Bethany Versoy
Bishop Alan Gates, Bishop-elect Julia Whitworth and the Rev. Kristian Kohler at the Sept. 21 Allston Abbey rededication celebration.
Sept. 24, 2024
Beloved of God in the Diocese of Massachusetts!
As many, but not all, of you know, today marks three weeks since I arrived in the offices at 138 Tremont Street to begin the in-person transition period as your bishop-elect.
I’m so glad to be here at last.
I wanted to drop you a note to let you know what I have been up to since arriving in the Commonwealth.
My son Gregory and I have moved into our temporary home in Brookline, where we will be for the year until identifying our more permanent residence for my whole family, hopefully in a strategic way for the diocese (more on that forthcoming). Blessedly, he has settled into his new school very well. We miss Ray, Grace, Liam, but we feel confident everyone is where they are supposed to be this year.
Here are some highlights of my time in the diocese so far:
Consecration Planning
The Consecration Committee and members of diocesan staff have been working very hard to create an extraordinary celebration of our next chapter together as a diocese. Clergy, please be sure to register by Oct. 1 for lunch on Friday, Oct. 18 with the Presiding Bishop (and me) and to process on Saturday, Oct. 19. There remain a small handful of hotel rooms available for out-of-town guests, and about 75 seats for general seating at the Consecration service itself. For more info, including sign-up for regional watch parties, please see the Consecration webpage: https://www.diomass.org/consecration.
New ELCA Bishop
My first weekend, Bishop Alan and I attended the installation of Bishop Nathan Pipho, the new bishop of the New England Synod, ELCA. It was a great opportunity to meet many new Episcopal and Lutheran colleagues in the region. I look forward to working with Bishop Nathan, who will also be among my co-consecrators next month.
Meetings
I have been blessed to “ride along” with Bishops Alan and Carol on meetings with the Executive Committee of Diocesan Council, who also gathered for a day-long retreat my second weekend. I have been grateful to attend Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry meetings and lots of other Zooms with diocesan staff and leaders to begin wrapping my head and arms around this amazing diocese. Many of you know that we are not working in 138 Tremont Street right now, on account of some reapplication of faulty carpet tiles. I am very much looking forward to getting back to in-person work to begin deepening relationships with the staff and learning more basics – like where the printers are.
Blessings
This past weekend I was blessed to attend the rededication of the Allston Abbey on Saturday night and to share dinner and fellowship with the African Clergy Caucus and their spouses on Sunday. Both were wonderful ways to begin connecting and knowing you, and to celebrate how the Spirit is moving in the Episcopal Church in eastern Massachusetts.
Coming Up!
I am so excited for tomorrow’s Clergy Day at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul and online at 9:30 a.m. Many thanks to the Clergy Professional Development Committee and the Rev. Dan Bell for organizing our guest speaker, the Rev. Karen Hering, on “Trusting Change.” I am glad that we will have some extended time for conversation, about the past and the future of the diocese.
And please don’t forget: this week the Healthy Congregations Survey launched. This is an amazing opportunity to gather a lot of input about our work together from throughout the diocese. Please fill it out, and share it with your parishioners and stakeholders.
I’m not so far away from being a parish priest and college professor to have forgotten what a busy time of year this is for you all. God bless you with energy, imagination, and joy in all that you are juggling and leading, to the glory of God and in service to God’s people!
See you soon.
Faithfully,
Julia+
The Rev. Julia Whitworth, Bishop-elect
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts