FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2016
FOUR CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR POSITION OF ELEVENTH BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF CENTRAL NEW YORK
The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York has announced a slate of four candidates for the position of 11th Bishop of the Diocese, succeeding the Right Rev. Gladstone B. “Skip” Adams, who is retiring after 15 years of service. A bishop serves as the chief priest and pastor of a diocese (geographic district of The Episcopal Church).
The candidates are:
- The Very Rev. Dr. DeDe Duncan-Probe (Rector, St. Peter’s in the Woods Episcopal Church; Fairfax Station, Virginia)
- The Rev. Canon Debra Kissinger (Canon for Transition Ministries and Leadership Development, Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis; Indianapolis, Indiana)
- The Rev. Noah H. Evans (Rector, Grace Episcopal Church; Medford, Massachusetts)
- The Rev. Nora Smith (Rector, The Church of St. Barnabas (Episcopal); Irvington, New York)
The slate was announced after a nationwide search by the Search Committee. The diocese will elect the next bishop at a special electing convention on August 6, 2016 at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool, New York. The consecration of the bishop-elect is tentatively scheduled for December 3, 2016 at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool, New York.
“We are delighted with this strong slate of candidates, any one of whom would be capable of leading our diocese into the future,” said the Rev. Christine J. Day, president of the Standing Committee, which oversees the election process.
“They have all undergone extensive interviews, background checks and reference checks,” the Search Committee chair, the Rev. Carrie Schofield-Broadbent, said. “Our committee has been working since last summer to develop a rich pool of candidates, get to know them and help them get to know our diocese. We think the people of the diocese will be pleased at the rich experience these candidates offer and their deep desire to be part of our lives here in Central New York.”
The people of the diocese and interested parties will have an opportunity to meet and hear from the candidates on July 20-23, 2016 when the candidates will visit four locations in the diocese (Watertown, Auburn, Oneida and Owego) for a series of question-and- answer sessions called “walkabouts.” More information about these sessions is available at cnyepiscopal.org.
A petition process, during which additional candidates may come forward, opens on May 2, 2016 and runs through May 9, 2016. Information about the petition process is available at bishopcny.org [site no longer exists].
Biographical information for all four candidates is available at bishopcny.org [site no longer exists].
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Established in 1868, The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York is made up of faithful Christians worshipping in 87 Episcopal congregations and chapels, including one college chaplaincy. The diocese is part of The Episcopal Church in the worldwide Anglican Communion. The diocese extends to 14 counties in the center of New York State: Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins.
PRESS CONTACT: Meredith Kadet Sanderson, (315) 569-3767 (cell),mksanderson@cnyepiscopal.org.
