Beloved Friends,

Some of you are aware that I am currently serving on the Diocesan Bishop Search Committee. We had our first overnight retreat in December of this past year, and since then have been meeting on a regular basis attending to the concurrently onerous and delightful steps of this search process. And since this is something that happens very infrequently in a diocese, I thought you might be interested in hearing a little bit more about the process, where we are to date, and how we will get the final election of our next bishop. What follows is an overview I hope you find helpful

Over the past 3 weeks we have been conducting interviews via Zoom and just finished this past Wednesday.  Prior to these interviews, members of our Search Team hosted diocesan-wide (in-person and on-line) listening sessions which provided invaluable feedback as we formulated the interview questions we used for this first round of conversations with the candidates. 

In the next week we will be reviewing all the recorded interviews and discerning who will move forward with us in the process.

In August a group chosen from the initial round of interviews will be invited to attend a weekend retreat with the Search Committee for extended in-person interviews and further conversations. Following the retreat, the Search Committee will submit an initial slate of candidates to the Standing Committee. 

Then, a “Petition Period” will ensue from August 16 – 30, 2022 which affords one more opportunity for other potential candidates to submit their interest in being considered according to a clear set of requirements/guidelines. The petition process is similar to the church’s previous practice of having “nominations from the floor” at the time of the elections with two major differences:

  1. The petition process allows time for a background check of all petition candidates, which was not possible for nominations from the floor; and
  2. Petition candidates are added to the final slate of candidates in time for them to become known to the Diocese through the required published information and participation in the walkabouts.

Once that window of time has expired, a final slate will then be presented on September 1, 2022.  Between then and our Diocesan Convention Nov 18-19, there will be a series of “walk-abouts” scheduled throughout the diocese. This will be a wonderful opportunity for people of the diocese to meet and see and listen to the candidates as we move towards the election/discernment of who will be our next bishop.

Then, finally, Diocesan delegates (lay and clergy) representing all our diocesan parishes will gather for Diocesan Convention Nov. 18-19 and during that meeting elect our next bishop. 

It is an honor to be serving with this fine and diverse group of people and in this capacity. Every time we are working together or doing the work required of us I am reminded of the blessing of being a part of The Episcopal Church- a wonderful branch of the Jesus Movement!

More information on the search is also available on the Diocesan website: Bishop Search

May you never forget that you are loved,

Lisa

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