On the Renaming of the Diocese as the Anglican Diocese of Erie

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

After much prayer and consideration, and to come in line with my vision for the Diocese, which is to be a Church of the Great Commission, I have made the decision to rename our Diocese as the Anglican Diocese of Erie.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Lord invites His disciples to come be fishers of people (4:19). As a child growing up on Lake Erie, I would see the fishing boats launching from the piers all day, not unlike the fishermen in Jesus' time, who made their living along the Sea of Galilee. Not only is Lake Erie the geographical location of the beginnings of the Diocese, but its symbolism has also always driven me throughout my life. It has driven me as a priest, and I want it to drive me into the role of being your Bishop. That symbolism has always been vital to me, and it is important that I share it with you.

**The pelican.** The pelican is a particularly meaningful symbol and is commonly represented as wounding itself to feed its offspring. This is my commitment to you as your Bishop: to always be a source of orthodox teachings.

**The net.** The net represents being fishers of people. As your Bishop, it is my responsibility to not only be a teacher, but to be an evangelist as well.

**The waves.** The crashing waves represent the storms of life, and it is my commitment as your Bishop to navigate the storms of life with you.

**The anchor.** The anchor represents Christ as the anchor of our faith and our sure hope.

Over the course of the next few days and weeks, you will begin to see changes around our social media platforms and websites to come in line with this vision. To that effect, I have commissioned our heraldic artist to begin work immediately on a new diocesan seal that encapsulates the vision that I have laid out. I am excited about the course that has been charted for the Diocese, and I invite you all to come on this journey with us as we move into the future.

I forever remain your servant in Christ, + Brent Edward Whetstone