[Episcopal News Service] The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande announced March 19 a slate of three candidates for bishop.

“The people of our diocese have prayed diligently and faithfully for God to send us good candidates,” Kathleen Pittman, president of the Standing Committee, said in a press release. “Our prayers have been answered,” she said.

The electing convention will be May 5, at the Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque, New Mexico. After the bishop-elect receives the canonically required consent of a majority of the Episcopal Church’s diocesan standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will ordain and consecrate the new bishop Nov. 3.

The candidates:
• The Rev. Lucinda Ashby, canon to the ordinary, Episcopal Diocese of Idaho;
• The Rev. Michael Buerkel Hunn, canon to the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church; and
• The Rev. Simon Charles Justice, rector, Church of the Good Samaritan, Corvallis, Episcopal Diocese of Oregon.

The Standing Committee also announced the petition process by which names may be added to the slate opened on March 19. The petition process closes at 4 p.m. (MDT) April 2. Details are available here.

Bishop Michael L. Vono has announced his intention to retire in late fall 2018. His successor will be the 10th bishop of the diocese.

Members of the diocese will have opportunities to meet the candidates at “Walk-About” events to be held in each of the four deaneries April 16-21. The 58 congregations of the Diocese of the Rio Grande comprise the state of New Mexico and the portion of Texas west of the Pecos River known as the Big Bend region. The 154,000 square miles of the diocese make it the second-largest geographical diocese, after Alaska, in the Episcopal Church.

The candidates’ full resumes are available here.