Discerning Together: Bishop Nominations Open September 26 Through October 10
A Letter from the Standing Committee
Beloved People of the Diocese of West Texas,
Today is a very important day in the life of the diocese – nominations for Bishop Coadjutor are open! The Nominations Form is attached at the bottom of this email and explained fully in the most recent video communication from the Standing Committee, shared September 19.
If you haven’t yet had a chance to explore the Diocesan Profile, please take a moment to do so today. Then, the Standing Committee asks that you pray for this process and share information about it with the people you know, whether you intend to nominate someone or not.
If you are a clergy person in the diocese, take extra efforts this week to communicate with your congregation about the process for nomination and the calling of our next bishop. An email with resources to help you will be sent out later today.
If you are a diocesan lay leader, spread the word! Talk to the people in your coffee hours, your bible studies, your outreach groups, and with your communities. As a diocese, we are continuing to discern together who is being called to be the next Bishop of West Texas, and we cannot do this without your participation.
Take a look at the Diocese of West Texas website, and explore all of the communication that the Standing Committee has shared so far. A treasure trove of information in written letters and video messages is available on the blog, at dwtx.org/blog. We want you to know that every step of the way, the Standing Committee has been prayerfully, and hopefully, discerning a way for us, as a diocese, to call our next bishop. That process truly takes a big step forward in the nomination process.
For our potential nominees and their nominators, I offer a special word of encouragement and thanks… and for all of us as the Diocese of West Texas, the grace and peace that passes understanding for our discernment and election of our next bishop.
As always, the Standing Committee is keeping you in our prayers, and we humbly ask for you to hold us close in your prayers as well. God bless you, and God bless the Diocese of West Texas, as has been the case since our beginning!
Peace,
Ben Nelson+
President of the Standing Committee
- View the Diocesan Profile online
- Download the Diocesan Profile to print
- Open the Nomination Form
- Read prior communications from 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
