| The Reverend Jonathan Weldon, president of the Standing Committee, announced on Wednesday, February 12, 2003, the names of the candidates for the ninth Bishop of Oregon to be elected at the Electing Convention which will be held in Portland on Saturday, May 17. From a field of 47, the diocesan Search Committee selected 5 candidates for its leadership: The Rev. Howard Anderson, The Rev. William Ellis, The Rev. Canon Johncy Itty, The Very Rev. Rebecca McClain and The Rev. Canon Kirk Smith. The Rev. Howard Anderson is rector of St. Paul's Church in Duluth, MN. He is a 1970 graduate of Hamline University, St. Paul, MN, and received a master's degree and PhD in social science from the University of Hawaii in 1972 and 1976, respectively. He received a Certificate of Ministry in 1988 from St. John's College, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Rev. Anderson was ordained to the priesthood in 1993. The Rev. William Ellis is rector of Trinity Church in Bend, OR. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR in 1976. Rev. Ellis received his Master of Divinity degree from Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, CA in 1982. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1983. The Rev. Canon Johncy Itty is canon residentiary of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, NY. He earned his undergraduate and master's degrees from Queens College, CUNY in 1985 and 1986. He received his PhD in political science and international relations from CUNY and Master of Divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary in 1994. Rev. Itty was ordained to the priesthood in 1993. The Very Rev. Rebecca McClain is dean of Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix, AZ and Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Arizona. She is a 1969 graduate of Baylor University, Waco, TX. Very Rev. McClain received her Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, TX in 1985. She was ordained to the priesthood in 1986. The Rev. Canon Kirk Smith is rector of St. James Church in Los Angeles, CA. He is a 1973 graduate of Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR and earned a PhD in church history from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY in 1980. Rev. Canon Smith received a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT in 1979. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1980. ****************************** The Diocese of Oregon Episcopalians will have an opportunity to meet the candidates at four locations across the diocese. Times for the Walkabouts will be announced closer to the events: (See "Coming Events, Mark Your Calendar" on this website for details.) Tuesday, April 29------- St. Mark's Church, Medford Wednesday, April 30 --- Emmanuel Church, Coos Bay Thursday, May 1-------- St. Thomas Church, Eugene Friday, May 2------------ Trinity Cathedral, Portland Photos, biographies and answers to questions posed to the candidates during the discernment process can be seen on the diocese website: . (You can click here to access the website.) They also appear in the March issue of the Oregon Episcopal Church News. ****************************** NOMINATIONS BY PETITION: The Petition Nominee Process has been developed as an alternative to Nominations from the Floor. It allows additional nominees, after background checks, to be added to the ballot beyond the slate of nominees presented by the Search Committee. This process is established by an amendment of Article 13 of the Constitution of the Diocese of Oregon. That amend-ment was approved on its first reading at the 2001 Diocesan Convention. It was passed on a second reading at the 2002 Diocesan Convention and is in effect. The amended Article 13 generally provides that the Petition Nominee Process works as follows: After the Search Committee presents its list of nominees to the Standing Committee, the Slate of Candidates will be made public. Additional nominees can be added by petition in this manner: Within 21 days of the publication of the Slate of Candidates, a petition signed by at least four members of the clergy and four lay persons (petitioners must come from at least three congregations and two convocations) must be filed with the President of the Standing Committee. Each petition must be accompanied by the same information as is required for the nominees on the Slate of Candidates. A person nominated by petition shall be identified as "Nominee by Petition". All nominees shall have successfully completed background checks thirty days prior to the date of the election. Nominees by Petition will take part in the Walkabouts throughout the diocese along with the other nominees. Petitions must reach (have reached) the President of the Standing Committee, Diocese of Oregon, 3925 Hilyard St., Eugene OR 97405, by March 8, 2003. ****************************** The above was taken from "Announcement of the Diocese of Oregon Episcopal Candidates" sent to Saint Alban's by E-mail on February 12, 2003. 3-18-03 |
| ELECTION FOR A NEW BISHOP |