We live in a time where the world around us clamours with words of scarcity and fear – I will lead in reminding us of our story set in the abundance of God’s reign, offering hope in place of fear. As St. Paul wrote to the Colossians: “You need to remain well established and rooted in faith and not shift away from the hope given in the good news.”

Standing firm in the grace of God we move forward on this awesome journey of hope-filled faith, alive to the challenges which are, in truth, new opportunities to share the good news of God’s love with a world that is desperately seeking hope and meaningful purpose. Together with people of faith across our country and the world, we offer messages of hope, welcome and justice for all, a heart for reconciliation, and loving service in our communities, all “rooted and grounded in the love of God through Jesus Christ” strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

I am blessed to lead and serve as your bishop, and I offer my blessing to all of you as together we embark with energy and intention on this new stage of our journey in our Anglican Diocese of Ottawa.

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About 530 people gathered for the morning Eucharist service to support and pray for the new bishop and to celebrate the beginning of her new ministry.

Lt. Col. the Rev. Mike Gibbons of the Military Ordinariate, who was Otley’s clergy colleague when she was incumbent in the Parish of Christ Church Bells Corners, offered the homily.

“Being the shepherd of a community in which people ask to have God revealed to them is no small task, especially when there is also the never-ending list of tasks that must be accomplished, future planning that must be attended to, as well as the human element. How much more so for a bishop whose responsibilities stretch over 46,000 sq. kilometres?” he asked.

But he said he had chosen to highlight only one of the many tasks that bishops do.

“As a military chaplain, I have worked for many leaders over the years, and each of them has had their own philosophies and approaches to command and leadership. And any good military section of a bookstore will have copious volumes on leadership, sometimes with one approach being diametrically opposed to another approach. It’s all a bit like dieting,” he quipped. “What differentiates great leaders from those who simply occupy leadership positions, and there is a difference, is their ability to inspire their people to locate their personal stories within the wider story of the community,” he said….

“Leaders tell the story of the community they serve. They engage the stories of the people who make up the community, and they tie it together. Kathryn,” he said, “you are now our chief storyteller….You are now tasked with taking the gospel and helping us to understand who we are as followers of Christ in the Church of God, and how we are to live out our Christian response, and I know that you are up to the task. Your whole ministry has brought you to this place. You have been chosen by your people and your clergy, and that call has been confirmed by the Holy Spirit. You are a pastor, a teacher, a priest, and a strong leader, and today you become a bishop in the Church of God.”

Referring back to the Gospel reading for the day from John 14: 8-11, he added: “You join an apostolic succession, ensuring the mission and witness of the Church. You represent Philip’s courage and audacity seeking to see the Father and then seeing God at work in Christ in the world.” And reflecting on the fact that the service was also a commemoration of the saint Julian of Norwich, Gibbons suggested that the bishop also represents “Julian’s defiant, faithful optimism that despite all the ills in the world, the suffering, the injustices and the cruelty to which we bear witness, that God is at work, and all shall be well.”

During the consecration, bishops and archbishops from Ottawa and many other dioceses surrounded the bishop-elect to pray for her. Archbishop Anne Germond, the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, anointed the bishop’s hands and forehead with Chrism and presented her with a Bible.

Archbishop Shane Parker, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, presented her with a crozier, a pastoral staff.

The bishop’s family helped her vest and don the regalia of the office. Helplng her with the stole were sons, Derek and Benjamin, and friend Colleen McCluskey-Douse, standing in for her daughter Heather who could not attend. Her brothers Gerald, Anthony and John placed the diocesan cope on her shoulders. Her mother, Carolyn Otley, presented her with an episcopal ring, a gift from her family.

Dean Beth Bretzlaff and diocesan Chancellor Canon Henry Schultz installed the bishop in the Cathedra, the official seat of the bishop in the Cathedral. Otley is the first woman to serve as bishop in the diocese of Ottawa.

Archbishop Germond presented Bishop Kathryn to the congregation. The bishop thanked all those who had gathered — family, friends, clergy colleagues from Anglican parishes and dioceses, ecumenical and interfaith friends, as well as those watching the service online.

Addressing the congregation and all of the assembled clergy, Bishop Otley said: “This is such a great honour, and I am filled with gratitude, and I know that I have been surrounded by your prayers….The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit holds us all.”

Responding to Lt. Col. Gibbons’ homily, she added, “I want us to tell the story together. I will lead and tell the story that we live in a time of abundance and … that we are established and rooted in faith… and the hope that is given in the good news that we have heard, that we know, and that we believe.

“And so, I am honored again to lead our diocese, to be part of leading in our ecclesiastical province of Ontario, our province of Canada, and throughout the Communion as we journey together, on a journey of welcoming, of reconciliation, of serving and loving. And we do all this in the joy of God, in the power of the Spirit, to the glory of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Following the Eucharist, the clergy processed out with loud applause of welcome for the new bishop from the crowd attending. All were invited to a festive reception in the Cathedral’s Great Hall.

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