The election of a bishop is an interesting process. It is not linear, and it is much more nuanced than a typical executive search, or even a search for a parish rector. The spiritual aspect of discernment involved is difficult to describe, yet it is palpable.  Somehow, in the end, despite the imperfections of the process and the people involved, the Holy Spirit does her work. The Spirit blows through a diocese, through its convention, through its people, and we elect a person. In this case, we elected The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, currently serving as Canon to the Ordinary in this diocese, to become the 11^th Bishop of Georgia.  

I am pleased with the outcome. I consider Frank to be a friend. I also consider The Rev. Lonnie Lacy to be a good a friend, and so while I am happy for Frank and the diocese, I grieve for Lonnie at the same time, as one who affirmed his participation in this process. I don’t know the other three candidates as well; still, I know enough to know each of them could have served as our next bishop, and each of them is processing the emotions that come as a result of not being elected. After so much discernment and conversation, each candidate was affirmed in their calling to be a bishop, in general, and the bishop of Georgia in particular. Not having been elected to serve this diocese does not mean one is not called to be a bishop, although I’ve been through enough discernments to know it can feel like that. Fortunately, no discernment is bad discernment.  

Discernment, in the church’s usage, conveys a sense of seeking spiritual guidance in decision making. It’s not a process of measuring performance, checking boxes, comparing skills, or deciding if something is earned or not. Discernment invites us to open ourselves to listen for what the Spirit is calling us to do, calling the church to do, or calling an individual to do. Sometimes it can be very confusing. For example, when I was discerning whether or not I was being called to Christ Church, I discerned that I was hearing a call to this parish, and yet I never discerned that I was called to leave St. Peter’s, where I had been happily and fruitfully serving for five years. In fact, I was initially reluctant to enter into discernment with Christ Church at all because I was content and was not seeking another ministry.  

Fortunately, I received counsel from trusted peers and mentors to engage in discernment with Christ Church to see where the Spirit might be working, again, because no discernment is bad discernment. If the Spirit was moving, who am I to ignore it or disregard that movement?  Although it didn’t happen in this case, sometimes that discernment says, “nope, don’t do this.”  Sometimes we hear yes, sometimes no, sometimes not yet, and sometimes we don’t hear anything.  

In both the Hebrew and New Testaments, spiritual decisions were sometimes made by casting lots, a process by which a series of items would be tossed in a pile and then interpreted, not unlike rolling dice. The understanding was that God would act in the casting and therefore the outcome was God’s intention. My grandfather used to tell a joke about three religious leaders trying to determine how to split up some money. They draw a circle on the ground, and one says, “throw the money up and whatever lands in the circle is what we give to God.” The second one says, “no, whatever lands outside the circle is what we give to God.” The third shakes his head and says, “No, we throw the money up in the air and whatever God wants, God keeps!” In some ways that sounds about as accurate as casting lots to me. Regardless, it is worth noting that the Greek word for casting lots is cleromancy, which is the same root from which we get clergy and cleric. 

Our Episcopal tradition of governance is unique within the Anglican Communion, although we have shared it with other Anglican provinces that we have helped establish since the 18^th Century. We vote on many things instead of giving decision making authority to bishops, cardinals, clergy, or other institutional constituencies. This process is in effect from the international level of the Episcopal Church down to our parish Vestries. When it is time to elect a bishop, the diocese elects by casting votes. The clergy and the laity of the diocese must agree on their choice, as we did last weekend, when we elected Frank. Some think elections are a questionable way to discern the will of God, but then I suppose every process will have its detractors. In my experience, decision making in the Church has largely (not always) been a spiritual endeavor. I do think the Spirit is with us when we gather for such work, and the Spirit was with us in Statesboro at Convention.   

I know that Jennifer, John, Lonnie, and Rob are still discerning what God is calling them to do now that this election is over. In truth, discernment doesn’t really end for any of us if we have an active prayer life. Clergy or lay, each of us must listen for God’s calling and respond. Rarely does that calling represent something static. It changes over time and we must be humble enough to keep listening and faithful enough to keep responding. Let us rejoice that the Spirit helped us choose our next bishop, and let us rejoice that God is working in the lives of those who were not elected, just as God is active in this diocese as we continue to respond to God’s call.  

Tom+

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese (or, rector for this parish), that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  BCP 818