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Walker Consecrated Long Island Bishop

Episcopal News Service. April 14, 1988 [88067]

NEW YORK (DPS, Apr. 14) -- The Ven. Orris George Walker, Jr., was ordained and consecrated bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Long Island in a three-hour ceremony at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City on April 9. The Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, was chief consecrator. Co-consecrators were bishops Robert C.Witcher of Long Island, Coleman McGehee of Michigan, Arthur B. Williams of Ohio, and the Most Rev. Orland U. Lindsay, Archbishop of the Anglican Province of the West Indies. Nine other Episcopal bishops took part in the service, including Bishop John T. Walker of Washington. The sermon was preached by Bishop Quintin E. Primo, Jr., retired suffragan of Chicago and a former rector of St. Matthew's and St. Joseph's parish in Detroit, a parish where Walker also served as rector. All clergy who were associated with Walker in his various parishes were invited to participate in his ordination.

Many other Episcopal clergy, and guests from other churches, were present at the Garden City ceremony, including Bishop John R. MoGann of the Roman Catholic diocese of Rockville Centre.

As coadjutor, Walker shares authority with Bishop Robert C. Witcher, who has been diocesan of Long Island since 1977. Upon Witcher's retirement, Walker will succeed him as head of the third largest diocese in the Episcopal Church. The diocese includes all of Long Island, with four archdeaconries corresponding to the four counties of Brooklyn (Kings), Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk. More than half of the population of New York City lives in the diocese of Long Island. Walker is one of eight active black bishops among the bishops of the 118 dioceses in the Episcopal Church and will be the first black bishop to head his diocese.

Walker sums up his vision of his ministry to the people of Long Island in this way:

"I have a vision of the Church as a multi-racial, multi-cultural community of faith that is committed to a ministry of reconciliation, compassion, and service. The affirmation and unity of all persons would be our goal. In the world, the Church would be working for freedom and peace with justice. In her worship, the Church would celebrate the gifts and resources given to us in order to accomplish this mission."

The new bishop was elected by clergy and lay delegates to the diocesan convention on Nov. 21, 1987. As required by the canons of the Church, the election was submitted to the standing committees and bishops of the other dioceses for approval. A majority gave consent.

Walker was born in Baltimore, Maryland, Nov. 5, 1942. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of Maryland, M. Div. from the General Theological Seminary, D. Min. from Drew University, and M.A. from the University of Windsor. He was ordained deacon in 1968 and priest in 1969. After serving in Baltimore and Kansas City, Walker moved to St. Matthew's and St. Joseph's Church in Detroit, where he became rector in 1972. Later he was named archdeacon of Region V of the diocese of Michigan. Walker has served the Church on many national boards, commissions, and agencies. He was deputy to five General Conventions, and a member of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of a Presiding Bishop (1982-85). He has been a member of the National Commission on Social and Specialized Ministries and of the Episcopal Commission for Black Ministries. He is a trustee of the General Theological Seminary in New York City.

In 1971 Walker married Norma McKinney Dixon. They have two children -- a son, Richard Anthony, and a daughter, Angela Louise. The Walkers will make their home in Garden City.

Since the Cathedral of the Incarnation seats only 570 people in the nave, many additional guests were seated in nearby Cathedral House. The entire service was taped for television and shown to these guests on closed-circuit TV. They received Communion from elements consecrated in the Cathedral. Just before the end of his solemn consecration ceremony, Bishop Walker left the Cathedral to bless his guests in Cathedral House.