The Diocese of West Texas will elect a new suffragan bishop next February, and it already has a diocesan profile ready for the search.
Until May, the diocese awaits consents to its planned election from bishops and standing committees. The diocese will accept nominations from July to September.
The 20-page profile includes an essay by the Rt. Rev. David Reed, who served as suffragan bishop from 2006 to 2015, when he became bishop coadjutor.
Bishop Reed writes:
As suffragan, I relearned how to lead without being in charge. There is only one diocesan bishop. After years of leading most church things I participated in, I was “the other bishop,” and that was the proper order for the good of the Church. But it meant learning new ways to be engaged in the work, recalibrating how vocal to be, and how much initiative to take, and finding a balance between the authority of my calling and the restraint of my office. Effective, faithful ministry certainly does not require being in charge, and opportunities to exercise episcopal authority and ministry abound in all arenas of diocesan life. Those who remember that we are all followers of the Lord who came not to be served, but to serve, are more likely to do well as bishop.