NEWS RELEASE
ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF NIAGARA
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The Right Reverend Susan Jennifer Anne Bell became the first woman to be installed as the diocesan bishop of Niagara during a historic and sacred service at Christ’s Church Cathedral in Hamilton on Sunday, Oct. 21.
“These are the things to which we have all been called,” said Bishop Bell in her sermon delivered at the service, “renewed leadership; the rejuvenation of faith; to be a humble church anointed and set apart for God’s mission of love to our world.”
More than 500 people from across Southern Ontario gathered at the Cathedral to take part in the celebration of Bishop Bell’s new episcopal ministry. A reception at Liuna Station followed the service.
The centuries-old rite by which a diocesan bishop formally takes office has as its focus the seating of the bishop in a special chair within a Cathedral. This gives the cathedral it name (kathedra, from the Greek, meaning 'seat') and also its distinctive purpose, being the place of the bishop’s seat. This seat is the oldest sign of episcopal office and today signifies the bishop’s central place amidst the faith community.
In her homily, Bishop Bell emphasized that she would model the incarnational leadership of Jesus, and stand alongside the people who have called her to serve. “We are all in this together – past and present – lay and ordained – a great cloud of witnesses across all space and time.”
The clergy and people of the Anglican Diocese of Niagara elected Bishop Bell on March 3, 2018. She was ordained as a bishop on May 5, 2018 and succeeded Bishop Michael Bird as diocesan bishop on June 1, 2018, becoming first woman to serve in this role.
The mission of the Anglican Diocese of Niagara is to follow Christ passionately while ensuring the growth of healthy, spiritually vibrant, justice-seeking faith communities. Its 90 parishes serve people in the cities of Hamilton and Guelph, the regions of Niagara and Halton, as well as Wellington, Haldimand and Dufferin counties.
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