FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CENTRAL NEW YORK EPISCOPAL CHURCHES CELEBRATE PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP OF RETIRING BISHOP
Saturday, October 22, 2016, 11:00 a.m.
The OnCenter, 800 South State Street, Syracuse, New York 13202
Central New York’s Episcopalians, lay people and clergy, will celebrate fifteen years of ministry with the Right Reverend Gladstone B. “Skip” Adams III, retiring 10th Bishop of Central New York, on October 22nd. His resignation from that position is effective October 31st.
During his tenure as Bishop of Central New York, Adams encouraged Episcopalians to respond creatively to a changing cultural and religious landscape. He was a steadfast advocate for marriage and ordination equality for LGBTQ individuals in the Episcopal Church. Passionate about Christian and ecumenical spirituality, he endorsed creativity and flexibility in worship and prayer, and established a local clergy training program as an alternative to distant seminaries. He is also known for fostering a strong relationship between the Dioceses of Central New York and El Salvador. Under his leadership an annual medical mission of Central New York physicians, nurses and other medical professionals to El Salvador has provided health care to tens of thousands of Salvadorans.
Adams will be succeeded by The Very Rev. Dr. DeDe Duncan-Probe, who will be ordained as the eleventh Bishop of Central New York on December 3, 2016. Elected at a special Convention of the Diocese in August 2016, she will be the first to woman serve as Bishop of Central New York.
The program for Saturday’s retirement celebration includes Holy Communion and a festive luncheon with presentations. Bishop Adams will be available for interviews. Media registration for the event is required in advance; contact Meredith Kadet Sanderson, (315) 569-3767 (cell), mksanderson@cnyepiscopal.org.
# # #
Established in 1868, The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York is made up of faithful Christians worshipping in 86 Episcopal congregations and chapels, including one college chaplaincy. The Diocese is part of The Episcopal Church in the worldwide Anglican Communion. The diocese extends to 14 counties in the center of New York State: Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins.
PRESS CONTACT: Meredith Kadet Sanderson, (315) 569-3767 (cell), mksanderson@cnyepiscopal.org.
