Chicago bishop announces new retirement date, virtual electing convention

Posted Jun 17, 2020

[Diocese of Chicago] Chicago Bishop Jeffrey Lee announced in March that he was postponing his planned retirement, originally scheduled for August 2020, while he and other diocesan leaders responded to the COVID-19 pandemic that was disrupting normal parish life across The Episcopal Church. On June 17, Lee issued the following update to the diocese, saying he now plans to retire at the end of 2020.


Dear friends,

Chicago Bishop Jeffrey Lee. Photo: Diocese of Chicago

You may remember that, in March, as we began to understand the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic would disrupt our plans and priorities, I postponed both my retirement originally scheduled for August and the bishop election that we had originally planned to hold this Saturday.

Although the pandemic will not come to an end for some time, your creative and resourceful responses to the challenge of worshipping and gathering online have made it clear that the future of our diocese is in excellent hands. With gratitude for your spirit and faithfulness, I will now plan to retire at the end of 2020.

Thanks to our new ability to gather in ways we previously would not have imagined, and after consultation with the Standing Committee, we now plan to elect the next bishop of Chicago at a virtual electing convention on December 12. The details of this event and the opportunities to meet the nominees that will precede it are still being developed. Please look for more news coming soon from the Standing Committee and on the bishop search and transition website.

Faithfully,

Bishop Jeffrey Lee


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