Bishop
Bishop Allin in 1969.
Sixth Diocesan
Allin translated to the office of Bishop of Mississippi in 1966 with the retirement of Bishop Duncan Gray Sr. As diocesan, Allin was able to hone an effective style of leadership: relationships mattered and practical solutions were preferred over ambling consensus. Bishop Allin’s letters and reflections indicate that he clearly understood the pressing issues facing the Church. He valued the judicious use of time for appropriate deliberation without undue political considerations or complication. Open-ended discussion was not favored. Controlled, experimental approaches were the way to finding solutions to intractable problems.
In the House of Bishops, Allin believed that candid, informal discussion between bishops was imperative to addressing and solving the problems of the Church. He had a distaste for formal meetings that included endless presentations, which left no time for the hard discussion that could bring closure. He considered close collaboration, open communication, and pragmatic approaches to problem-solving the most effective tools of leadership.
Allin pens his frustration regarding the passivity of the House of Bishops. During the meeting, Allin courageously speaks up and discovers he is not alone, 1968.
“May God help me.” Allin’s journal entry from the day of his investiture as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Mississippi, 1966.
Allin receiving an ‘admonition’ from the Rev. Jones S. Hamilton at All Saints’ Church, Grenada, MS, 1968.
Diocesan Convention, Gulfport, MS, 1969, the year Hurricane Camille devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Allin and “The Mouth of Mississippi,” Jerry Clower, share an embrace while the Rev. Duncan Gray, Jr. looks on, 1974.