He succeeds the former Presiding Bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Curry, who was elected in 2015.
During the service, Presiding Bishop Rowe, received the primatial cross from the Right Revd Michael Curry, as he formally concluded his nine-year term.
The Right Revd Anthony Poggo, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, attended the investiture service, to congratulate the Presiding Bishop on behalf of the global Anglican family.
The service took place in the Chapel of Christ the Lord at the church’s Manhattan headquarters. It was also livestreamed to close to 20,000 viewers in homes, churches and dioceses in the United States and around the world.
The Episcopal News Service reported that the “scaled-down investiture was a deliberate contrast to the church’s past tradition of welcoming new presiding bishops with greater fanfare at installations hosted at Washington National Cathedral, the seat of the presiding bishop, in the U.S. capital.” This was “partly motivated by an interest in reducing the service’s carbon footprint while increasing opportunities for churchwide virtual participation. All the church’s more than 100 dioceses were invited to send video greetings for a ‘roll call’ that preceded the investiture. The videos demonstrated the diversity of both the church’s membership and its local expressions of the faith.”
The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe was consecrated as bishop of the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania in 2007. Since April 2019, he also served as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Western New York.
Preaching on the story of Lazarus, the Presiding Bishop spoke of the importance of being one church. His sermon concluded:
“We’re not a collection of dioceses and institutions, a collection of ways of doing things. We are one church, one church in Jesus Christ. God has given us the ability to share our resources and talents and invest in ministry happening on the ground—ministry in which everyday faithful people, Christians all around the world, are building communities, advocating for justice, and saving lives. Your ministries and your communities where you are doing the work of unbinding, of liberating, of being the risen body of Christ in the world. This work, the work of proclaiming in word and deed that Jesus’ resurrection in life, is the work to which God has called The Episcopal Church, now and always, as one church, together. Friends, the kingdom of God is near, right here, right now.”
The Right Reverend Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion was among the guests that took part in the service.
Other Anglican Communion guests included The Most Revd Marinez R Santos Bassotto (Primate of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil), The Most Revd Mark Strange (Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church) and Rev'd Canon Dr Sammy Wainaina (The Archbishop of Canterbury's Adviser on Anglican Communion Affairs).
Bishop Anthony Poggo addressed the congregation, encouraging the Presiding Bishop and the important part the Episcopal Church plays in the global family of the Anglican Communion.
He said: “Bishop Sean, you bring a wealth of experience and Christian wisdom to this role at a time when careful discernment and confidence founded in the Gospel is so much needed.”
A message from the Archbishop of Canterbury was shared by The Very Rev. Sammy Wainaina, (the Archbishop’s Adviser for Anglican Communion Affairs) which said: “The church has placed a trust and a responsibility on your shoulders.” Referencing topics like presidential election in the United States, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, conflict in Africa and forced migration, the Archbishop’s words encouraged the Church to “respond with hope to the needs of humanity… to rise up to the occasion through the power of the Holy Spirt to lead The Episcopal Church in responding to its ministry context.”
The Episcopal News Service reported that the presiding bishop has a range of responsibilities, as outlined by The Episcopal Church Constitution and Canons. Those include presiding over the House of Bishops, chairing Executive Council, visiting every Episcopal diocese, participating in the ordination and consecration of bishops, receiving and responding to disciplinary complaints against bishops, making appointments to the church’s interim bodies, and developing policies and strategies for the church and speaking for the church on the policies, strategies and programs of General Convention. Rowe will also oversee a ‘structural realignment’ of churchwide operations, while developing a plan to save $3.5 million on staff over three years, or about 5% of the church’s total personnel costs.
Reflecting on the Investiture Service, Bishop Anthony Poggo said: “It was a joy to formally welcome the Right Reverend Bishop Sean Rowe into his new role as Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church. We assure the Presiding Bishop of our prayers as he takes up this important ministry.
I give thanks for the life and ministry of the Episcopal Church and its valued place in our global Anglican Communion family. Worldwide, the Communion spans a rich diversity of culture and tradition. I praise God that the Episcopal Church continues to cultivate strong links with other parts of the Communion. Together, may we continue to listen, pray and learn from one another, as we seek to serve God’s world.
We are indebted to Bishop Michael Curry for his inspiring witness to God’s calling of the Church to the way of love, and his insistence that all Christians are evangelists. On behalf of the Communion, we express deep thanks to Bishop Michael, for his ministry and service.”