213th Annual Council
The Abundance of God's Love
January 25-26, Reston, Virginia

The Report of the Rt. Rev. David Colin Jones, Bishop Suffragan, at the 213th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia
Hyatt Reston Hotel, January 25, 2008

Bishop Lee, Bishop Johnston, Bishop Matthews, Members of Council,

It is a delight to for me to be serving again as one of three bishops. This is my first public opportunity to welcome Bishop Johnston.  He knows already how pleased I am that he has been called to Virginia.  I know that he will enjoy the support and affirmation that so many of you have given me and Bishop Lee.  It is indeed a privilege to serve among you. 

On a number of my Sunday visits, I am asked about the state of our diocese and the health of our congregations. 

In response, I have pointed to the extraordinary outpouring of energy for mission that has pervaded our diocese.  Mission trips abound from every corner of our diocese.  And as a result, lives and congregations are transformed.

This missionary emphasis contrasts sharply with continuing litigation.  It is terrible for all of us.  But it is necessary.  Episcopal Church property is held in trust for all of us, especially for our grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

The contrast is especially striking when our congregations are doing so well, when so few find themselves experiencing internal conflict, and when so many enjoy excellent clergy leadership.  As I listen around the Church, the one consistent theme that I hear is that clergy want to be in The Diocese of Virginia. 

I find it very disconcerting to read disparaging comments about us from our former members. Labels have been applied to us that have no connection with reality.  To say that we have abandoned scripture is blatantly not true.  I am proud that we have not responded in kind.  Our effort to secure Episcopal Church property for future generations is not a political campaign and we are not on the attack.  We are the Church.  We’ve been here 400 years and will be here for many more years to come. 

Thirteen years ago, Bishop Lee assigned me responsibility for Church Planting and oversight of our mission congregations.  This has been a very satisfying assignment. 

In church planting, our efforts have emphasized reaching those who have no congregation.  It has been immensely gratifying to see lives changed through intentional evangelism.  And is has been even more rewarding to see new Christians engage in mission.  A new Christian is rarely satisfied to be an observer.  A new Christian is usually motivated to engage in significant mission. 

I am concerned, however, that our numerical growth is not keeping pace with general population growth in Virginia, especially in rapidly growing or changing areas.   Our missionary outreach too often neglects our call to evangelize.  In addition to our call to love our neighbor, we are called to “Teach all Nations.”  We cannot ignore our closest neighbors who may not be part of a faith community. In fact, in terms of the population growth of the Commonwealth, we are shrinking.

The call to evangelize is before us.  We need to think with harvest eyes – with our eyes wide open for opportunities to bring more and more people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

All of us need to be thinking about opportunities to grow the church, especially through existing congregations.  We are to “teach all nations” and we are to love our neighbor. 

Expectations have changed in recent years for new congregations.  The task of establishing a new congregation has become much more difficult for the Church Planter.  It is not uncommon today for a potential new member to ask about the program:  “What do you have for children?  What do you have for teenagers?  Do you have a program for seniors?

A new congregation needs to offer a broad based ministry on its opening day if it is to gain traction and grow.  Our culture expects a new business to be completely up and running on day one.  And similar expectations are held for the church.  If we expect a new congregation to thrive, it will need a full staff on opening day. That will only be possible if the new congregation has the active support of its neighboring congregations. 

It will require a major shift of priority in our parish budgets to give the work we do together as a diocese a reasonable chance to succeed.  Our efforts must reflect the shifting demographics within the Commonwealth.  They must be multicultural, multi-racial, and broad.

Another area of my assigned responsibility is the oversight of mission congregations.  The Commission on Congregational Missions is very grateful for the support of our mission congregations in our annual budget and in regional budgets.  We are especially grateful to the congregations that provide a home for diocesan missions and we are very grateful for the active support of the Diocesan Missionary Society. 

As we prepare for a transition in the Episcopate, we need to revisit our commitment to the work that we share in common.  The opportunities for growing the ministry of the Episcopal Church in Virginia are too great.  The stakes are too high for us to neglect our common mission.  The work that we do together on college campuses, in summer camps, in our Parish Youth Ministry Program, in congregational development, in world mission, in stewardship, and in our new congregations needs our generous support and participation. 

It is time, during 2008, for each of our congregations to revisit financial commitments to the work that we share.  We cannot hand the leadership of our diocese to Bishop Johnston and then expect him to perform miracles without an adequate budget.  He will need all of us – all of our congregations united in a common mission given to us by the Risen Lord.