To: The Clergy of the Diocese
From: Tom Breidenthal
Subject: Episcopal Visitations
The bishop’s visit is a time for significant interaction with a congregation – confirmands, adult education, children etc… Any or all of the above is fine, but at least one should be planned.I am particularly interested in having an opportunity for teaching or discussion with groups of adults or children, or both if possible. An informal time with the vestry or mission council should always be scheduled.
Please clear all events with my executive assistant, Amanda Bower () before you publicize them. If you have any questions regarding scheduling, don’t hesitate to be in touch with Amanda.
About three weeks prior to the visitation an information sheet will be sent via email to the rector, vicar, priest-in-charge or senior warden asking for details of the service, the schedule of events, the state of the congregation, particular needs and special concerns or thanksgivings of the congregation. Please fill out the form and return it promptly via email to me, with a copy to Amanda. This will help me to respond to what is really happening in the congregation while I am there.
It would also be very helpful to see a copy of the bulletin or order of service before it is finalized.
Certificates for confirmation and reception will be sent to you in advance. You should fill these out and have them ready for me to sign after confirmations. I would very much like to meet with confirmands (and those being received into the Episcopal Church) before or after the service.
I will normally attend all morning services.Please reserve a parking space near the entrance, as I will be carrying vestments, crozier, stool, etc. Margaret will normally accompany me. She does not need any special care, and is happy to sit alone orwith others. She does want you to be aware that she stands for the prayers of the people and forthe Eucharistic prayer. She does not want you to be surprised by this, asit may be disconcerting to some in the congregation.
Please have the parish register and service record ready for me to sign.
The loose offering for the day goes into the Episcopal Visitation Fund. Donations to this fund in 2014 will support the Summer Camping Program at Procter. A note to this effect should be in the bulletin inviting people to be generous. If people wish to write a check for this purpose, it should be made payable to the Diocese of Southern Ohio and mailed with the congregation’s check for the loose offering.
If you are in a community with a newspaper which accepts religious news, use this as an opportunity to lift up your congregation to the community. Write a story about confirmation, the bishop, the confirmands, your congregation etc. If you want a picture of me, one is available on the Diocesans website at
Notes on the service
I generally wear a chasuble throughout the service. (At the early service I normally do without crozier and mitre.)
Please use the propers for the Sunday and the color for the season (e.g., don’t switch from green to white just because I’m there or because confirmations are taking place). Similarly, the proper preface should be that of Sunday or of the season, not for Baptism. My visitation is not meant to interrupt the flow of the Christian year, but to enter fully into it.
If a deacon is present, he/she should serve as my chaplain. If there is no deacon, a priest or lay person may be assigned to serve in that role. (Please see notes for chaplain, below).
It is appropriate to sing or say the Gloria, Kyrie or Trisagion following the opening sentences and before the Collect of the Day.
Please note this change: I would prefer that the deacon or priest who is reading the gospel not come to me for a blessing prior to the gospel procession, unless this is the custom on other Sundays. (I have no objection to this practice – indeed, I like it, but it has no special connection to bishops.)
I would like to officiate at Baptisms, but would like the local pastor administer the sacrament. That is to say, I will lead the examination and Baptismal Covenant, say the Thanksgiving over the Water, and anoint the newly baptized: the local priest should do the actual baptizing.
Note that when a bishop anoints an adult who has just been baptized, the chrismation constitutes confirmation. So when I am going to be present at the baptism of any one twelve or older (and thus will be chrismating him or her), please let me know ahead of time, so the proper certificates can be sent.
I will bring a small stool with me for confirmations. This should be put in place immediately before confirmation is administered, or at some convenient time beforehand. Beyond that, I don’t need any special seat – no furniture need be moved.
The Prayer for the Candidates replaces the usual Prayers of the People.These should not be introduced elsewhere. (Eucharistic Prayer D includes a provision for naming those for whom prayers are requested. This is a good option if you feel it is important to lift up prayer requests on a Sunday when there is Baptism or Confirmation.) I use the prayer that begins, “Strengthen O Lord….”
The local priest should make announcements as usual, wherever they usually occur in the course of the service. If the announcements occur after the Peace, I will conclude with the offertory sentence.
A minor note for acolytes regarding the Lavabo: I like to really wash my hands at this point, so please pour a lot of water.
It is important that the local pastor and other clergy stand at the altar with me, as a sign of the collegial relation we enjoy as ordained ministers of Word and Sacrament.
I am always ready to sing the Sursum corda and the Proper Preface, but am happy to observe local custom.
Regarding the administration of Communion: I would like to be fully involved in this. I also ask that all vested priests and deacons administer Communion.
I would like to use the Episcopal blessing and have it in the bulletin if possible:
Bishop: Our help is in the Name of the Lord,
People: The makerof heaven and earth.
Bishop: Blessed be the Nameof the Lord
People: From this time forth for evermore.
Bishop: The blessing, mercy, and grace of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be upon you, and remain with you forever.
If there is a meal following the service, please designate someone to say grace. (I am often delayed at the door or need to sign certificates, and I don’t want to keep a hungry congregation waiting for food.)
Notes for the Bishop’s Chaplain
It’s all about the crozier (staff) and mitre (hat).
I will process in and process out carrying the crozier and wearing the mitre.
I will hand off the crozier to the chaplain as soon as I am in place at the beginning of the service. The crozier can then be placed wherever is convenient (not on the altar). Leaning it against the wall is fine.
I will normally need it again twice: (a) at the Gospel reading, during which I will hold it, and (b) for the final blessing (after which I will keep it to process out). However, if there is a procession to the font, I may do so with crozier and mitre.
As for the mitre, I never wear it when I am praying, but sometimes I wear it when I am sitting down, as a sign that I am presiding over the service. Here’s how this works out in detail:
I keep my mitre on through the opening acclamation, removing it for the Collect.Please stand by to take it from me at this point.
I will need it back when we sit to hear the readings.
I wear my mitre when I sit on my stool to confirm. It is helpful if the chaplain can stand by me to assist me if necessary. (The chaplain may hold the crozier at this time, but that is not essential.) Sometimes I will need the Prayer Book or bulletin to be held for me.
I will need to put on the mitre for the final blessing (which is also when I will need the crozier again).
It is very helpful to me if the chaplain can relieve me of my mitre and crozier before I start greeting people at the back of the church.
****
I hope these instructions are helpful and not burdensome. It is a great blessing to be among you.
Information for Bishop Breidenthal’s visitation
Congregation:Date of visitation:
Clergy:Cell phone #:
Senior Warden:
Junior Warden:
Time of services:
Color of the day:
Readings:
Additional events/meetings (meeting with confirmands, reception, Christian education, forums, vestry/mission council meeting etc.)
Average Sunday Attendance from prior year’s parochial report:
Baptisms last year:Confirmations last year:
Issues in the congregation:
Special concerns/thanksgivings:
List of Candidates
NameAddress (including ZIP)Confirmation or Reception
Visitation Record
Congregation______
City______
Number Confirmed______Number Received______
Date______
The Rev.______
Rector or Minister
The Rt. Rev.______
Officiating Bishop
Following your service, complete this form and return to the office of the Bishop.
This can be done via email () or mailed to:
Amanda Bower
412 Sycamore Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Thank you.