Minnesota Episcopalians to Consecrate Rev. Brain N. Prior as IX Bishop

Minnesota Episcopalians to Consecrate Rev. Brain N. Prior as IX Bishop

The Episcopal Church of Minnesota will on Saturday, February 13, 2010 ordain and consecrate the Rev. Brain N. Prior as the IX Bishop of the church.

The consecration ceremonies will take place at the Minneapolis Convention Center on 1301 Second Ave. S. in Minneapolis. The Most Rev. Katharine Jeffert Schori will be preside at the ceremonies.

The Rev. Brian Prior, vice president of the Episcopal Church's House of Deputies, was elected on October 31, 2009 to be the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota.

Prior, 50, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Spokane, Washington, won election on the fifth ballot out of a field of two remaining candidates. He received 153 votes of 233 cast in the lay order and 118 of 205 cast in the clergy order. An election on the fifth ballot required 117 in the lay order and 103 in the clergy order. The results of all five ballots are available here.

The election took place on the second and final day of the diocese's 152nd annual convention at the Marriott City Center in Minneapolis.

Upon accepting election as the IX Bishop, Rev. Prior said, "I feel overwhelmed and blessed at this moment for the opportunity to come and serve in a place with such a rich history and with so many saints both past and present."

Under the canons of the Episcopal Church (III.11.4), a majority of bishops exercising jurisdiction and diocesan Standing Committees must consent to Prior's ordination as bishop within 120 days of receiving notice of the election. A few days ago it was announced that this provision was fulfilled.

The Rev. Brian Prior has been elected IX Bishop of Minnesota. Prior has been the Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Spokane, Washington since 1996. Among the many boards and committees on which he serves, Rev. Prior is the Vice President of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church. He received his M.Div. from Church Divinity of the Pacific in Berkeley, California in 1987. Rev. Prior has been married to Staci Hubbard Prior for 23 years. They have two teenage sons.

Prior will succeed Minnesota's 8th bishop, James Jelinek, who has served the diocese since 1993. Jelinek will retire when Prior is ordained and consecrated.