The Rt. Rev. Richard F. Shimpfky recently submitted to Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold his letter of resignation as Bishop of El Camino Real.

Since the effective March 31 resignation date occurs before Bishop Shimpfky, 63, will have attained the minimum retirement age of 64, it must be approved by the House of Bishops. As part of a settlement agreement reached with the El Camino Real diocesan council, Bishop Shimpfky will be paid full salary and benefits through the end of the year. Pending sale of the episcopal residence, the diocese will forgive a modest personal note taken out when the house was purchased.

Bishop Shimpfky told TLC he and his wife, Jamel, were looking forward to an active retirement and would probably relocate back to the New York City metropolitan area. Bishop Shimpfky was rector of Christ Church, Ridgewood, N.J., when he was elected bishop in 1990.

As bishop, he reached out to ethnic minorities, particularly Latinos, and today roughly 25 percent of baptized members in El Camino Real come from such backgrounds. In 1997, Bishop Shimpfky was a nominee for Presiding Bishop. As president of Province 8, Bishop Shimpfky oversaw a change in governance from a fully elected council to a partially appointed executive committee.