At our 2012 Diocesan Convention Bishop Knisely called for
the creation of a “Cathedral Task Force” to lead Rhode Island Episcopalians
through a collaborative process of listening and discerning a future for the
Cathedral of St. John at 271 North Main Street.
Since then a group has been gathered including The Bishop
and members of the Cathedral Chapter. The Rev. Robert Brooks has been appointed
to chair the endeavor, and together the Task Force is ready to begin their
work.
This is the beginning of what is likely to be a fairly long
process, as you will see from the below timeline, and though Sunday worship
services have been suspended at the Cathedral, worship continues during the week
and a variety of uses of the building during this interim time are being
explored.
The first step for the Cathedral Task Force will be a
listening process, to hear the stories and concerns of those who have been
members of the Cathedral, and then the wider Rhode Island community and diocese.
Our neighbors, the Preservation Society, business community, schools, and the
city all have an interest and investment in what happens to the Cathedral. Their
voices will be invaluable as the Task Force moves through a season of listening
and learning, into a season of exploration and visioning together, then into the
much awaited implementation of an exciting new future for St. John’s.
Task Force Timeline
Telling the Story
Phase I – August 2013
Meetings with the former members of and those affiliated
with the Cathedral to gather stories, lessons learned and their perspectives
for the future
Phase II – Fall
Meetings around the diocese to hear from clergy and laity of
the diocese
Phase III – Fall to Winter
Meetings with members of the community, business and civic
leaders, schools, the Preservation Society, etc.
Exploring Options
Phase I – Winter 2013-14
One or two charrettes (a collaborative design session) to
generate options
Phase II – Spring 2014
Gathering information and analyzing the most feasible
options
Phase III
Develop and implement a decision-making process. The
Cathedral Chapter is the legal entity; the diocesan convention and other
diocesan leadership groups will be involved depending on the scope of the
project.
Implementation
TBD depending on the chosen project
