New Hire Announcement: Regional Missioner Southwest Region
From Bishop Monnot:
Dear siblings in Christ,
It gives me deep gladness to announce that I have called the Rev. Suzanne LeVesconte to the position of Regional Missioner for the Southwest Region of the Diocese of Iowa. Suzanne has served most recently in the Diocese of Southern Ohio as Priest-in-Charge and then Rector for the past eleven years. During her time there she networked with other local faith leaders and social service providers to create a group dedicated to addressing issues of homelessness and poverty in their community, experience that speaks directly to the work that she will do and lead as Regional Missioner. I look forward to welcoming Suzanne to the Diocese of Iowa. She will begin her work here remotely in September as she concludes her work in Ohio and prepares to move. She will join us physically in Iowa in October.
Yours in Christ,
+Betsey
The Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
FROM REV. SUZANNE LEVESCONTE
I believe small parishes can have vibrant and important ministries that that can have significant impact, and that we must find new ways to support small parishes as churches on the margins. Jesus loved to minister on the margins. The Sprit often gives us the most surprises and the most life on the margins. And the Church is meant to be in these marginal places. The Spirit can be large even in small, far-flung places. I look forward to seeing what the Spirit is and will be up to in the congregations and communities I will be serving, as we work to support and mentor leadership and build strong community connections.
ABOUT:
We are deeply grateful for the work of the RMI Search Committee, who reviewed applications, conducted interviews over Zoom and in person, and advised the Bishop and Canon Meg on the selection of the Missioners. Members included: Rita Baker, Ellen Bruckner, Deb Brewer Cotlar, SueAnn Raymond, Netti Renshaw, and Fred Steinbach.
The Diocese of Iowa’s Regional Mission Initiative (RMI) is an immersive program to support and strengthen our lay and clergy leadership in small churches to address the challenges facing our shrinking, rural communities.