The clergy and people of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, gathered here in a special electing convention, have chosen the Very Rev. Ryan Reed, 51, to become the fourth Bishop of the Diocese, succeeding the Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker.
The Bishop-elect has served as Dean of St. Vincent’s Cathedral, where the election was held, since 2002. A native of Omaha, Neb., Dean Reed was raised near Houston. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, and a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pa. He and his wife, Kathy, have one daughter. Ordained to the priesthood in 1997, he has served churches in Fort Worth, Bridgeport, and Bedford, Texas; and held a variety of ministerial and administrative posts. He is a past President of the diocesan Standing Committee and presently serves on the Executive Committee of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). He is a member of the Society of the Holy Cross, an international devotional society for clergy.
The special convention opened with the report of the Nominating Committee, which officially placed four names in nomination. Balloting began after a worship service. The election was confirmed on the third ballot, when Dean Reed received a majority of votes from both the clergy and lay orders, as required.
“We are delighted with Dean Reed’s selection to serve as our next Bishop,” said Bishop Iker at the close of the convention. “His broad experience in the wider Church and his gifts as a pastor will serve the Diocese well in the years to come.”
The election requires the consent of the ACNA College of Bishops in a meeting scheduled later this month. A service of consecration for the Bishop-elect is expected in September 2019. Leadership of the Diocese will pass to Bishop-elect Reed upon Bishop Iker’s retirement on Dec. 31, 2019.
St. Vincent’s Cathedral Church is the seat of the Bishop of Fort Worth. It was the site of the formation, in June 2009, of the Anglican Church in North America, a province with congregations across the U.S. and Canada. The ACNA has a total membership of over 132,000. Fort Worth is the second-largest Diocese in the province.
The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth was founded in 1982 and has 56 congregations primarily in 24 North Central Texas counties. It is a constituent member of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church and a founding Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America.
