Laura Mahaney, Bishop Search Community Engagement Subcommittee chair. Photo courtesy of Laura Mahaney
This article is part of a series of introductions to the subcommittees of the Bishop Search Committee.
Hi, we’re the Community Engagement Subcommittee. I’m Laura Mahaney, the chair, a member of St. Michael and All Angels, Studio City. I serve with Canon Martha Estes (St. Columba’s Episcopal/ Spirit of Peace Lutheran, Big Bear), the Rev. Canon Gary Hall (St. Stephen’s, Santa Clarita), and the Rev. Canon Ed Sniecienski (Ascension, Sierra Madre).
What does your subcommittee do? We’re responsible for conducting listening sessions around the diocese and overseeing the Holy Cow survey.
Sounds like a lot of work! What has been your biggest challenge? Getting a lot done in a short amount of time: Scheduling the sessions all around the diocese and arranging the logistics of hosting and attendance. Even so, we were able to schedule 23 listening sessions, both live in congregations and on Zoom. We were also able to arrange for the Holy Cow online survey on short notice.
You did the first two listening sessions on Saturday, March 22. Give us a quick summary — what did people have to say? Did anything surprise you? People are really looking toward the future. They are very aware that the diocese is short on money, and that the costly upkeep of aging buildings is draining resources. Someone said that in this time of transition, the diocese should “right-size” the church for today’s population. Fiscal responsibility seems to be on everyone’s mind. There was a strong sentiment in the first session that the next bishop should come from outside our diocese to bring in a fresh set of eyes.
What surprised me? That Bobby McFerrin performed at one of the past diocesan conventions! These listening sessions include a time of sharing memories about our life together in this diocese, and that one was a favorite.
If someone has attended a listening session, should they fill out the survey also? Absolutely! The survey goes into more detail about you and your parish. The information gathered by the surveys will give the diocese and the future bishop a strong idea of who we are and what our expectations are. The listening sessions and the survey are designed to work together.
Tell us how the results of all this information-gathering will be used. The results will be reflected in our profile, which comes out in early June, giving potential candidates a good idea of who we are and what we are seeking. The Search Committee will use them to develop questions and lines of discussion with our candidates as we move through the process. And our new bishop will use the results as a way to dig deeper into the diocese, the trends and themes and values that are important to us.
How to Participate
A schedule of listening sessions is available here. You’re welcome to attend any session that is convenient for you.
The survey goes live on March 31 and will remain open until April 12.