wfn.org | [ENS] Minnesota diocese elects Brian Prior as next bishop

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>Episcopal News Service
>October 31, 2009

Minnesota diocese elects Brian Prior as next bishop

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] The Rev. Brian Prior, vice president of the
Episcopal Church's House of Deputies, was elected October 31 to be the
ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota.

Prior, 50, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in
Spokane, Washington, won election on the fifth ballot out of a field
of two remaining candidates. He received 153 votes of 233 cast in the
lay order and 118 of 205 cast in the clergy order. An election on the
fifth ballot required 117 in the lay order and 103 in the clergy
order. The results of all five ballots are available here:
http://www.episcopalmn.org.

The election took place on the second and final day of the diocese's
152nd annual convention at the Marriott City Center in Minneapolis.

"I feel overwhelmed and blessed at this moment for the opportunity to
come and serve in a place with such a rich history and with so many
saints both past and present," Prior said in accepting the election.

Under the canons of the Episcopal Church (III.11.4), a majority of
bishops exercising jurisdiction and diocesan Standing Committees must
consent to Prior's ordination as bishop within 120 days of receiving
notice of the election. The ordination and consecration is set for
February 13, 2010 with Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as
chief consecrator.

"Our process has been filled with prayer, discernment, and the
movement of the Spirit in our midst," said Scott Crow, chair of the
diocesan Standing Committee, which oversaw the election, adding that
"it has been a powerful experience to witness the church at work."

Prior will succeed Minnesota's 8th bishop, James Jelinek, who has
served the diocese since 1993. Jelinek will retire when Prior is
ordained and consecrated.

Prior, who holds a master of divinity degree from Church Divinity
School of the Pacific, was elected to a second term as vice president
of the House of Deputies during the July 8-17 meeting of General
Convention in Anaheim, California.

Before being called to serve Church of the Resurrection in 1996, he
worked on the Spokane diocesan staff as director of education and
development, and as executive director of its camp. He was ordained
deacon in June 1987 and priest in April 1989, and served as associate
rector at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Spokane from 1987 to 1990.
During his time at Church of the Resurrection, he helped complete a
$1.25 million building campaign.

Prior has been married to Staci Hubbard Prior for 21 years. They have
two teenage sons.

The Diocese of Minnesota encompasses the entire state and includes 106
congregations with approximately 22,000 baptized members. The bishop
serves as the chief pastor to the 303 clergy in the diocese.

After the results of the third ballot were announced October 31, both
the Rev. Bonnie Perry, 47, rector of All Saints' Episcopal Church in
Chicago, and the Rev. Doyle Turner, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church
in Park Rapids, Minnesota, withdrew from the election. The Rev. Donald
Sparks, 53, rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Rochester,
Minnesota, withdrew after the results of the fourth ballot were
announced. The Rev. Mariann Budde, 49, rector of St. John the Baptist
Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, remained on the ballot with Prior for
the fifth round of voting.

When Perry was included as part of the slate of candidates for the
Minnesota seat August 1, she became the first openly gay candidate in
a bishop election since the General Convention in July affirmed the
openness of the church's ordination process to all the baptized. The
day after Minnesota's list of candidates was made public, the Diocese
of Los Angeles announced its slate for two bishops suffragan due to be
elected during its diocesan convention December 4 and 5. Two openly
gay and partnered priests are among the candidates.

More information about all of the Minnesota candidates is available
here: http://mnbishopsearch.org/56281963.html.

-- The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the
Episcopal News Service.

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_116250_ENG_HTM.htm