Dear friends,
Greetings in the name of Christ.
As we wrote to you on July 14, we received one nomination by petition to the slate for the election of the Tenth Bishop of Southern Ohio. In the weeks since then, we have reviewed the materials provided to us and conducted a background check, interviews and reference checks, applying the same criteria used by the Nominating Committee in its presentation of the initial slate. Based on that process, we have added the nominee, the Rev. Dr. José Rodríguez, to the slate for our bishop election on September 30.
You can review the Rev. Dr. Rodríguez’s materials, together with those of all the nominees, on the bishop search website. The nominees will visit our diocese from September 11 to 15 for meet-and-greet sessions; please submit your questions for them by August 21.
We continue to give thanks to God for the Nominating Committee, the Transition Committee, and to all those who have offered themselves as nominees to serve as the next Bishop of Southern Ohio. Please pray for them and for us in the final weeks of this process.
If you have questions or concerns about the bishop search, we hope that you will email us at standingcommittee@diosohio.org.
Please join us in praying this collect for the election of a bishop:
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 818)
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
