Sunday, June 18, 2006 | 11:26 a.m.
RENO, Nev. - Nevada Episcopalians are hailing the selection of their bishop as the first female chief pastor of the denomination, but say they are sad to see her go.
They describe Katharine Jefferts Schori as a very likable, personable woman who revitalized the church during her six years in Nevada.
"She came in and put our house in order," said Greg Bortolin, a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Reno. "She has a wonderful presence about her. She's smart and humble at the same time and that's a rare combination.
"We're challengers rather than followers. So you have to have some leadership skills to bring such a diverse constituency together and she's a leader," he said.
Ace Frazee, a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Reno, said she was impressed by Schori's ability to relate to all kinds of people.
"She's a down-to-earth, caring and compassionate person, and always has a kind word no matter what the situation is," Frazee said.
"When you're down in the dumps, she knows exactly what to say to pull you out of it. I was really pulling for her, but it breaks my heart to see her leave Nevada," she said.
Micheal Bertolozzi, 53, deacon at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Las Vegas, praised Schori's listening ability and predicted she would be an effective national leader.
"I'm excited for her. I think she's going to be a good one," he said. "It's just that knack, that air she has that opens you up without really asking questions.
"She draws attention but she doesn't awe people. She's human, she's got a basic human instinct. But when she comes in, people tend to notice her that she is there," Bertolozzi said.
Before becoming Nevada's first female Episcopalian bishop in 2000, Schori was an assistant rector of a church in Corvallis, Ore., and a theology instructor at Oregon State University. She also holds a doctorate in oceanography from OSU.
Among her accomplishments, Nevada church officials cited her efforts to reach out to minority groups, to improve communication between churches and to build new churches.
Based in Las Vegas, Schori oversaw 37 churches statewide with about 6,000 members. She's a licensed pilot who flew to parishes scattered across the state.
"I'm sure some priests are shredding their garments, but praise God this has happened and this is the beginning of a brand new era in the Episcopal Church," said the Rev. John Steinfeld, pastoral associate of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Reno.
"Katharine has been a tremendous power in this particular diocese. She has promoted a sense of true family brotherhood among churches in the state," he said.
William O'Melia, 68, a lay Eucharistic minister at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Las Vegas, predicted Schori would do the same for the denomination nationally.
"I think she'll be pretty laid back at least initially," he said. "Whatever changes she makes would be gradual. She is one for unification of the church, so I don't know how she'll go about that."
In Nevada, Schori has let individual parishes decide whether to bless same-sex relationships, a divisive issue for the church, Bertolozzi said.
"She's not forcing that change on us," he said. "Even though the diocese did accept that we have the right to bless same-sex relationships, she's not forcing the church, saying `If someone comes in, you have to do it.'"
Church officials also praised Schori's efforts on behalf of building Filipino, Hispanic and black ministries as well as helping third world countries.
"I know she's reached out to the minorities, which basically follows on the same theme of working with third world countries," Bertolozzi said.
"The diocese of Nevada has gone out with her guidance and built hospitals and did a lot of work in Africa. She works a lot with Africa, so I know she'll do good with the third world countries."
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Associated Press writer Ryan Nakashima in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
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