[St. Mary’s, Sewanee Press Release] In a desire to deepen ties to the Episcopal Church, and to more effectively serve the Episcopal Church as a center for spiritual development, the St. Mary’s Sewanee Board of Trustees announces the creation of their Bishop-in-Residence program.  The Bishop-in-Residence will assist the Center in engaging the Episcopal Church more directly as a resource for spiritual growth and faith formation.  This will include periods of residency for one week every quarter during which the Bishop will offer a Quiet Retreat Day and schedule appointments for spiritual direction.  In addition, the Bishop-in-Residence will lead a Pre-Ordination retreat for transitional deacons, as well as develop opportunities to support and nurture parish priests and serve as an advisor on St. Mary’s Sewanee Program Committee.

The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that The Right Reverend Henry Nutt Parsley will serve as St. Mary’s Sewanee first Bishop-in-Residence for a three-year term beginning in 2013.  His first week in residence is March 1 – 8, 2013 and he will offer a Lenten Quiet Day on Friday, March 1, 2013.   Bishop Parsley is the recently retired 10^th Bishop of Alabama and the 22^nd Chancellor of the University of the South.  Since 2000, Bishop Parsley’s retreats frequently utilize his interest and passion for literature as a resource for the spiritual journey.

St. Mary’s Sewanee is celebrating our 25^th year as a center for spiritual development.  We welcome over 5,000 guests each year to our retreat center located on the Cumberland Plateau and 3 miles from the University of the South.

Contact St. Mary’s Sewanee to register for the March 1 Lenten Day retreat or to schedule a time for spiritual direction with Bishop Parsley.

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If you would like more information about the Bishop-in-Residence program or St. Mary’s Sewanee retreat center call Thomas Morris at 931-598-5342 or email Thomas at thomas.morris@stmaryssewanee.org