EDS Board of Trustees is new dimension of my ministry
by the Right Reverend Thomas Clark Ely, Bishop of Vermont
Mountain Echo, June 2008

I recently accepted the honor of an invitation to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This five-year (renewable) term requires a significant commitment of time and work, and so I thought I would share some of my thinking as I take on this new dimension to my ministry. It is the first such commitment I have made, beyond my commitments as a member of the House of Bishops, since agreeing in 2003 to serve on the Board of Cristosal, a foundation supporting the work of the Anglican Church in El Salvador. While the Trustee obligation is somewhat daunting in terms of time and energy, I believe there is much that I can contribute and much that will benefit the Diocese of Vermont by way of my involvement.

One of the leading values and goals in our diocesan Strategic Plan for Growth and Ministry is formation. Life-long Christian formation is something we hear a good deal about in the church these days and I delight in the fact that our diocese has a strong orientation in this direction. As the church has developed and deepened its understanding and practice of baptismal ministry, the need and demand for ongoing formation for that ministry in our daily lives has increased greatly.

Seminaries are beginning to realize this more and more, and EDS in particular has made a strong commitment to being a leader in providing quality theological education to all the baptized. Some of the benefits of this have already been felt in Vermont through our partnership with EDS in the recently completed Pastoral Excellence Program, funded by the Lilly Foundation, and in our continuing partnership with EDS through the new Lilly sustainability grant. A few examples include: Faculty members from EDS leading workshops in Vermont; Vermonters benefiting from free and reduced “on campus” continuing education seminars and programs; a current on-line preaching course; and new technologies and resources for ministry development in congregations.

The Episcopal Divinity School is also an institution recognized for its leadership in another key area of our strategic plan—liberation. The mission of EDS is strongly devoted to the formation of leaders who will carry out God’s mission of justice, compassion and reconciliation in the church and in the world. The entire EDS community, including students, staff, faculty, trustees and alumni care deeply and passionately about the promises in the Baptismal Covenant to “seek and serve Christ in all persons,” to “strive for justice and peace among all people,” and to “respect the dignity of every human being.”

My involvement as an EDS Trustee will also blend nicely with one of my committee assignments in the House of Bishops. I serve on a new committee formed by the presiding bishop to assist the bishops in addressing issues related to theological education, the role of seminaries and other modes of formation and education of potential clergy, and where we see our church going in the coming years. While my larger concern continues to be for access to quality theological education for all the baptized, the issues related to clergy formation are of particular and immediate concern throughout the church. One of the innovative ways EDS is already responding to some of those changing needs is through its Flexible Study Option, which I have been encouraging, and into which one of our Vermont postulants has recently been enrolled.

This is a challenging time for all seminaries, including those of The Episcopal Church. Not surprisingly, high on the list for many seminaries is a myriad of financial issues. This is true for EDS, and the Trustees have recently taken some major steps to secure a more stable future through a comprehensive long-range strategic plan. At the core of that plan is a new partnership with Lesley University, which advances the mutual interests of both institutions through collaboration in the areas of facilities, administration services, and academic programs. It will be an exciting time at EDS as we live into this new partnership.

It will also be an exciting time at EDS as the school begins a process of transition to new leadership in the position of its president and dean. After nine years of faithful leadership at EDS, the Right Reverend Steven Charleston is leaving that position. Steven will become Assisting Bishop in the Diocese of California. Episcopalians in Vermont know well the inspiring and prophetic ministry of Bishop Charleston and his passionate and evangelical preaching style. Many of us were present at Norwich University when Steven preached at my ordination and consecration liturgy in 2001. I am honored that among the committee assignments the Trustees have asked of me is the request to serve on the Search Committee for the new President and Dean of EDS. My involvement there will give me a significant role in helping to shape the future direction and leadership at EDS. My other committee assignment is as a member of the Academic Affairs Committee, where I will have a hand in shaping the curriculum offerings and consulting on faculty appointments.

In short, I believe the future of EDS is of vital interest to the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont and our strategic plan commitment to formation, liberation, communication, connection and celebration. I look forward to this ministry and to bringing the needs, concerns, hopes and contributions of our diocese to the Board of Trustees. If you want to learn more about the Episcopal Divinity School please visit the Web site, www.eds.edu. I would especially enjoy hearing from EDS alumni/ae here in Vermont (and beyond) about your hopes, dreams and concerns for the future of EDS. And finally, please pray for me and the other members of the Board of Trustees and all those connected to EDS as we move forward in the service of our mission.

Faithfully,
+ Thomas

Go to index of Bishop Ely's Mountain Echo columns and letters to the diocese