Sesquicentennial Year officially launched at Convention Banquet

Episcopalian Garrison Keillor regales with Whipple history

The Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota officially opened its Sesquicentennial Year in grand style as nearly 800 persons packed the Grand Ballroom at the St. Paul RiverCentre on Friday, October 26, at the start of the 150th Annual Convention. It was, as Bishop James Jelinek said, a celebration of “a remarkable legacy of love: 150 years of service to the world in the name of Christ.”

In his remarks, Bishop Jelinek actually traced the history of Episcopalians in these parts back 170 years to the arrival of the Rev. Ezekial Gear as the chaplain at Fort Snelling, the first Christian minister in what was then the Iowa Territory.

“Soon after that Ascension Church, Stillwater, was established as the first Episcopal mission and the region was brought under the jurisdiction of the Right Rev. Jackson Kemper, who had been consecrated in 1835 as the first missionary bishop in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, originally just for Missouri and Indiana,” noted Bishop Jelinek.

“History remembers Kemper fondly as “the Bishop of All Outdoors.”

Nearly 800 persons packed the RiverCentre Ballroom for the Sesquicentennial Kickoff Banquet on Friday, October 26.  Garrison Keillor, pictured on the video screen, made a special presentation as part of the banquet program.  Photo by Dale Goetzke

Doing Some Remarkable Things Together

While noting that mission and ministry—day in and day out—is carried on in our individual congregations, “we have also done some remarkable things together—as a diocese—that are part of our rich legacy,” he said.

The Bishop mentioned three examples:

“We have modeled ministry across ethnic boundaries in a way that has brought cultures together and that has been a model for the whole church. From the earliest collaboration between Enmegahbowh and James Lloyd Breck to our own day, with congregations that are primarily African, Latino, Native American and Hmong, we have allowed ourselves to be influenced, blessed, and shaped by other spiritual traditions.”

“The Diocese of Minnesota was the national leader in helping to make our church a safe place by dealing forcefully with the matter of sexual misconduct. The work of people like Bishop Robert Anderson, Susan Moss, Margo Maris and Sally Johnson has been a successful model for the larger church to follow.”

“And, we have had the opportunity to offer hospitality—Minnesota hospitality—to the larger church in a way that no other diocese has and for which we are renowned .

We have hosted three General Conventions of the Episcopal Church in three different centuries: 1895, when most of the meetings took place at Gethsemane Church, and then again in 1976 and 2003. In 1954, we had the rare opportunity to host the second World Anglican Congress—the first held outside Great Britain.”

We Can Be Proud of Our Work Together

At another point in the program, the Bishop said, “I think we are at a point in our life together where we could use a little applause.” He then recognized several diocesan organizations, schools and efforts by asking persons in attendance who are affiliated with them to stand.

Recognized during this segment of the program were Ministry with Native Americans, Total Ministy, Sheltering Arms Foundation, Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, Breck School, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Episcopal Community Services, Episcopal Homes, the Episcopal House of Prayer, the Minnesota Environmental Stewardship Commission, the University Episcopal Center and campus ministry programs throughout the Diocese, and our newly-organized support of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals.

The Bishop noted that the largest number of people standing was in support of the Millennium Development Goals.

“Singing and Stories with Garrison Keillor”

The highlight of the evening was the appearance of Garrison Keillor. In introducing Keillor, Bishop Jelinek noted his many accomplishments as a radio host, author, syndicated columnist, university professor and film star. The Bishop also said that Keillor “is one of our own, noting that he and his wife, Jenny, are “active participants in the life and mission of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, St. Paul.

Keillor told the crowd that he is “an Episcopalian by marriage” and that, as a latecomer, he is very appreciative for the Episcopal Church and its openness and hospitality.

“I have walked into many Episcopal Church around the country and have immediately been surrounded by kindness—amiable people who thought the best of me and were not anxious to know different.”

Keillor then regaled the banquet guests with stories of Minnesota’s first Episcopal bishop, the Rev. Rev. Henry Benjamin Whipple, often poking some loving fun. Several of Bishop Whipple’s great, great grandchildren were in attendance.

Keillor noted that in preparation for his address, he had read Whipple’s autobiography, Lights and Shadows of a Long Episcopate from cover to cover. It was “rough going,” he said.

“When Bishop Whipple chose a career as church leader over that of author of literary prose, he chose correctly,” he said, which invoked strong laughter from the guests.

He concluded by saying that we are all Bishop Whipple’s children; that Whipple, our patron saint, loves us all very much and that it is now up to us to carry on his legacy.

Keillor concluded his program by leading the guests in singing “Nearer My God to Thee,” which he said was a favorite of Bishop Whipple.

Following the banquet, Garrison Keillor posed with four of Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple's great, great grandchildren.  They are, from left, Jack Hanstein, Paul Jefferson, Ben Oehler and Susan Seltzer.  Also pictured is Susan's husband, Jon. Keillor is holding a photograph of Bishop Whipple presented to him as a gift from the people of the Diocese of Minnesota.  Photo by Joe Bjordal

On behalf of the people of the Diocese of Minnesota Bishop Jelinek presented Keillor with two gifts: a framed photograph of Bishop Whipple and an announcement that proceeds from the Convention’s silent auction would be given to Episcopal Relief and Development in honor of Garrison Keillor. The Bishop noted that Keillor is a regular supporter of Episcopal Relief and Development.

The program also included special music by “Ensemble Eleven” from St. Stephen’s Church, Edina; a video greeting from the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, a live greeting from the Rev. Peg Chemberlin, Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Churches; and a presentation of the “ceremonial first copy” of And the Wilderness ShallBlossom, a new book about Bishop Whipple to be published in 2008 by Afton Historical Society Press.