WHAT DOES A BISHOP DO?

• Serves as head pastor, spiritual guide, and organized leader of the Diocese of New Jersey

• Visits every parish at least once every three years

• Must give a “state of the Diocese”  address each year at the Diocesan Convention

• Is either the president or chair of a number of boards, committees and entities such as: 

  •  Convention

  • The board of all Diocesan trust funds

  • Board of Missions

  • Diocesan Investment Trust

  • Christian Knowledge Society

  • Diocesan Council

  • Trinity Cathedral

• Is the “ecclesiastical authority” of the Diocese, the person with the final word on Church Doctrine within the Diocese

• Has the duty, either alone or in consultation with various boards and committees, to appoint

  • Chancellor of the Diocese

  • Diocesan Archivist

  • Members of the Board of Consultation

  • Members of the Loan and Grant Committee

  • The Chief Financial Officer of the Diocese

  • Members of the Investment Advisory Committee

• The Bishop gets to approve the placement of clergy to parishes, and the erection of new church buildings and chapels

• Is a member of every Convocation and every Convocational organization

• The Bishop may send pastoral letters to the churches of the Diocese, which the clergy in the churches must share with their congregations

• The Bishop plays a key role in clergy discipline (Title IV matters)

But the Bishop’s calling has some intangibles, not written in a job description but just as important – to speak to the greater community, near and far, when wrongs need to be righted, when governments need to be challenged for their behavior, and when calls to action need to be proclaimed.