The Swing Shift: 25 Years of the 155 Years of the Diocese of California
Episcopal News Service. August 9, 2004 [080904-1-A]
Introduction
Inspired by the 25th Anniversary party, I got out my daily diaries and Diocesan Convention addresses for the past quarter century and read through them. This was out of character for me. My gaze chronically looks forward. Almost never looking backward. But this exercise opened my mind.
First of all, I think the most important event took place in 1979-80 on Mondays at 12:00 noon. I went to Grace Cathedral at those times to ask God for direction. Many people throughout the Diocese joined me from afar. I didn't know the cities or the churches or the clergy or the history of this place. Let alone know where we should go together. So we prayed, and I do believe our prayers have been answered in the same style that God always leads pilgrims in the wilderness. Messy, full of grace, and surprising destinations, but in communion.
Second, it appears that four themes have emerged as to the emphasis of my leadership:
A. Quality time needs to be spent in discovering what the Holy Spirit wants us to do. That means that individuals must spend time in discernment, and then the larger community must spend time setting and testing its common goals.
B. Boldness is required in mobilizing our abundant resources to form new ministries and expand the promising old ones. Don't be afraid to raise the money needed to do the ministry to which we are called.
C. Since the tendency of churches is to get old and think old and get stuck in some former age, it is critical for the Church to work always at getting young again. There was a genius about the early Church; there was an excitement and an energy when all congregations came to life. Therefore, the health of the Church depends, partially, on how to steer the direction toward babies and young people and innovations and fresh approaches. How to become the early Church? And
D. Not to be afraid of the world or dismayed by the presence of other religions. At the Resurrection of Jesus Christ the disciples were instructed to "fear not." Thus it is appropriate for the Church to enter the domains of earthly and heavenly enterprises as joyful people of hope, people expecting a new creation, however long or hard the labor pains. We need to be engaged with the difficult secular issues and with people of other beliefs.
In 1980 I said to the Diocese, "I intend to be a family man. I am not only, in essence, one bishop; I am also one-half of one marriage and one-fourth of one family. Therefore you and I will have to accommodate each other around this fact." Happily this happened. Mary and I have been married almost 43 years, our four grandchildren live in the Bay Area, and my mother moved here and lived till she was 92 years old.
Stability and health
We have lived in the same Victorian house for 25 years. It was essential that we be located in San Francisco. A substantial commute would have been draining. I have said my daily prayers. Life has been stable at the core.
One promise that I didn't keep! When I was interviewed in 1979, some people worried about electing a 42-year-old who might just stay around too long and cause the Diocese to go stale. I reassured them by saying that I would probably leave after fifteen years and do something different. Although that scenario didn't work out, I did make myself open to leave in 1990. The Diocese of Washington, D.C., nominated me to be a candidate for bishop. Lots of folks there encouraged me to be open to the Holy Spirit, so I was. And I wasn't elected there. So I began again in the Diocese of California. You all were most patient with me and allowed me to start all over again.
In all that follows in this document I am trying to see this past all at once and gain perspective. To me it seems daunting now. But as it unfolded at the time, it simply felt like an exciting daily challenge. A doable one. If the person with whom I live and the people with whom I work had not been extraordinary, my story would be quite different. In reality they kept me propped up and made sure that jobs got done.
Having said all of this, I do believe that I was called by God to be Bishop of California. I have felt Divine Presence whispering, yearning, beckoning, and enduring. Jesus Christ is the only bishop of our souls, and we prelates are only pitiful pretenders who willingly serve our time, get our portraits painted, and move along as bishop VI fades into bishop VII, who fades into bishop VIII. The real bishop stays. Jesus, Good Shepherd!
I thank God and you for this glorious party.
Affectionately in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. William E. Swing
Bishop
Regular Duties During This 25-Year Episcopacy
* Visits to all congregations. One-and-a-half year cycle.
* Celebrated Eucharist more than three thousand five hundred times; preached more than four thousand sermons.
* Attended vestry and bishop's committees in all congregations. One-and-a-half year cycle.
* Guided over seven hundred ordinands through the ordination process. Answered over three thousand Ember Day letters. Two ordination retreats a year.
* Met regularly with Standing Committee, Diocesan Council, Episcopal Church Women, Diocesan Altar Guild, Diocesan Trustees.
* A principle fundraiser for the Ranch, the Diocese, the Cathedral, Episcopal Charities, Episcopal Community Services, St. Luke's Hospital, Lambeth Conference 1998.
* Editor of Pacific Church News and Bishop's Letter to the Clergy. Wrote regular editorials.
* Presided at 25 Diocesan Conventions, Special Conventions, and delivered keynote address at each one.
* Grace Cathedral: presided at annual meetings, attended board meetings, preached on major festivals.
* Full participation and leadership in Bay Area ecumenical and interfaith efforts.
* Authored several books, numerous articles, scripted many videos, and carried huge volume of correspondence.
* Kept office hours from 9:00 to 5:00 for appointments.
* Church Divinity School of the Pacific: served on board for 25 years and chaired the board one term.
* Served as pastor to eight hundred clergy and many of their families.
* Represented the Diocese of California at the House of Bishops, General Convention, Province VIII, and Lambeth Conferences in 1988 and 1998.
* National Church: served on Evangelism Commission, Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, Chair of Standing Committee on Health; inaugurated and chaired the House of Bishops Task Force on AIDS.
* Board member of all Episcopal agencies in the Diocese (Henry Ohlhoff, Episcopal Homes Foundation, St. Luke's Hospital, etc.).
* Wrote travel diaries on all overseas trips and major domestic trips.
* Crisis manager in congregations, institutions, and troubled tenures.
* Speaker and writer in public forums about issues affecting society.
* Over one hundred Saturday morning confirmation services at the Cathedral for thousands of Diocesan members.
* Founder, President, Global Council member of the United Religions Initiative.
* Board member of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (20 years), amfAR Executive Committee (five years).
* Walk-a-thon, seminary softball and basketball games; Pebble Beach Pro-Am (14 years).
* Led Diocese of California into friendship relationships with the Diocese of Jerusalem, the Beijing Christian Council, and the China Christian Council.
Footnote:
Sunday services missed due to illness: 0
Workdays missed due to illness: 4
Historic Segments of the 25 Years
Segment I: 1979-1986
Background: 1979
San Francisco had just experienced the assassinations of the Mayor, George Moscone, and Supervisor Harvey Milk. The Zebra Killer had struck. The Rev. Jim Jones and his congregation had committed suicide. The Free Speech Movement and the Flower Children continued as popular references. The Vietnam War had ended. Nuclear disarmament was a leading issue, as was apartheid in South Africa.
In the Episcopal Church, women were ordained and the Prayer Book revised. Several congregations left the Episcopal Church and several more were either on the fence poised to leave or had disassociated from the Diocese but had not left. One large case (Trinity, Hayward) was in the law courts. In addition, 47 congregations in the southern part of the Diocese had linked arms to create a new Diocese of El Camino Real.
What Happened Next
The Dream of California was inaugurated, and after several mini-conventions and a capital campaign, 27 new ministries were begun, e.g., the Parsonage on Castro Street, the Canal Ministry in San Rafael, the Lay Academy, the School for Deacons, support for the seminary in Papua New Guinea, etc.
An extensive search was conducted to find an ideal spot for a retreat/camp/conference center. Finally the decision was made to settle on the Bishop's Ranch and expand it radically. A board of directors was appointed, an executive director hired, a master plan was drawn up, a capital campaign was begun. New buildings and new land purchases have continued for twenty more years. During this time St. Dorothy's Rest changed leadership. What followed was a major restoration of most of the buildings, new furnishings, and an expansion in lands. Its 100th anniversary was on the horizon.
Two internal crises of large proportions. First, the then Dean of Grace Cathedral was dismissed, and the former Executive Officer of the Diocese, who, as a parish priest, was suspended indefinitely from the priesthood. Exhaustive investigations took place before each action.
The Mayor of San Francisco asked Grace Cathedral to help with the "temporary" and new problem of homelessness. On the first night we housed forty. On the second night two hundred fifty. Today one thousand one hundred fifty in eight locations. A vocation was born for us. Churches throughout the Diocese followed suit and housed homeless.
The Diocese lost the lawsuit and Trinity Church, Hayward. We had a grand march of Episcopalians from Hayward through the streets to the town of Castro Valley. There our brave remnant bought land, built Holy Cross Episcopal Church, and a large parish hall.
Segment II: 1987-1995
Background
Three major catastrophes! (1) The Loma Prieta earthquake struck, killing one of our members and doing millions of dollars of damage to our buildings. (2) The Oakland Hills fire struck, killed many of our members, and destroyed 70 homes of our members. (3) The AIDS epidemic hit. San Francisco was an epicenter with young members dying in large numbers. Some parishes lost twenty, others thirty, others forty members.
Response to the Earthquake
Good Samaritan Church and Community Center had to be torn down. In its place 20 units of housing for Latino immigrants were built, as well as a Family Resource Center. On the other hand, St. Peter's, San Francisco has spent all the years since trying to recover from the damage.
Response to the Oakland Hills Fire
The Diocese sent money immediately to all 70 families devastated by the fire. Support ministries were established.
Response to the AIDS Epidemic
A hotline was established at the Parsonage. Our ongoing ministry at San Francisco General Hospital morphed into the Sojourn Ministry, through which AIDS patients were visited and people were trained from all over the world to be care-giving chaplains. Our Diocese held the first religious conference for caregivers in the world. People from 44 states and four other countries attended. The Bishop started the House of Bishops Task Force on AIDS and was made a member of the American Foundation for AIDS Research. He spoke on the subject throughout the country, as well as in Australia, Papua New Guinea, China, India, and England (to one hundred thousand in Covent Garden). Together with Dr. Tony Fauci of NIH and Dr. Everett Koop, he gave briefings to the President of the United States in the Oval Office and at Camp David.
Another eruption occurred with the Los Angeles police beating of Rodney King. Riots happened in San Francisco as well. The African-American members of the Diocese consulted with the Bishop, and the ultimate resolve was to create a capital development bank where inner-city residents could get a home mortgage and where ethnic entrepreneurs could get a loan. After many years and an expansion into a large partnership, the Community Bank of the Bay was begun in Oakland and is a success.
Meanwhile the Bishop, Dean, and Board of Grace Cathedral decided to tear down the Chapter House and replace it with steps going up to the Ghiberti doors. That occasioned the building of a new Chapter House, parking lot, courtyard and fountain, Wilsey Center, and labyrinth. The labyrinth project came out of Grace during these years and spread worldwide. The Diocesan Offices were expanded and refurbished as well.
(The Diocesan Offices had to be moved from the hill to a downtown office. One hundred forty years of documents down and back. Chaos reigned. We functioned on Bush Street for a couple of years.)
At the same time our Homes Foundation was trying to construct a life-care facility. With land problems, Planning Commission objections, and escalating financial costs, we built San Francisco Towers on the corner of Van Ness and Pine for $129 million.
Conclusion of this segment: this was a time filled with calamities, bold dreams, and the tension of having to raise obscene amounts of money. Right in the middle the U.S. economy took a nosedive, and we were vulnerable. But we plowed ahead.
Segment III: 1995-2004
Background
A. Just south of us a high-tech revolution started in Silicon Valley. It turned the world upside down and created a new way to think and communicate. Many people became inordinately wealthy in a very short time. The wealth was intoxicating. On the way up fortunes were made as in the time of the Gold Rush. On the way down jobs and companies disappeared as life found its balance. All of this impacted our Church.
B. During all of the 25 years the staff at the Diocesan Office expanded in order to better serve our congregations, institutions, and schools. We added a Missioner, a LEM Trainer, an Education Coordinator, a Youth and Young Adult Ministries Coordinator, a Planned Giving Officer, a Stewardship Officer, and backup staff members.
C. During this time segment much of our attention focused on history, war, and sex.
History
History from several perspectives. The millennium was approaching, so a Commission 2000 was created to get the Diocese ready for the new time. An Evangelism Commission was part of that.
History, because the United Nations wanted to celebrate its 50th Anniversary and wanted to return to San Francisco, where the UN Charter was written and signed in 1945. Grace Cathedral was chosen as the site for a liturgical celebration which would be held for all of the nations and all of the religions of the world. This prompted the Bishop to pursue a United Religions, which would, in spiritual ways, parallel the United Nations. Ultimately a United Religions Initiative was formed and now has offices on five continents and 241 cooperation circles in 65 nations.
History, because the 150th Anniversary of the Gold Rush of 1849 was approaching. That meant also that the Diocese of California would be 150 years old. So a great sesquicentennial celebration, "Let It Shine," was planned, which included a Colors of Diversity Day, a TV advertising campaign, a grand march up California Street for all congregations, institutions, and schools of the Diocese, a marvelous worship service with the Presiding Bishop as preacher, a gorgeous needlepoint project of California flowers, fish, and animals, and a triumphant picnic in Golden Gate Park as a finale. In addition, Judith Robinson, great great granddaughter of Bishop Kip, wrote a Diocesan history, From Gold Rush to Millennium, and edited another book, Modern Profiles of an Ancient Faith, featuring forty autobiographies of members of our Diocese.
History, because all of the above launched us into a Diocesan-wide Jubilate Deo process of experimentation and exploration of new ways for us to be the Church, fresh approaches to witnessing to the power of Jesus' Resurrection. What came of that was a new high school, a vastly expanded ethnic ministry strategy, congregational enrichment, clergy assistance in paying off student loans, and a procedure for addressing housing needs, etc. The Episcopal Charities was part of this momentum, and the foundation was laid for a greatly expanded Charities.
History, because our 133-year-old hospital, St. Luke's, came to the brink of bankruptcy. Thanks to a strategic partnership with Sutter Health Services, $132 million was injected into our hospital, and plans are afoot to raise and spend a quarter of a billion dollars to recreate our campus.
History, because of our twenty years of experience in housing homeless, we were given $17 million to begin building a residence facility for homeless families. Five extra million was raised, and now 48 families live there.
War, because on September 11, 2001 the World Trade Towers in New York were demolished by Islamic fundamentalist terrorists, who also destroyed part of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. In addition another targeted flight of destruction crashed in Pennsylvania. Our world changed forever! Soon afterward our country was at war against terrorism, and our troops were in Afghanistan. In 2003 we began a war in Iraq against the administration of Saddam Hussein. Quite a few Diocesan young people became part of the military on assignment in these places. The thoughts, prayers, protests, or support were daily in all our lives.
Sex, because the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, meeting in Minneapolis in 2003, voted for the consecration of an openly gay priest in New Hampshire. In addition, the Convention acknowledged that same-sex couples were being blessed in the churches of many dioceses. This moment of declaration changed our Church forever. Throughout the Anglican Communion and throughout the Episcopal Church great turmoil followed.
The Diocese of California was not shaken by these actions. In 1980 a ministry of reconciliation between the Church and gay/lesbian people was begun. In the mid-1980s all of the clergy met with the Bishop for several days to come up with a common approach. The deaths of so many gay men factored in because the caregivers and family members were brought so close to the pains and the faith and the love and persecution of the dying. Attitudes changed profoundly. Gays and lesbians were ordained, lived in committed relationships, and adopted children. The Bishop of California has not only ordained more women than any bishop in Church history, but he also has ordained more openly gay and lesbian priests and deacons than any bishop in Church history.
Throughout these 25 years the congregations of the Diocese of California -- although a mixture of conservatives and liberals, high and low church, Caucasian and of color -- have stayed united. Money clearly measures this unity. Each year 99% of congregational and financial assessments has been paid in full. Each year 100% of the Diocese's assessment to the National Episcopal Church has been paid in full. We have remained together on mission. "What is the mission of the Church? ... to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ." (Catechism, BCP, p. 855)
Honors
* Senior Active Bishop, House of Bishops
* Honorary Doctorate of Divinity, Kenyon College, 1981
* Honorary Doctorate of Divinity, Virginia Theological Seminary, 1980
* Gandhi-King-Ikeda Peace Award Recipient, 1999
* Bishop Parsons Award for Social Justice, 1985
* Tri-City Homeless Coalition Citizen of Distinction Award, 2003
* American Foundation for AIDS Research Award of Courage, 2003
* World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations Interreligious Cooperation Award, 2002
* George Harris Award for Service to Deacons, 2001
* All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Sri Lanka, Sannasa Award, 1998
* International New Thought Alliance Humanitarian Award, 2004
* Kenyon College Alumni Humanitarian Award, 2003
* International Diplomacy Council Diplomat of the Year Award, 2001
* Hall of Fame, West Junior High School, Huntington, West Virginia, 1987 (please smile)
* National Episcopal AIDS Coalition Tull-Washburn Award, 1987
* Pebble Beach Pro-Am, made the finals, hole-in-one, 1994
Excerpts from Diocesan Convention Addresses
1986
A friend whom I haven't seen or heard from since high school graduation came to San Francisco for the first time, stayed on Nob Hill, walked over to Grace Cathedral, and then left me a note. It said: "Bill Swing, it took two days for me to get over jet lag. But now that I see you are bishop of this place, I am suffering from a worse case of culture shock." The lady only says what you already know, i.e., the reason I am a bishop here is because God has a sense of humor.
I have just completed my seventh year, and this is my eighth Diocesan Convention. My yearly physical checkup indicated that my body is mercifully fit for this year of multiple anniversaries. My 25th anniversary to diaconate and then priesthood. Mary's and my 25th wedding anniversary. My 50th birthday trauma. In seven years I've never told you what I do in this office, so I feel I owe you a glimpse.
During this past year, for instance, I have met regularly with the Standing Committee, Diocesan Directors, Diocesan Council, Cathedral Trustees, the CDSP Board -- led pre-ordination retreats, clergy conferences, deacons' retreats -- officiated at institutions of clergy, various anniversary celebrations, Rally Day, youth choir and acolyte festivals, youth weekends, the Parsonage commissioning, St. Luke's Nursing School's 100th graduation, blessed an art gallery and led a mini-convention on "Discernment" -- served on the Board of Shanti, chaired the Faith and Order Commission for Northern California, served on General Convention's Commission on Health and Human Affairs, presided over the Episcopal Foundation for Drama's demise, chaired the House of Bishops Task Force on AIDS, served as officer of the Urban Bishops' Caucus. I have welcomed the National Deaf conference, the National Urban League Conference, the Episcopal Asian Americans, and numerous other church and society groups to our area -- as a priest I did most of my formal praying in churches; as a bishop I pray mostly in hotels -- played in the Pebble Beach Golf Tournament, played basketball against Cathedral School boys, softball against the Seminary, walked in the Walk-a-thon, took folks on bus tours, played in the St. Christopher's Golf Tournament, sang once with a country band, performed in the CDSP Follies, was master of ceremonies for a Joan Collins award at the Castro Theatre, wrote a poem for Turk Murphy -- spoke on AIDS in Louisville and Washington, D.C. and New Mexico, gave lectures on "Authority" in Honolulu, distributed an Advent/Christmas education video series we filmed in Jerusalem, preached at a Contra Costa prison, fed the homeless at Thanksgiving, had press conferences on the death penalty and the LaRouche Initiative, was a guest of the Jesuits in celebrating Ignatius Loyola's 600th anniversary. Gave a baccalaureate address at a college in South Carolina, planned Bishop Desmond Tutu's itinerary for his American tour, spoke at his daughter Naomi's evening at Grace Cathedral, and represented you at Bishop Tutu's enthronement in Cape Town, South Africa and at Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning's installation in Washington. I have this year prayed quietly with Cambodian Buddhists, been in dialogue with Black Muslims, chanted with Japanese Buddhists, mediated many fights, recruited board members and raised funds for several Diocesan institutions, was named in lawsuits that amount to $6.5 million, and on and on.
1991
It has been quite a year. I started out in the midst of a guerrilla uprising in El Salvador negotiating for prison release of 23 Episcopal Church workers. I was given the first two hours of the 6th International AIDS Conference to deal with Spirituality and AIDS. I chaired the Joint Commission on Health for the National Church. With six holes to go my pro and I were only one stroke from the lead on the last day at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
1992
I want to mention a dying and rebirth experience, of staggering proportions, that is in process in our midst. The building in front of this Cathedral will be destroyed by the time we meet again. Good Samaritan Center and Good Samaritan Church will be destroyed within months. The Canon Kip building will be destroyed by springtime. The properties that we own on the entire block at Pine and Van Ness will be destroyed by springtime. The church and center where we minister to seafarers, longshoremen, and truckers are being destroyed even as we speak. In each situation we could have said that times are hard, and we could have settled in with our decay. But in each above instance, our leadership, primarily the leadership of the laity who manage our various boards of directors, has chosen to build anew. Therefore we are launched on an ambitious course to complete the original vision at the Cathedral, to construct housing for 175 Hispanic immigrants, to construct a new Hispanic Community Center, to provide 107 units of housing with supportive services for people in transition from homelessness into independent living, to prepare a secure housing situation for 350 elders, and to build a new Seafarers' Center, with the Roman Catholic Church, at the Port of Oakland.
1994
Having finished 15 years in this office, I figure that I've lived through two episcopal lifetimes. My first one was around the Dream of California. The second was around the enormous construction projects, and I'm looking forward to the challenges around children and parish development. Also I was greatly honored with celebrations around my/our 15th anniversary. (Pike lasted eight years, Myers 13, Parsons 16, Block 18, and Swing is going for the modern record. Kip lasted 40 and Nichols lasted 31 and represent the ancient and unattainable records.)
1996
This was the year that my car was smashed on the way to an Oakland meeting ... I had jury duty ... both our children were married ... I declined to be a candidate for Presiding Bishop ... my mother had her fourth hip operation and was well visited by members of this Diocese ... I, with a Roman Catholic university president and a Jewish rabbi, wrote a book ... I preached for six days on a sandbar in India's Pamba River ... took my second sabbatical around the world ... and in addition I worked in Japan and Korea ... visited Christians in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan ... two weeks ago I met with three hundred religious leaders at the Community of St. Egidio in Rome ....
I must at last mention my involvement in the United Religions' Initiative 2000. Since I last addressed this Convention, I have had the enormous privilege of speaking with many of the world's religious leaders on their own turf. We hosted an International Interfaith Summit here in June, and our local initiative quickly became a global initiative. There is now a San Francisco and a Washington office; we have individuals and groups working for us in New York, Oxford, Belgium, and Hawaii. During this winter we will hold ten workshops from Nairobi to South America, from Australia to London. The Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management is working with us on design. And in 1997, June, we will sit down with one hundred leaders of historic religions and one hundred leaders of modern spiritual movements to being the long, hard process toward writing a Charter.