Bishops typically visit congregations in their synod throughout the year. Bishop Satterlee endeavors to visit congregations regularly, just as pastors seek to visit congregants on a regular basis. Bishop Satterlee concentrates on congregations that invite him, congregations celebrating significant events, and those where there is a need. If you would like Bishop Satterlee to visit your congregation, please call the North/West Lower Michigan Synod Office (517-321-5066) or email Bishop Satterlee.
Regularly visiting all the congregations and worshiping communities of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod is among the principal responsibilities of Bishop Satterlee’s ministry. He is blessed to share these responsibilities with the North/West Lower Michigan Synod’s assistants to the bishop as an extension of his ministry as bishop. They find visiting congregations to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments is a great joy and delight of the offices to which they have been called.
Bishop Satterlee desires his visit–and those of his assistants–to be at once both business-as-usual and a special occasion in the life of the congregation. By this, he means that he hopes, regardless of how infrequent, his visitation will not be perceived as unusual, a reason for concern, or an excuse to put on unnecessary airs. While celebratory in nature, these visits need not look like a state occasion and, as the synod’s pastor, he prefers not to be treated as an “outsider” or “guest.” We are, all of us, guests at the table where Jesus is the host.
The central act of every Sunday visit is the preaching of God’s Word and the celebration of Holy Communion. Bishop Satterlee expects that worship will include Holy Communion. He is honored to preach and, whenever possible, to preside at Holy Communion.
Bishop Satterlee cherishes worshiping with congregations at the table of the Lord as the time and the place where we as a faith community discern ourselves to be Christ’s body for the sake of the world as we receive Christ present in the sacrament (1 Corinthians 11:22-33). He hopes that worship will also invite some time to discern together what God is doing and inviting to us to do—in the body of Christ that is the congregation, the community, and the synod. Bishop Satterlee often participates in a Bishop’s Forum or Q&A session after worship.
Read Bishop Satterlee’s Customary for Congregational Visits
Read “Indeed, Bishop Satterlee is Legally Blind”
Learn more about hosting Bishop Satterlee
Download an example Leader Book for Bishop Satterlee and the Assistants to the Bishop