The Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas

Interested in Ordination?

For those men and women who think they might be interested in entering the process leading to ordination need to mark their calendars for Saturday, June 18th. Time and location have not yet been determined. We'll let you know. If you plan to attend call or e-mail the Bishop's office, and let us know.

College for Bishops Residency Strengthens Episcopacy

New Bishops look at roles and responsibilities in ’Living Our Vows’ program

Thirty-five new Episcopal bishops, including the Rt. Rev. Mike Milliken, bishop of the Diocese of Western Kansas, and other Anglican Communion bishops are meeting May 23-27 at Lake Logan Episcopal Center in North Carolina to begin a three-year formation program sponsored by the College for Bishops. The Living Our Vows (LOV) Residency is designed to support the spiritual health and personal development of bishops who move through the program based on their dates of election.

Living Our Vows provides new bishops with opportunities to reflect on the gifts, power, and authority of the episcopate, nurture the resources and skills needed to be leaders in their Churches, and build community and camaraderie. The program is made up of two basic components: monthly peer coaching via telephone and an annual five-day residency.

"The College for Bishops is responding effectively to the Episcopal Church’s canonical mandate for support of its new bishops through the Living Our Vows Program. Formation, education, and training are imperatives for leaders charged with oversight, and the College is the only formal vehicle for bishop formation in our Church and in the Anglican Communion," said the Rt Rev’d F. Clayton Matthews, managing director of the College for Bishops.

"I was looking forward to spending quality time with my brothers and sisters, honing a few skills, and getting away from the diocese for a few days," said Milliken, bishop of the Diocese of Western Kansas, who is participating in the first year of the LOV program.

Bishops from the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Church of Ireland, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church of Cuba and the Diocese of Kiteto in Tanzania are attending the gathering. The bishops begin each day with prayer, Bible study, and worship followed by educational forums. Session topics include: Bishop and the Book of Common Prayer, the Emergent Church movement, ministry of the laity, leadership development, Title IV education and media training.

Faculty members this year include: Bishops Neil Alexander (Atlanta), Michael Curry (North Carolina), Dena Harrison (Texas), Barry Howe (West Missouri, Ret.), Colin Johnson (Toronto), and Clay Matthews (Office of Pastoral Development and managing director of the College for Bishops). Guest speakers include: David Booth Beers, chancellor of the Episcopal Church; Henry Burt, secretary of the Diocese of Virginia; Sally Johnson, VP, Risk Management and Education of the Church Pension Group; Macky Alston of Auburn Media and many other distinguished professionals.

The College for Bishops is a virtual college and a collaboration between CREDO Institute, Inc. and the Episcopal Church’s Office of Pastoral Development.