The Rt. Rev. Mark Andrus
The Rev. Bonnie Perry
The Rev. Jane Gould
The Rev. Cn. Eugene Taylor Sutton
The Very Rev. Robert Taylor
You might want to go to the website for more information, but the slate includes a lesbian and a gay man. This will enrage the usual suspects in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.
I knew one of the candidates reasonably well. When I lived in Chicago, I worshipped at All Saints Ravenswood. It was, unfortunately, a dying parish. The then Rector was, sadly, not up to the job for a multitude of reasons with which I will not bore you. The parish lacked vitality; it held on to older members without doing any outreach to what was becoming a vibrant community at the heart of Uptown. The building was somewhat decrepit, although it was a historic landmark of Chicago, the oldest wooden-frame church building in the city. We had 35 people at Mass on a Sunday morning and heavy debts. In 1992 the parish became a mission, and at the end of the year, in November, Bonnie Perry arrived to take over from the previous incumbent. I only knew her as Vicar for about 2 months. However, I’ve followed the progress of the parish avidly ever since.
From 35 communicants it has grown to about 220 per week. The budget has grown from $25,000 to about $350,000. It is a vibrant, inclusive, lively church where all God’s children are welcomed and valued.
Bonnie has gone on to gain a doctorate from Seabury-Western in Congregational Development. She really should have gotten it just from her successful efforts at All Saints. It became a Parish again in 2000 and she became its Rector.
I think Bonnie would make a very good, effective, godly, and prophetic Bishop.
I have met Jane Gould (who is at St. Stephen’s, Lynn, Massachusetts) and attended a service there. The building was in difficulty but the people in the parish were absolutely wonderful. It’s another vibrant parish and I’m certain that Jane would also make a good Bishop.
I am plumping for Bonnie, however. But looking at the nominees, I believe that any of them would make an excellent Bishop of California.