The Diocese of New Jersey has elected the Rev. Canon William H. “Chip” Stokes as its 12th bishop. Stokes, born in Manhasset, New York, has served as rector of St. Paul’s Church in Delray Beach, Florida, since 1999.
“Raised by a faithful family in the Church, I am a ‘Timothy’ (see 2 Tim. 1:1-7),” Stokes wrote in the diocese’s election booklet. “There was never a time when I did not know Jesus and his love, but like Timothy, I periodically need to ‘rekindle the gift of God’ that is within me and rediscover Jesus as my Lord and Savior.”
Elected on the fifth ballot, Stokes was one of nine nominees in the election. Three priests, all serving within the diocese, were nominated by petition.
The other nominees were:
- The Rev. David Anderson, 56, rector of St. Luke’s Parish, Darien, Connecticut
- The Rev. Joan Beilstein, 52, rector of Church of the Ascension, Silver Spring, Maryland
- The Very Rev. René John, 52, dean of Trinity Cathedral, Trenton
- The Rev. Canon Donald J. Muller, 60, rector of St. Peter’s Church, Medford
- The Rev. Canon Francisco Pozo, 56, vicar of Christ Church-Cristo Rey, Trenton
- The Rev. Allen F. Robinson, 43, rector of St. James’ Church, Baltimore
- The Rev. Canon Melissa M. Skelton, 62, rector of St. Paul’s Church, Seattle, and canon for congregational development and leadership of the Diocese of Olympia
- The Rev. Martha Sylvia Ovalle Vásquez, 60, rector of St. Paul’s Church, Walnut Creek, California
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
