'Looking back'

My trust in God has grown

I wondered when I would become a "lame duck" presiding bishop and how I would know it. The answer is clear now. Reporters have stopped asking, "What are you going to do about ... ?" Now they begin with, "Looking back...."

This month the Churchwide Assembly will elect a new presiding bishop. As a contribution to that process,'I want to share some inside impressions of what it's like to serve in that office.

The first word that comes to mind is "absorbing." I mean it in the double sense of "fascinating" and "allconsuming."

It's fascinating to discover the variety and creativity in this church. I remember listening to the stories of military chaplains in San Diego, of immigrant counselors along the Mexican border, of neighborhood leaders in Milwaukee and of Youth Gathering organizers in New Orleans. As one of them told me, "With every new challenge, God offers us a new surprise:' That's why traveling around the church has been more of a delight than a burden. It has brought me into congregations in every phase of their lives, from a groundbreaking service in Alaska to a 335th anniversary celebration in the Virgin Islands.

The job is also demanding. I'm thinking here of the travel and the constant parade of meetings and correspondence. They have absorbed every minute, every idea, every illustration and every ounce of energy that I could muster. It's not ajob for one person.

In addition to my family, I've had dedicated colleagues and staff to help share the load. The Office of the Bishop is listed as "OB" in the churchwide office's phone listing. We came to realize that OB might really stand for "obstetrics" after all, given the rushing around, the unscheduled hours and the occasional yelling.

Despite the workload and the inevitable tensions that come with the office, I can best sum up my experience as being spiritually rich. I have understood sin better as I've analyzed my tendencies to stereotype or to avoid responsibility. I've felt the precious gift of reconciliation. Above all, my trust in God has grown as I have seen how this church has been preserved through conflict and change. And I realize that the weekly congregational prayers for "our bishop George" have indeed brought me strength for the work.

May God so richly bless our new presiding bishop.

A monthly message from the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

His e-mail address: [email protected]

By: H. George Anderson

Call the Presiding Bishop's Hotline: (773) 380-2930. Messages change every two weeks.

Copyright Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Aug 2001
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