For what may be the first time in nearly two centuries, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church will visit St. Stephen’s Pro-Cathedral Wednesday, spending time at outreach ministries in the afternoon and giving a sermon at an evening service followed by a brief reception and a question-and-answer session.

“We have gone through our archives, and this is the fist time we can find that a presiding bishop has visited St. Stephen’s in about 190 years,” said St. Stephen’s pastor, the Rev. Daniel Gunn. “The last one here was Bishop William White, who consecrated the first St. Stephen’s.” According to the Episcopal Church Web site, White was the first Presiding Bishop, in 1789.

The presiding bishop is “chief pastor” for the Episcopal Church’s 110 dioceses in 16 countries, elected to a nine-year term by the bishops and lay and clergy deputies, according Bill Lewellis, communications minister for the Diocese of Bethlehem, which includes St. Stephen’s. Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori was elected in 2006, the first woman to hold the office, and this is her first visit to this diocese, Lewellis said. She will also be in Bethlehem Monday, Lebanon Tuesday and Scranton Thursday.

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Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori • TEC Parishes • * Christian Life / Church Life • Parish Ministry

1. Chris Taylor wrote: Wow, nice photo! November 7, 7:49 pm | [comment link]

2. AnglicanCasuist wrote: “The presiding bishop is “chief pastor” for the Episcopal Church’s 110 dioceses in 16 countries” I’ve heard that for a few years now the flags of all 16 countries are on display at TEC events. I guess the move from ECUSA to TEC was also an attempt to frame the U.S. Episcopal Church as a communion in it’s own right. Your not the boss of me - we have our own worldwide communion - and we don’t care what you think! November 7, 8:53 pm | [comment link]

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