The Holy Eucharist with The Ordination and Consecration of Morris King Thompson As a Bishop in the Church of God and Eleventh Bishop of Louisiana Saturday, May 8, 2010 10:00 AM Christ Church Cathedral New Orleans, Louisiana The People of God and Their Bishop George Augustus Selwyn (Feast Day, April 11th) was selected Bishop of New Zealand in 1841. On his voyage there, he learned the Maori language so that he could preach to his people in their native tongue. Later, during a ten year war between the English and the Maoris, he ministered to both sides. He was the guest preacher at our 1874 General Convention and died four years later. His grave in Lichfield, England is a place of pilgrimage for the Maoris. About being a bishop he wrote: I believe the monarchical idea of the Episcopate to be as foreign to the true mind of the Church as it is to the doctrine of humility.... I would rather resign my office than be reduced to act as a single isolated being. It remains then to define by some general principle the terms of our co-operation. they are simply these; that neither will I act without you, nor can you act without me.* Bishop’s Selwyn’s vision of bishop and people acting together in ministry has deep roots. In fact, there are traditionally seven things necessary for the Church to be fully present and celebrating the sacraments of the New Covenant: the people of God, their bishop, their scriptures, water, bread, wine, and oil. In Christianity’s early centuries, bishops presided over urban churches, functioning as pastors to the Christians of their city and the surrounding countryside. Everyone came into the city on Sunday to participate in the urban liturgy as presided over by the local bishop. These bishops were also our chief theologians, reflecting on the faith in the context of their people’s lives and experiences. It was not until between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries that the parish priest became the usual person to preside over the Eucharistic assembly. The Greek word episcopacy επισϰοπή( ) provides the origin of the word “episcopal.” In greek, the word is related to the idea of visitation, specifically a divine revelation. It came to mean “overseer.” In English, the word means “of or relating to bishops.” In our scriptures, “overseer” was used somewhat interchangeably with the word “elder” (πϱϵσβυτέϱουϛ, presbyteros, from which comes the word priest), for one who lead the fledgling Christian community and hold to sound doctrine despite the danger presented by false teachers (see I Timothy 3:1-7, II Timothy 1:6-10, Titus 1:5-9 and I Peter 5:1-11). The images of a bishop in our Book of Common Prayer are derived from this history. As you will hear in this ordination liturgy, the bishop is understood to be our chief priest and presider of the diocese as well as its chief pastor. The bishop is to proclaim the resurrection, teach, guard the faith, and exercise leadership. In this ordination liturgy you will also hear phrases such as “be one with,” “join in,” “share,” “encourage and support,” and “share with.” These phrases, together with images of community, assembly, and Church, express the communal nature of the Episcopate. The Shepherd’s work is defined by his or her flock. the life and ministry of the Church is enacted by the whole Christian assembly, gathered around its bishop, living its collective life as the Body of Christ given for the world. It is little wonder, then, that Bishop Selwyn would say to his people, “neither will I act without you, nor can you act without me.” * H. W. Tucker, Memoir of the Life and Episcopate of George Augustus Selwyn, D.D., 1967. Quoted in Geoffrey Rowell, The Vision Glorious: Themes and Personalities of the Catholic Revival in Anglicanism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983), p. 173. Adapted from the Service Leaflet of the Ordination of Jeffrey Dean Lee, Bishop of Chicago. It is the tradition of the Episcopal Church to maintain silence in the worship area so that people may pray. Please help us preserve an atmosphere of quiet reverence before worship, remembering to turn pagers and cell phones off. The Word of God Opening Voluntary ~ Prelude and Fugue in A Minor, BWV543 Johann Sebastian Bach Second piece Anthem O Redeemer divine, our sole hope of salvation, Eternal Light of the earth and the sky, we kneel in adoration, O Savior, turn on us Thy loving eye! Send down on us the fire of Thy grace all-consuming, whose wondrous might dispersed the powers of hell, and rouse our slumbering souls with Thy radiance, that they may waken Thy mercy to tell! O Christ bestow Thy blessing on us, we implore Thee, who here are gathered on penitent knee. Accept the hymns we chant to Thine eternal glory and these Thy gifts we return unto Thee! Words: Cantique de Jean Racine - English text by Harold Heiberg Music: Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Remain Seated. During the singing of the following hymn (sung as directed by choir and congregation), banners from parishes around the diocese are carried through the cathedral. Hymn 1 People and Choir 2 People and Choir All people that on earth do dwell The Lord, ye know, is God indeed, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; Without our aid he did us make; Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, We are his folk, he doth us feed, Come ye before him, and rejoice. And for his sheep he doth us take. 3. Choir only 4 Choir only O enter then his gates with praise, For why? the Lord our God is good: Approach with joy his courts unto; His mercy is for ever sure; Praise, laud, and bless his name always, His truth at all times firmly stood, For it is seemly so to do. And shall from age to age endure. 5 People and Choir To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, The God whom heaven and earth adore, From men and from the angel host Be praise and glory ever more. Amen. Music: The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune, Ralph Vaughan Williams () Words: Paraphrase of Psalm 100 by W. Kethe in Daye’s Psalter Fanfare 3 Please stand and sing Processional Hymns 4 5 Hymn 6 hymn Opening Acclamation Presiding Bishop Alleluia. Christ is risen. People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia. The Presiding Bishop then says Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. 7 The Presentation The bishops and people sit. Representatives of the diocese, both Priests and Lay Persons, standing before the Presiding Bishop, present the bishop-elect, saying Katherine, Bishop in the Church of God, the clergy and people of the Diocese of Louisiana, trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, have chosen Morris King Thompson to be a bishop and chief pastor. We therefore ask you to lay your hands upon him and in the power of the Holy Spirit to consecrate him a bishop in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. The Presiding Bishop then directs that the testimonials of the election be read. Certificate of Election Canonical Testimonial Evidence of Ordination Consents of the Standing Committees Consents of the Bishops When the reading of the testimonials is ended, the Presiding Bishop requires the following promise from the Bishop-elect In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, I, Morris King Thompson, chosen Bishop of the Church in Louisiana, solemnly declare that I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation; and I do solemnly engage to conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of The Episcopal Church. The Bishop-elect then signs the above Declaration in the sight of all present. The witnesses add their signatures. All stand. The Presiding Bishop then says the following and asks the response of the people Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, you have heard testimony given that Morris King Thompson has been duly and lawfully elected to be a bishop of the Church of God to serve in the Diocese of Louisiana. You have been assured of his suitability and that the Church has approved him for this sacred responsibility. Nevertheless, if any of you know any reason why we should not proceed, let it now be made known. If no objections are made, the Presiding Bishop continues Is it your will that we ordain Morris a bishop? People That is our will. Presiding Bishop Will you uphold Morris as bishop? People We will. The Presiding Bishop invites all to prayer, saying The Scriptures tell us that our Savior Christ spent the whole night in prayer before he chose and sent forth his twelve apostles. Likewise, the apostles prayed before they appointed Matthias to be one of their number. Let us, therefore, follow their examples, and offer our prayers to Almighty God before we ordain Morris for the work to which we trust the Holy Spirit has called him. All kneel. 8 The Litany for Ordinations For all members of your Church in their vocation and ministry, that they may serve you in a true and godly life, we pray to you, O Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.