The Rev. J. Scott Mayer was consecrated Bishop of Northwest Texas March 21 at First United Methodist Church in Lubbock.
 
Drawing inspiration from “Romero,” the 1989 Hollywood feature film about the life of the Most Rev. Oscar Romero, Roman Catholic Archbishop of El Salvador who was assassinated in 1980, the Rev. Charles J. Cook, retired professor of pastoral theology at Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, told Bishop Mayer that he would become the voice of the people in the diocese.
 
Bishop Mayer, 53, was a student of Prof. Cook’s during seminary. He has led several vestry retreats at the Church of Heavenly Rest in Abilene, the Northwest Texas parish where Bishop Mayer served as rector prior to his election last November.
 
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was the chief consecrator. The co-consecrators were the Rt. Rev. C. Wallis Ohl, Bishop of Northwest Texas, 1997-2008, and the Rt. Rev. Sam B. Hulsey, Bishop of Northwest Texas. 1980-1997. Other consecrating bishops included the Rt. Rev. Larry R. Benfield, Bishop of Arkansas; the Rt. Rev. Don A. Wimberly, Bishop of Texas; the Rt. Rev. Paul E. Lambert, Bishop Suffragan of Dallas, and the Rev. Kevin S. Kanouse, Bishop of the Northern Texas Northern Louisiana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
 
The gospel, Lord’s Prayer, and one of the hymns were in Spanish. Kites depicting doves were used during the procession and recession. Ten members of the Province 7 youth leadership team along with their adult sponsors traveled to Lubbock to attend the consecration. They were put to work assisting worshipers during the service.
 
Bishop Mayer and his wife, Kathy, have two grown children. Prior to his consecration, he was rector of Heavenly Rest for more than 13 years. He was associate rector for a year before accepting the call to be rector. He also served for two years as an assistant at St. James’, Texarkana, from 1992 to 1994.
 
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