The Living Church

Year Article Type Limit by Author

The Living ChurchDecember 10, 1995Bishop Consecrated in Central Pennsylvania 211(24) p. 6

Michael Whittington Creighton became the Episcopal Church's 910th bishop in the United States Nov. 18 when he was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of Pennsylvania, at Founder's Hall on the campus of Milton Hershey School, Hershey, Pa. Bishop Creighton will become the ninth Bishop of Central Pennsylvania on Jan. 1, when the Rt. Rev. Charlie F. McNutt officially steps down to focus on his responsibilities as chief operating officer of the Episcopal Church.

In her homily, Jean M. Haldane, an educator and national church leader and a member of St. Stephen's Church, Seattle, Wash., Bishop Creighton's former parish, described the bishop as a "man of God, faithful priest and one who has command of himself. Michael will begin his leadership among you as one who serves, for he has [ministry] thoroughly written upon his soul. And he will love the people of Central Pennsylvania just as he has loved the people of St. Stephen's and Olympia."

Bishop Creighton, 54, is not the first bishop in his family. His father, the Rt. Rev. William F. Creighton, was the fifth Bishop of Washington, and his grandfather, the Rt. Rev. Frank W. Creighton, was sixth Bishop of Michigan. Bishop Creighton will wear his father's episcopal ring and his grandfather's pectoral cross, which his mother, Marie-Louise, and wife, Elizabeth, presented to him. His two sons read the lessons and two brothers were among the oblation bearers.

After Bishop Creighton was consecrated, vested and presented with the symbols of the office, the Rt. Rev. Edmond Browning, Presiding Bishop, asked the people of the diocese, "Will you, the people of this diocese, make a solemn covenant today to share with Michael the ministry of Jesus Christ in Central Pennsylvania?" After an affirmative response, Bishop Browning said, "May our gracious Lord ... bind you together in this ministry of loving service." The crowd was estimated at 1,500.

In addition to Bishop McNutt, a number of others assisted Bishop Browning as co-consecrators: Bishops Edward C. Chalfant of Maine; Robert H. Cochrane of Olympia (ret.); Joseph T. Heistand of Arizona (ret.); Calvin C. Tennis of Delaware; Vincent W. Warner of Olympia; and Benoni Y. Ogwal-Abwang, rector of St. Paul's, Harrisburg, Pa., and formerly Bishop of Northern Uganda. Other international and ecumenical guests were in attendance, as well as people Bishop Creighton said were from "all different phases of my life" including a Sunday school teacher from his childhood.