In a historic vote this year, the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi elected Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells to be the state’s 11th Bishop. Her ordination was on July 20th, but she has been preparing for her transition since February. She is both the first woman to serve in the role, as well as the first African American ordained as Episcopal Bishop in the state.
Our Desare Frazier speaks with Bishop Wells, prior to her ordination, to discuss her plans for the ministry going forward.
Desare Frazier
Well, we were glad that you are here. So you have dipped your toes in the water before your official ordination?
Dorothy Sanders Wells
Yes, this has been transition time. We built in these two and a half months of transition time. So that we would have that orderly, holy transition from one person to the next. And so that's what we've been doing for the last two and a half months is, I've been doing a lot of traveling, actually, and going out and meeting some of our churches. We have 82 faith communities in our diocese, and I have visited 23 of them.
Desare Frazier
Well, that's a good number in the course of time that you've been here. First of all, congratulations. You're the first woman and first African American to serve as bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. Your ordination is Saturday, July 20th at 11am How are you feeling about this? This is monumental, I would think.
Dorothy Sanders Wells
I am thrilled and excited that God has called me to this holy work. I can honestly say that it was not something that I thought that I would be called to do. And I am beyond thrilled as I travel around the diocese, as I meet folks who are part of the holy work that this diocese is doing, and there's so much holy work going on. I'm really still just in awe that God would call me to be part of this amazing ministry. And I'm excited to see what God has in store for all of us as we go forward. I think there's still so much incredible ministry to do, glad to be in the midst of it with these wonderful holy people. And [I] look forward to seeing what God has for us next.
Desare Frazier
Speaking of calling, I was reading where you've been an attorney for 18 years before you became a priest. So God has been dealing with you for a while and before you stepped into the ministry full time. Yes, yes.
Dorothy Sanders Wells
I can honestly say that I probably first felt that nudge that God was calling me to ordained ministry probably 10 years before I ever said those words out loud. But in God's own good way, and the God's own good time, God was continuing to prepare me and equip me and ready me for the work that I would ultimately be called to do. I've just recently left the Memphis area where I served as Rector, or Senior Minister, of a church fair for 10 and a half years. And that was good, holy, wonderful work that God had prepared me for and equipped me for. And I believe God has prepared me for this work as well. To grow in relationship with the people in this diocese, and to continue to explore and discern where God calls us to serve next.
Desare Frazier
You're married with two daughters, right?
Dorothy Sanders Wells
Yes.
Desare Frazier
What is it like managing a family, being married, and also now called to operate [and] lead a ministry for then an entire state.
Dorothy Sanders Wells
Our daughters are young adults. They are actually not still living at home. Both of them are out doing their own thing. One of them lives in New Orleans. One of them is in medical school. So they're, they're out doing their own thing. And my husband still has his own career and vocation and is largely still in Memphis. So it's kind of vet time in life that actually makes the most sense for this to be the next place to which God calls me that don't have a little ones at home who are depending on mom to be at home every night or anything like that. I'm beyond that point in my journey.
Desare Frazier
When you talk about the Office of Bishop what are you supposed to do? What is the work?
Dorothy Sanders Wells
Well, the work obviously, is to be the chief pastor of the pastors who are in the diocese. The work is to defend, if you will, the tradition that we uphold as Anglicans and to honor it in every way. To be informed by our scriptures, to be informed by our Book of Common Prayer, of to be a praying person, and but to really be a listening person. That's that's what I've been trying to do, as I've gone out and started meeting some of our congregations, is to be a real listener, because you can't really be a partner until you begin growing in relationship with folks. And to listen to their stories and their histories, and also their laments, about things that are different now in their communities, and how they hope to see their own ministries continue on and have new life breathed into them. So it's it's really holy, amazing work, and thrilled, thrilled to be called
Desare Frazier
Nationwide, and here in Mississippi, the faith community has declined. I read where there were 87 congregations in the state. But you said now there are 82. So apparently there have been some churches that have ceased to operate. What are your goals in terms of working to revive the ministry?
Dorothy Sanders Wells
Well, I think that part of reviving the ministry… First of all those declines are not just declines that are related to the Episcopal Church… And they’re not just related to Christianity. And if you look at faith traditions, just as a whole, Pew Research suggests to us that there are a lot of people who have some level of spirituality, even if they are not necessarily attached to a faith community. So this sense of folks feeling a need to be attached to a faith community is what's in decline. But I think that particularly with respect to Christians, and particularly with respect to the Episcopal Church, one of the things that we need to do is to really get back to what I call the basics, what have we been commanded in Scripture to do, and to focus on the things that scripture commands us to do.
When we become too inward focused, then we lose sight of the greater mission. And the greater mission throughout the scriptures throughout the Old and New Testament is a mission of caring for neighbors, and caring for others, and being able to look outward. Jesus is perhaps the most outward-looking of the of the beings that we can encounter in Scripture. Because wherever Jesus goes and encounters people who are in need, of teaching, of food of healing, Jesus is focused on how do I restore you to wholeness and health?
Desare Frazier
So it sounds like you're going to be doing more outreach.
Dorothy Sanders Wells
Well, I don't love the word outreach. I'll say that rather, honestly. Because outreach almost makes it appear that there's something optional about loving a neighbor. That's a commandment. Right? That's a commandment to us to love our neighbor as ourselves. So it's not optional for us to do that. And I think for too many folks, it feels as if it's optional, it feels like ‘Okay, after we do all these other things, then we can turn our attention to that.’ And it's a commandment.
It's a commandment for for us to love God and love neighbor as ourselves. So that has to be part of that immediate focus. How do we show love for God? And because we are showing love for God, we are also loving neighbors as ourselves. And all of those things are happening at once. If we leave worship on Sunday, thinking that we have checked that box, and we're done for the week, then we've missed the whole point. Because leaving worship on Sunday should be our beginning. That should be the time that we are refueling our tanks and then going back into the world to share the story of God's love as good news and figuring out where are the neighbors with whom I need to be walking in relationship, and who need my help and support.
Desare Frazier
You will be speaking on Saturday, but also the first African American to lead the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop. Michael Curry is going to be here. And he will be presiding over the ordination. He also spoke at the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markel in 2018. That's going to be quite an event.
Dorothy Sanders Wells
I don't think this is the first time he's been in the Diocese of Mississippi. I think he's actually been here before… But yes, we're thrilled. He is retiring this year. And at our recent general convention, the Presiding Bishop-elect was elected. So that's all exciting news. But we're certainly thrilled and delighted that Presiding Bishop Curry will be here because he's a history maker as being the first black man to serve as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
Desare Frazier
As you move to this exciting point, your ordination on Saturday, What will you be doing in these few days ahead of that to prepare to do whatever you need to do or feel that you need to do?
Dorothy Sanders Wells
I’m going to be spending a lot of time in prayer. The work to which God has called me is such holy work. And it is work that I feel that I cannot do apart from God's help. So I will be intentionally kind of closing the shutters, if you will, and just having some real prayer time. In the midst of all the activities that will be taking place, I'll be trying to close myself away just to have some quiet time.
Desare Frazier
And what will be your first desire after you're ordinated? What will be your first objective?
Dorothy Sanders Wells
I'm going to be continuing to travel and get to know our worshiping community. And I'm looking forward to that. I have a sweep of the Gulf Coast coming towards the end of this month and I'll be visiting a number of worshiping communities found there. And other things in between, other faith communities in between, I'll be visiting between now and then. With the school year about to start I'll be also trying to schedule visits into our schools. So that I can make my presence visible for those folks so that they know that I am I'm 100% supportive of episcopal education and so glad that we do have schools that are upholding our traditions here in this diocese. So I've got that kind of stuff to do that. That relationship building will continue on as the year continues.
Desare Frazier
Okay, and And just one last question. This is something that I've interviewed people about, depending on what they do. And we have a very serious crisis with young people. Black youth involved in violent crime. What do you see as the role of the Episcopal Diocese, or is there a role for the Diocese, in trying to help alleviate some of this?
Dorothy Sanders Wells
I think there's a role for the Christian church just in general, to be much more present in some of our most vulnerable communities. So that young people have different role models and also are aware that there are people who care about them and their future. I've already met with the deputy superintendent of public schools here in Jackson, to find out ways that we can be better partners with the public school system. Because if we don't help children understand that there are options for them, and that people care deeply about what happens to them, then we're going to lose our children to other folks who will pull them in. And I think all of the Christian church has to be committed to going into our most vulnerable communities and settings. And asking, ‘how are we better partners? How do we build better relationships? How do we make our collective presence known?’ Certainly, we can begin to try to break that title.
Desare Frazier
Well, we're excited to have you here. Congratulations again. Dorothy Sanders Wells, the incoming Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese is the first woman first African American to hold the post and will be ordained Saturday. Thank you for your time so much.
Dorothy Sanders Wells
Well, thank you.