Discerning Together: Diocesan Profile and Nomination Process for Bishop Election
Click here or the video above to view a message from the Rev. Scott Brown and Richard Mosty on behalf of the Standing Committee. An overview of the information in the video is in their letter below. A Spanish translation of the letter below is available; haga clic aquí para leer la carta en español.
Hello Diocese of West Texas!
After the Standing Committee passed its Resolution for the Election of a Bishop Coadjutor in May 2022, we have continued to meet regularly to pray for the Diocese and to establish the Bishop Election process, outlined in previous communications available online, at dwtx.org/bishop-election.
In today's video message from the Standing Committee, the Rev. Scott Brown shares “It’s important that you hear from the Standing Committee and Bishop Nominating Committee that we are not looking for someone to be a bishop. We’re looking for faithful clergy who have a calling to be the Bishop of the Diocese of West Texas. We truly believe that this is a discernment process that will culminate in a bishop’s election, not simply an election.”
With that in mind, the Standing Committee is releasing the Diocesan Profile electronically today, to help articulate what the people of the Diocese of West Texas hope for in the next bishop, describe how diocesan members see the Diocese currently, and cast an aspirational vision for future growth. The Profile was completed in collaboration with the Executive Board and informed by the overwhelming, enthusiastic response to the diocesan survey conducted earlier this year. Printed copies are being mailed to all congregations, and a digital version is linked below.
Following the publication of the Diocesan Profile, the Bishop Nomination Process will open on Monday, September 26. After two weeks, the Bishop Nomination Process will close, on October 10. Richard Mosty, Standing Committee member, shares “This two-week window is very tight and intentionally so, so that we may get the nominations in-hand to do our work during October and November, to include a discernment retreat with potential candidates and culminating in the release of the slate of nominees in December.”
Each nominee must be nominated by one lay person and one clergy nominator. There will not be a petition process, and there will not be nominations from the floor. Each person may only submit one nominee for bishop, using the Nomination Form below, and neither the nominators nor the candidate need to be resident within the Diocese.
The Nomination Form includes a link for the nominee to update his or her biographical data with The Episcopal Church's Office of Transitional Ministries. No nominee can be made unless that person has consented to be nominated and has advised their Diocesan Bishop that they will be in the nomination process for West Texas.
“While we don’t want you to nominate prior to September 26,” Brown concludes, “the Standing Committee does want you to start saying your prayers today. Talk to your clergy. Talk to each other. And begin prayerfully discerning who you might consider nominating to be our next bishop. …. The Standing Committee will be in touch very soon with next steps in the nominations process. Until then we are grateful for the responsibility of the Standing Committee’s work and we’re looking forward to standing alongside you and working with you and communicating with you throughout this process.”
Completed Nomination Forms and questions regarding the Election Process should be submitted directly to the Standing Committee, at dwtxdiscernment2023@gmail.com.
Blessings,
The Standing Committee
- View the Diocesan Profile online
- Download the Diocesan Profile to print
- Open the Nomination Form
- Contact the Standing Committee
Timeline for Electing Next Diocesan Bishop
September 19, 2022
Diocesan Profile published
September 26, 2022
Nomination Process opens
October 10, 2022
Nomination Process closes
October 2022
Nominating Committee conducts interviews of nominees and makes reference calls; background checks conducted
November 1, 2022
Nominating Committee invites selected nominees to Discernment Retreat
November 14-17, 2022
Discernment Retreat - Nominating Committee and Consultant on retreat with selected nominees
December 18, 2022
Final slate of nominees for Bishop Coadjutor published
January 27-29, 2023
Discernment Forums, previously called "Walk-Abouts," will take place in the Rio Grande Valley, Corpus Christi and San Antonio regions; times and locations to be determined
February 18, 2023
Election of a Bishop Coadjutor at the conclusion of Diocesan Council in Corpus Christi
Summer 2023
Consecration of the Bishop-Elect; time and location to be determined
A Prayer for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas
Almighty God, giver of all good gifts, you have called us to a life-giving fellowship in the Diocese of West Texas: Encourage and build up in us the love of Christ Jesus that we might continue to strengthen the legacy of those who have tended and led this diocese with godly courage; look graciously upon us and on your whole Church; by your Spirit, guide the Standing Committee, the delegates, and the clergy who shall discern the one you call to be a bishop for our diocese; send us a faithful shepherd who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries. All this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns now and forever. Amen.
Bishop Nominating Committee
The Standing Committee Members
President - the Rev. Dr. Ben Nelson, TMI Episcopal, San Antonio
Mrs. Nancy Beauchamp, Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi
The Rev. Scott Brown, TMI Episcopal, San Antonio
Dr. Liz Manning, Holy Spirit, Dripping Springs
Mr. Richard Mosty, St. Peter’s, Kerrville
The Rev. Matthew Wise, St. Mark’s, San Antonio
The Assisting Members
Mrs. Thurma Hilton, St. Richard’s, Round Rock
The Rev. Alex Holloway, St. Margaret’s, San Antonio
The Rev. John Inserra, St. Alban’s, Harlingen
Ms. Andrea Knight, Resurrection, Windcrest
The Rev. Karen Morris, Emmanuel, Lockhart
The Rev. Arnoldo Romero, St. James, Del Rio
