Kimsey Elected Bishop of Eastern Oregon
Episcopal News Service. March 27, 1980 [80109]
THE DALLES, Ore. -- The Rev. Rustin Ray Kimsey, 44, was elected the fifth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon on the third ballot at a special convention here on March 22.
Rector of St. Paul's Church here -- where the special convention was held -- since 1971, the bishop-elect received the required majority of clergy votes on the first ballot and had a strong showing among the lay vote, though failing to receive a majority. On the second ballot, he was one vote short of a majority in the lay order, and then attained the required majority in both the lay and clergy orders on the third ballot.
The Very Rev. Gary Raymond Gilbertson, dean of Gethsemane Cathedral, Fargo, N. D., made a strong showing among lay voters and the Rev. Charles William Preble, St. Stephen's Church, Reno, Nev., had strong clergy support on the first ballot.
The bishop-elect has indicated his acceptance of the election, subject to the required consents from the majority of the bishops and standing committees of the dioceses of the Episcopal Church.
Father Kimsey was born in Bend, Ore., in 1935 and grew up there and in Hermiston, Ore. His B.S. degree was received from the University of Oregon and his B. D. degree from Episcopal Theological (now Divinity) School in Cambridge, Mass. He was ordained deacon and priest in 1960.
Before coming to St. Paul's, the bishop-elect was general missionary and vicar at several congregations in the diocese. Currently, in addition to serving St. Paul's, he ministers at preaching stations in Maupin, Sherman County and Goldendale, Wash.
Father Kimsey was elected to the national Executive Council of the Church in 1968 and served until 1976. On the Council he was involved with long range planning, stewardship/development, national and world mission, Partners in Mission, executive/administrative group, and the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief. He was a member of the agenda committee for the 1973 General Convention.
In 1976 he was national chairman of the planning committee which prepared for the Episcopal Church's first Partners in Mission Consultation, held in Louisville, Ky., which attracted Anglican leaders from around the world.
In 1973 the House of Bishops elected him to be the clergy representative -- along with a lay person and the Presiding Bishop -- on the Anglica Consultative Council, which is composed of delegates from the member churches of the Worldwide Anglican Communion.
In the Diocese of Eastern Oregon, the bishop-elect has served on the standing committee and council and many of the departments and committees. He has served as deputy to five meetings of the General Convention and has been active in ecumenical ministries in Oregon.
The Diocese of Eastern Oregon contains 22 parishes and missions and has 35 clergy. There are 5,659 baptized and 3,495 communicant members. The diocesan office is in Redmond, Ore.
Upon his consecration, Father Kimsey will succeed Bishop William B. Spofford who resigned and took up his work recently as assistant bishop in the Diocese of Washington. His four predecessors were all elected by the House of Bishops; thus, he is the first bishop elected by the Diocese of Eastern Oregon in convention.