[Episcopal Church in Connecticut] The Rev. Jeffrey Mello, Rector of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Brookline, Massachusetts, was elected on May 21 as the 16th bishop of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, pending the required consents from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and standing committees of the Episcopal Church.
Rev. Mello was elected on the sixth ballot out of a slate of five nominees. He received 129 votes of 225 cast in the lay order and 113 of 175 cast in the clergy order. An election on that ballot required 114 in the lay order and 89 in the clergy order.
The election was held during the diocese’s special election convention at the Connecticut Convention Center, as well as an auxiliary location at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford, CT. Pending a successful consent process, Rev. Mello will succeed the Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas, Ph.D., who announced his retirement just over one year ago.
Under the canons of the Episcopal Church, a majority of bishops exercising jurisdiction and diocesan standing committees must consent to the bishop-elect’s ordination as bishop within 120 days of receiving notice of the election.
Rev. Mello addressed the convention via a projected Zoom video call, which was also live streamed to an additional 300+ individuals tuned in at the time.
“I am humbled and I am honored that you have chosen me to be your 16th bishop of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut,” said Rev. Mello. “With my whole heart, my whole mind, and my whole body I accept your election and invitation to serve as your next bishop diocesan…I cannot wait to be with you, grow with you, to join you in the work that lays ahead.”
The consecration is scheduled to take place October 15, 2022, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.
The other nominees were:
- The Rev. Glenna Huber, Rector, Church of the Epiphany, Washington, DC
- The Very Rev. Kate Moorehead, Dean, St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Jacksonville, FL
- The Rev. Canon Tanya Wallace, Rector, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, South Hadley, MA
and Petition Nominee:
- The Rev. Whitney Altopp, Rector, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Ridgefield, CT
Information about all the nominees is available at ctbishopsearch.org.
The Episcopal Church in Connecticut has over 60,000 baptized members in over 150 parishes and worshiping communities in its six Regions. Learn more at episcopalct.org.
