Episcopal Diocese of Rochester
Encyclopedia
The Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, is the diocese
of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over eight counties in west central New York
. It is bounded on the north by Lake Ontario
, on the east by the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York
, on the south by the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania
and on the west by the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York
. It is in Province 2
and has no cathedral
. Its diocesan offices are in Rochester
.
The diocese was newly created, though many of the congregations had already begun more than a century before. In 1816 when John Henry Hobart, Third Bishop of New York, began his work, congregations were active in Avon, Canandaigua, Geneva, Clifton Springs, Catharine, and Bath. On 15 and 16 December 1931, forty congregations sent delegations to the primary convention of the new diocese at Trinity Church, Geneva, where the 1837 primary convention of the Diocese of Western New York had also been held.
At first much of the administration of the diocese was handled in Bishop Ferris' home at 325 Park Avenue, Rochester. Soon the diocese rented a suite of rooms in the Hiram Sibley Building, at 311 Alexander Street. In 1947 the Trustees purchased "Church House" at 110 Merriman Street. In 1954 Elizabeth Sibley Stebbins died, one of the early leaders in the diocese. Her home at 935 East Avenue became "Diocesan House".
The Second World War moved Bishop Bartel H. Reinheimer (1938-1949) and his service group, the "Bishop's Men," to send aid to the Diocese of Rochester, England, where post-war privations and rationing were still severe. The Woman's Auxiliary, working on both congregational and diocesan levels, helped raise money and direct the mission of the church under Bishops Reinheimer, Dudley S. Stark (1950-1962), and George W. Barrett (1963-1969).
The Fifth Bishop of Rochester, Robert Rae Spears, Jr. (1970-1984), helped the diocese to deal with issues like: how to interpret the Bible, whether to ordain women and gay people, and - among others - how to distribute the enormous legacy left to the diocese by Margaret Woodbury Strong's will. That financial windfall gave rise to the diocese's district system in 1972. The system's original purpose was to give voices to people and congregations throughout the diocese in using the Strong Fund. A large portion of the fund eventually went to help the National Episcopal Church and its mission.
Bishop Singh became the Diocesan Bishop of Rochester at the close of the consecration service on May 31, 2008.
. He was suffragan bishop
of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark
from 1991-1999. McKelvey currently serves as interim president at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
.
(1970-1984), helped the diocese to deal with issues that rocked the church: how to interpret the Bible, whether to ordain women and gay people, and - among others - how to distribute the enormous legacy left to the diocese by Margaret Woodbury Strong's will.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over eight counties in west central New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It is bounded on the north by Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, on the east by the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York
Episcopal Diocese of Central New York
The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the area in the center of New York....
, on the south by the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania
Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania
The Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania is one of the Dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.-External links:*...
and on the west by the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York
Episcopal Diocese of Western New York
The Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over the counties of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming in western New York. It is in Province 2 and its cathedral, St. Paul's...
. It is in Province 2
Province 2 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Province 2 is one of nine ecclesiastical provinces making up the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It comprises the six dioceses of the State of New York, the two dioceses of the State of New Jersey, the diocese in the Republic of Haiti and the diocese in the Virgin Islands , as...
and has no cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. Its diocesan offices are in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
History
At first the Episcopal Diocese of New York encompassed the whole state. By 1837 the "west" was booming, and the Diocese of Western New York was created. In 1873 the new diocese had grown significantly. Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe began recommending the partition of the diocese. David Lincoln Ferris, bishop coadjutor of Western New York since 1924, succeeded Charles Henry Brent as bishop in 1929. The partition of the Diocese of Western New York was finally approved by the national church's 1931 General Convention. That December the new Episcopal Diocese of Rochester came into being.The diocese was newly created, though many of the congregations had already begun more than a century before. In 1816 when John Henry Hobart, Third Bishop of New York, began his work, congregations were active in Avon, Canandaigua, Geneva, Clifton Springs, Catharine, and Bath. On 15 and 16 December 1931, forty congregations sent delegations to the primary convention of the new diocese at Trinity Church, Geneva, where the 1837 primary convention of the Diocese of Western New York had also been held.
At first much of the administration of the diocese was handled in Bishop Ferris' home at 325 Park Avenue, Rochester. Soon the diocese rented a suite of rooms in the Hiram Sibley Building, at 311 Alexander Street. In 1947 the Trustees purchased "Church House" at 110 Merriman Street. In 1954 Elizabeth Sibley Stebbins died, one of the early leaders in the diocese. Her home at 935 East Avenue became "Diocesan House".
The Second World War moved Bishop Bartel H. Reinheimer (1938-1949) and his service group, the "Bishop's Men," to send aid to the Diocese of Rochester, England, where post-war privations and rationing were still severe. The Woman's Auxiliary, working on both congregational and diocesan levels, helped raise money and direct the mission of the church under Bishops Reinheimer, Dudley S. Stark (1950-1962), and George W. Barrett (1963-1969).
The Fifth Bishop of Rochester, Robert Rae Spears, Jr. (1970-1984), helped the diocese to deal with issues like: how to interpret the Bible, whether to ordain women and gay people, and - among others - how to distribute the enormous legacy left to the diocese by Margaret Woodbury Strong's will. That financial windfall gave rise to the diocese's district system in 1972. The system's original purpose was to give voices to people and congregations throughout the diocese in using the Strong Fund. A large portion of the fund eventually went to help the National Episcopal Church and its mission.
Current bishop
The Rt. Rev. Prince G. Singh was elected the Eighth Bishop of Rochester on February 2, 2008 and was consecrated at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, New York, on May 31, 2008, by the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori. Co-Consecrators of the service were the Rt. Rev. Jack M. McKelvey, the Rt. Rev. George Councell, the Rt. Rev. John Croneberger, the Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith, the Rt. Rev. Carol Gallagher, and Rev. Marie Jerge, Bishop of the Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.Bishop Singh became the Diocesan Bishop of Rochester at the close of the consecration service on May 31, 2008.
Jack M. McKelvey
Jack M. McKelvey was the seventh bishop of Rochester from 2000 to 2008. He has a master's of divinity and an honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological SeminaryVirginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary , formally called the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States. Founded in 1818, VTS is situated on an campus in Alexandria, Virginia, just a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. VTS...
. He was suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark
Episcopal Diocese of Newark
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America comprising the northern third of New Jersey in the United States...
from 1991-1999. McKelvey currently serves as interim president at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School is a theological college of Baptist origins. The present day school, which sits on the top of a hill in the beautiful setting of Highland Park in Rochester, New York is a product of several mergers....
.
Robert Rae Spears, Jr.
The Fifth Bishop of Rochester, Robert Rae Spears, Jr.Robert R. Spears, Jr.
The Right Reverend Robert Rae Spears, Jr., was a prominent American Christian clergyman, and the former Episcopal Bishop of Rochester, New York, for which he served from 1970 to 1984. He was best known for his liberal views. Bishop Spears was an important leader in the Episcopal Church's...
(1970-1984), helped the diocese to deal with issues that rocked the church: how to interpret the Bible, whether to ordain women and gay people, and - among others - how to distribute the enormous legacy left to the diocese by Margaret Woodbury Strong's will.
List of bishops
The bishops of Rochester have been:- David L. Ferris, (1931–1938), who previously served the Episcopal Diocese of Western New YorkEpiscopal Diocese of Western New YorkThe Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over the counties of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming in western New York. It is in Province 2 and its cathedral, St. Paul's...
as suffragan bishopSuffragan bishopA suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
(1920–1924), coadjutor bishopCoadjutor bishopA coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
(1924) - 1929) and fifth diocesan bishop, (1929–1931).
* Bartel H. Reinheimer, coadjutor bishopCoadjutor bishopA coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
(1936) - Bartel H. Reinheimer, (1938–1949)
- Dudley S. Stark, (1950–1962)
- George W. Barrett, (1963–1969)
- Robert R. Spears, Jr.Robert R. Spears, Jr.The Right Reverend Robert Rae Spears, Jr., was a prominent American Christian clergyman, and the former Episcopal Bishop of Rochester, New York, for which he served from 1970 to 1984. He was best known for his liberal views. Bishop Spears was an important leader in the Episcopal Church's...
, (1970–1984) (d. 2008) - William G. Burrill, (1984–1999)
- Jack M. McKelvey, (2000–2008)
- Prince Singh, (2008–present)
External links
- Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, NY website
- Official Facebook page of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, NY
- Official website of the Episcopal Church
See also
- List of Succession of Bishops for the Episcopal Church, USASuccession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United StatesThis list consists of the bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, an independent province of the Anglican Communion. This shows the historic succession of the episcopate within this denomination.-Key to chart:...