Transcript of Introduction by Rev. Dr. Tanya Linn Bennett

Bishop’s IntroductionBy Rev. Dr. Tanya Linn BennettUniversity ChaplainDirector of the Chapel & Religious LifeDrew UniversityIn the United Methodist system of itinerancy, the approach of “moving day” isoften anticipated with equal measures of eagerness and trepidation. For thosewho are moving, they might know where they are going, but not what they’llfind in their new ministry setting. For those who are receiving, they might knowwho is coming, but not what that new pastor will bring with them.Moving Day 1990: The United Methodist Church in the village of Canton, NewYork, deep in the North Country, awaits a new pastor. Sudarshana Devadharhas departed from his native country halfway around the world, a place few ofthe parishioners he will serve in Canton are very familiar with, and has come byway of Perkins School of Theology in Texas to arrive in the North Country. Notthe most typical pastor for this small‐town church. He and his wife settled intothe parsonage, and he began his ministry. What emerged was even moreunexpected. A pastor of unique compassion and deep commitment. A pastorwho always seemed to arrive just at the right moment—whether it was amoment of deep despair or exuberant celebration. A pastor who drove greatdistances to pay a visit and who would call any time of the night or day to checkon an ill parishioner, console those in grief, or welcome a new birth. A pastorwith a passion for young people. A pastor who preached with prophetic spirit,

and who believed deeply that the church was only the church when it wasmaking a positive difference in the lives of people, when it was activelydemonstrating the love of Christ made real in the world. My parents belong tothat congregation, my father a clergyperson serving in extension ministry. Sixyears after Suda’s arrival, my father with a lay speaker of that congregation, DaleGardner ‐ Dale and Gloria Gardner and my parents Carol and Ted Linn are heretoday ‐ laid hands on this most unexpected pastor, Rev. Dr. SudarshanaDevadhar, as he prepared to leave Canton for his next place in ministry.Moving Day 1996: Pastor Suda arrives in the district superintendent’s office ofthe Ontario District of the North Central New York Annual Conference. Foreight years, he serves in this role, the pastor’s pastor, anticipating the needs ofcongregations and pastors alike as he considers how his work on the cabinetmight further the ministry of the district, of the conference, of each individualcongregation, of each individual pastor. He was sitting in this office when hewas nominated to the Episcopal office in the spring of 2004. A good friend ofmine was a delegate to jurisdictional conference that year. He called me aftersitting in the interview with Pastor Suda and said, “I think this guy is the realdeal.” Clearly, he was ‐ Pastor Suda was elected on the second ballot, the secondnew bishop elected. My friend called me as soon as he was elected, and I calledmy mom. The first thing she said was, “Pray for him. He’ll work too hard.”Moving Day 2004: Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar arrives in the Greater NewJersey Annual Conference. We are a conference that is accustomed to breakingin new bishops, so it wasn’t completely unexpected that we would get a bishopbrand new to the Episcopal office. What we didn’t expect was that we would get

a bishop so committed to lowering the walls of hierarchy, working across lines ofdifference ‐ theological, denominational, culture, race, ethnicity, language ‐ todevelop collaborative relationships.We didn’t expect a bishop who would be so reliably authentic to himself, sohonest with those with whom he worked, so transparent about the workings ofthe conference and the general church.We didn’t expect a bishop who would be so invested in identifying andnurturing new leadership for the future church ‐ so invested that he wept whenthree of the pastors he had ordained since 2004, including myself, were elected tothe General Conference delegation of 2012.We didn’t expect a bishop who would truly honor the equity of lay and clergyleadership and seek out ways to lift up the ministry of the laity to energize andencourage the ministry of the conference.We didn’t expect a bishop who would demonstrate such enthusiasm for youthand young adults that he would convince the conference to underwrite anannual pilgrimage to the community of Taize, France, where they wouldexperience a deep and rich spiritual awakening ‐ a pilgrimage that has now beenendowed by a family within the conference.We didn’t expect a bishop who would take so seriously his appointment as atrustee of Drew University, where he received his Ph.D., that he would urge us,pastors and laity alike, to be involved in intellectual pursuits that would enrichour ministry—particularly at Drew. His intelligent presence and his incisivevision have truly enlivened our work on campus.

We didn’t expect a bishop who would honestly and openly speak to his desire,his deep yearning for a fully inclusive church, recognizing the gifts and graces ofall God’s children, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.We didn’t expect a bishop who would both ask much of us and offer us much inreturn, who would call us night and day to ask us to accept yet anotheropportunity to serve, and to pray over us and with us. You can expect these 8am and 10 pm phone calls. He does work too hard.We didn’t expect that eight years after he arrived with us, we would be one ofthe conferences of this jurisdiction which is growing in professing membership,worship attendance, and healthy financial stewardship.We didn’t expect it. But, that’s what we got. And we give God all the glory forthe ministry of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference under the spiritualguidance and prophetic leadership of Bishop Devadhar.Moving Day 2012: New England Annual Conference, it is my prayer for BishopSudarshana Devadhar; his wise and warm wife, Prema; his beloved daughterTrina and son‐in‐law Gage; and his brilliant and beautiful granddaughters, Nylaand Laili; and for all of you, that the spirit will move on this day and the days tocome so that you will openheartedly embrace the unexpected. May your worktogether be blessed to offer the love of Christ to a world that desperately needs it,and to expand the kin‐dom of God that all might be welcome and embraced. Atimportant moments in the life of the annual conference, Bishop Suda often callsus to sing together this song, please join me…Spirit of the Living God.