Two Bishops: Retirement and Celebration

In April 2016, 7th Bishop Nedi Rivera retired, and Rt. Rev. Patrick Bell was ordained 8th Bishop Diocesan. The following video and galleries catalog the celebrations for both Bishops.

Interview with the retiring Bishop Nedi Rivera, and ordination ceremony for the Bishop Patrick Bell.

Photo Gallery: Bishop Bell’s Ordination & Consecration Ceremony

Letter from Bishop Bell to the Diocese

My Dear Friends,

It is in awe and wonder and deep gratitude that my thoughts are held of the celebratory weekend with you in Bend. What a delightful time it was in honoring Bishop Nedi and beginning our new journey together. I cannot finds words sufficient to express how honored and humbled I am to be back amongst you to share in this blessed time of opportunity.

I hope you will join me in expressing appreciation to those who offered so much of their time and energy to make the weekend so momentous. It is impossible for me to identify and name everyone who played key roles, and I fear if I tried I would fail to give credit to some who so fully deserve such. But I must acknowledge the members of the Transition Committee, who were  small in number but mighty in effort over the months they spent in preparation. So my hat is off to Kathy, Charlie, Ruth and Roy for all that they contributed. And I must add how deeply indebted I am to my staff, Lisa and Patty, for taking on so much of the organizational planning, as well as so much hands-on work, while continuing to manage the affairs of the Diocese so well.

And so we begin our work and life together. I look forward with joy and hope to what God will bless in our ministry, and pray for the wonder and energy of the Spirit to be richly manifest as we engage ++Michael’s challenge for us to be walking the Episcopal way of the Jesus Movement!

Pat