Dear friends in Christ,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Nominating Committee concluded its work in late June when it presented the Standing Committee a slate of nominees for the election of the tenth bishop of Southern Ohio. The committee’s slate includes the Rev. Canon Whitney Rice, the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, the Rev. Dr. Elaine Ellis Thomas, and the Rev. Canon Kristin Uffelman White. You can review the materials of these nominees on the bishop search website.
As you may recall, the election process for bishops in the Episcopal Church includes an opportunity to nominate additional people by petition. This is in lieu of nominations from the floor of the electing convention. The deadline for submission of materials for the petition process was yesterday, July 13, at 11:59 p.m.
We received materials for the nomination of one additional person.
The Standing Committee will review materials, conduct background checks, schedule interviews, and check references of the person nominated by petition, applying the same criteria used by the Nominating Committee in its presentation of the initial slate. As with all nominees, the Standing Committee will discern and make the final determination on whether the petition nominee will be included on the final slate of nominees for bishop. If the petition nominee is added to the slate, that announcement will be made on or before August 10, once the Standing Committee has completed its due diligence.
We are profoundly grateful to the Nominating Committee, to the Transition Committee, and to all those who have offered themselves as potential nominees to serve as the next Bishop of Southern Ohio. Please pray for them and for us through this process.
If you have questions or concerns, you may email standingcommittee@diosohio.org.
Please pray for our work and for the mission of the church.
Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Blessings to you all. We are,
Yours faithfully,
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Southern Ohio
Dr. James Allsop, President
Dr. Elizabeth Barker
The Rev. Jed Dearing, Secretary
Mr. Barry Feist
The Rev. Canon Scott Gunn
The Rev. David Kendall-Sperry, Vice President