Nominees for Bishop Suffragan announced

Here is the official announcement from the Diocese of Virginia on the slate of nominees for Bishop Suffragan in the Diocese of Virginia. Our own Mildred Robinson was on the Search Committee, and she kept confidences well. Here is the slate and more information about the upcoming election (and in the Episcopal Church, we elect our bishops):

February 3, 2012 After 11 months of prayerful discernment, the Nominating Committee for Bishop Suffragan announces the following slate of nominees:  The Rev. Randy Alexander Rector of Christ Church, Pelham Diocese of New York The Rev. Canon Susan Goff Canon to the Ordinary Diocese of Virginia The Very Rev. David May Rector of Grace Church, Kilmarnock Diocese of Virginia The Very Rev. Dr. Hilary Smith Rector of St. Paul's on-the-Hill, Winchester Diocese of Virginia The Very Rev. Shirley Smith Graham Rector of St. Martin's, Williamsburg Diocese of Southern Virginia The Rev. Canon Sue Sommer  Subdean and Canon Pastor of Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral Diocese of West Missouri  The slate of nominees has been received with commendation and gratitude by Bishop Johnston and the Standing Committee.  You can learn more about the candidates, plus a detailed description of the Nominating Process, in the Final Report of the Nominating Committee for Bishop Suffragan. This report contains the candidates' biographies, a letter of introduction and responses to three essay questions.  The six nominees were selected from an initial field of 78 names submitted to the Nominating Committee last year. Of these, 38 agreed to enter into the discernment process with us. Through careful and prayerful discernment, the committee then narrowed the potential nominees over the course of several months through a review of submitted documents, telephone interviews, travel to visit potential nominees and a discernment retreat.  Additional nominations are allowed by petition from February 3 until February 13.Learn more about the petition process on the Bishop Suffragan Search Process Web site. All nominees will visit the Diocese in March to participate in a series of walkabouts, a series of meetings scheduled to provide the Diocese with the opportunity to meet, hear from and talk with the nominees. These gatherings are open to anyone and not just to delegates to Council. These are scheduled to take place at the following dates and times:  March 19, St. Paul's, Ivy, 7-9:30 p.m. March 20, Christchurch School, Christchurch, 1-3:30 p.m. (*Note Location Change) March 20, St. George's, Fredericksburg, 7-9:30 p.m. March 21, Christ Church, Winchester, 7-9:30 p.m. March 22, Good Shepherd, Burke, 7:30-10 p.m. March 23, St. James's, Richmond, 7-9:30 p.m. The Transition Committee invites members of the Diocese to submit potential questions for the nominees to respond to during the scheduled walkabouts. Questions can be sent to suffragan_transition@thediocese.net, and should be submitted no later than February 17, 2012. The Bishop Suffragan will be elected at an Electing Council held at St. George's, Fredericksburg on April 21, 2012.