The Diocese of West Texas elected the Rev. David Mitchell Reed, 49, to be its suffragan bishop March 25 at a special convention at TMI-The Episcopal School in San Antonio.

Fr. Reed, rector of St. Alban’s, Harlingen, Texas, was the leading choice among the eight candidates on each of the three ballots. Needing 55 clergy and 165 lay ballots to be elected, Fr. Reed garnered the votes of 63 clergy and 230 lay delegates on the final ballot.

A Brownsville native and University of Texas graduate, Fr. Reed has been a friend of the Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge, Bishop of West Texas, since the two attended Episcopal camps together as teenagers. Following the election, Bishop Lillibridge praised the bishop-elect’s spiritual gifts, particularly his skills in youth and young adult ministry.

Fr. Reed attended the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, graduating in 1983. He was ordained to the diaconate that same year, and to the priesthood in 1984. From 1983 to1987 he served the Harlingen parish as assistant rector, and served as rector at St. Francis’, Victoria, Texas, until 1994, when he returned to St. Alban’s. The bishop-elect and his wife, Patti, have two children, Kaitlin, 14, and Jon, 12.

Assuming sufficient consents are received at General Convention, Bishop-elect Reed is scheduled to be consecrated August 26.

To find more news, feature articles, and commentary not available online, we invite you to subscribe to The Living Church magazine. To learn more, click here.