Updates from the Standing Committee
by Dr. James Cockey, Secretary of Standing Committee
The Standing Committee has been given Ecclesiastical Authority for the Diocese of Easton, by canon law, since Bishop Santosh Marray resigned his position on October 18. As such, we have the responsibility of overseeing ‘business’ operations of the diocese. Since November 1, Bishop ‘Bud’ Shand has been the Assisting Bishop for the diocese, with pastoral responsibilities.
The Standing Committee, led by President, the Rev. Darcy Williams, and guided by invaluable help from the Episcopal Church office, has been coordinating the transition process for the diocese. We created a Discernment Committee, chaired by the Very Rev. David Michaud of St. Peter’s, Salisbury, and Dr. Diana Kunkel of Emmanuel, Chestertown. The Discernment committee is charged with gathering information to help the diocese decide on its future course out of a number of possibilities, including calling the XII Bishop of the Diocese of Easton, as a fully independent diocese; sharing operations to some extent with a neighboring diocese, while remaining independent; or moving toward ecclesiastical partnership with a neighboring diocese. The Discernment Committee will present its report and recommendations to the Standing Committee. There will likely be a Special Diocesan Convention called sometime in 2026, which will consider the report and recommendations of the Discernment Committee, and make the final decision about our future.
The Standing Committee also created a Steering Committee to facilitate healing and reconciliation coupled with holy listening. We had a successful first step at the November 15 Gather, Listen, Connect session at Christ Church, Kent Island, attended by more than 100 lay and clergy members of the diocese. Led by Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, Rebecca Wilson, and the Steering Committee, and grounded in holy listening using the Lectio Divina method, it was a successful beginning to Conflict Transformation. There will be more opportunities for holy sharing and listening in the months ahead and at the February convention.
We divided the bishop’s duties to a variety of diocesan committees and organizations, with each Standing Committee member having liaison responsibilities with several of them, each reporting back to the full Committee. We are working with our advisors from the Episcopal Church Center about staffing at Bray House. We have enlisted help from the Diocese of Delaware’s Cannon to the Ordinary, Rev. Brad Hinton, who is currently helping us with parish transitions.
The Standing Committee is committed to ensuring an organized, prayerful transition period for our diocese, as we seek to live into God’s will for our future.