Aviso: La siguiente información se presenta en inglés y en español

The Standing Committee of The Diocese of West Missouri has announced their selection of a candidate for Bishop Provisional of West Missouri. The formal selection of the candidate will be the subject of the first resolution to be presented and voted upon at this year’s diocesan annual convention, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, November 6, 2021.

The full text of the Standing Committee’s announcement follows.

An Announcement from the Standing Committee of The Diocese of West Missouri August 3, 2021, ~ Feast of George Freeman Bragg, Jr

… the Spirit has led us to nominate
the Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce, …

Following the announcement of the resignation of the Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field, Bishop of West Missouri, the Presiding Bishop’s office presented to the Standing Committee wonderful and well-qualified candidates to serve as Bishop Provisional in our diocese. After several conversations, prayer, and a period of mutual discernment, the Committee believes that the Spirit has led us to nominate the Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce, who is currently serving as Bishop Suffragan in the Diocese of Los Angeles.

We believe that Bishop Bruce best represents the needs expressed at our diocesan convention last year when it was agreed that the Diocese of West Missouri needs a bishop provisional who will have the skill, stamina, and ability to help the leadership of the diocese, both lay, and clergy, take a good and honest look at where we have come from and where we are as the Episcopal Church in West Missouri. We identified the importance of being open to calling a woman and/or a member of a minority. Strengths in the areas of facilitation of healing, trust-building, and growth; conversations about the viability of the diocese; and ‘systems work’ were noted to be important. Pastoral care, warmth, and accessibility were also named as desirable characteristics of the bishop provisional.

An article about Bishop Bruce’s decade of ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles can be found here.

Resolution #1 at this year’s diocesan convention will be put forward to approve (or not) Bishop Bruce as our Bishop Provisional (see Title III, Canon 13). If the resolution is adopted, then Bishop Bruce will serve full time, in residence in the diocese, for a period of two to three years, beginning in December 2021.

For more information, contact the Rev. Jonathan E. Frazier, President of the Standing Committee, at StandingCmte@gmail.com.

The Standing Committee is the Bishop’s counterpart and advisory body providing a check and balance on the Bishop’s authority and also giving the Bishop the benefit of its council. The Standing Committee becomes the Ecclesiastical Authority in the absence or incapacitation of the Bishop. It also has final approval of applications for candidacy and ordinations, consents to episcopal elections, and property sales of diocesan or parochial properties.