The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, preached Oct. 3 at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Shepherdstown.

Her sermon was on faith.

“Faith comes from living a faithful life,” she said.

The Church was full of parishioners who had come to the service to meet and greet the visiting Bishop, who started her journey on Sept. 30 in Charleston. She also visited Fairmont and Wheeling.

She arrived by plane Saturday night at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport in Martinsburg and was accompanied to Shepherdstown by the Rt. Rev. W. Michie Klusmeyer, the Seventh Bishop of the Diocese of West Virginia.

Schori is the first woman elected as a primate of the Anglican Communion in the United States. She was elected to the post at the 75th General Convention in June 2006. She is chief pastor to the Episcopal Church’s 2.4 million members in 15 countries and 110 dioceses, ecumenical officers and primates, joining leaders of the other 38 Anglican.

Since Schori has become Presiding Bishop, she has visited 95 of the 112 dioceses in America.

In 1979 she married Richard Schori. He is an Oregon State professor of topology. Their daughter, Katharine, is a captain and pilot in the United States Air Force.

The Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Dr. G.T. Schramm, thought the visit was a once in a lifetime event.

“Tremendous. What a great honor,” he said. “It’s like meeting the pope. This is the first time that it happened in my life time. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime happening.”

After the reception in the fellowship hall The Presiding Bishop held an open conversation in the church. She thinks that the church should become like one large family and the congregation should learn to accept people.

“We should learn to love. But it’s very hard to shift from fear to love. It’s not easy,” she said.

After leaving Shepherdstown Schori plans to fly home, literally. She is an instrument-rated and third-generation pilot, and her parents were both also pilots.

Todd Baldau is a member of congregation.

“One thing, she is a roll model for my daughter. What a wonderful person she is. It proves that women have come far in the last 25 years. The Bishop delivered a very good sermon that really touched me.”