It is with joy that I write to you today to share that our own Rev. Canon Carrie Schofield-Broadbent has been elected by the people of the Diocese of Maryland to be their Bishop Coadjutor and the XV Bishop of Maryland. What a great time for the church!
We know that God calls each of us to different works throughout our lives, and God has called Bishop-Elect Carrie to this new work. Although it is hard to see her go, we can take heart that our diocese has been part of God preparing and forming her for this new call in the Diocese of Maryland. I’m grateful that she will be among my sibling bishops and confident that, through her, the Way of Love will be made more plain and accessible to everyone with whom she ministers and has contact.
The smiling and joyous people of St. John’s Marcellus, Bishop-Elect Carrie’s home congregation, posted this photo in celebration of the Bishop-Elect’s new call over the weekend.
Be at peace knowing that I and the diocesan staff, including Bishop-Elect Carrie, have already been planning for the possibility that she would be called to another diocese. We have a transition plan in place and will soon be searching for our next Canon to the Ordinary for Transition and Church Development. As we continue to discern next steps, we know that God is raising up a new leader for our diocese.
Please remember Bishop-Elect Carrie, the Diocese of Maryland and the other three candidates in your prayers. And know that you are in my prayers as we all continue to discern God’s call in our lives. God continues to faithfully lead us!
Blessings to you on your journey,
Bonus Reading
- Read Maryland Episcopalians choose next bishop, first woman elected to position from The Baltimore Sun, wherein Bishop-Elect Carrie is quite appropriately and beautifully described as, “[a] New York priest known for her collaborative leadership style and for building the strength of congregations.”
- Read Maryland diocese elects Carrie Schofield-Broadbent bishop coadjutor from the Episcopal News Service which describes the Bishop-Elect (again, appropriately and beautifully) as “deeply committed to honoring the dignity of every human being. She consistently attends to her own work around race, climate change, economic justice and full inclusion of LGBTQAI+ persons; and she is committed to helping the church grow in these areas, as well.”
