Bishop Marray has announced that he will resign* in the fall of 2026, and with that news,
The Diocese of Easton has entered a Season of Leadership Transition
Stay Up-To-Date on Our Progress
This is the landing page for all things relating to our Transition and Search. This may include invitations, links, and updates.
Overview:
Ten years ago, the Diocese of Easton considered how we could best organize ourselves to carry out the mission of God in the Episcopal Church here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. At that time, we decided to move forward as an independent diocese, and in 2016, we elected Bishop Santosh Marray to serve with us for a season.
Bishop Marray has now announced that he will resign* in the fall of 2026, and with that news, the Diocese of Easton has entered another leadership transition. In the Episcopal Church, standing committees of dioceses are charged with oversight of and responsibility for bishop search and transitions (Canon III.11.1 (a)).
With thanks for Bishop Marray’s ministry, the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Easton, understanding that the search and installation of a diocesan bishop will likely cost the diocese around $200,000, believes it is prudent and good stewardship to first enter into another diocesan-wide discernment process to determine the diocese’s vision for its ministry in the coming decades after Bishop Marray’s resignation. In particular, the Standing Committee intends to form a Discernment Committee that will help us determine whether our participation in God’s mission could be strengthened by collaborating or partnering with another nearby diocese.
Although we considered the alternative of joining with another diocese in 2014-15 and decided against it, we believe that the seismic changes we have experienced in the last decade—which include significant shifts in the religious landscape of the United States and a global pandemic—mean that we need once again to examine creative options for our future ministry. This is in line with the thinking of, and supported by, our new Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Sean Rowe.
In December 2024, the Standing Committee called for nominations of leaders to serve on the Discernment Committee. That committee will create and lead a process to involve the entire diocese in developing the diocese’s future mission strategy.
On January 21, 2025, the Standing Committee announced the members of the Discernment Committee and charged it to report to the diocesan convention in 2026. The Committee will also lead a discussion about the future of our diocesan ministry at the diocesan convention. See below for more information about the Discernment Committee
*In churchspeak, Bishops don’t retire, they resign their office, even though they are in fact retiring from their full-time position. So that’s why you see the word “resign” rather than retired used on this page.
Discernment Committee
About:
Composition: The Discernment Committee will consist of no more than six lay people and six clergy who are representative of all three convocations and represent the gender, racial, ethnic, and generational diversity of the Diocese of Easton. The committee will include at least one member of the Standing Committee and the Diocesan Council. The committee will be supported by a consultant provided by Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s office.
Initial term of service: Diocesan Convention 2025 to Diocesan Convention 2026
Charge: Lead the Diocese of Easton in discerning our diocese’s future mission strategy, including whether our participation in God’s mission could be strengthened by collaborating or partnering with another nearby diocese.
Deliverables:
- Resources to encourage and support the members of the diocese in praying for the diocese’s discernment about its future ministry.
- Development and oversight of a process by which the entire diocese can provide input into our future mission strategy.
- Regular reports to the Standing Committee about the committee’s work.
- A profile of the Diocese of Easton’s history, ministry, challenges and strengths. (This profile will be suitable for assisting the diocese either in beginning conversations with neighboring dioceses or in calling its 12th bishop.)
- Recommendations to the Standing Committee about the diocese’s preferred structure and mission strategy, including, if appropriate, possible next steps for exploring collaboration with nearby dioceses.
Discernment Committee Appointed
JANUARY 21, 2025 The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Easton has announced the appointment of the Diocesan Discernment Committee for the purpose of leading the Diocese of Easton in discerning our diocese’s future mission strategy.
The Standing Committee appointed as co-chairs of the committee the Very Rev. David Michaud from St. Peter’s, Salisbury Parish and Dr. Diana Marit Kunkel from Emmanuel Church, Chestertown. Ms. Rebecca Wilson, the Episcopal Church’s Chief of Strategy in the Presiding Bishop’s Office, is working with the committee as its consultant.
The Very Rev. David Michaud has been rector of St. Peter’s, Salisbury for more than 11 years and is the Dean of the Southern Convocation. Father David is the past President of the Standing Committee where he serves as a member until the 2025 Convention. Michaud was ordained in the Diocese of Easton in 2007 and has served in both a small parish – St. Andrew’s, Princess Anne—and a large parish, St. Peter’s. He was a member of both the 2015 Diocesan Discernment Committee and the last Bishop Search Committee, and has been a consultant and member of the Secretariat for the past seven General Conventions.
Dr. Diana Marit Kunkel is a lay member of Emmanuel Church, Chestertown, where she serves as a lay delegate to the 2024 and 2025 Conventions. Prior to her time at Emmanual she was involved in the Diocese of Washington, where she was a member of the Diocesan Consultants Network and has been involved in research for that diocese on discernment processes throughout the Episcopal Church. She has a Masters in Organizational Development and a PhD in Human and Organizational Structures.
The other members of the Discernment Committee are: The Rev. Deacon Barbara A. Coleman, St. Andrew’s Mission, Hurlock; The Rev. Andrew Cropper, All Hallows, Snow Hill; Mr. Victor Evans, Emmanuel, Chestertown; Mrs. Noelle M Filion-Powell, Trinity Cathedral, Easton; Mr. Gordon D Fronk, Church of the Holy Trinity, Oxford; Mr. Jeffrey R Pike, Christ Church Parish Kent Island; Mrs. Dee S. Rinehart, St. Alban’s, Salisbury; the Rev. Henry M Sabetti, Shrewsbury Parish, Kennedyville; the Rev. Suz E Southern, St. Paul’s, Berlin; and the Rev. Jill Williams, St. Paul’s By-the-Sea, Ocean City.
Timeline:
December 2024: Standing Committee asks for nominations to the Discernment Committee.
January 2025: Standing Committee submits resolution for debate for Diocesan Convention that outlines discernment process for Diocesan support.
February 2025: Standing Committee forms Discernment Committee and announces members; Discernment Committee holds organizational meeting.
March 2025: Standing Committee reports to Diocesan Convention; Discernment Committee facilitates discernment discussion at diocesan convention.
June 2025: Discernment Committee makes interim report to the Standing Committee.
October 2025: Discernment Committee makes interim report to the Standing Committee.
January 2026: Discernment Committee provides draft diocesan profile to the Standing Committee for review and endorsement.
March 2026: Standing Committee and Discernment Committee present diocesan profile and recommended next steps to diocesan convention.
April-October 2026: Standing Committee prepares for Bishop Marray’s resignment and begins to carry out the next steps in the discernment process, including, if needed, securing new episcopal leadership for an interim period.
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Bishop San’s Notice of Resignation Date Change
Re: Bishop’s Notice of Resignation Date Change: February 2, 2026 Through much prayer and consultation with my family, I write to you to announce that I will be resigning effective February 2nd, 2026, being the Feast of the Presentation/Candlemas as per Church Pension...
Discernment Committee Begins Work
The Diocese of Easton Discernment Committee met on January 29, 2025 for the first time for an organizing meeting on zoom. The Committee at that meeting scheduled an in-person day-long retreat and planning session for Saturday, March 1. 2025 at Bray House in Easton....
Standing Committee Appoints Discernment Committee
Standing Committee Appoints Discernment Committee The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Easton has announced the appointment of the Diocesan Discernment Committee for the purpose of leading the Diocese of Easton in discerning our diocese’s future mission strategy....