Our purpose is to offer this concert in thanksgiving to God for the ministry of the Right Reverend Geralyn Wolf, twelfth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. On November 17, Bishop Wolf will be passing the crosier to her successor, the Very Reverend Nicholas Knisely, until recently Dean of the Cathedral in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diocese had its own celebration of Bishop Wolf’s ministry last month. But we wanted to do something as a parish as well. So here we are.
When Geralyn Wolf was first elected Bishop of Rhode Island, women bishops were a relatively new phenomenon in the Episcopal Church. Many observers wondered how her sacramental ministrations would be received in the diocese’s two Anglo-Catholic parishes: Saint Stephen’s, Providence, and Saint John’s, Newport. As it happened, Saint Stephen’s was divided, with a majority inclined to welcome Bishop Wolf’s ministry; Saint John’s was almost unanimously opposed.
Bishop Wolf quickly made it clear, however, that she would make room for everybody and not force anyone’s conscience. When I arrived as rector in 2000, I quickly realized that Bishop’s Wolf’s attitude towards our tradition was one of profound admiration and respect. In my first year here, for example, Saint Stephen’s was asked to host a conference of Anglo-Catholic rectors from across the Episcopal Church; and I invited Bishop Wolf to come and address the group. Afterwards, one of the most traditionalist rectors in the group stood up and said, “Well, I really liked her. She speaks our language.”
It was true. In her emphasis on the priority of worship and the critical importance of regular spiritual disciplines in the Christian life, Bishop Wolf speaks a language that we in this parish can understand. Over the years, we’ve come to appreciate her deep integrity and commitment to the principles that allowed her to make tough decisions that she sometimes knew would be unpopular. She has proven herself a faithful friend to S. Stephen’s. For our part, we’ve done our best to reciprocate that friendship; and we’ve remained loyal and supportive during the times when some in the wider diocese were grumbling like the Israelites against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
We are indeed excited about welcoming our new bishop on November 17 and we look forward eagerly to working together with him in the coming months and years. But this evening, we pause to make this musical offering in thanksgiving for the past sixteen years; and we join together in saying to Bishop Wolf: Thank you for being there for us; thank you for being here with us.
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