Bishop Search
A Prayer for our Bishop Search
Gracious God, we give thanks for your loving care for the people of the Diocese of Western New York and the members of the Bishop’s Search and Transition Committees. Give us wisdom and understanding as we discern your will. We ask for the gifts of honesty, to speak the truth in love; openness to the gifts and ideas of others and to the Holy Spirit; and willingness, to see your Light shining among us and on the path ahead. Prepare for our Diocese a bishop who will be a faithful pastor, and equip us for the ministries to which we are called in these changing times. Help us to love and serve your world and one another in the Spirit of Christ, trusting in you to be our steadfast helper and guide. Amen.
A Message from the Standing Committee about the Bishop Search Process
April 17, 2026 – To view the Standing Committee Update regarding the Bishop Search process, CLICK HERE
Search Committee Update
December 2, 2025 – For an update on the Search Process, CLICK HERE
Bishop Convention Videos: Reflections on the Episcopacy
Search Process for Next Diocesan
With guidance from the Presiding Bishop’s office, the Standing Committee has chosen the Rev. Devon Anderson as its consultant to lead our search process. The Standing Committee will oversee the development of the Search and Transition Committees this summer. The search timeline calls for an election of our next Diocesan Bishop at the October 2026 Diocesan Convention with the consecration occurring on May 1, 2027. Stay tuned for more details in future emails.
Devon Anderson brings deep wisdom and experience from her decades of service in the Episcopal Church. After an 11 years rectorship of Trinity Episcopal Church in Excelsior, MN, Devon has embraced the specialized skills of transition ministry, serving in significant interim Rector roles while also serving as a Search Consultant.
Bishop Search and Transition Committees
The Standing Committee has completed the process of forming the Bishop Search and Transition Committees. Abiding by the spirit of our diocesan canons, we sought to create committees that were geographically comprehensive and balanced, with one clergy and one lay representative from each deanery. We strove to ensure that there was diverse experience from congregations—both small and large and urban and rural as well as guaranteeing that there was broad inclusion of people with diverse background and identities.
This commitment to representation required careful discernment. We received 26 applications for the Search Committee and 15 for the Transition Committee. However, interest was not evenly distributed across the diocese. For instance, in the Search Committee, some areas had multiple candidates for just two positions—such as six applicants from Central Erie and five from Eastern Erie—while other deaneries, like Chautauqua, had only a single applicant. The Standing Committee chose to preserve those openings.
Through prayerful consideration, we worked to ensure that every region of our diocese has a voice in this important work, while also honoring the gifts and experiences of those who offered themselves for service. Over 50% of the congregations of Western New York are represented (26 of the 51 freestanding congregations). These committees will play a vital role in discerning our next Bishop Diocesan and guiding the diocese through this time of transition.
Search Committee
Member Bios
Chair: Ms. Lisa Yaggie (St. Luke’s, Jamestown) lisa@theyaggies.com
Administrator: The Rev. Nick Evancho (St. Martin-in-the Fields, Grand Island) frnick@stmartinsgi.org
The Rev. Rebecca Barnes (St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buffalo)
The Rev. Diane Cox (Genesee Regional Initiative)
Ms. Diane Gaddis (Grace, Randolph)
Mr. Marc Gutierrez (Advent, Kenmore)
The Rev. Mike Hadaway (Good Shepherd, Buffalo)
Mr. Mark Henger (St. Simon’s, Buffalo)
The Rev. Karen Lawler (Trinity, Lancaster)
The Rev. Milania Lullo (non-parochial)
Ms. Abrielle Monaghan (St. Luke’s, Jamestown)
Ms. Katelyn Nicoloff (St. Patrick, Cheektowaga)
Mr. Benjamin Phillips (Advent, Kenmore)
Ms. Amy Swanson (St. Paul’s, Stafford)
Ms. Deborah Seals (St. Philip’s, Buffalo)
Ms. Sue Sims (St. Philip’s, Buffalo)
The Rev. Tom Tripp (St. Peter’s Eggertsville)
Ms. Susan Woods (Good Shepherd, Buffalo)
Transition Committee
Chair: The Rev. Robin Kozlowski (Genesee Regional Initiative)
Administrator: Ms. Sharon Drennen (St. Luke’s, Jamestown)
The Rev. Frieda van Baalen Webb (non-parochial)
Mr. Wayne Blassingame (St. Philip’s, Buffalo)
Ms. Saxon Cobb Deck (St. Matthias East Aurora)
Ms. Leslie DeLooze (St. Mark’s, LeRoy)
Mr. William Duthe (St. Stephen’s, Niagara Falls)
The Rev. Elizabeth Grohowski (St. Andrew’s, Burt/ St. Paul’s, Lewiston)
Ms. Su Hadden (St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buffalo)
Ms. Joan Jennings Scalfani (Calvary, Williamsville)
The Rev. Steve Lane (St. Philip’s, Buffalo)
Ms. Karen Gengo (St. Patrick, Cheektowaga)
Ms. Gloria Longo (Good Shepherd, Buffalo)
The Rev. Thomas Mitchell (Christ, Lockport)
Ms. Elizabeth Schascheck (St. Peter’s, Eggertsville)
The Rev. Cathy Smith (St. Luke’s, Jamestown)
The Rev. Kim Rossi (St. Stephen’s, Olean)
Ms. Mary Elizabeth Weeks (St. Simon’s, Buffalo)
Ms. Cheryl Fisher (Chancellor)
