A press release from the Bishop Search and Transition Committee
Our current Bishop, Marc Handley Andrus, has announced his retirement, effective in July 2024.
In response, the Diocese of California has entered a time of transition as it embarks on a search process for its Ninth Bishop, whom it will elect in December of 2023. The process will continue with a wider consent process across The Episcopal Church, followed by a consecration service in May of 2024. The first part of the search process involves the Bishop Search & Transition Committee publishing a Diocesan Profile and inviting applications from those who may feel called to serve as the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese.
There will be a brief overlap between the consecration and Bishop Marc’s retirement in July of 2024.
The search for the next Bishop in the Diocese of California involves many steps. The prayerful participation of all in our Diocese is important in following along with each milestone and especially in praying.
The Bishop Search & Transition Committee members invite every person, every parish, every Bible study and prayer small group, and every gathering of Episcopalians across the Diocese to offer petitions and thanksgiving throughout this process.
We ask that you review the milestones of our journey of transition and follow along with them as you are able, offering your prayers to lift up this process and to invite the Holy Spirit to move among us.
| Milestone | Prayer Request |
|---|---|
| Publication of Diocesan Profile and Application April 17, 2023 | Thanksgiving for the gift of service that helped us to hear all voices at listening sessions, in surveys, and in private email messages. May our hopes, prayers, and listening hearts reach those discerning a call to serve as our Ninth Bishop. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila feel our love and support as we enter this transition process together as followers of Jesus Christ. |
| Slate of Bishop Nominees Announced September 22, 2023 | Thanksgiving for the time and energy of both those called to submit applications and those called and engaged to review them. May God bless the Bishop Search & Transition Committee members in their work; may the Holy Spirit move to open hearts toward attentive listening in the preparation of the slate of nominees. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila find loving comfort and support in our community. |
| Period of Nomination by Petition (Local Nomination) September 22, 2023 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California. May the Holy Spirit move in our Diocese so that those who feel called to apply to be our Bishop are included in the slate. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila find joy and peace, surrounded by love and care among all the people of the Diocese of California. |
| Final Slate of Nominees Announced October 27, 2023 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California. May the Holy Spirit stir in our hearts and in the hearts of all of the nominees on the final slate toward deep discernment. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila meet this next step with growing hope and with the love and the tender care of the people of the Diocese of California at this stage of the transition process. |
| Local Meet & Greet Gatherings With Nominees November 2–5, 2023 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California, and for the willingness of the nominees to meet with us. May God grant our nominees strength and courage through the rigors of this process. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila find loving comfort and support in our community. |
| Electing Convention December 2, 2023 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California. May those voting at the convention and all those in the Diocese of California listen carefully for the still, small voice of God and also for the movement of the Holy Spirit in the election of the Ninth Bishop of our diocese. May God bless the convention, its communications, and may all give thanks for the love and care exercised by all who have planned, organized, and helped with the convention. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila rejoice in this next step in their journey, finding strength and feeling the love and tenderness with which our community tends to them. May they find friendship and collegiality with the Ninth Bishop and the extended family that this new family member brings to the Diocese of California. May all of the Candidates and the Ninth Bishop-elect be at peace with the processes and support of this convention. |
| Episcopal Church Consent Process December 11, 2023–March 20, 2024 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California and across the communities of The Episcopal Church, and for the ways in which our consent process helps to strengthen the bonds of unity and lived common prayer in the church. May God bless this service with peace and concord. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila be at peace with all in this process and the joy in the ways it supports their next steps toward their aspirations. May the Ninth Bishop-elect find peace and comfort in the affirmation of the call to serve in the Diocese of California. |
| Consecration (or Installation) of Bishop Co-Adjutor to Succeed Bishop Marc May 4, 2024 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California. May all of our communities, and all who participated in the transition process meet this event with joy and hope. May its rituals and traditions, and the community it gathers in worship be encirched and uplifted. May Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila greet this event accompanied and loved, and may they participate in it fully. |
| Messages of Thanksgiving and Well-wishing For Bishop Marc And Dr. Sheila through the Transition Mailbox June 1, 2024–July 24, 2024 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California. God our Creator, we ask for your loving support and inspiration at this important moment in our lives as community members. We pray that you move each of us to offer to Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila those loving recollections, messages of support, prayers, and well wishes to accompany them as they move to another stage of their shared life and vocation. |
| Bishop Marc Retires July 24, 2024 | Thanksgiving for active and engaged Episcopalians in the Diocese of California, and for all those experiencing change and transition. All-knowing, all-loving God, we pray for your help in contributing to the well-being, peace, and care of our beloved Bishop Marc and Dr. Sheila, on the occasion of Bishop Marc’s retirement. Equip us to offer meaningful support in this transition to Bishop Marc, Dr. Sheila, the Ninth Bishop and his/her/their family and communities. May we also care for each other tenderly in this important time of transition. |