Search Committee Nominees for Election as 8th Bishop of Los Angeles

The Rev. Canon Melissa McCarthy

Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Los Angeles

Letter of Greeting to the Diocese

Carta de Saludo a la Diócesis

Video

Vision and Values Q & A

Preguntas y respuestas sobre la visión y los valores

Excerpt of Application to Search Committee 

Extracto de la solicitud al comité de selección

Resume/CV

Canon to the Ordinary, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles (2017-current)

Past Positions:

• Vicar, The Church of the Epiphany, Oak Park, CA 2009-2017
• Priest-in-Charge, The Church of the Epiphany, Oak Park, CA 2008-2009
• Associate Priest, The Church of the Epiphany, Oak Park, CA 2006-2008
• Assisting clergy St. Mark’s Church, Berkeley, CA 2005-2006

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, University of California, Riverside 1998
• Master of Divinity, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, 2005

Age and Family/Support Systems:

53 years old. I have a partner, siblings, friends, and chosen family who make up my support system.

Interests:

My interests include hiking, camping, weight training, dog sports, playing guitar, learning new things, and spending time with my loved ones

Bishop nominee meet-and-greet gatherings

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m. All welcome. St. Columba’s Parish, 1251 Las Posas Rd., Camarillo 93010 (Zoom link will be provided.)

Wednesday, Oct. 22

• Session 1: 1 p.m. Clergy only. St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles 90026 (No Zoom link will be available.)
• Session 2: 7 p.m. All welcome (Spanish-language translation available). Christ the Good Shepherd Parish 3303 W. Vernon Ave., Los Angeles 90008 (Zoom link will be provided.)

Thursday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m. All welcome. All Saints’ Parish, 3847 Terracina Drive, Riverside 92506 (Zoom link will be provided.)

Friday, Oct. 24

• Session 1: 1 p.m. Clergy only. Church of the Messiah Parish, 614 N. Bush St., Santa Ana 92701 (No Zoom link will be available.)
• Session 2: 7 p.m. All welcome (Spanish-language translation available). St. Thomas Mission, 15694 Tetley St., Hacienda Heights 91745 (Zoom link will be provided.)

Petition candidate procedure

The process by which clergy members can petition to become candidates for the election of the eighth bishop of Los Angeles was announced Sept. 5 by the Rev. Dr. Kate Cress, president of the Standing Committee.

Petition applications were accepted between Sept. 12, and Sept. 19, 6 p.m. PST. The election of the eighth bishop of Los Angeles will take place at the Nov. 7-8 meeting of Diocesan Convention in Riverside.

Those applying to become petition candidates must fill out the application, here, and sign the Signatory Petition Form, here.

Read the message from Cress here.

Petition Application for Bishop of EDLA

The Canons of the Episcopal Church provide for an election process in which laity and clergy join with the Holy Spirit to raise up new episcopal leadership. No one person or group knows whom God will use, the people consenting, to lead EDLA, the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. Rather, the invitation to leadership is a process of discerning a call.

The principal method for calling candidates for election in this Diocese is the discernment work carried out by the Bishop Search Committee. This committee, comprising a diverse and faithful group of lay persons and clergy, has been appointed to carry out the important task of forming a slate of candidates for election to serve as the Bishop Diocesan.

The petition process, by contrast, is intended to address the circumstance when a person called to candidacy has not been vetted in the Bishop Search Committee process or was not identified by it as one of the final candidates. There could be several reasons why a candidate did not become a discerned or final candidate but, instead, has discerned a call through the petition process.

The petition process is an opportunity for candidates to be nominated after the Bishop Search Committee has done its work, providing enough time to have each nominee undergo personal background and reference checks as required by the Diocese and The Episcopal Church.

The petition process stands in for floor nominations: No nominations from the floor will be allowed at the electing convention.

We have discerned these requirements for our candidates:

• We seek candidates who will be able to serve for at least seven to ten years.
• We seek candidates with substantial experience as an ordained priest, in the general range of seven to ten years.
• We seek candidates with a demonstrated ability to speak to complicated financial matters.
• We welcome as candidates priests or bishops in good standing from anywhere in the Anglican Communion.

Deadline: The application and all supplemental materials must be received by Friday, September 19th, by 6:00 p.m. PST. Late applications will not be accepted. Petition applicants will have to pass the background check before being considered an official candidate.

The Standing Committee will make the final determination on whether the petition candidate will be added to the slate of nominees for Bishop Diocesan. Thier decision may not be appealed.

The Bishop Search Committee

The Bishop Search Committee – formed in 2024 by the Standing Committee with attention to the breadth, geography, and diversity of all 10 deaneries in the diocese – was charged with identifying candidates for approval as nominees by the Standing Committee. The Search Committee is co-chaired by Thomas Diaz, director of connection and care at All Saints Church, Pasadena, and the Rev. KC Robertson, associate rector of St. Matthew’s Church, Pacific Palisades. The committee consists of, in alphabetical order by last name:

1. Mr. Thomas Diaz, Lay, Deanery 5
2. Ms. Kathy Eisel, Lay, Deanery 5
3. Canon Martha K. Estes, Lay, Deanery 7
4. The Reverend Canon Dr. Gary Hall, Clergy, Deanery 2
5. The Reverend Canon Mark Hallahan, Clergy, Deanery 6
6. The Reverend Canon Gregory Larkin, Clergy, Deanery 1
7. Ms. Cherrylin Longid, Lay, Deanery 5
8. Ms. Laura Mahaney, Lay, Deanery 3
9. The Reverend Elizabeth Molitors, Clergy, Deanery 1
10. Ms. Kathryn Nishibayashi, Lay, Deanery 3
11. The Reverend Dr. Rachel Nyback, Clergy, Deanery 8
12. The Reverend Joseph Oliomooja, Clergy, Deanery 3
13. Mr. Craig Reimer, Lay, Deanery 7
14. The Reverend KC Robertson, Clergy, Deanery 3
15. The Reverend Carlos Ruvalcaba, Clergy, Deanery 4
16. Mr. Heyden Ely Morales Santiago, Lay, Deanery 4
17. The Reverend Dr. Shane Scott-Hamblen, Clergy, Deanery 10
18. The Reverend Canon Ed Sniecienski, Clergy, Deanery 5
19. The Reverend Jeffery Thornberg, Clergy, Deanery 5

Additional Search resources are here.

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese, and those who offer themselves as candidates, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.