Prayer for a bishop election

Now eighteen months of 

prayer, discerning, searching, wondering... 

after reviewing, considering, interviewing, 

listening, wondering, praying. 

 Now, this day, 

the day of an election 

who will be elected Bishop? 

 Will the Holy Spirit prevail? 

Will the course be set, 

 a prophetic course, or 

one that holds the course, 

the status quo, 

the comfortable and safe? 

 Who knows? 

 Only time will tell. 

 But out of all who 

 made themselves vulnerable - 

 willing to stand 

and reveal and 

try to be authentic - 

these four nominated 

have given their all. 

 I pray for each of them. 

One will be elected, 

thrilled, humbled, honored. 

Three will be broken hearted 

 and the loss great 

and for them my prayers are 

 deeper, longer, grateful. 

 There is no saying that one 

is actually better than the others. 

 Only that one was elected, 

Bishop. 

 Pray this day as we vote. 

Pray this day for the one elected. 

Pray this day for those electing. 

Pray this day for those not elected. 

Pray for their families. 

Pray for the church. 

 Pray. 

 Amen. 

 Prayer poem and photo by Terri C. Pilarski, election of the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Michigan