July 26, 2021
Robin Hammeal-Urban, Canon for Mission Integrity and Training to transition to Pastoral Response & Discipline Resource Officer
this September
As of September 1, 2021, Robin Hammeal-Urban, Canon for Mission Integrity and Training has decided to transition from canon to a part-time position as Pastoral Response & Discipline Resource Officer. In this role, Robin will continue to aid in the clergy disciplinary process as well as care for congregations and all impacted by clergy misconduct. She will also continue to partner with bishops & canons in challenging and/or conflicted parish situations and provide oversight of misconduct litigation. She will continue to work with the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission and The Episcopal Church’s task force on Women, Truth and Reconciliation. Robin will also be designing and leading the Mandatory Clergy Professional Development days (MCPD) in 2022.
“I have discerned that it is time for me to step away from my role as ECCT’s Canon for Mission Integrity and Training in order to pursue new calls in my life, including growing as a visual artist and enhancing capacity of other dioceses to respond to misconduct,” said Robin. “I remain committed to the work of responding to misconduct, the work I have been called to since 2000.”
For the past nine years, Robin has also produced and overseen ECCT’s Spring Training & Gathering, an annual program dedicated to enriching and educating parish leadership, especially lay people, with workshop-based classes. Moving forward, the Rev. Canon Tim Hodapp, Canon for Mission Advancement & Coaching, will lead the team producing and overseeing Spring Training & Gathering. Tim will also serve as the new canon liaison to the Commission on Ministry, succeeding the Rev. Canon Lee Ann Tolzmann, who retired in June.
Any inquiries regarding Safe Church Training, another program previously curated and overseen by Robin, may continue to be directed to ECCT’s Administrator for Licensing and Training, Bernice Fleming.
Since the Fall of November 2000, Robin has served in leadership positions for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. First under Bishop Andrew D. Smith, and then appointed as canon in 2010 by Bishop Ian T. Douglas.
“Robin is one of the most skilled and experienced leaders in The Episcopal Church, and the whole Anglican Communion, in helping parishes, clergy and laity, to find God’s wholeness and reconciliation in the midst of conflict, betrayal, and loss of trust,” said the Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas, Bishop Diocesan. "I completely support Robin’s desire to pursue other calls. I thank God that Robin will continue to be available to help ECCT leadership in matters of pastoral response and clergy discipline going forward, and will always be thankful for Robin’s collegiality and support for all she’s contributed and continues to contribute to God’s mission of restoration and reconciliation, albeit in a different capacity.”
Bishop Douglas further noted: “I appreciate that we are seeing significant change in ECCT’s staff with Robin’s new role, Lee Ann Tolzmann’s retirement, and Marcus Halley’s move from Dean of Formation to Chaplain at Trinity College. At the same time, I believe the steps we are taking including: the appointment of a new Canon for Mission Advocacy, Racial Justice, and Reconciliation in the very near future, new leadership responsibilities for our Region Missionaries, the reconfiguration of Tim Hodapp’s portfolio as our Canon for Mission Advancement and Coaching, Amber Page Gehr stepping into the role of Diocesan Transition Minister, and the soon to be named Interim Dean of Formation, give us a full complement of extremely gifted leaders to help the Episcopal Church in Connecticut embrace God’s future in this new missional age.”
