Five Nominated for Bishop of New Diocese of San Diego
Diocesan Press Service. November 8, 1973 [73241]
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The Committee on Nominations for the Episcopate of the future Diocese of San Diego has selected five from among the 24 names received from clergy and qualified electors of the Episcopal Church in the area of the proposed new Diocese of San Diego, to be placed in nomination at the Primary Convention to be held in St. Paul's Church, San Diego on December 7 and 8, 1973.
Meeting over a two months period, the Committee has reviewed the nominees by the criteria of pastoral, preaching, counseling, educational, prophetic and administrative skills, as well as the nature and type of church, ecumenical and community involvement, personal qualities and relationship abilities, and the replies of the nominees to questions posed by the Committee. Those selected, listed alphabetically, are:
The Rev. Canon Charles L. Conder, dean of San Bernardino and San Diego Convocations. Married, and father of two married sons, Dean Conder, age 67, served 17 years as a Church Army Captain and 28 years as a priest. Prior to coming to San Diego as Dean in 1959, Dean Conder served six years as Church Army Mission Preacher, six years in mountain missions, 14 years as Chapel Trailer Missionary in the Diocese of Los Angeles, five years as vicar of missions in New Mexico and Southwest Texas. He has been active on diocesan, provincial and national committees, and in ecumenical affairs. His education was at Halifax Technical College and the Church Army Evangelist's Training College, both in England.
The Rev. Lincoln Paul Eng, rector of St. Bartholomew's, Beaverton, Ore., age 52, is married and has five daughters. His church experience includes two years as vicar of a black congregation, eight years as vicar of a predominantly Asian congregation, five years as vicar of a suburban mission, three years on a diocesan staff and two years as rector of a suburban parish. He has served as secretary of his Diocesan Convention and in diocesan, provincial, national, and ecumenical organizations and in community agencies. He is a graduate of the University of Washington and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific.
The Rt. Rev. William J. Gordon, Bishop of Alaska for 25 years, age 55, is married and has four children. After five years as a missionary in Alaska, he became Bishop of Alaska in 1948, caring for missions in both rural and urban areas, flying his own plane. He has submitted his resignation to the House of Bishops effective upon the consecration of his successor. He has been elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Florida and his decision on that is to be announced late November. Bishop Gordon graduated from the University of North Carolina and Virginia Theological Seminary.
The Rev. Paul G. Satrang has been rector of All Saints' Parish, San Diego for 22 years. Unmarried and 50 years old, he served as a mission vicar for one year, and as college chaplain and curate in a large metropolitan parish in Los Angeles for four years before coming to All Saints', San Diego. He has been active on convocational, diocesan and provincial levels, and much involved in ecumenical matters and community service. He is Canon to the Ordinary for Ecumenical Relations in the Diocese of Los Angeles, and chairman of the Committee on Division of the Diocese. His education was at Morningside College and Seabury-Western Seminary.
The Rev. Robert M. Welterstorff has been rector of St. James-by-the Sea, La Jolla, for 16 years. Married, with four grown children, Dr. Welterstorff is aged 59. Before coming to St. James-by-the-Sea as associate rector, he served as deacon in charge and then rector of a mid-western metropolitan parish. He was elected rector of St. James in 1957. His ministry includes service as chaplain and instructor in church-related schools. He has served the Church at convocational, diocesan, provincial and national levels and has been active in community planning and service agencies as well as service clubs. His education was at St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa and at Seabury-Western Seminary.
The Primary Convention, composed of 68 clergy and 117 lay delegates from 39 churches in San Diego, Imperial and Southeastern Riverside Counties, will also receive nominations from the floor. Secret ballots of not less than two-thirds of delegates from not less than two-thirds of the churches, and of not less than two-thirds of the clergy, will determine the election when one nominee receives a majority in each of the clergy and lay orders voting separately. The election must then be confirmed by a majority of the Bishops of the Church and of the Dioceses of the whole Episcopal Church acting through their Standing Committees. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church will then set the date for consecration of the bishop-elect if he is not already a bishop or for his installation if he is already a bishop. Only after that will he enter upon his duties.
During the interim the Standing Committee elected at the Primary Convention will be the Ecclesiastical Authority in matters of administration. Spiritual duties requiring a bishop, such as ordinations and confirmations, will be provided by neighboring or retired bishops invited by the Standing Committee. The first such event will be an Area Confirmation at St. Paul's, San Diego, on December 16, by the Rt. Rev. Robert C. Rusack, Bishop Coadjutor of Los Angeles who will succeed the Rt. Rev. Francis Eric Bloy as Bishop of Los Angeles on January 1, 1974. The Rt. Rev. Richard S. Watson, retired Bishop of Utah, a resident of La Jolla, will administer confirmation during 1974 until consecration or installation of the first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.