| THE EPISCOPAL NEW YORKER |
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The 227th Convention of the Diocese of New York
Bishop Sisk received a standing ovation following his address, in which he inventoried highlights — and some losses — of the past year and offered a roadmap to the future. While he touched on the fact that the Cathedral did not secure landmark designation from New York City and admitted that “some belt tightening is now inevitable,” Bishop Sisk reiterated his support for the dean: “There is no one better equipped to lead it and rebuild it than my friend and colleague, Jim Kowalski. “This has been a year of important new beginnings,” he announced, citing, among other achievements, the hiring of all three Canons for Congregational Development, a chaplain for Columbia University and the formation of a clergy spouses/partners group, meeting for the first time during Convention. Bishop Sisk challenged each congregation to set aside time “for regular self-examination, as well as strength and endurance to deepen its commitment” to worship, nurture and mission. He called on congregations “to reach out and invite more people to join us in worship. The primary purpose of that work is, of course, to help people know Christ. “But,” he added, “while we strive to grow, we must remember that the objective is not simply bigger numbers, but more and more effective ways to tell the saving story of the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are not called to be church mechanics, but evangelists, as strange as that word may sometimes sound to the ears of Episcopalians.” The Bishop announced two key conferences scheduled for spring 2004: Urban Ministry with Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood and the Second Annual Mission Conference, cosponsored by the Social Concerns Commission and the Congregational Life and Mission Commission, to focus on immigration and its impact. Bishop Sisk pointed out the Diocese’s “renewed emphasis on schools.” The Diocese hosted the annual meeting of the National Association of Episcopal Schools and worked with the Rev. Johan Johnson for an Episcopal School in Harlem. He met racism head on, commending “the speedy response of our clergy in Region II, spearheaded by Father Charlie Colwell” against the recent distribution of white racist literature. “I am utterly convinced, as we enter this 21st century, that the time has come when we, as a people, with all the complexity that this suggests, must find a way of repenting, deeply repenting, of the evil which so deeply scars our nation and our nation’s beginning.” The Bishop spoke of global and local mission, such as the visit by Rev. Stephen Holton of Ossining to Afghanistan for the rebuilding of the mosque damaged during the war, and the Bishop’s recent address to the Organization of the Islamic Conference at the United Nations this past fall. He concluded with this pronouncement: “It is my intention to work with the Diocesan Council to construct a road map that will help us move forward to further our mission with a sense that we have not only goals before us which are moving to meet, but in addition some sense of how we hope to reach those goals. I have asked my staff to take the first steps to begin this effort in a formal way. The plan will, I hope, help us harness all this good work, and help us focus it on supporting continued growth and vitality in our congregations.” The complete text of Bishop Sisk’s address is available on the Web at www.dioceseny.org. Bishop
Sisk’s Address
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