Have you heard ... I suppose many have ... our Northeastern Ohio Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has been called to serve as the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. WOW!!!
Presiding Bishop Eaton will serve as the "face" of the ELCA for the next six years. She is dynamic, smart, down-to-earth, engaging, funny, humble, and solid theologically. She shares the Lutheran faith with clarity yet depth.
I have had the privilege of knowing Bishop Eaton since the 1980's. For 15 years she served the church where I grew up and my brother and wife, and my sister still attend. Bishop Eaton presided at my mother's funeral, and, I have been privileged to co-preside at a number of family weddings. She is terrific.
Bishop Eaton was elected by a large margin over our present Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. That was stunning and a bit surprising. But, even more stunning is the fact that the office of presiding bishop has always seemed kind of ... out-there ... off the radar screen ... an office that I would not think of contacting personally.
Perhaps it is a just a very late spurt of maturation for this 63 year old, but I am finally starting to see that no matter what work we do, what station we hold, we all "put our pants on one leg at a time." (pun intended). That is true for everyone ... doctors, sanitary workers, lawyers, politicians, police, construction persons, firefighters, pastors, tree-trimmers, roofers, teachers, secretaries, nurses, school administrators, school and nursing home aides, chairpersons of corporations etc. etc. etc. We all are plain old human, with strengths and weaknesses, fine points and flaws, beauty and ugliness.
Presiding Bishop Eaton said it well in one interview ... "It's just me." Presiding Bishop Eaton is delightful breath of fresh air ... we will be blessed by her leadership.
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