ALABAMA: Bishop search process gets underway
Episcopal News Service. August 25, 2010 [082510-03]
ENS staff
The Episcopal Diocese of Alabama has begun its search for a new diocesan bishop with Oct. 8 set as the deadline for nominations and applications, according to a press release.
The 11th bishop of Alabama will succeed the Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley, Jr., who was elected bishop coadjutor in 1996 and became diocesan bishop in 1999.
Parsley announced on Feb. 12 his plans to retire and called for the election of his successor in early summer of 2011 with the new diocesan bishop taking office in fall 2011. He said he would then take the sabbatical time remaining to him and would retire Dec. 31, 2011.
"The eleventh bishop of Alabama will be a visionary who can lead, teach and inspire both lay persons and clergy to grow the church, to find creative ways to meet financial challenges, and to strengthen ties between parishes and the diocese," according to the diocesan profile, available here.
Guidelines for submitting nominations are included in the profile.
The Standing Committee of the diocese has asked a diverse, 16-member committee to deliver a slate of nominees by April 25, 2011, the release said.
The 31,000-member diocese consists of 91 congregations and a number of institutions in the northern two thirds of the state.