ALASKA: Kimsey to serve as assisting bishop
Episcopal News Service. February 3, 2009 [020309-03]
Pat McCaughan
The Rt. Rev. Rustin R. Kimsey, who became assisting bishop of the Diocese of Alaska on February 1, said he is "humbled by the privilege of serving" a third diocese as bishop.
In an open letter dated January 6 and posted on the diocesan website, diocesan standing committee president the Rev. Dawn Allen-Herron said the diocese had signed a letter of intent with Kimsey to serve as assisting bishop, effective February 1. He is to serve until the election of the next bishop, the letter said.
"It is 22 degrees below zero as we speak in this fair city of Fairbanks," said Kimsey in a telephone interview, who retired in 2000 after 20 years as bishop of Eastern Oregon and also served from 2005 to 2006 as assisting bishop of the missionary diocese of Navajoland.
"I've been part of Province VIII [western Episcopal Church dioceses] all my life and aware of the active ministries of this diocese," said Kimsey, an Oregon resident who said he is in the process of scheduling extended visits to the diocese.
He'll be available initially for deanery meetings for several weeks between now and May and again in the fall, and will represent the diocese at General Convention, he said.
"I have a lot of respect for the efforts of the church in a place where it is difficult to live, where travel is difficult and the weather severe and the church does a wonderful job of preserving and being faithful to the various cultures represented by Alaskans," Kimsey said.
He views his role as "encouraging mutual ministry … coaching to bring the Gospel to people in a way that is contextually appropriate, where we honor native people and other expressions of culture here in Alaska and how to interpret all of that with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a great privilege to be a part of that."
The Fairbanks-based diocese has been without a bishop since the Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald resigned in 2006 to become national indigenous bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada. He also serves as assisting bishop of Navajoland.
The diocese had planned to elect a bishop during a special January 22-25 convention, but that election has been postponed until 2010, according to Allen-Herron.
"We believe that Bishop Kimsey will be just the person for us in this part of our journey," she wrote in a recent letter to the diocese. "His presence among us will allow us to move expediently, but without rushing faster than the challenges that Alaska's geography and diversity allow for."
The change in plans occurred after one of two candidates nominated by the search committee withdrew from the bishop search.
An upcoming October 8-11 diocesan convention "will not be an electing convention," she added. The arrangement with Kimsey replaces a previous policy in which episcopal sacramental duties were delegated to visiting bishops as required.
The Diocese of Alaska includes 53 Episcopal congregations.