[Diocese of Idaho] The standing committee of the Diocese of Idaho announced a slate of three candidates for the 14th diocesan bishop on Dec. 17. The Rt. Rev. Brian Thom called for the election in January, announcing that he would retire in June 2022.

The candidates are:

• The Rev. Joseph “Jos” Tharakan, rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Springfield, Missouri
• The Rev. Kenneth Malcolm, head chaplain at Trinity Episcopal School in Austin, Texas
• The Rev. Thomas Ferguson, rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sandwich, Massachusetts

“We had a diverse group of applicants, each with their own gifts for helping disciples of Jesus find their call to love and heal God’s world,” the standing committee wrote in its announcement. “The Search Committee prayerfully met and talked with them over these last months for the hard work of mutual discernment. The slate of candidates presented to Standing Committee included those candidates whose gifts and abilities in the Spirit most closely match the wants and needs of the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho.”

The candidates will gather for meet-and-greets at four parishes around the state in February 2022.

A special electing convention will be held on Feb. 19. The consecration of the next bishop is scheduled for June 25, 2022, the day after Thom’s 35th anniversary of ordination.