Episcopal Diocese of Iowa Has a New Bishop

[47of74]

Last weekend Iowa installed it's first female Episcopal Bishop.

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The Rt. Rev. Elizabeth “Betsey” Lockwood Hawley Monnot was ordained and consecrated as the 10th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa on Dec. 18 at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, Iowa. Monnot is the first woman to serve as bishop since the diocese was formed in 1853.

A member of St. Paul’s Indian Mission in Sioux City provided a Four Directions Song as the prelude to the service. The first procession entered to drumming and a call and response in Dinka, led by members of the diocese’s newest congregation, Trinity Cush, founded by Sudanese immigrants in Des Moines.

The preacher for the service was the Rev. Steven Godfrey, a longtime friend of Monnot and former diocesan staff member and priest in Iowa, who now serves as diocesan minister in North Dakota. “Betsey and the Diocese of Iowa share a hopefulness and belief in the power of ordinary people and communities to do extraordinary ministry when gathered in the name of Jesus,” preached Godfrey. “The spirit of the Lord is upon Betsey and each and all of you together to bring good news to the people of Iowa who most need to hear that good news of God’s love incarnate in Jesus and in the loving, inclusive, hopeful faith of Episcopalians throughout this state.”

Monnot was formally seated the following day, Dec. 19, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Des Moines, Iowa. As the diocesan bishop, Monnot will lead 58 congregations across the state of Iowa, with more than 6,700 members.

I probably won't get to meet her unless she happens to come by at the same time I'm down in Iowa but from what I heard she's really nice and will do a good job.

[smittykins]

My diocese(Central New York)has had a female bishop, the Rt. Rev. DeDe Duncan-Probe for the last five years.  She’s been to my parish, and I like her a lot.

[47of74]

55 minutes ago, smittykins said:

My diocese(Central New York)has had a female bishop, the Rt. Rev. DeDe Duncan-Probe for the last five years.  She’s been to my parish, and I like her a lot.

I haven't met our new Bishop yet but I've heard a lot of good things about her.  Given my changing job situation I don't know that I'll get the opportunity unless she comes by a weekend when I'm back visiting or unless I happen to go to another parish the same weekend she's visiting that parish.  The guy who was in before her was really nice.  He called when I was in the hospital to make sure I was OK and to see about getting a priest up to the hospital to bring me communion and do the anointing of the sick.  If I hadn't gotten sick back in October there was a parish in Des Moines he was going to visit so I was going to go to church there so I could see him one more time before he retired.