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Title
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Ott, Donald A.
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extracted text
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Bishop Donald A.Ott 1993-2000
. h op 0 tt wt·n rettre
ri/Jt/ff
B ts
at end of Michigan term
When his assignment as
bishop of the Michigan Area
ends on Aug. 31, 2000, Bishop
Donald A. Ott will retire. He
has submitted his retirement
request to the North Central
Jurisdiction and the United
Methodist Council of Bishops.
In a letter to friends and colleagues, Bishop Ott wrote: "It
has been a daily joy to be the
episcopal leader of the Michigan Area. The great part of a
year remains with important
ministry to advance. Jan and I
have considered this for some
time. We are convinced, convicted and peaceful about the
decision."
The Discipline provides
timelines for retirements of
bishops. Bishop Ott's mandatory retirement year is 2008.
He has indicated since his election that he planned to retire in
2004 .
Bishop Ott told the Advocate, "In the last year I h ave
Bishop
Ott
_
.......roou
lights a
candle
to focus
prayers
for
child..
ren at
recent
Bishop's
Initiative Day
on Children
and
Poverty.
had an increasing conviction
that this earlier date was of
God. It will allow me to pursue
the vocation of spouse, father,
grandfather, son, brother and
friend. I will be open to possibilities to express my sense of
mission as they may emerge in
the years ahead. The commitment I have that the church
needs full engagement of its
episcopal leaders, on the one
hand, and the importance I
feel of family and friends for
the long term, on the other
hand, led me to this retirement
decision."
He concluded, "It is a great
privilege to be a bishop of the
church. I have thoroughly
enjoyed the years in Michigan.
The leaders and people of the
two conferences have enriched
my faith and life. Jan and I are
very grateful for the friendships in faith we have and will
always cherish them."
Bishops are elected every
four years at jurisdictional, or
regional, conferences. They are
assigned to episcopal areas by
those conferences' episcopacy
committees . Michigan's new
bishop may be assigned from
one of the already-serving
bishops in the North Central
Jurisdiction or by one to be
elected in July 2000. Bishops
are assigned for four-year
terms and usually serve for
eight years in an area unless
there is a compelling missional
reason for a longer assignment.
Shirley Cook, Detroit Conference Lay Leader, is chair of
the North Central Jurisdiction's Committee on Episcopacy.
t
~-- -
I
11
September 4, 2000
..
Michigan UMs say goodbye to Otts
KATHY GOOLIAN
Marathon run ............ 3
ANNWIDTING
"You will become a grandfather of the United Methodist
Church," proclaimed Bishop
David Lawson at the celebration to honor Bishop Donald
and Jan Ott in Lansing. Bishop
Lawson was referring both to
Bishop Ott's decision to retire
early to spend time with his
grandc~ildren, wife, family and
friends and his continuing
ministry of "presence, commitment, energy and time"
staffing the Bishops' Initiative
on Children and Poverty.
Identical celebrations for
• the Otts were held in Marquette on Aug. 19 and in Lansing on the 20th.
"Presentations of Recollections and Verbal Gifts" were
offered in both locations, followed by a liturgy of "Recognition of the Bishop's Ministry,"
presentation of farewell gifts
and the Eucharist, celebrated
by Bishop Ott.
Speakers included represen-
tatives from the Otts' home
Two women of Traverse
City: Christ UMC run
marathon to support
adoptions.
Flint churches ............4
Flint: Faith UMC plays visible role In aftermath of
child 's shooting.
New shoes ................ 6
Kansas parish supplies new
shoes for school-aged
children.
New staffer ........ .. .... 7
James E. Winkler has been
named to head the Genera l Board of Church and
Society In Washington D.C.
Bishop Donald Ott shows his wife, Jan, the contents of a memory book during farewell celebration in Marquette. Molly Turner is at right.-mca phoco!Atm Whici11g
·
said. "We knew him as a pastor... and churches he served
have ever since said they want-
team with members _[and
results] that were more than
the sum of their parts!'
ed a pastor 'just like Don Ott'.
Speaking in Lansing for
conference in W iscon sin, lead -
He is d~eply' thou ghtful and a
ers of United Methodist Men
and United Methodist Women,
youth, laity, program leaders
a~d cabinet.
" Bish op s are not born full
blown in all their glory," said
Judy C rain, representing family and frien ds in Wiscon sin.
"We knew them 'wh en ,"' sh e
powerful articulator of faith .. .>'
Sandra Lackore, head of the
General Council on Finance
and Administration, said Bishop Ott has been a "gift" to the
general church, helping to create a team to work on equitable benefits for gen eral
agency staff. "You created a
.
Photos of two farewells for
Bishop Don and Jan Ott In
Marquette and Lansing.
ampers' faces ..... 11
Ed\tor Ann Whmng
conference l a ity, C hris Bobier
(West Michigan L ay ,L eader)
recalled Bishop On's ability to
"call us by our first names after
one meeting." She thanked
him for the privilege of participating in the laying on of hands
during the ordination and consecration ser vice in June and
for " breaking the bread and
lifting the cup with you " in the
same service.
Bobier th anked b oth O ns
for leadership in the Bish ops'
I nitiative "in the spirit of John
. Wesley."
Youth leaders at both locations - who have likely not
known another bish op
expressed enthusiasm and
appreciation for the time th ey
h ave been able to spend with
the bishop. In Lan sing, Grant
K inney said, "You contin ued
to be an awesome presence in
our lives!"
West Michigan Conferen ce
Director John Ross Thompson,
at the mike with his Detroit
counterpart, the Rev. Jeff
Regan, said to the bishop,
Bye, Bishop Ott ...... 8-9
describes a visit to Camp
Day - a camp for
children of prisoners.
~ew
Mission school ........ 13
Sally Shaw describes West
Michigan Conference
School of Christian Mission
In Grand Rapids.
RN midwife ............. 16
Bishop Ott h ugs youth repr es e nta t ives Grant Kinney
and Mar y Gladstone in
Lansin g. mea phoco!Kathy Goo/ia11
appreciate you r public witness
to your personal faith ."
T he
celebrations
also
included
projected
ph otographs of th e bishop's life
and ministry, beginning with a
photo of his mother holding
him on the day of his baptism.
"You h ave put m y whole life
b efore
mP."
Ri<:hAn
n. ••
RN Deborah Moore
describes her cherished
ork as a midwife in the
Reed City area.
e Connection .................... 6
Bible for Today ..................... 10
Editorial ................................. 11
letters ................................... 11
Issues and Ideas .................. 11
vents .................................. 15
ello, Michigan! ................. 15
eople/ Advocate Asks ..... 16
· gan UMs say goodbye to Otts
1
KATHY GOOLIAN
Marathon run ............ 3
ANN WHITI NG
"You will become a grandfather of d1e United Med1odist
Church," proclaimed Bishop
David Lawson at the celebration to honor Bishop Donald
and Jan Ott in Lansing. Bishop
Lawson was referring bod1 to
Bishop Ott's decision to retire
early to spend time with his
grandcpildren, wife, family and
friends and his continuing
ministry of " presence, commitment, energy and time"
staffing the Bishops' Initiative
on Children and Poverty.
Identical celebrations for
the Otts were held in Marquette on Aug. 19 and in Lan sing on the 20th.
"Pr~sentations of Recollections and Verbal Gifts" were
offered in both locations, followed by a liturgy of "Recognition of the Bishop's Ministry,"
presentation of farewell gifts
and the Eucharist, celebrated
by Bishop Ott.
Speakers included represen-
Two women of Traverse
City: Christ UMC run
marathon to support
adoptions.
Flint churches ............4
Flint: Faith UMC plays visible role in afterma th of
c hild 's shooting.
New shoes ................ 6
Kansas parish supplies new
shoes for school-aged
c hildren.
New staffer .............. 7
ames E. Winkler has been
named to head the Genera l Board of Church and
Society In Washington D.C.
Bishop Donald Ott shows his wife, Jan, the contents of a memory book during farewell celebration in Marquette. Molly Turner is at right.-mca photo/Am• tflhitiug
•
said. "We knew him as a pastor ... and churches he. served
have ever since said they want-
hon:~e
e d a pastor cius t Ji ke Don Ore.
conference in Wisconsin, leaders of United Methodist Men
and United MethodistWomeh,
youth, laity, program leaders
a~d cabinet.
" Bishops are not born full
blown in all their glory," said
Judy Crain, representing family and friends in Wisconsin.
"We knew them 'when," ' sh e
He i_s deeply thoughtful and a
powerful articulator of faith .. . "
Sandra Lackore, head of the
General Council on Finance
and Administration, said Bishop Ott has been a "gift" to the
general church, helping to create a team to work on equitable benefits for general
agency staff. "You created a
t atives £rom t:be Ocr:s'
.
Gathering around the table is what a family does, Bishop
Ott told well- wishers in Marquette.-mca phow !Amt lrlhitiug
team with members . [and
results] that were more than
the sum of their parts."
Spco ki na
~n
La n s in 'l
Campers' faces ..... 11
"""",.., ""'"''"'a
describes a visit to Camp
£Q r
conference laity, Chris Bobier
(West Michigan L,a y ,Leader)
recalled Bishop Ott's ability to
"call us by our first names after
one meeting." She thanked
him for the privilege of participating in the laying on of hands
during the ordination and consecration service in June and
for "breaking the bread and
lifting ilie cup with you" in the
sam e service.
Bobier thanked both Otts
for leadership in the Bishops'
Initiative "in the spirit of John
Wesley."
1
Youth leaders at both locations - who h ave likely not
known another bishop
expressed enthusiasm and
appreciation for ilie time iliey
have been able to spend with
ilie bishop. In Lansing, Grant
Kinney said, "Ypu continued
to be an awesome presence in
our lives!"
West Michigan Conference
Director John Ross Thompson,
at the mike with his Detroit
counterpart, ilie Rev. Jeff
Regan, said to tlie bishop,
"You're a model for~us ofwhat
it means to b elieve our faith
and live out our Christian lives.
You asked, ' What have you
done with what you believe?'
You' ve challenged us on endof-life d ecisions, sexuality and
justice issues to profession of
faith. You have participated in
the behind- m e-scenes human
dram a and pathos wiili fairness
and dignity."
Lansing District Superintendent John Ellinger spoke for
the cabinet in saying, "You've
encouraged us to let go of narrow-mindedness, phobias, and
comfortable places. You have
the ability to look som eon e
straight in the eye and encourage or chas tise them. We
Bye, Bishop OH ...... 8-9
Photos of two farewells for
Bishop Don and Jan Ott in
Marquette and Lansing.
~ew Day- a camp for
children of prisoners.
Mission sc hool ........ 13
lly Shaw describes West
Michigan Conference
School of Christian Mission
n Grand Rapids.
RN midwHe ............. 16
Bishop Ott hugs youth representatives Grant Kinney
and Mar y Gladstone in
Lansing.-mca photo/Kat.hy Gooliau
appreciate your public witness
to your personal faith."
The
celebrations
also
included
projected
photographs of the bishop 's life
and ministry, beginning with
photo of his mother holding
him on the day of his baptism.
"You have put my whole life
before m e," Bishop Ott
responded. "Thank you." ·.
As he responded to the gifts
and presentations in M arquette, Bishop Ott held a
painting given to him by the
district when he arrived eight
years ago. Composed ofNative
American faces arranged
totem-like, Bishop Ott said,
"This p ainting not only
reminded me of you in the
Upper Peninsula. It also
b ecame repr~entative of the
a
See OTT, page 10
See ot •501!•""""·"'
celebration ph,••.n;m J
on pages 8
RN Deborah Moore
escrlbes her c herished
work as a midwife in the
Reed City a rea.
tate and Local ................... 2
e Connection .................... 6
Bible for Today ..................... 10
d ltorlal ................................. 11
etters ................................... 11
Issues and Ideas .................. 11
Events .................................. 15
Hello, Mlchiganl ................. 15
People/ Advocate Asks ..... 16
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1oMichigan Christian Advocate • September 4, 2000
OTT
ones who don't have voices,
the people for whom the
Gospel is especially good
news .."
Quoting the prophet Isaiah
- "God is doing a new thing ...~>
- Bishop Ott described his
vision when he became bishop
in Michigan: that the agenda of
grace is "based on an expanded, progressive vision about
who belongs at the table of the
Lord."
This is why, he said, "we've
talked about new things, a
more expansive table of the
Lord ... that includes the poor,
those with different sexual orientations, people in other
lands and other cultures, and
people in our communities
who don't talk or smell or act
like us ... 'Behold,' God says, 'I
am doing a new thing."'
The bishop then recalled his
retirement speech at the North
Central Jurisdictional Conference and the list of reasons he
gave for retiring early: to spend
from page 1
time with family and "friends;
to have time "to be more than
to do," and to make room for
new leaders.
He closed by sharing the
advice of Hospice writer and
caregiver Mary Pifer for times
of ending:
e I forgive you .
e Please forgive me.
e Thank you.
e I love you.
e Good-bye.
In Lansing, the bishop
reported he told those in Marquette that he had no need to
forgive anyone in Michigan.
Several persons in the receiving line urged him to put " I
forgive you" back in the list.
H e did so in Lansing.
Special music was provided
by the Camp Michigamme
music campers (Marquette),
the praise team of Lansing:
Trinity, the Grand Rapids Vietnamese C hildren's Choir, a
Michigan Area youth choir
under the direction of David
Bishop and
Mrs. Ott
process to
begin the
farewell celebration at
Marquette:
First
UMC.-mca
photo/llmt lfl hitiug
G ladstone, and the Detroit
Black Methodists for Church
Renewal Choir (all in Lansing).
Monetary gifts to two causes dear to the Otts' hear ts
totalled $ 14,000. $8,000 will
go the Methodist Childre:1's
Home. $4,000 will provide
scholarships for Michigan students at Garrett- Evangelical
Seminary in Evanston, Ill.
t
Ott, Donald A.