When the Search, Standing and Transition Committees first came together in January 2005 to begin the Transition to the 8th Bishop of California, our work began with a Eucharist. Brother Tom Schultz of the Incarnation Priory in Berkeley preached the homily. In his role as chaplain to the three committees, he helped us prepare for the work of discerning the person whom God has called to be the next Bishop of California. I spoke with him in January 2006 as the Search Committee prepares to announce its findings. 

What has your role been in the Transition period?

Each committee has appointed its own chaplain from within its group. My role has been in meeting with the chairs of Search and Transition, as well as the Standing Committee, each month. The work of the committees has been one of discernment, and their work has reflected the operation of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit has been the strong communication and progress that each committee has made through this process.

How is a Bishop's Election unique?

The election of a Bishop is not a political process. It is a mystery.  The Search Committee will present a group of candidates, all of whom are good and holy people. It will be the Holy Spirit who will make the right choice apparent.  This might happen on the first ballot, or it might take several ballots, but the Holy Spirit will be present in the election and will lead the electors to discern the right person.  What will the Holy Spirit look like? Will there be doves or flames? I don't know how the Holy Spirit will manifest itself, but it will be there.

There is a story in Hebrew Scripture where Elijah is with a young soldier. The soldier looks out at the large army facing them and despairs, but he doesn't see what Elijah sees. Elijah doesn't despair because he can see that God's angels are surrounding the enemy army and will protect him. On that day in the Cathedral, God's angels will be present, if we can only see them.

What will the Electing Convention look like?

Those of us who are planning the day have not made our final decisions, but we know that the election needs to be grounded in our common worship. The Eucharist will be central to the day. I think it will be a day of great joy and expectation.

How should the Electors prepare themselves?

They need to say their prayers. Each elector needs to take time to say morning and evening prayers daily; I gave a brief guide to this to each Search, Transition and Standing Committee member at the Retreat last January. The liturgy of the church gives us the format and we need to use our common worship to prepare ourselves. The electors also need to avail themselves of the sacrament of Reconciliation, i.e. make their confession [BCP, p. 447]. If an elector comes into the voting with baggage, he will be hearing that baggage and not the Holy Spirit.  Once he makes his confession and receives absolution, he will be ready to hear the Holy Spirit and discern the next bishop.

Given the current issues about human sexuality within the Anglican Communion, particularly since the Confirmation of Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, how does the Diocese need to prepare itself for an election that will be closely watched by those outside of our diocese?

The issue of sexuality does not need to be central to this election. What is important is discerning the Holy Spirit in this process. If we say our prayers and prepare our hearts, everything else is secondary.The "H" word that is at the core of this discussion is not "homosexuality," it's "honesty."  In New Hampshire, the people knew Gene Robinson. They knew his partner; knew his children; knew his ex-wife. They also knew that God had called him to be their bishop-- he was elected on the second ballot. He was honest about who he is.

How can the people of the Diocese who are NOT electors prepare themselves for the new Bishop?

Each person in the Diocese is being represented in this election. We all need to say our prayers and to avail ourselves of the sacrament of reconciliation. We all need to be prepared for the Holy Spirit to act.

Once the new bishop is consecrated, we need to teach that person who we are and how to be our bishop. How does someone learn to be a Bishop? After election there is a "Baby Bishop School" to help prepare the person for this job. But how does someone learn to be a Bishop? It's like asking, "how does someone learn to be a mother?"  You can read books, but until you have that child and really do the work, you can never know.  We will be teaching this person who we are and helping him or her to learn to be a bishop. Will this person try to be Bill Swing? I hope not-- that would be terrible, because the new Bishop would be imitating and not being him/herself. We can welcome this person and help him/her learn how to be the Bishop he/she is called to be with his/her own unique gifts.