Bishop's Advisory Committees
A Note from Bishop Franklin
The suggestion for these advisory committees comes from the College of Bishops, which urges newly elected bishops to form committees so that they may learn about issues in the diocese, and set a direction for the Diocese at the beginning of their new episcopate.
I will be appointing new committees as the work of these first committees comes to an end. Once a committee is in place it meets, usually without me, then prepares a final report for me on the issues it has addressed. It is then my role as bishop to decide whether or not to implement the suggestions of the committee. As is my style, I will move toward implementation after consulting many people in the diocese.
For example, the Deacon's Advisory Committee has already completed its work under the leadership of Archdeacon Gerald Hilfiker. I was present for only one of their meetings. The committee completed a book of guidelines for deacons in the diocese. They showed me a draft. Once I had approved, the draft was discussed by a meeting of all the deacons of the diocese who were invited to consider the draft. They received the guidelines, and these guidelines have become policy for our diocese.
It is my hope that over time many clergy and lay leaders of the diocese will serve on one or more of these committees.