The giant partition that separates St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s two gyms was wide open on the morning of July 20—it had to be to accommodate the sea of white folding chairs, the risers for a large diocesan choir, seating for the horn and string sections—all put out for the Ordination and Consecration of Bishop Dorothy Sanders Wells.
It was the culmination of a nearly year-and-a-half process to find and install a new bishop to lead the Diocese of Mississippi’s roughly 17,600 Episcopalians.
On hand to preach was the Rev. Dr. Teresa L. Frye Brown, associate dean of academic affairs and the Bandy Professor of Preaching, Candler School of Theology, Emory University.
“Dorothy Sanders Wells, who could not imagine, I am sure, when she was a child that God would bring her to this place at this time, for such a time as this to be the Esther that is needed right now,” she said. “Because of her persistent faith, she joins the cohort, the legions of men and women who understand that without persistent faith, darkness would never get out of light’s way.”
On hand for the occasion were 16 bishops, including chief consecrator Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and outgoing Bishop of Mississippi Brian Seage. They were joined in consecrating Wells by Chicago Bishop Paula E. Clark, Alabama Bishop Glenda Curry and retired West Tennessee Bishop Don Johnson.
The room was crowded with people and emotions—smiles and tears were splashed across many faces in the congregation as well as around the altar. None more so than Wells herself, who at times appeared almost overwhelmed by the occasion. She summed up some of her feelings in a letter included in the service bulletin:
“My heart is full. I am so very grateful to God for calling me to serve this diocese—and so grateful to all of you for the warm welcome you have shown me,” she wrote. “I have committed to being a visible presence in the diocese—and in the coming days, I will continue visiting our worshipping communities. I will, with you, explore intentional collaborations between our worshipping communities, to help us better share resources, dream together, and discern God’s will for our ministry together. There is much to do—and with God’s help and guidance, we will continue to make a difference in the world around us.”
As full a Saturday as it was for all involved, there was an equally busy Sunday ahead, as on July 21 Wells was seated at St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
Wells, as is tradition, stood at the door of the Cathedral and knocked on the door with her crozier. Due to a timing mix-up (the prelude had not yet ended, so no one heard the knock) there was at first no answer.
“After all this,” she joked, “are they not going to let me in?”
It was a needed moment of levity in the midst of a draining weekend, and fortunately when she knocked again the wardens of the Cathedral welcomed her inside, where trumpets sounded and there was not an empty pew to be found. At the end of the procession, cathedral dean the Very Rev. Anne Maxwell offered the official welcome.
“Dorothy Sanders Wells, bishop in the church of God and our bishop, we welcome you to your cathedral church, the symbol and center of your pastoral, liturgical, and teaching ministry in the diocese,” she said. “I promise, God helping me, to be a faithful shepherd and servant among you,” said Wells. “I pray that the ministry which we will share will be pleasing to God and that it may strengthen the life of this diocese and the whole church of God.”
And with that, a new chapter of that ministry in Mississippi began.
To watch videos of the consecration and the seating of Bishop Wells, visit msepiscopalian.com/consecration and msepiscopalian.com/seating. The September edition of TME will include a full photo essay of the weekend.
