Bishop Search Process

The Search Committee for the next Bishop of El Camino Real will be sending an update to the diocese this week. In the meantime, here are some answers to frequently asked questions. As you know, the Diocese of California just finished their bishop search process. We have been working with them to learn as much as we can about conducting a successful search. We found these questions on their website and thought the information was so good that we wanted to share it with you.

When will we get our new bishop? The electing Convention is set for June 16, 2007. The ordination service (yes, it is called that) will be in the fall of 2007, the exact date to be announced later. A full timeline will be published within a few weeks.

Who can be our bishop? Anyone who meets the canonical requirements of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and is at least 30 years of age. The compulsory retirement age for bishops is 72. Suffragan bishops are eligible nominees but anyone currently serving as Bishop or Bishop Coadjutor of a Diocese must be have served there for at least five years to be eligible.

Who gets to vote for the next bishop? There will be a special diocesan convention on June 16, 2007 whose sole business is to elect a bishop. More information will be forthcoming on this process in future updates. The person elected will need a majority of the votes cast by both the clergy and lay delegates, voting separately. Balloting will continue until the necessary majorities are reached.

Every cleric who is not under ecclesiastical discipline and who is and has been canonically resident within the diocese and performing the duties of office on a regular basis for a period of six months prior to the first day of the month in which the Convention is held may vote.

Lay delegates will be elected from their congregations in the same numbers as are regularly elected for deanery and diocesan convention. A lay candidate for delegate must be a communicant in good standing and of record in a congregation in the diocese.

What will the Search Committee do? Their job is to create a profile of the diocese to guide the discernment process, receive names and evaluate the qualifications of prospective candidates, create a slate of between 4-6 nominees, and introduce them to the diocese.

Can others be nominated? Yes. There will be an opportunity for nomination by petition in April, 2007. The process that will be proposed at Convention calls for no nominations from the floor of the electing convention.

What role does the National Church play? The person elected by the diocese must be confirmed by a majority of the bishops exercising jurisdiction and by a majority of the Standing Committees of all the dioceses.

What does the Transition Committee do? The job of the Transition Committee is to ensure that we properly celebrate the episcopate of Assisting Bishop Sylvestre Romero, help the diocese welcome the new bishop and family, design the service of ordination for the third bishop of El Camino Real, and handle the public relations concerning the process including communication to the other dioceses, and the Anglican Church.

What Can I do? Pray for our collective wisdom to discern where God is now calling the Diocese of El Camino Real and for those working on your behalf in the process. Participate fully in the meetings that will be held. Submit names when appropriate.