SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH
United Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway
CALLING A BISHOP
A Diocese of diverse contexts and communities across west and south-west Scotland with a rich heritage of faith and congregations prayerfully looking for a bishop to lead and support them in a changing and challenging world.
Prospective candidates are sought for the office of Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway.
Nominations must have the consent of the Nominee. Candidates may be nominated, or a person may put their own name forward. The Nominee must be an ordained Priest from within the Scottish Episcopal Church or from a Church with which the Scottish Episcopal Church is in full communion.
Download the welcome letter, the description of the Diocese, and the nomination form.
Paper copies may be obtained from the Diocesan Office at 49 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, G1 1HL or email bishopsearch@glasgow.anglican.org.
On completion it should be sent to:
The Right Rev Andrew Swift, Electoral Process Convener,
United Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway, 49 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, G1 1HL
or email bishopsearch@glasgow.anglican.org.
TO ARRIVE NO LATER THAN 1 November 2024
The Electoral process is governed by the Code of Canons of the Scottish Episcopal Church (Canon 4). This can be downloaded from the Provincial website: www.scotland.anglican.org
Election will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced disclosure check.
Timetable for the process
•1 November 2024: Closing date for nominations
•16-18 December 2024: Interviews in Glasgow
•11 January 2025: Electoral Synod meeting with candidates
•18 January 2025: Electoral Synod undertakes an election without candidates present.
The United Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway is in an Episcopal vacancy. During this time, the Rt Rev Andrew Swift, Bishop of Brechin, is our Acting Bishop and Convener of the Electoral Process.
You can find out more about the newly revised process of the calling and election of bishops to vacant sees in Canon 4 of the Code of Canons.
“What does the diocese need in our next bishop?” is a newly available document, which collates the stated and implied qualities for a Bishop in the United Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway outlined in the Diocesan Description and the Scottish Ordinal.
Prayer during the Bishop Search
Most Holy One, we come before your united presence with prayers of hope and longing. Be with our United Diocese as we seek a new bishop who can lead us in a season of compelling change with faith, good humour, compassion, and love. Strengthen our congregations as we listen for your Holy Spirit calling us into a future we cannot yet see, but we trust will further reveal your glory. We pray for the preparatory committee, the members of the electoral synod, and for those priests (and members of their support systems) who will consent to be nominated into this process. We pray, especially, for the person you are calling to be our next bishop: Move their heart to hear your voice, see your vision, and dream your dream of the Kingdom of God made known in this place and time. Amen.
Timeline
 2 Mar 2024 |
Bishop Kevin announces plans of retirement at Diocesan Synod. |
| May 2024 |
Bishop Kevin gives formal notice of retirement to the Primus, the Very Rev Mark Strange. |
| 29 Jun 2024 |
Farewell Eucharist, Celebration of Ministry Service and Thank You from Bishop Kevin |
| 29 Jun 2024 |
The Diocesan Council (functioning as Standing Committee) meets to discuss and plan for the vacancy. |
| 1 Jul 2024 |
The Bishop of Brechin, the Rt Rev Andrew Swift is confirmed as Acting Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway during the Episcopal vacancy. |
| 19 Jul 2024 |
Diocesan Description requirements are communicated to charges in the diocese. |
| Aug 2024 |
Charges complete and return information for the Diocesan Description. |
| 1 Sep 2024 |
Bishop Andrew is Acting Bishop of the diocese. |
| Electoral Process begins | |
| 2 Sep 2024 |
Mandate for the Election of the Bishop is issued by the Primus to the Dean, the Chancellor, the Clerk of the Episcopal Synod, and the Convener of the Standing Committee of the General Synod, inaugurating the Electoral Process. Bishop Andrew, as Convener of the Electoral Synod, issues summons to the Episcopal Electors of the Diocese for the Preliminary Meeting of the Electoral Synod. Read: Mandate for Episcopal Election and Summons for Electoral Synod Issued |
| Sep 2024 |
Diocesan Council approves and circulates the Diocesan Description together with such future plans and intentions for the work of the diocese as relevant. Training on the Electoral process and the discernment for the calling of a bishop is offered. |
| 21 Sep 2024 |
Preliminary Meeting of the Electoral Synod takes place at St Mary’s Cathedral. Final members of the Preparatory Committee are elected. |
| Stage One of the Process begins | |
| 21 Sep 2024 |
First meeting of the Preparatory Committee, arrangements are made for advertising the vacancy, closing date for nominations and review of the questionnaire. |
| Oct 2024 |
Advert inviting nominations is placed online and in the Church Times, closing date for receipt of nominations is 1 November 2024. |
 Nov 2024 |
Preparatory Committee consults with the College of Bishops. Nominations are considered and some candidates are invited to complete a questionnaire. |
| Nov/Dec 2024 |
Questionnaires are returned, the Preparatory Committee decides which candidates to invite for an interview. |
| Dec 2024 |
Candidates interview with the Preparatory Committee. |
| Jan 2025 |
Preparatory Committee decides list of candidates to present to Electoral Synod (minimum 3, maximum 5). List of candidates, along with relevant paperwork is sent to members of the Electoral Synod (the names of the candidates are kept confidential to the public). Online discernment training is offered. |
| 11 Jan 2025 |
Electoral Synod meets the candidates. |
| 18 Jan 2025 |
Electoral Synod undertakes an election. If a candidate is successful (an absolute majority in both houses), they have 7 days to respond to accept. Within 100 days of acceptance of election—a provisional consecration date is set. If the process fails to elect, it continues with Stage Two taking a similar form to Stage One. |
The whole process listed in Canon 4, should it go through all three stages of the election, would be completed within a year of the start of the vacancy, with a consecration by the end of 2025.
