Two Wisconsin dioceses are in conversation about sharing a single bishop, according to Bishop Russell Jacobus of Fond du Lac, who reports in his monthly newspaper column that the Eau Claire standing committee had invited him to serve as an assisting bishop.
 
“Several times in the past 14 years we have had conversations with the dioceses of Wisconsin about becoming one diocese,” Bishop Jacobus wrote. “These conversations never progressed very far. In the past months, representatives of Fond du Lac and Eau Claire have met to discuss the possibility of our two dioceses coming together (called ‘junctioning’). One result of this discussion was planning a joint conference on mission and evangelism. These conversations continue, especially now that Eau Claire is without a diocesan bishop. All of these conversations are broad in scope. No decision has been made. Should the concept of junctioning the two dioceses have clear mission benefits, we will certainly have discussion with the people of both dioceses.”
 
In March, Bishop Keith Whitmore of Eau Claire resigned and accepted an invitation to become an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Atlanta. With 23 congregations and less than 2,000 communicants, Eau Claire is one of The Episcopal Church’s smallest dioceses.
 
The Rev. George Stamm, president of the standing committee, confirmed that the diocese had invited Bishop Jacobus to serve as assisting bishop during the interim period. He said the diocese is considering three options for long-term episcopal leadership: electing its own diocesan bishop as successor to Bishop Whitmore, electing a bishop who would serve in a dual capacity as bishop and rector of a parish, or sharing a bishop as part of a junctioning arrangement with another diocese.
 
“I really don’t know what direction we will go,” said Fr. Stamm, priest-in-charge of Christ Church and St. Simeon’s both in Chippewa Falls, Wis. “Hopefully we’ll have a better idea which way people would like to go by the time convention meets this fall.”
 
The Diocese of Fond du Lac has 36 congregations and 5,400 communicants. In early May, Bishop Jacobus is scheduled to begin a sabbatical that lasts through Aug. 31 with time out for the Lambeth Conference. In his column, Bishop Jacobus said the Fond du Lac standing committee encouraged him “to be in conversation with Eau Claire, but urged me not to over-extend myself. They also strongly suggested that I do not let the possible work in Eau Claire interfere with my planned sabbatical.” Bishop Jacobus said the timing of his sabbatical was providential as “I will need uninterrupted time to reflect and pray on what it is I could and should be involved in as an assisting bishop to Eau Claire.”
 
Steve Waring
 
We invite your response to this article through a Letter to the Editor. Email your letter to tlc@livingchurch.org. Please include your name, city and state.
 
To find more news, feature articles, and commentary about the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion not available online, read The Living Church magazine each week.  Click here to start your subscription.