According to one definition, a BISHOP (English derivation from the New Testament Greek ἐπίσκοπος, epískopos, "overseer", "guardian") is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. In the ELCA a BISHOP has both a pastoral and an administrative role. The ELCA web page for the Conference of Bishops says, "Each of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America elects a bishop to serve as the synod's chief pastor and to exercise administrative oversight of the synod's work." The Bishop of the NJ Synod is Rev. E. Roy Riley. A presiding bishop also serves in a similar capacity for the entire ELCA and is elected at the Churchwide Assembly. The current Presiding Bishop is the Rev. Mark S. Hanson.

   This year, for the first time in 22 years, we will be electing a new Bishop here at the Synod Assembly to be held in early June. It will be hard to say good bye to Bishop Riley and his style of ministry. The Bishop and those who work on the staff in the Synod office provide pastoral care and support in a variety of ways for all of the pastors and congregations in the state. They also help to provide a sense of vision for the ministry of the wider church in a state with a very diverse population and landscape. And last, but not least, they manage the business of the synod including property, finances, and statewide program ministry.

   One of the things I've learned from Bishop Riley in the time that I've known and worked with him is that the office of Bishop MUST be a balance of Pastor and Chief Administrator. That with such a breadth and depth of responsibilities, it is important to remember that we do what we do as followers of Jesus Christ; that first and foremost we are people who have received the grace and forgiveness of a loving God and that what we say and do on every level needs to be flavored by that reality. His example has greatly influenced how I am living into my calling as a pastor and especially here at Lord of Life.  

   The Office of Bishop is both a challenging and rewarding role. Any ordained pastor in the ELCA is eligible for nomination at the Assembly, and it will take several votes before we have determined the one person who will fill this role for us for at least the next 6 years. It will be a challenge for those of us attending the Assembly to prayerfully consider who that person should be. I would ask for your prayers for Pastor Jones, me, and the voting members who will be attending from LOL as we more fully enter into this process over the next several weeks. And I would encourage you to spend some time looking at some of the information available on both the NJ Synod www.njsynod.org  and ELCA (www.elca.org) web pages so you have a better understanding of who we are as a wider church in NJ, the US, and the world.  

     - Peace, Pastor Sue