Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri

Last updated
Diocese of West Missouri

Diœcesis Missouriensis Occidentalis
Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri.png
Location
Country United States
Ecclesiastical province Province VII
Coordinates 39°05′53″N94°35′22″W / 39.09800°N 94.58941°W / 39.09800; -94.58941
Statistics
Area36,720 sq mi (95,100 km2)
Congregations47 (2021)
Members8,807 (2021)
Information
Denomination Episcopal Church
Established1889
Cathedral Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
Current leadership
Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce
Map
ECUSA West Missouri.png
Location of The Diocese of West Missouri
Website
diowestmo.org

The Diocese of West Missouri is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and a member of Province VII. It has jurisdiction over sixty counties in western Missouri running from the cities Fairfax in the north to Branson in the south and from Kansas City in the west to Fayette in the east. Its Cathedral and diocesan offices are located in downtown Kansas City. As of 2020 the diocese was made up of 47 parishes and congregations divided into 3 deaneries.

Contents

History

The diocese traces its roots to the missionary work of Bishop Jackson Kemper who founded churches in the area between 1836 and 1845. [1] In 1841 the churches in the state of Missouri were joined together in the newly founded Diocese of Missouri. Over time the diocese grew to over 90 congregations throughout the state and in 1886 the 50th diocesan convention of the Diocese of Missouri approved a plan to split the diocese in two. On October 15, 1889, The 36th General Convention of the Episcopal Church approved the motion presented by the Diocese of Missouri and the Diocese of West Missouri was born. [2]

The new diocese, originally known as the diocese of Kansas City, was given jurisdiction over 60 counties in the western part of the state covering 36,720 square miles. [2] On June 3, 1890, the new diocese elected its first bishop, The Rt. Rev. Edward Robert Atwill. [3] Under Atwill the diocese continued to grow and 9 new churches were founded. Bishop Atwill served the Diocese of West Missouri until his death on January 24, 1911.

Following Atwill's death, the diocese elected the Rt. Rev. Sidney Catlin Partridge, the first bishop of Kyoto, as their second bishop. He was translated to the see of West Missouri and served as its bishop until his death on June 22, 1930, from lobar pneumonia. It was under Partridge's episcopate that Harry S. Truman married his wife Bess at Trinity Episcopal Church in Independence. [4]

In 1930 the diocese elected The Rev. Robert Nelson Spencer to succeed Partridge. Spencer was consecrated a bishop on October 28, 1930. From Bishop Atwill's time the diocese had continued to grow and it was under Bishop Spencer in 1935 that Grace and Holy Trinity Church at 13th and Broadway was designated as the diocese's Cathedral Church. [5] Spencer resigned his ministry as Bishop of West Missouri in 1949.

Spencer was followed as bishop by Edward Randolph Welles II who was elected as bishop on December 6, 1949, and consecrated for that role on April 19, 1950. [6] Under Bishop Spencer the diocese continued to grow and 11 churches were founded between 1953 and 1972. Bishop Spencer resigned in 1972 and two years later took part in the ordination of the Philadelphia Eleven. [7]

After Welles retirement the diocese elected Arthur Anton Vogel, a professor at Nashotah House theological seminary, to be its fifth bishop. [8] Vogel authored two books during his tenure as Bishop and delivered the invocation at the 1976 Republican National Convention which met in Kansas City. Vogel retired in 1989 and was succeeded by his Coadjutor, The Rt. Rev. John Clark Buchanan who served the diocese for ten years retiring in 1999. [9] Under Buchanan two more churches were admitted to the diocese. [7]

Buchanan was followed on the diocesan seat by Barry Robert Howe who served as diocesan bishop until his retirement in 2011. [10] Following Howe's retirement the diocesan convention elected the Rev. Martin Scott Field to serve as the 8th Bishop of West Missouri. Field was consecrated on March 6, 2011, by the Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori. [11] On April 8, 2021, following a mediation process outlined by the canons of the Episcopal Church it was announced that Bishop Field would resign his ministry as Bishop on Holy Cross Day, 2021 and that the diocese would begin the process of calling a Bishop Provisional. [12]

On August 3, 2021, the Standing Committee of the diocese announced that their candidate for Bishop Provisional was the Rt. Rev. Diane Jardine Bruce, the 7th Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Los Angeles. On Saturday, November 6, 2021, the Convention of the Diocese meeting at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kansas City elected Diane Jardine Bruce as Bishop Provisional. She took up residence in the Diocese and began her ministry on December 1, 2021. [13] Bruce is the first woman to lead the diocese as its bishop. She was formally welcomed and seated in the diocesan Cathedra on the Feast of the Epiphany, 2022. [14]

Bishops of West Missouri

NameDates
1st Edward Robert Atwill 1890–1911
2nd Sidney Catlin Partridge 1911–1930
3rd Robert Nelson Spencer 1930–1949
4th Edward Randolph Welles II 1950–1972
5th Arthur Anton Vogel 1973–1989
6th John Clark Buchanan 1989-1999 (Coadjutor Bishop, 1989)
7th Barry Robert Howe 1999-2011
8th Martin Scott Field 2011-2021
Diane Jardine Bruce (provisional)2021-

Suffragan and Assisting Bishops

Churches

Central DeaneryNorthwest-Metro DeanerySouthern Deanery
St. Mary Magdalene, BeltonSt. Oswald’s, FairfaxSt. Alban’s in the Ozarks, Bolivar
Resurrection, Blue SpringsGood Shepherd, Kansas CityShepherd of the Hills, Branson
Christ Church, BoonvilleGrace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kansas CitySt. George, Camdenton
Grace Church, ChillicotheRedeemer, Kansas CityGrace Church, Carthage
St. Paul’s, ClintonSt. Andrew’s, Kansas CitySt. Thomas a Becket, Cassville
St. Luke’s, Excelsior SpringsSt. Augustine’s, Kansas CitySt. Phillip's, Joplin
St. Mary’s, FayetteSt. Mary’s, Kansas CitySt. Mark’s, Kimberling City
St. Peter’s, HarrisonvilleSt. Paul’s, Kansas CityTrinity, Lebanon
St. Michael’s, IndependenceSt. Peter & All Saints, Kansas CitySt. Stephen’s, Monett
Trinity, IndependenceGrace Church, LibertyChurch of the Transfiguration, Mountain Grove
St. Anne’s, Lee's SummitChrist Church, St. JosephSt. John's, Neosho
St. Paul’s, Lee's SummitSt. Mary’s, SavannahAll Saints', Nevada
Christ Church, LexingtonSt. Nicholas, Noel
St. Matthew’s, RaytownSt. Matthew's, Ozark
Calvary, SedaliaChrist Church, Springfield
St. Philip’s, TrentonSt. James, Springfield
Christ Church, WarrensburgSt. John's, Springfield
All Saints', West Plains [15]

Ministries

The diocese sponsors and supports a number of ministries throughout its geographical boundaries. They include: [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Ohio</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Diocese of Ohio is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion represented in the United States by The Episcopal Church. It was organized in 1817 and was the first diocese established outside of the original 13 colonies. The first bishop was Philander Chase. Since that time the Diocese has been served by 11 additional bishops. The 12th and current bishop, the Right Reverend Anne B. Jolly was ordained and consecrated as bishop in April 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of New York</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing three New York City boroughs and seven New York state counties. Established in 1785, it is one of the Episcopal Church's original dioceses. The current diocesan bishop is the Rt. Rev. Andrew Dietsche, whose seat is at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine; the Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd was consecrated as bishop coadjutor in 2023 and will succeed Dietsche as diocesan bishop in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the entire state of Connecticut. It is one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church and one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina (EDUSC) is a diocese in the Episcopal Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Chicago</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in northern Illinois

The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago is the official organization of the Episcopal Church in Chicago and Northern Illinois, US. The diocese is headed by Bishop Paula Clark, who is the first woman and first African-American to lead the diocese. The diocese was previously served by Jeffrey Lee, who served as bishop until December 31, 2020. The mother church of the diocese is St. James Cathedral, which is the oldest Episcopal congregation in the city of Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is a diocese in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Geographically, it encompasses 11 counties in Western Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1865 by dividing the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. The diocesan cathedral is Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh. The Rt. Rev. Ketlen A. Solak was consecrated and seated as its current bishop in autumn 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina is a diocese of the Episcopal Church within Province IV that encompasses central North Carolina. Founded in 1817, the modern boundaries of the diocese roughly correspond to the portion of North Carolina between I-77 in the west and I-95 in the east, including the most populous area of the state. Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Durham are the largest cities in the diocese. The diocese originally covered the entirety of the state, until the Diocese of East Carolina which stretches to the Atlantic was formed in 1883, and the Diocese of Western North Carolina which lies to the west extending into the Appalachian Mountains was formed in 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (TEC). It encompasses all 55 counties of West Virginia. The diocese has 66 congregations, including 38 parishes, 26 missions, and 2 other churches. The diocese is headquartered in Charleston and led by The Rt. Rev. Matthew Davis Cowden who was consecrated as bishop coadjutor in March, 2022 and became bishop diocesan in October, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the western half of the state of Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over the state of North Dakota plus Clay County, Minnesota. It has 19 congregations in North Dakota and one in Moorhead, Minnesota. It is in Province VI and its cathedral, Gethsemane Episcopal Cathedral, is in Fargo, as are the diocesan offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Lexington</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington is the diocese of The Episcopal Church with jurisdiction over eastern Kentucky. It was created in 1895 from the Diocese of Kentucky which continues to have jurisdiction of the western portion of the state. The cathedral for the Diocese of Kentucky is located in Louisville. The Diocese of Lexington is in Province 4 and its cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, is in Lexington, as are the diocesan offices. The diocesan office is called Mission House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Kansas</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, established in 1859, is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over eastern Kansas. It is in Province 7 and its cathedral, Grace Cathedral, is in Topeka, as are the diocesan offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Davenport, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, formerly known as Grace Cathedral, is the historic cathedral in the Diocese of Iowa. The cathedral is located on the bluff overlooking Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1873, Trinity is one of the oldest cathedrals in the Episcopal Church in the United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 1983 the cathedral was included as a contributing property in the College Square Historic District, which is also listed on the National Register.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Trenton, New Jersey)</span> Church in New Jersey, United States

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is an Episcopal cathedral located in Trenton, New Jersey, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of New Jersey.

Goodrich Robert Fenner was the fifth bishop of Kansas in The Episcopal Church between 1939 and 1959.

Diane M. Jardine Bruce is the Bishop Provisional of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri. She previously served as the seventh bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

John Clark Buchanan was an American bishop. He was the sixth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Nelson Spencer</span> American bishop of West Missouri (1877–1961)

Robert Nelson Spencer was a hymn writer and the third bishop of West Missouri in The Episcopal Church, serving from October 28, 1930, to 1949.

Edward Clark Turner was a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas between 1959 and 1981.

References

  1. ↑ "The Diocese of West Missouri". The Diocese of West Missouri. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  2. 1 2 Staff (1889-10-15). "General Convention of The Episcopal Church approves the splitting of the Diocese of Missouri". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  3. ↑ Staff (1890-06-03). "The Rt. Rev. Edward Robert Atwill". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  4. ↑ Orth, Rachael (1919-06-28). "Wedding of Harry S. Truman and Bess Wallace". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  5. ↑ Orth, Rachael (1935-10-29). "Grace and Holy Trinity Church becomes the Cathedral". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  6. ↑ Orth, Rachael (1950-01-01). "The Rt. Rev. Edward Randolph Welles". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  7. 1 2 "Timeline Archives". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  8. ↑ Orth, Rachael (1973-01-01). "The Rt. Rev. Arthur Anton Vogel". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  9. ↑ Orth, Rachael (1989-01-01). "The Rt. Rev. John Clark Buchanan". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  10. ↑ Orth, Rachael (1999-01-01). "The Rt. Rev. Barry Robert Howe". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  11. ↑ Orth, Rachael (2011-03-05). "The Rt. Rev. Martin Scott Field". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  12. ↑ Staff (2021-04-08). "Bishop Marty announces last day as Bishop of West Missouri". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  13. ↑ "The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce appointed Bishop Provisional of West Missouri". New Spirit. 2021-11-07. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  14. ↑ Staff (2022-01-13). "Welcome and Seating of Bishop Bruce". New Spirit. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  15. ↑ "Deaneries of The Diocese of West Missouri". DWMO Admin. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  16. ↑ "Committees, commissions, ministries, etc". DWMO Admin. Retrieved 2022-08-02.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.