September 1, 2024
Dear People of God in the Diocese of Southern Ohio:
With gratitude and well-wishes, I write to share about two departures from our diocesan staff, the Rev. Canon Michael Spencer, our canon for transitions, and the Rev. Sallie Schisler, our regional missioner for the River Cities. Both have recently accepted new calls, and they go into this next season with our deep thanks and prayers for their ministry.
The Rev. Canon Michael Spencer has accepted a call to be the next rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Battle Creek, Michigan, part of the new Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. Canon Michael has served our diocese as canon for transitions since March 2022. He will conclude his ministry in Southern Ohio on September 20th and will take up his new call on October 16th.
Michael arrived to our diocese during the pandemic and served steadily and faithfully throughout the transition years. He has added considerable strength to our processes around clergy transitions, kept our diocese part of conversations happening in the wider church around clergy deployment, and has facilitated transitions and new calls with 24 of our congregations during his tenure. As I came on board as bishop, I’ve been particularly grateful for Michael’s steady presence in our office and his commitment to calling our staff into regular worship and prayer; a grounding on which we build this work of diocesan ministry.
A crucial role on our diocesan staff, a transitions officer is responsible for supporting congregations with clergy vacancies through search processes for their next priest, among other duties. Temporarily, the processes for congregations in vacancy will be supported by the Rev. Canon Jodi Baron, canon to the ordinary, while we launch a search for a new transitions minister. The position description will be posted and collecting applications later this month. You’ll be able to find it here, when it’s available.
The Rev. Sallie Schisler has accepted a call to serve as priest-in-charge with St. Peter’s, Gallipolis and Grace, Pomeroy in the southeast corner of our diocese. Sallie joined our diocesan staff as one of four part-time regional missioners in January 2023 as an experiment in regional ministry. Sallie took up her new call and concluded her time on diocesan staff in August.
As regional missioner, Sallie faithfully facilitated collaboration among congregations along the Ohio River. Within our own diocese, she served as chaplain for the bishop nominating committee and is currently serving as interim president of the church foundation trustees. She is a longtime presence in the communities of this region, including leadership at Shawnee State University. Her commitment to the region is demonstrated again in this new call and her pastoral presence and her love for God and the church are a blessing.
When the regional missioner roles were created by Bishop Smith in 2023, they were planned to sunset at the end of 2024. In light of this anticipated conclusion, I’ve asked the Rev. Vicki Zust, rector of St. Mark’s, Columbus, to chair a working group of clergy and laity from across the diocese to explore opportunities for laypeople and clergy to gather regionally to develop relationships, facilitate governance, and ensure representation in diocesan mission strategy and planning. More to come about this work.
Please join me in offering our enthusiastic thanks for these incredible leaders’ ministry with our diocese, and in praying for God’s blessing on their continued ministry in their new calls.
In Christ,
