• A gift is a nice way to welcome your new bishop.Design Pics/Valueline/Getty Images
  
  A bishop is the chief pastor of a diocese, or territory of several churches. If your diocese is receiving a new bishop, it is a friendly gesture to provide him with a gift that welcomes him to your diocese as well as to the community. Your gift should be appropriate, tasteful and demonstrate respect for the recipient, who is a spiritual leader within your church community.
  
  

Professional Portrait

• One way you and your church family can welcome a new bishop is to give him the gift of a professional portrait session taken within your church. A professional portrait will solidify his place among your congregation and other congregations in the area. Take the picture in an area of your church that is easy to identify as being your specific church. Provide one framed portrait for the bishop to keep, of course, and get a second copy printed to display in your church. Displaying his portrait in your church is the ideal way for him to know that he is welcome in your community and that you recognize him as a leader within your church.
  
  

Treat Him to Dinner

• Bishops are assigned to different communities, sometimes without having any prior knowledge of the city or state in which they are to live. When your new bishop arrives, a way to make him feel truly welcome in the community is to treat him to dinner at a popular local restaurant. This is a great way for him to become acquainted with his new city. As dinner host, you will have a special opportunity to converse and acquaint yourself with your diocese's new leader. You can also get your entire congregation involved by organizing a welcome dinner to be held in your church's parish hall. Cook the meal on site or have members of the church contribute to a pot luck affair.
  
  

City Guidebooks

• As your new bishop settles into his new city, he may be looking to experience some of the attractions the city has to offer. To help him get to know the city more easily, give him a guidebook that details the attractions in the area and provides him with reviews of the various things to do. If there is a particular attraction or event that you think he might enjoy, give him a gift certificate so he can try the activity for free. Such experiences might include a round of golf, theater tickets, a ride on an excursion train or a tour of a local museum.
  
  

Diocesan History

• As the new leader of your diocese, your bishop might appreciate a gift that introduces him to the history of your diocese and the churches within the community. You can create a historical guidebook that outlines the history of the diocese or each individual church. Your church or diocese's historian should be able to help you find information regarding the history of the churches within the diocese, including past priests and bishops. Ask elder church members for help in locating historical photographs, such as photos from the erection of churches or pictures of past congregations. Remember to take a current photo of each church congregation. Compile a different guidebook for each church, or complete a single book that outlines the history of the entire diocese. Present the book or books to the new bishop at a welcoming party.