Fellowship Question: Which Bish?

[devona]

Hey, GC folks,

 

I am looking into an ECUSA fellowship that requires a bishop's endorsement. I haven't been in my home state for years, but I used to know the Bishop there a little bit (not sure if he would remember me) from work I did in the Episcopal Church. I currently live in the UK, and my husband is a priest, so I am sure his bishop would give me an endorsement, but the bish here knows nothing about my church experience, history, or academic interests. He basically doesn't know me at all. At the same time, my former bishop probably won't remember me, and I am not sure whether or not I should be worried about getting an American bishop to endorse me. Do you think that matters? Also, would I be crazy to ask my former bishop for a recommendation? 

[Balatro]

Ask your former Bishop, it's your best bet. Getting your husband to ask your current Bishop for a recommendation, with him not knowing you, puts your husband in an awkward spot, the Bishop too.

 

If need be, take your former Bishop down memory lane - remind him of the things you were involved in, especially things he may have been present at.

[Yetanotherdegree]

This depends. Is your husband canonically resident in the CofE? Or is he an American priest, currently working in the UK? If your husband belongs to the diocese where he is now serving, then the bishop in that diocese most likely considers that you belong there too, and would want/expect to be a part of your process.

[Febronia]

When I applied for that fellowship, I was canonically resident in the diocese of Pennsylvania and we were without an acting bishop at the time.....which meant the best I could do was a retired Australian bishop who happened to be in the US and had never met me before!  Truth.  It was either him or some bishop from the Solomon Islands that some friends knew!  But the bishop who wrote for me was very nice, and made an appointment for a long conversation with me and wrote a letter afterwards.  So, honestly I don't think it matters a lot!  If the bishop where you live now would be willing to meet with you and then write for you, I might do that (and even write him directly asking for a meeting).  If he doesn't know you now, he would afterwards! But I certainly don't think it would be bad to ask your former bishop either.  I'm not sure who your former bishop is (although I think you and I know each other!), but bear in mind that if he is bishop of a diocese that includes a major divinity school then he might well be writing for several other people, including people whom he knows better.  That doesn't necessarily hurt you, but it's worth keeping in mind.

[devona]

Thanks Febriona, and thank you for your reply on Facebook!