“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2
“As it is, there are many members, yet one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:20
In the 2012 Diocesan Profile created for our bishop search, we said we were looking for a “chief pastor who is passionate and compassionate,” who offers “strong leadership among both lay and clergy, and encourage[s] collaborative models of leadership.” We were also seeking a “visionary” who will “inspire us through bold proclamation that the Holy Spirit is doing a new thing in the midst of our struggles,” and “be a change agent” who will “charge us to change and grow.” It has been five years since we elected The Right Reverend William “Chip” Stokes to be the Twelfth Bishop of New Jersey, and this milestone offers us an excellent opportunity to reflect on what we as the faithful children of God in the Diocese of New Jersey have accomplished and what we hope to do, with God’s help, in the future.
The purpose of this Diocesan Mutual Ministry Review is to better understand the working relationship between the Bishop, the Bishop’s Staff and the members of the Diocese of New Jersey as we work together to build God’s kingdom on earth. We greatly appreciate you taking a few minutes of your time to answer these questions as honestly and thoughtfully as possible.