From Bishop Smith regarding Gethsemane Cathedral

January 14, 2011

To: Members of the Gethsemane Cathedral Chapter and the North Dakota Diocesan Council

From: Bishop Michael Smith

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We in the Diocese are beginning to become familiar with the term “Fresh Expressions” of Church. It is a movement that seeks to meet the increasing secularism in our culture and institutional decline in the mainline denominations with new and creative ways of engaging in the ancient ministry of the Church. Almost all agree that the old ways of doing things are not working anymore, and that a renewed manner of functioning and organizing for mission is necessary if our expression of Christianity is to live much beyond the next generation.

No doubt you are aware of the recent announcement of the resignation of the Dean of Gethsemane Cathedral, effective March 15. We are grateful for the ministry of Father Steve Sellers and his wife, Dixie, and offer prayers for blessing on the next chapter of their lives. This approaching vacancy at the Cathedral provides a rare opportunity for us to seriously consider what may be a “fresh expression” for the Cathedral and the Diocese in moving to a Bishop/Rector, or in this case a Bishop/Dean, model of ministry.

Such a move would actually be a return to the original practice of The Episcopal Church where all bishops served as rectors of congregations. There was even a discussion about such a possibility for North Dakota during the search which led to my election in 2004. This conversation, however, was cut short because it was understood by some that the national canons would not allow such an arrangement. Given the recent election and consents for the bishop-elect of the Diocese of Western Kansas, a diocese numerically similar to ours in size, the Bishop/Rector model has been given the blessing of The Episcopal Church.

What I am proposing is consideration of the following:

The bishop serves on a 1/3-time basis for the Diocese as the episcopal minister and a 2/3-time basis as rector/dean of the Cathedral.

Serving with the bishop as part of a pastoral staff would be:

a full-time Administrator, serving both the Diocese and the Cathedral;
a full-time Secretary, serving both the Diocese and the Cathedral;
a 1/4-time Minister or two 1/8-time Ministers for Pastoral Care serving the Cathedral;
1.875 (FTE) Ministers serving the Diocese as the Bishop’s Diocesan Ministry Team (the three current Canon Missioners and the Bishop’s Executive Assistant).

If there is a will to move in this direction there is a way. The current budgets of both the Cathedral and the Diocese would allow for such adaptation. Therefore, to further this discernment, I will be presenting to the Chapter revised cathedral budget recommendations at its February meeting and revised diocesan budget recommendations to the Diocesan Council at its March meeting. Obviously, both bodies must agree if such a model is to become a reality.

Your prayerful consideration is requested. Realizing that there will be many questions, I am posting this letter on my Blog at www.ndbishop.blogspot.com. I invite you and others beyond the Chapter and Diocesan Council to post comments and/or questions there in hopes of engaging in an online discussion. (If you have difficulty posting there, contact me at bpnodak@aol.com and I’ll post for you.)

May God bless you, my sisters and brothers, as we seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance for our life together. I am,

Yours in Christ,

+Michael