"We bring before you the Rt. Rev. Frank Tracy Griswold ... With pride, affection and gratitude for his ministry with us, we joyfully send him forth ..."

With these words, the standing committee of the Diocese of Chicago presented to the assembly in Washington National Cathedral the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, during his installation Jan. 10. At the freestanding altar at the crossing, he was greeted by the Rt. Rev. Edmond Browning, the 24th Presiding Bishop, and Pamela Chinnis, president of the House of Deputies, who accepted Bishop Griswold's pledge to "be a faithful shepherd and pastor among you." Bishop Browning addressed the assembly:

"My brothers and sisters, will you who witness this new beginning do all in your power to support and uphold Frank in this ministry?" Some 3,800 people answered, "We will!" and the vow resounded and re-echoed through the great stone vaults and piers of the cathedral.

The theme of new beginnings was woven through the installation service. Among the gifts presented the new primate, with traditional offerings from representatives of other Christian churches, were copies of the Torah and the Koran.

Much of the music performed by organ, trumpets, and four choirs - the Washington Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, the Cathedral Choir of Girls, the choir of St. James' Cathedral, Chicago, and the choir of Grace Church, Norfolk, Va. - was composed for the occasion. Bruce Saylor heard his "Fanfare to Salzburg" played by trumpets, trombones and tympany from the Great Choir. Gregory Norbet served as cantor in his Dona Nobis Pacem, sung while communion was offered at 21 stations. The setting of Psalm 42 composed by Douglas Major, cathedral organist/ choirmaster, featured synthesizer, with verses sung by each choir from widely-separated locations in balcony, transept, nave and great choir.

The St. James' Sunday school children brought forward a model titled "Our Worldwide Household of Faith." Bishop Griswold unfolded a multicolored strip of joined paper dolls. "Here we are!" he said.

Bishop Griswold in his sermon spoke of rebuilding and repair. He told of being drawn to "the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis ... from the Church of San Damiano where Francis prayed at the beginning of his conversion." At a conference on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, in Assisi last September, he was, he said, drawn to that cross. By chance, he found a plaque with the words of Christ: "Francesco, va ripara la mia chiesa ... Francis, go rebuild my Church." And this story, Bishop Griswold said, "is about us. [I]t speaks of what we are to do together, and of what we are to be together."

He went on to talk of communion, conversation, and "different dimensions of truth." He asked, "What would happen if instead of leading with our opinions fully formed and our conclusions smartly arrayed ... we asked questions of one another such as 'Who is Christ for you?' 'What does the church mean to you?' ... Are we afraid that if we asked such questions we might have to modify our positions and make room for the ambiguity and paradox another person's truth might represent?

"I for one am immensely hopeful" about the future of the Episcopal Church, he said, because of "good will and generosity of spirit ... vitality and faithfulness." A "transformed heart that has been cracked open by God's love" is capable of "rebuilding the church in the service of the gospel for the sake of the world.

"My dear sisters and brothers ... let us begin again."

The entire assembly was invited to renew the baptismal covenant, from a large font created in the main aisle. After the blessing of the water and the renewal of vows, the Presiding Bishop and assisting bishops dispersed to all the corners of the cathedral, aspersing all present.

The celebration had begun with a carillon prelude, performed by Edward Massor, and the parallel theme of diversity was apparent in the program, as in all the music of the day: Samuel Wesley's "The Church's One Foundation," "Rendez á Dieu," "Wondrous Love," and Britten's "Fanfare for St. Edmundsbury." The hymn Siyahamba was sung in English, South African, and Spanish; the Zimbabwe Alleluia was sung by all and signed, hands uplifted, by many including the Ven. Richard Pemble, Archdeacon of Chicago. Hymns new to many were balanced by the familiar Abbot's Leigh.

As the procession of bishops, deacons, presenters and guests entered, led by many-colored "jubilation streamers," a song of welcome was performed by the Little River Drum. The Chicago choir, high up in the south transept, challenged its basses with Tschesnokoff's weighty "Salvation is Created"; the Richmond group provided a gospel swing in "Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit." The choir of men and boys, from their accustomed place in the Great Choir, symbolized enduring Anglican tradition. The voices of the new girls' choir, directed by Bruce Neswick, floated over all from the side of the nave.

Following the communion, the assembly received a threefold blessing: the Epiphany blessing of the guiding star, a blessing recalling Jesus' baptism in the Jordan, and another invoking the "power that turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana." The congregation streamed out to the thunder of the organ, and were met in the sunlight by the peal of the cathedral's great bells.