After much anticipation and following
a series of poignant farewells filled with love, tears and lots of memories in
South Florida, Susan and I arrived in New Jersey on Monday, July 29. Susan thought it would be fun and
interesting for us to enter New Jersey by way of the Cape May Ferry rather than
simply taking the Turnpike which we both have done countless times. It was a brilliant idea.
We spent Sunday night in Norfolk
and got on the road early enough Monday to make the 12:45 PM ferry from Lewes,
Delaware. The trip took us across the impressive
and historic Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The weather for the ferry ride was perfect, a
little cloud cover, about 80 degrees and a slight breeze. On May
4th, following the election, Susan had given me a purple baseball
cap embroidered with the words Bishop-Elect
which I wore on the boat.
We both felt excitement, and also some
apprehension, as we considered the many challenges and adventures that await us
in this new phase of our lives and ministries – new home, new city, new
diocese, new office for me, Susan not working on payroll, leaving parish life
and the sense of deep community that comes with it for the more transient life
of a bishop and spouse going to a different church each week in a huge diocese
of a 154 parishes and missions. It is
all pretty overwhelming. Still, we sense
Christ in all of this and feel the Spirit palpably at work. We have also heard from many well-wishers in
the Diocese of New Jersey who have enthusiastically welcomed us and are equally
excited, wondering what God has in store for us all in this next era in the
life of the Diocese of New Jersey. This
enthusiasm and energy from so many in the Diocese of New Jersey has
strengthened us and given us confidence in this time of major transition for us
all.
Upon landing in Cape May, we
plugged the address of St. Peter’s by-the-Sea into the GPS and drove by that historic,
beautiful, weather-worn, “cottage church.”
It was closed, but we enjoyed walking around the grounds and
breathing in the beach air.
After this, we drove to Advent Church
in Cape May where we were warmly welcomed by Fr. John Mitchell despite our
surprising him by showing up unannounced. He gave us a tour of his active church. It was great to hear about all that is going
on there. A week-long choir camp had
just finished. A major capital project
is underway. It is evident that the
Church of the Advent is a vital part of the community in which it is set. Before we got back in the road, we asked Fr.
John to pray for us and bless us on our way. His prayer and blessing moved us deeply. We prayed for him, for the people of
Advent and of the diocese and left Cape May filed with joy, feeling it had been a grace-filled way
for us to enter the Diocese of New Jersey and this new beginning in our lives and faith. 
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