Two nominees have been added to the six candidates for The Episcopal Church Bishop Suffragan for Federal Ministries.

Nominated by petition pending successful completion of background checks were:

The Rev. Dr. Robert G. Certain, Founding President of Care For The Troops, Inc., Atlanta, GA

The Very Rev. Richard James “Rich” Martindale, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Columbus, GA

The slate of nominees pending successful completion of background checks is:

The Rev. Carl Andrews, Colonel, USAF, Lackland AFB, TX .

The Rev. Dr. James “Jay” Magness, Cannon for Mission and Diocesan Administration, Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.

The Rev. Babs Meairs, Field Coordinator, Office of the Bishop Suffragan for Federal Ministries (Chaplaincies).

The Rev. C. Christopher Thompson, rector, Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church, Virginia Beach, VA

The Rev. John Weatherly, JFHQ-VA Chaplain, rector, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Alexandria, VA.

The Rev. Carl W. Wright, LTC, USAF, Chaplain Air Force Global Strike Command,

Barksdale AFB, LA

The election of the Sixth Bishop Suffragan for Federal Ministries will be held at the March House of Bishops meeting in Camp Allen, Texas. Pending successful completion of the consent process, consecration will occur June 19 at National Cathedral in Washington, DC with Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori celebrating.

Bishop Suffragan

The position of Bishop Suffragan for Federal Ministries, formally known in the Constitution of The Episcopal Church as the Bishop Suffragan for the Armed Forces, includes not only the pastoral care and oversight for armed forces chaplains, military personnel and families, and but also oversight of federal hospitals, prisons, and correctional facilities, as well as the Eucharist communities related to military installations.

The current Bishop Suffragan, the Rt. Rev. George Packard, is retiring.

For more info contact Bishop Nathan Baxter at bishop@diocesecpa.org or Bishop Clay Matthews at cmatthews@episcopalchurch.org.

The Episcopal Church welcomes all who worship Jesus Christ in 109 dioceses and three regional areas in 16 nations. The Episcopal Church is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

Episcopal Church Office of Federal Ministries: http://www.episcochap.org/

Election information: http://www.episcochap.org/bishopelection/index.html

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