From the Diocese of Lexington Transition Committee

November 27, 2012

To our sisters and brothers in the Diocese of Lexington: Grace and peace in Christ Jesus.

As you know, the happy day is drawing near when we will gather to consecrate our new bishop. The Book of Common Prayer tells us that, after Presiding Bishop Katherine leads the church in the prayer of ordination, “The new bishop is now vested according to the order of bishops.” We give to our new bishop the ancient symbols and signs of his new calling as our bishop. We are writing to you to seek your contribution to these symbolic gifts.

A bishop receives a Bible, cope, miter, and stole, a ring, a pectoral cross, and a pastoral staff or crozier. These symbols combine to show that Bishop-elect Doug will be our chief pastor and the living symbol of the unity of Christ’s one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. Because we believe that the worship of the most high God deserves good and beautiful things, we want these gifts to be glorious and yet modest. Because our bishop will represent the unity of all of the faithful of the Diocese, we would like to invite everyone — to ask you — to contribute to the cost of these gifts.

In joyful thanksgiving that we have called their priest, Bishop-elect Doug’s former parish, St Thomas in Columbus GA, will be purchasing the ring. The ECW of the Diocese of Lexington will purchase his rochet and chimere (two vestments that bishops wear). The clergy of the Diocese will be purchasing the pastoral staff. We hope that you will join with them in celebrating this happy day and this new season in the life of our diocese. We hope that you will honor our new bishop and give glory to God and Christ’s church by making a generous offering.

Checks may be made out to “Diocese of Lexington” with “bishop’s gifts” in the memo line. Please send them by December 5th to Diocese of Lexington Attn: Bishop’s Gift, PO Box 610, Lexington, KY 40588-0610.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Chris Arnold at
st.marys.mboro@gmail.com or Jan Cottrell at jmcottrell@insightbb.com.

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Frank Kebbell, Transition Committee Chair
The Rev. Jan Cottrell, Standing Committee President

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