The Rt. Rev. C. Wallis Ohl, Jr., Bishop of Northwest Texas, has announced his retirement and directed the diocesan standing committee to begin the process leading to the election of his successor.

In a letter to the diocese, Bishop Ohl stated he was “filled with a mixture of emotions: joy at having been able to serve among you for the past 10 years; grief at seeing the closing of our time together.”

He professed his love for members of the diocese: “both those who have been supportive and those who have opposed me personally or in the direction of ministry development.”

"For you I am a bishop, but with you I am a Christian,” Bishop Ohl wrote, citing St. Augustine, and concluded his pastoral letter with a collect for peace, asking the diocese be protected from “all assaults of our enemies.”

It was his hope, the bishop wrote, that his successor would be elected in April 2008 and consecrated at the fall meeting of the diocesan convention.

Deaneries will be asked to elect members of a nominating committee.

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