Supervision

As a bishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, I supervise members of the EGC clergy. Supervision entails training, support, clarification of policies, and (when appropriate) conferral of ordinations to the diaconate and the priesthood. I have expectations of those whom I supervise, which are summarized here. I expect all my supervised clergy to understand and meet these expectations, or to alert me if any prove impossible or impractical. In the latter case we may reach an accommodation, or determine that it would be more appropriate to work with another bishop.

Expectations of all clergy

  1. You must have internet access, and be at least somewhat comfortable and competent in web and email use.

  2. You must join the online group I use to communicate with clergy, and read messages posted to that group promptly.

  3. You must record your personal and EGC status information (and changes to that information) using a designated online system. Doing so indicates consent to store and share that information online, possibly on different systems from the one on which the information was originally stored. This data will be shared with the USGL EGC Secretary, and with my designated representatives at various local bodies.

  4. You are expected to make a reasonable effort to take advantage of opportunities to learn from and with other clergy. This especially includes attendance at seminars I conduct, including the monthly Gnostic Boot Camp held either online or in my living room, and occasional Gnostic Road Shows in other parts of the country. Obviously not everyone can attend everything, but you are expected to make a good-faith effort to participate whenever possible.

  5. In some areas, I designate senior members of the clergy as my proxies for routine administrative and training work. All other members of the clergy under my supervision are expected to accept their authority as my own. If there is a question or dispute about this, contact me directly for clarification.

Expectations of novice clergy

  1. Novices are expected to use their time in the novitiate to determine whether they have a true vocation for ordination.

  2. While there is no fixed timetable, novices are expected to progress toward ordination at a reasonable pace. The novitiate is a bridge, not a residence. It is better to withdraw from EGC work entirely than to linger unhappily or aimlessly in the novitiate.

Expectations of ordained clergy

  1. I expect all ordained clergy to hold to the terms of their oaths of ordination, and the expectations of each office set out in the EGC Manual and elsewhere.

  2. To the extent possible, I expect ordained clergy to assist novices with their service and advancement toward ordination.

  3. I expect ordained clergy to recognize when a question arises or a situation occurs which requires my attention, and to be prompt and proactive about contacting me when appropriate.