The Rt. Rev. David G. Read, newly consecrated bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of West Texas, is joined by his family during the service in San Antonio on July 8.

[Diocese of West Texas] The Rt. Rev. David G. Read was ordained and consecrated bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of West Texas on July 8 in All Saints Chapel at TMI Episcopal school in San Antonio. Read will work alongside the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed, bishop of West Texas, until Reed’s retirement on January 1, 2024.

Bishop W. Michie Klusmeyer, canon to the presiding bishop for ministry within The Episcopal Church, was the chief consecrator, and six bishops joined him as co-consecrators: Reed; West Texas assistant Bishop Rayford B. High; retired West Texas Bishop James E. Folts; South Dakota Bishop Jonathan H. Folts; Texas Suffragan Bishop Kathryn M. Ryan; and the Rev. Susan J. Briner, bishop of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

A total of 14 bishops were in attendance for the traditional laying-on of hands. Seven hundred in-person attendees participated in the joyful service, with more than 100 people joining the livestream concurrently from across the diocese and the country. The service incorporated Spanish throughout.

Reed also preached at the service. Inspired by his own time as a bishop, he said, “Of all the good gifts that David is getting today, we the church – lay and ordained – end up being God’s best gift to him. You might look around here for a second, David; go ahead and take a peek behind you. This is what you get – our love, our support, our trust, our forgiveness, our prayers, our showing up. These are all gifts that he will need us to offer now, and in the years to come.”

An investiture service of Choral Evensong will be held on Dec. 1, 2023, at St. Mark’s, San Antonio. During that service, Read will ceremonially receive the diocesan crozier from the outgoing diocesan bishop, as a sign of the transfer of authority.

The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas spans 60 counties and 69,000 square miles in southern Texas. Its 87 congregations serve approximately 20,000 parishioners.

Video and photos of the service, as well as the service booklet, are on the diocesan website.