The intention of this Profile is to provide a portrait of the outward and visible signs as well as the inward and spiritual grace of Christ’s presence in the Episcopal Church in northern New Jersey. We hope to reveal something of our ongoing experience of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as we anticipate his coming again in this part of the world.
This Profile may be unlike profiles of the past. We are fortunate to be able to write in a digital age, when most of the information that used to be compiled for diocesan profiles is always available on the internet.
The primary version of this Profile is the online version. A print version of the main body of the Profile is available.
We focus, then, on revealing as much as we can about who we are, the character of our life together, and the nature of our discernment as we seek from God a new Bishop to lead us further into the particular challenges and possibilities of the 21st century. We give clear indication of where to find “just the facts” – such matters as statistical data, explanation of governance, budget, and more in-depth information than we are offering in the main body of the Profile.
Information for the Profile was primarily gathered from laity and clergy in Bishop Reflection Sunday discussions and Input Focus Groups that were held throughout the Diocese. More information is available at the Coffee Hour (appendix) >>
Congregations largely speak for themselves through their websites. This Profile shows how to find them easily. The same is true for our main diocesan organizations.
The Profile is available in Spanish, Korean, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu in which services are currently being conducted in the Diocese. These translations recognize the significant ethnic mission of our Diocese and the need to continue expanding ministry in these communities.
Our Profile is presented symbolically in the model of a Eucharistic liturgy. It is not a literal liturgical text and is not a re-writing of liturgical texts. It does indicate the way in which the Eucharist unites the diverse people of the Diocese of Newark with Christ and one another and empowers us to be God’s people in the world. Also, it shows that we view our world, our lives, and our life together through the lens we have as Eucharistic people.