Dear friends,

Earlier this afternoon, the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes (a newly formed diocese in the state of Michigan) elected the Reverend Zack Nyein as its first bishop.

Pending consents from the majority of the dioceses in The Episcopal Church, Zack will be consecrated as bishop on May 8, 2027, at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

Zack’s election is a magnificent testament to his unique gifts and abilities and to his distinguished ministry among us at St. Bart’s. I invite you to join me in extending to him our deepest congratulations.

Over the past five years, Zack has led our efforts to welcome newcomers, revitalized our ministries to children and youth, and launched Imagine Worship, our vibrant Thursday evening congregation. Zack has also been a caring pastor and an inspiring, thought-provoking preacher. We will miss him dearly here.

But he is not gone yet! Zack will remain on our clergy staff through the end of 2026, and we will have a chance to say a formal goodbye to him at some point in early 2027. I hope you will take time over the next few months to speak with Zack and let him know how much his ministry has meant to you.

We will begin our celebrations of Zack tomorrow during the Coffee Hour following the 11 am Choral Eucharist. Please join us for Zack’s favorite, chocolate cake!

At his consecration next spring, Zack will immediately become the youngest bishop in The Episcopal Church. I have no doubt that his leadership will make a transformative impact on the whole Church over the coming decades. I give thanks that the Diocese of the Great Lakes will be led by a bishop of such exemplary character, and I pray that Zack will have a long and fruitful ministry there.

The Reverend Peter Thompson
Priest-in-Charge

Dear St. Bart’s Family,

Today is one of those bittersweet days that punctuate our shared life in Christ.

Earlier this afternoon, I was elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. I am deeply honored by the call to serve as the first Bishop Diocesan of this new jurisdiction, formed through the juncture of the former dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan.

Whether planting a campus ministry in Chattanooga or launching Imagine Worship at St. Bart’s, I have felt called throughout my ministry to foster new life within historic church structures. This opportunity represents a continuation of my vocation as a builder, planter, and innovator on an entirely new scale. For my husband Michael, who grew up in Michigan, it will also be a homecoming. We are delighted to be closer to nine of our eleven nieces and nephews!

These nearly five years together have been unimaginably gratifying. Emerging from the pandemic, we have renewed our common life amid profound destabilization, fervent spiritual hunger, and surprising religious curiosity among archetypically disinterested New Yorkers. We have grown in number, diversity, and reach, drawing people from every walk of life into the joy of Christian community. Together, we have shown the wider Episcopal Church what is possible when we invest courageously in a faithful, hopeful, and sustainable future.

It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve among you, and alongside such dear friends and colleagues as Peter, Meredith, Andrew, Molly, and John. Clergy and congregations shape one another, and you have profoundly shaped the priest and person I am today. I will forever be a proud “Saint Bartian!” St. Bart’s has also long been a sending parish, raising up bishops, priests, deacons, and lay leaders for ministry throughout God’s vineyard. Today, I have answered the call to join their number.

This season of discernment has both rocked and renewed my faith. From the beginning, I knew either outcome would bring reasons to celebrate and reasons to grieve. Midtown Manhattan is an unparalleled place to live and serve. The only reason I could imagine uprooting our lives is a genuine conviction that God is truly calling. And so, I entered this election prepared to answer a singular call: to follow Jesus — whether that meant staying or going.

As I prayed earlier this week, I found myself reflecting on the rich young ruler who walks away grieving when Jesus invites him to give up everything and follow. Because of you, I too am rich in the treasures of heaven: joy, love, faith, hope, peace, and grace. Even as I embrace this new call with excitement and confidence, I am already grieving what it means to leave. It is a joyful sacrifice, but a sacrifice to be sure.

Nevertheless, take heart! This is hardly my final word to you. There will be many more words to share — in sermons, at coffee hour, and online — as we cherish these final days together. I will not begin my ministry in Michigan until early 2027, giving us time to celebrate, say our farewells, and prepare for the future. We will promptly begin developing plans to sustain the ministries entrusted to my care, including Imagine Worship, Faith in Action, Newcomer Ministries, and Children, Youth, and Families.

And speaking of treasures, let us never miss an opportunity to provoke one another to good works! As this news arrives amid our annual pledge campaign, I urge you to join me in making a pledge to St. Bart’s for 2027. (And no, our Priest-in-Charge did not put me up to this!) Your generosity will help ensure these vital ministries continue to grow and thrive.

My heart is overflowing with love and gratitude for you. Please join us on Sunday if you can. I would love to speak with you at the door, share some chocolate cake at coffee hour, and celebrate all that God has done — and will yet do — among us.

Forever Yours in Christ,

The Reverend Zack Nyein
Senior Associate Rector and Pastor of Imagine Worship