June 10, 2021

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Transition Committee invites you to welcome the five nominees from whom we are to elect the IX Bishop of Pittsburgh.

As you know, we have five outstanding nominees to welcome to our diocese during the week of June 14: The Very Rev. Kim L. Coleman, The Rev. Canon Scott A. Gunn, The Rev. Jeffr

ey D. Murph, The Rev. Dr. Ketlen A. Solak, and The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox.

Please check out the Transition Committee’s website for the latest information about these nominees, including a 20 minute Q&A video that Jon Delano conducted with each of them. Visit www.episcopalpgh.org/pebs.

During Meet & Greet Week, we have four opportunities for laypeople to meet the nominees. Please register in advance to attend just one of these evening sessions. (Yes, we are being Covid-safe.) They are scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30 pm as follows:

You may attend at any location you wish, but please attend only one session to allow more people to attend the others.

Again, please register in advance for the evening sessions. Walk-ins can only be accommodated if we have space available. Please register here. Registration closes on Thursday, June 10th.

We also have two Lunch & Learn sessions for clergy only at noon on Wednesday, June 16, at Trinity Cathedral, Downtown, and noon on Thursday, June 17, at Holy Cross, Homewood. Clergy

 should register for one of these sessions here.

All members of the diocese, including those who are unable to attend an in-person event during Meet & Greet Week, are invited to join in a Zoom Webinar with all five nominees on Friday morning, June 18, from 9 to 10:30 am. This is open to everyone, but, again, we need you to register here.

If you have specific questions for our bishop nominees, we have created a form on our website for you to submit those questions. You can find that form here. While we cannot guarantee that every question will be asked at one of the events, we will share all the questions with the nominees.

Finally, on Friday, June 18, at noon, we are inviting middle and high school students to meet the nominees (over pizza) at St. David’s, Peters Township. Check with your youth director, clergy, or wardens on how to sign up for that.

The choice of our next bishop is one that should be made prayerfully, guided by the Holy Spirit. While our clergy and lay deputies will exercise their own judgment, it should be informed by parish-wide discussion. We encourage parishioners to share their thoughts and desires with their clergy and deputies. To assist you in that, we have posted on our website the clergy and deputies eligible to vote at the June 26 electing convention. You can find them here. Be sure to talk to them!

Your Transition Committee with the diocesan staff have worked incredibly hard over the last several months to prepare for the next few weeks. We are especially thankful to all the volunteers who have helped along the way and will be assisting during the Meet & Greet Week. If you have any questions at all, please direct them to either the chair, vice chair, or any member of our committee. Our email is transition@episcopalpgh.org.

Please continue to pray for our bishop nominees and this discernment process.

Yours faithfully,

The Transition Committee

Jon Delano, Chair

Florence Atwood, Vice Chair

The Rev. Canon Dr. Cathy Brall

Gerry Dalton

Maximillion Elliott

Kathy Farrington

Tom Moore

Eric O’Brien

Mary Ann Slater

The Rev. Dr. Julie Smith

The Rev. Luke Zerra

Dr. George Zitnay

The Rev. Dr. Don Youse, Chaplain

Judy Stark, Consultant