News and Information

Election of a Bishop Suffragan

o our diocesan family:
In October, Bishop Stanton called for the election of the seventh Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Dallas. The diocese has gotten the necessary permissions from the bishops and standing committees, and the Election Committee has received and approved six candidates.

IMPORTANT DATES

Event	Date	Time	Location	Address
"Meet the candidate"	March 28	6:30 – 9 p.m	Church of the Incarnation	3966 McKinney Ave., Dallas
Special electing convention	March 29	7 a.m.	St. Matthew's Cathedral	5100 Ross Ave., Dallas

NOMINEE	NOMINATOR — CLERGY	NOMINATOR — LAY
The Rev. Leander S. Harding, Jr. Assoc. Prof. Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry Diocese of Pittsburgh	The Rev. Canon Ed. Monk Southern Convocation St. John’s Corsicana	Jeanne Webber Eastern Convocation St. John’s, Dallas
	The Rev. Todd Wetzel Western Convocation Good Shepherd, Terrell	William E. McGannon Central Convocation Saint Michael and All Angels
	The Rev. David Houk Eastern Convocation St. John;s, Dallas	Clifford Isaacs Eastern Convocation Holy Trinity, Garland
The Rev. David Holland Rector Annunciation, Lewisville	The Rev. Jerry D. Godwin Central Convocation Transfiguration, Dallas	J. B. Wage Northern Convocation Annunciation, Lewisville
	The Rev. Kathryn M. Ryan Eastern Convocation Ascension, Dallas	Sharon A. Alexander Central Convocation Saint Michael and All Angels
	The Rev. Donald K. Johnson Northern Convocation St. Barnabas, Denton	Kristin M. Elliott Central Convocation Transfiguration, Dallas
The Rev. Raymond Jennison, Jr. Priest in Charge St. David’s, Garland	The Rev. Gerald Krumenacker Western Convocation Christ Church, Dallas	Susie Rutherford Eastern Convocation St. David’s, Garland
	The Rev. Nona Payne Eastern Convocation Our Saviour, Dallas	Sophia Brown Eastern Convocation Our Saviour, Dallas
	The Rev. William Dalton Northern Convocation Holy Trinity, Bonham	Dwight Rathmell Eastern Convocation Holy Trinity by the Lake, Rockwall
The Rev. Cn. Paul Lambert Canon to the Ordinary Diocese of Dallas	The Rev. Jerry E. Hill Southern Convocation Our Merciful Saviour, Kaufman	Mrs. Laura Allen Central Convocation Saint Michael and All Angels
	The Rev. Frederick Philputt Central Convocation Church of the Incarnation	Mrs. Vicki Beeler Southern Convocation St. Matthias, Athens
	The Rev. Gregory D. Pickens Western Convocation St. Mark’s, Irving	Scott Bruner Northeastern Convocation St. James, Texarkana
	The Rev. Curt Norman Northern Convocation St. Luke’s, Denison	Mr. Tim Mack Eastern Convocation St. Matthew’s Cathedral
The Rev. Cn. Dr. Neal O. Michell Canon Missioner for Strategic Development Diocese of Dallas	The Very Rev. Kevin Martin Eastern Convocation St. Matthew’s Cathedral	Neal D. Anderson Central Convocation Saint Michael and All Angels
	The Rev. Mike Michie Northern Convocation St. Andrew’s, McKinney	Rebecca Wellborn Southern Convocation St. Paul’s, Waxahachie
	The Rev. Philip Snyder Eastern Convocation St. James, Dallas	Lana M. Valenta Central Convocation Epiphany, Richardson
The Rev. Ally Perry Vicar St. John the Apostle, Pottsboro	The Rev. Clay Lein Northern Convocation St. Philip’s, Frisco	Ruth Walker Northern Convocation St. John’s, Pottsboro
	The Rev. William Cavanaugh Central Convocation Epiphany, Richardson	Sue McDanal Eastern Convocation Church of the Resurrection
	The Rev. David Petrash Northern Convocation St. Luke’s, Denison	Helen Walters Central Convocation Church of the Incarnation

To download the special election convention booklet with the candidates' resumes and responses to the “Bishop Suffragan Nomination Form” questions, click here.

Members of the Election Committee

	Tommy Valenta (chairman)	Epiphany, Richardson	tav@valentagroup.com
	The Rev. Larry Smith (Chaplain)	retired from Incarnation	lsmith14@mac.com
Clergy:	The Rev. Bill Cavanaugh	Epiphany, Richardson	frbill@epiphany-richardson.org
	The Rev. Bob Dannals	St. Michael and All Angels, Dallas	bdannals@saintmichael.org
	The Rev. Garrin Dickinson	Holy Nativity, Plano	rector@holynativity.org
	The Rev. David Houk	St. John’s, Dallas	houk@stjohnsepiscopal.org
	The Rev. William Lovell	Trinity, Dallas	wlovell@trnity-dallas.org
	The Rev. Mike Michie	St. Andrew’s, McKinney	mikem@standrewsonline.net
	The Rev. Curt Norman	St. Luke’s, Denison	curt.norman@saintlukesdenison.org
	The Rev. Ally Perry	St. John the Apostle, Pottsboro	allyperry2004@gmail.com
	The Rev. Don Perschall	St. Matthias, Athens	hencoparson@gmail.com
	The Rev. Todd Wetzel	Good Shepherd, Cedar Hill	frtodd@goodshepherdcedarhill.org
Lay:	Armando Barrios	St. Matthew’s, Dallas	armbarrios@netzero.com
	Pike Burkhart	Holy Cross, Paris	pikesr@techsyschassis.com
	Richard D’Antoni	St. Michael and All Angels, Dallas	richard@dantoni.com
	Robby Gerber	Holy Nativity, Plano	robby.gerber@sourcesupply.com
	Doug Lang	Incarnation, Dallas	langds@mindspring.com
	Tim Mack	St. Matthew’s, Dallas	tmack@hunton.com
	William Murchison	Incarnation, Dallas	wmurchison@sbcglobal.net
	Jay Patterson	St. John’s, Dallas	jayjanp@earthlink.net
	Jim Riggert	St. Michael and All Angels, Dallas	jimriggert@sbcglobal.net
	Rebecca Wellborn	St. Paul’s, Waxahachie	wellborn@airmail.net

The role of the Election Committee is to ensure that the nomination process and election are carried out with integrity, full participation, and good communication. We believe that the Holy Spirit will work in and through the delegates to choose the person that God has set aside for this important work. We ask the entire diocesan family to do two specific things.

Participate — Talk to your clergy and your convention delegates. The Election Committee will not generate the nominees for Bishop Suffragan. Those will come from the clergy and laity of the diocese. Also, stay informed! Visit www.dallasbishop.info for the latest news, nominating information, and more.

Pray — To help you in this effort, Bishop Stanton asks that we use the following prayer so that we might all pray in common:

Eternal God, we give you thanks for the gift of the resurrection of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, and praise you that for our sakes, He gave us the Apostolic ministry. Make us worthy stewards of this trust. And guide us as we seek a Bishop Suffragan, who will be called to be one with the Apostles in ministry, witness, and teaching; that your Church in this diocese may be built up and your Son glorified in all we do. This we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Bishop Suffragan election FAQ
Q. What is a Bishop Suffragan?
A. The Bishop Suffragan assists the diocesan bishop (Bishop Stanton). He or she helps with Episcopal responsibilities, such as visiting churches, confirmations, and ordinations. The Bishop Suffragan will have other job responsibilities as the bishop assigns them.

Q. Is this when we elect who will replace Bishop Stanton?
A. No. When Bishop Stanton announces his retirement, he will call for the election of a Bishop Coadjutor who will serve alongside the bishop until he retires. Bishops Suffragan do not have the right of succession — although a Bishop Suffragan may be eligible to become a Bishop Coadjutor. We need to remember that this election is for a Bishop Suffragan.

Q. How is someone nominated?
A. Nominations must come from three clergy and three laypersons. Nominators must be from at least three different churches representing at least two different convocations (geographical regions) in the diocese. Nominees must complete the “Bishop Suffragan Nomination Form,” have it signed by the nominators, and turn it in to the committee. For complete details, visit www.dallasbishop.info.

Q. Does a clergy person have to be canonically resident in the diocese to nominate someone?
A. Yes.

Q. Does a layperson have to be a delegate to convention to nominate someone?
A. No.

Q. How does the Election Committee screen the nominees?
A. In accordance with the Constitutions and Canons of the Episcopal Church, each nominee must consent to a thorough background check. The Elections Committee does not make judgments on candidates for any reason except as may be raised through the background check. Since the Bishop Suffragan’s responsibilities are to work directly with the diocesan bishop, Bishop Stanton has the right to remove any candidate that he feels would create difficulties for him or the diocesan staff. This occurs in rare instances but is the custom in many Bishop Suffragan elections church-wide.

Q. Will it be possible to nominate someone from the floor?
A. The Convention for Election will not entertain the nomination of any person who has not completed the background check.

Q. How will I get to know the candidates?
A. Complete responses to the “Bishop Suffragan Nomination Form” questions are available if you click here, go to www.dallasbishop.info, or download the March issue of Esprit. Before the Electing Convention, convention delegates will also have an opportunity to interact with and ask questions of the candidates at a special “Meet the Candidates” forum on March 28 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Church of the Incarnation, 3966 McKinney Ave., Dallas.

Q. When will the election be held and who gets to vote?
A. The election will take place March 29 at St. Matthew's Cathedral, 5100 Ross Ave., Dallas. Registration is at
7 a.m. and the convention will begin at 8 a.m. Canonically resident clergy and duly elected convention delegates from diocesan churches will vote.

Q. When will the consecration occur?
A. As early as 90 days after the election.