New Bishop
The Very Rev. Richard T. Lawson III, dean of St. John’s Cathedral in Denver, Colorado, was elected the 13th bishop of the Episcopal Church in Alabama on Jan. 31.
Alabama elects Richard T. Lawson III its 13th bishop
[Episcopal Church in Alabama] The Very Rev. Richard T. Lawson III, dean of St. John’s Cathedral in Denver, Colorado, was elected the 13th bishop of the Episcopal Church in Alabama on Jan. 31 during a special convention at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama.
Lawson was elected on the first ballot, with 108 clergy votes and 184 lay votes in an election that required a simple majority from both orders on the same ballot. The other candidate was the Rev. Candice B. Frazer, rector of the Church of Ascension in Montgomery, Alabama.
The convention had been scheduled for Jan. 24 but was delayed a week because of winter weather that struck much of the country, including deep into southern states.
Before becoming dean of St. John’s Cathedral in 2017, Lawson was rector of Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and School in Memphis, Tennessee, and curate and later rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Decatur, Alabama. He was ordained in 2001 and holds advanced degrees from General Theological Seminary and the University of the South.
In a video acceptance of his election, Lawson expressed his gratitude to the diocese, the special convention and leaders of the various committees that conducted the bishop search process. He said, “My deepest hope and prayer on this day is that the call of this new bishop reminds all of us of our own call from our Lord to love and serve him and to use our own spiritual gifts for his sake. And I look forward to hearing your calls and serving alongside you very soon.”
He will succeed the Rt. Rev. Glenda Curry, the diocese’s bishop since 2021, after he is ordained and consecrated. Of his election, Curry said, “Richard is extremely qualified and gifted to lead our great diocese into our next chapter. He will be a passionate and balanced leader, pointing us to follow Jesus Christ.”
Pending the canonically required consent of a majority of The Episcopal Church’s diocesan standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction, Lawson will be ordained and consecrated as bishop on June 27, 2026, at the Cathedral Church of the Advent. The Most Rev. Sean Rowe, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, will preside.
The Episcopal Church in Alabama comprises 86 parishes across seven convocations with two worshipping communities and eight college ministries, serving more than 29,180 baptized members.