Regarding Transitions: Standing Committee Passes Resolution for the Election of a Bishop Coadjutor
Beloved People of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas,
As you know, Bishop David Reed has announced his intention to retire sometime in the late summer next year. With profound gratitude for his pastoral leadership as our bishop, the Standing Committee of the diocese has begun the process to elect a bishop coadjutor. The first step for this process is to officially call for the election of a coadjutor by resolution from the Standing Committee. At a called meeting on May 16, your Standing Committee unanimously voted to pass this resolution. I have included that resolution with this letter.
The election will take place alongside the 119th Annual Council of the Diocese of West Texas, on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at the conclusion of our diocesan business in Corpus Christi. God willing, each of the clergy and lay delegates to Council 2023 will elect our next bishop coadjutor on this exciting day in our diocesan history.
Over the next few weeks, the Standing Committee will begin the important work of discernment around the process and timeline for this election. There will be more information coming throughout this season of discernment, so please stay on the lookout for such updates. There will be a page devoted to the election process on our diocesan website, at dwtx.org/bishop-election, and the Standing Committee hopes to keep you as informed as possible during this important time via emails and regular diocesan communication.
In the meantime, please keep the Standing Committee, Bishop Reed, and the entire diocese in your regular prayers. I have included in this email a beautiful prayer that I hope you will use on a weekly basis in your congregations. Please know that the Standing Committee is keeping you in our prayers, and we look forward to the excitement of discerning our next bishop together. The Holy Spirit is already at work among us, guiding us along the way.
What a joy it is to be able to build one another up and encourage the life of this diocese through prayer, discernment, and shaping our future together. I am blessed to serve alongside an excellent Standing Committee. I’m thankful for each and every one of you, and I wish you all the best in this next chapter of our lives as the Diocese of West Texas.
Peace,
Ben+
The Rev. Dr. Ben Nelson
President of the Standing Committee
Resolution for the Election of a Bishop Coadjutor, passed by the Standing Committee on May 16, 2022
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.
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Standing Committee: The Rev. Dr. Ben Nelson, President; Mrs. Nancy Beauchamp; The Rev. Scott Brown; Dr. Elizabeth Manning; Mr. Richard Mosty; The Rev. Matt Wise
