The Diocese of Western Michigan has announced two women and one man as nominees to become its ninth bishop. The Rt. Rev. Robert R. Gepert, bishop of the diocese since 2002, intends to retire Aug. 24.
The nominees are:
- The Rev. Jennifer Adams, rector, Grace Church, Holland, Michigan
- The Rev. Whayne Hougland, rector, St. Luke’s Church, Salisbury, North Carolina
- The Rev. Canon Angela Shepherd, canon for mission, Diocese of Maryland
The diocese will accept nominees by petition until April 15. A special electing convention will meet May 18 at Grace Church, Grand Rapids. A booklet about the nominees is available from the diocese’s website.
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.
