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(Created page with "'''Mary Adelia Rosamond McLeod''' (born September 27, 1938 in Birmingham) was the Episcopal Bishop of Vermont from 1993 to 2001. McLeod grew up in Birming...")
 
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McLeod grew up in Birmingham. She earned a bachelor's degree in history at the [[University of Alabama]] and was a member of the [[Kappa Delta]] sorority. She married and raised five children in Birmingham while serving in the [[Junior League]] and as a member of [[St Luke's Episcopal Church]] in [[Mountain Brook]].
McLeod grew up in Birmingham. She earned a bachelor's degree in history at the [[University of Alabama]] and was a member of the [[Kappa Delta]] sorority. She married and raised five children in Birmingham while serving in the [[Junior League]] and as a member of [[St Luke's Episcopal Church]] in [[Mountain Brook]].


McLeod enrolled in seminary at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee in [[1978]] and graduated second in her class in [[1980]]. She was ordained a priest later that year and joined St Timothy's Episcopal Church in Athens, Limestone County as Co-Rector. She took the same position at St John's Episcopal Church in Charleston, West Virginia in [[1983]].
McLeod met her second husband, attorney Henry "Mac" McLeod, on a blind date. They married on [[November 25]], [[1970]] and enrolled together in seminary at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee in [[1978]] and she graduated second in her class in [[1980]]. She was ordained a priest later that year and joined St Timothy's Episcopal Church in Athens, Limestone County as Co-Rector with her husband. They took the same positions at St John's Episcopal Church in Charleston, West Virginia in [[1983]].


On [[June 5]], [[1993]] a special convention of the Episcopal Church elected McLeod to serve as the denomination's first female diocesan bishop, heading the Diocese of Vermont. She was consecrated by Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning on [[November 1]] of that year.
On [[June 5]], [[1993]] a special convention of the Episcopal Church elected McLeod to serve as the denomination's first female diocesan bishop, heading the Diocese of Vermont. She was consecrated by Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning on [[November 1]] of that year.


<!--Accomplishments during her Episcopacy include:
During her episcopacy, McLeod presided over a nearly 50% increase in communicants in Vermont, as well as an increase in per capita financial pledges. She oversaw stabilization of finances and financial practices and promoted innovative ministries utilizing lay leaders. In addition to her role as Bishop of Vermont, McLeod served as Secretary of the House of Bishops and on several Episcopal boards and committees. Throughout her pastorate, McLeod demonstrated commitment to the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons as rightful members of the church and of society. She gave testimony to that effect before the Vermont General Assembly and wrote a pastoral letter explaining her views which she directed to be read in every parish of the diocese.


:*The Diocese of Vermont grew by 49.5% in number of Communicants and was the third fastest growing Diocese in the Episcopal Church during the decade that included her tenure.<ref>{{cite web|last=Crew, Louie|title=Episcopal Church Growth 1991-2001|url=http://rci.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/natter2003/msg00007.html|accessdate=1 October 2012}}</ref>
As a writer and poet, she has contributed to several publications.  
:
:*Through her emphasis on Stewardship Education, the Average Pledge increased significantly.
:
:*She restructured the Diocesan Office, Council, Committees, and other Diocesan organizations and systems, resulting in more efficiency and accountability.
:
:*She fostered innovative programs for small Congregations, including regional ministry and mutual ministry where lay people performed some functions traditionally done by clergy.
:
:*After inheriting major financial problems, she instituted balanced budgets, regular audits, and other sound and transparent financial practices.
:
:*She led a successful Capital Campaign creating an Endowment for Congregation Programs, outreach, and capital improvements.<ref>{{cite web|last=Episcopal Diocese of Vermont|title=J. Warren and Lois McClure Discipleship Discovery 2000 Fund|url=http://www.diovermont.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=244|accessdate=4 October 2012}}</ref>
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:*Created a safe, open environment in the diocese for discussion of difficult and possibly contentious issues.


On her retirement, one Vermont Episcopalian described Bishop McLeod as “Firm, Friendly, Focused, Fiscal, Funny, and of course Feminine.”
McLeod retired from active ministry in [[2001]].
 
==Ministries in the National Church==
Her national Episcopal Church ministries included; Secretary of the House of Bishops, one of three Bishops appointed by the Presiding Bishop to respond to alleged Bishop misconduct, Board of Pastoral Development, Board of the Episcopal Women’s Caucus, Dialogue on Human Sexuality Committee, Board of [[Kanuga Conference Center]], Board of Visitors for [[Episcopal Divinity School]], Stewardship Consultation Committee, Vice-Chair of the [[Canon law (Episcopal Church in the United States)|Canons]] Committee, [[General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|General Convention]] Planning Committee, Rules of Order Committee, Ad Hoc Committee to Study Insurance Issues, Judge, House of Bishops Trial Court, College for Bishops Committee, and Dispatch of Business Committee.
 
==Commitment to Rights of LGBT Persons==
Bishop McLeod is a long-time supporter of full inclusion and rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender ([[LGBT]]) persons both in the church and in society. When the [[Vermont General Assembly]] debated proposed legislation to extend marriage benefits to gay and lesbian couples, she testified before the House Judiciary Committee urging approval of the Bill.<ref>{{cite news|title=Church leaders in Vermont divided over gay marriages|newspaper=Episcopal News Service|date=February 28, 2000}}</ref>  "Such action will serve to strengthen [the state's] social fabric and is not a threat to traditional marriage", she said to the Committee.<ref>{{cite news|last=McLeod|first=Mary Adelia Rosamond|title=Testimony before the House Judiciary Committee February 2, 2000|url=http://www.diovermont.org/archived-site/Resources/TFonBlessings/Intimate%20HR%20Rev.pdf|accessdate=October 1, 2012|newspaper=Intimate Relationships, p. 13|date=March 2000}}</ref> 
 
She enunciated her views on LGBT rights in a [[Pastoral letter|Pastoral Letter]] titled, “Let the Church Be the First to Issue an Emancipation Proclamation.”<ref>{{cite news|last=McLeod|first=Mary Adelia Rosamond|title=Let the Church be the first to issue an Emancipation Proclamation|url=http://www.diovermont.org/archived-site/Resources/TFonBlessings/Intimate%20HR%20Rev.pdf|newspaper=Intimate Relationships, p. 11|date=February 2000}}</ref>  In it, she stated, “Heterosexual and homosexual people are equally capable of entering into life-long unions of love, mutual support and fidelity.” Further, “God's great gift of love and the expression of that love cannot and should not be denied to those among us who happen to be homosexual.”  She requested the letter be read in every Episcopal Church in Vermont.
 
==Personal==
Her published writings include a major piece in ''A Voice of Our Own: Leading American Women Celebrate the Right to Vote''<ref>{{cite book|last=Neuman|first=Nancy M.|title=A Voice of Our Own: Leading American Women Celebrate the Right to Vote|year=1996|publisher=Jossey-Bass|location=San Francisco|isbn=978-0-470-63087-7|pages=74–85}}</ref>  and a poem, “Granny’s Treasure,” in ''Women’s Uncommon Prayers: Our Lives Revealed, Nurtured, Celebrated''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Ann|coauthors= Geitz, Elizabeth Rankin; Burke, Marjorie A. |title=Women's Uncommon Prayers: Our Lives Revealed, Nurtured, Celebrated|year=2000|publisher=Morehouse Publishing, Inc.|isbn=0819218642|pages=151}}</ref>
 
She is married to the Rev. Henry M. McLeod III and has five children and eight grandchildren.-->


==References==
==References==
* "[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Adelia_McLeod Mary Adelia McLeod]" (August 18, 2014) Wikipedia - accessed December 16, 2014
* "[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Adelia_McLeod Mary Adelia McLeod]" (August 18, 2014) Wikipedia - accessed December 16, 2014


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[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alabama alumni]]
[[Category:Episcopal clergy]]
[[Category:Episcopal clergy]]
[[Category:Writers]]
[[Category:Poets]]

Latest revision as of 08:17, 18 December 2014

Mary Adelia Rosamond McLeod (born September 27, 1938 in Birmingham) was the Episcopal Bishop of Vermont from 1993 to 2001.

McLeod grew up in Birmingham. She earned a bachelor's degree in history at the University of Alabama and was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. She married and raised five children in Birmingham while serving in the Junior League and as a member of St Luke's Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook.

McLeod met her second husband, attorney Henry "Mac" McLeod, on a blind date. They married on November 25, 1970 and enrolled together in seminary at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee in 1978 and she graduated second in her class in 1980. She was ordained a priest later that year and joined St Timothy's Episcopal Church in Athens, Limestone County as Co-Rector with her husband. They took the same positions at St John's Episcopal Church in Charleston, West Virginia in 1983.

On June 5, 1993 a special convention of the Episcopal Church elected McLeod to serve as the denomination's first female diocesan bishop, heading the Diocese of Vermont. She was consecrated by Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning on November 1 of that year.

During her episcopacy, McLeod presided over a nearly 50% increase in communicants in Vermont, as well as an increase in per capita financial pledges. She oversaw stabilization of finances and financial practices and promoted innovative ministries utilizing lay leaders. In addition to her role as Bishop of Vermont, McLeod served as Secretary of the House of Bishops and on several Episcopal boards and committees. Throughout her pastorate, McLeod demonstrated commitment to the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons as rightful members of the church and of society. She gave testimony to that effect before the Vermont General Assembly and wrote a pastoral letter explaining her views which she directed to be read in every parish of the diocese.

As a writer and poet, she has contributed to several publications.

McLeod retired from active ministry in 2001.

References

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