Many years ago I was at a clergy conference where a new Presiding Bishop made one of his first appearances. I felt that he did not know where he was or where he was going. That is not meant to be a theological comment, but an observation of total physical exhaustion.

Some time after that, I had occasion to call the P.B.'s office. I expressed my concern about an exhausted P.B. to a member of his staff. I was assured that things were now better and that he managed his time more creatively.

More recently, Bishop Browning was the speaker at a diocesan convention. I happened to be outside the building as he left. I wanted to shake his hand and tell him I liked much of what he was doing. As he saw me approaching, he raised his hand not in greeting but as a stop sign and said, "I don't have time to talk to you. I have to catch a plane."

Now we are about to elect another Presiding Bishop. Too often, much of what the upper church leadership offers is the model of "run faster, work harder." The one who has flown the most miles and given the most speeches wins, or at least is labeled as the "good minister." We are presented with a model that equates exhaustion with ministry. We may once again elect a Presiding Bishop who is just another CEO for one of the misfortune 500 companies. It is my hope that the next P.B. can offer a better model of ministry.

(The Rev.) B. Fred Hannan

Door County Mission

Sturgeon Bay, Wis.