. Jeffrey Mills

Ms. Vicky Provost

Mr. David Sullivan

Th R Di W

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