We are electing the 8th Bishop of Alaska
Welcome to the Bishop Search website for the 8th Bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska. Members of Alaska's 48 Episcopal congregations share the Gospel of Our Lord from tiny subsistence villages to major metropolitan centers. The Diocese of Alaska covers the entire state of Alaska, a landmass of 586,412 square miles. Most of it is still untouched wilderness, a frontier filled with awesome beauty and inexpressible faith.
Almighty God, direct the Diocese of Alaska in our search for a new bishop. Guide the work of our search committees and grant them the ability to discern and communicate those qualities in a bishop that are most needed in our Diocese. Help us to treat the candidates who apply with love and understanding. Care for our Standing Committee as they assume responsibility for the Diocese and keep our hearts always open to direction of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
—Prayer from the Standing Committee to be used by congregations during search for 8th Bishop of the The Episcopal Diocese of Alaska
News and Updates
Search Committee News
It is hard to believe we have been on this journey for an entire year now. It was this time last June when the Search, Transition and Standing Committees met in Wasilla for the first time. In search of our new Bishop, the committees defined the work ahead, and each member individually committed to seeing the work accomplished. The Search Committee immediately settled down to business, and business it has been. Hectic at some times, frustrating at others, each step has truly been a rewarding experience. We are proud of our Diocesan Profile and excited about the variety of candidates who have offered themselves to enter into discernment with our Diocese. Thank you for all the information and conversation that helped us build the profile. And thank you for your prayerful nominations of candidates.
Most recently, we notified each of the nominees whether or not they were remaining in the discernment process with us. As we continue studying the information provided by each of the candidates, we are also beginning reference checks. Because we find it imperative that the voice of each of our members be included in this stage of discernment, in the middle of June, one of our members will fly to the Arctic Coast to meet with two of our members to go over candidate packets in person. Then, the entire Search Committee will meet in Anchorage July 18 – 20 to discuss the nominees and the next phase of our process. Our consultant and chaplain will both be present at our gathering. By the end of August, our committee will have prayerfully determined the candidates whom we will be contacting to affirm our continued discernment. In early fall we will begin visiting candidates. The final candidates that we present to the Standing Committee, and through them to you will be requested to make a personal videotape answering some predetermined questions, which will eventually be shared with each congregation in the Diocese.
It is as we enter this next stage that you may wonder about our progress. Although we cannot convey much information, rest assured we are busy at work. Just think, by this time next year, we will have our newly installed Bishop, walking amongst us!
Keep us in prayer
Please continue to keep the Search and Transition Committees in your prayers as we move forward in our quest to call our next Bishop of Alaska.
