[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael B. Curry wishes to thank all Episcopalians and others for the generous outpouring of prayer and well wishes in response to his Dec. 6 announcement that he will be undergoing surgery.

That surgery, originally scheduled for Dec. 7, is now scheduled for Dec. 8.  The postponement is to allow some aspirin he took on Dec. 6 the time needed to clear his system.

Presiding Bishop Curry was taken to the hospital Sunday, Dec. 6 after a visitation to Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.  A full recovery is expected.

Bishop Stacy Sauls, chief operating officer and the presiding bishop’s chief of staff, will be the celebrant and preacher at the Chapel of Christ Our Lord, 815 Second Ave., New York City, at 12:10 pm Eastern on Dec. 8.  He will include the following prayer for Bishop Curry, and invites others, wherever they may be, to join.

Precious Lord, take our hands, lead us on, let us stand. Let us stand today that we might better praise you. Let us stand that we might better hear you. Let us stand that we might better see you in the face of our neighbor. Let us stand that we might better embrace those who need you today. Let us stand that we might better feed those who hunger today. Let us stand that we might better serve the needy today. Let us stand that we might better clothe the naked today. Let us stand that we might better walk to visit the sick and free the captives and proclaim the good news of salvation to the ends of the earth today and every day. Let us stand today, even though we know you are doing for us better things that we can ask or imagine, to seek your presence with Michael and among us. Strengthen him on this day of his surgery. Guide those who care for him on your behalf in the hospital. And bring us all together again in your way and in your time that we can live lives of gratitude and love from this day onward.  It is your holy name that we pray. Amen.
(Inspired by Songs My Grandma Sang by Michael B. Curry)

Bishop Sauls noted that further information will be released by the presiding bishop’s office.