The Rt. Rev. Dr. David G. Read Ordained and Consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of West Texas
The Rt. Rev. Dr. David G. Read was ordained and consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of West Texas on Saturday, July 8 in All Saints Chapel at TMI Episcopal, San Antonio. Bishop Read will work alongside the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed, Bishop of West Texas, until his retirement on January 1, 2024.
The Rt. Rev. W. Michie Klusmeyer, Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Ministry within The Episcopal Church, was the chief consecrator and six bishops joined him as co-consecrators, including the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed, D.D., Bishop of West Texas; the Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr., D.D., Assistant Bishop of West Texas; the Rt. Rev. James E. Folts, Eighth Bishop of West Texas, retired; the Rt. Rev. Dr. Jonathan H. Folts, Bishop of South Dakota; the Rt. Rev. Kathryn M. Ryan, Bishop Suffragan of Texas; and the Rev. Susan J. Briner, Bishop of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
A total of fourteen bishops were in attendance for the traditional laying-on of hands. 700 in-person attendees participated in the joyful service, with more than 100 people joining the livestream concurrently from across the diocese and the country.
Bishop Reed, current Diocesan Bishop, preached and began his sermon by thanking everyone who had assembled, including Chief Consecrator Bishop Klusmeyer, and sending greetings and prayers for continued recovery to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
Inspired by his own time as a bishop he said, “Of all the good gifts that David is getting today we the Church – lay and ordained – end up being God's best gift to him. You might look around here for a second, David; go ahead and take a peek behind you. This is what you get – our love, our support, our trust, our forgiveness, our prayers, our showing up. These are all gifts that he will need us to offer now, and in the years to come.”
“Some of [David’s] best moments, the holiest times, will be when he finds himself in the midst, when he finds himself among the clergy and people side by side in the life and work that our Lord Jesus gives us," Bishop Reed continued, reflecting on the Gospel reading chosen for the service, Luke 10:1-12. Reed has served as the tenth diocesan bishop since 2017, following his time as its bishop suffragan beginning in 2006.
Service music was offered by members of St. Boniface, Comfort; St. Francis’, San Antonio; St. Helena’s, Boerne; St. Nicholas, Bulverde; and St. Peter’s, Kerrville choirs directed by Lynne Lowry as well as the St. Helena’s Singers, a youth choir, and a brass quartet, led by Rod Leonard from TMI Episcopal. Hymns and congregational singing were led by Dr. Susan Matteson, organist, and Bryce Boddie, guitarist, both from St. Helena’s, Boerne.
The service incorporated Spanish throughout, including the First Lesson reading from Isaiah, the Gospel Reading from Luke, which was read in English and Spanish, and the final Communion hymn, Alabaré a Mi Señor, which perfectly encapsulated the service: “Todos unidos alegres cantamos, 'Glorias y alabanzas al Señor. Gloria al Padre, gloria al Hijo, y gloria al Espiritu de amor.'” [All sang together joyfully, 'Glory and praise to the Lord. Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, and glory to the Spirit of Love.']
The traditional bishop gifts presented during the service included vestments given by the Clergy of the Diocese; a pectoral cross given by family, friends, and the West Texas congregations where Bishop Read has served; a ring given by his parents, William and Doris Read, and brother, Kelly Read; a crozier given by Robert and Lorraine Cheeseman, parents of Jaqui Read, his wife; and a Bible given by Bishop Klusmeyer on behalf of the Most Reverend Michael Curry.
The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas spans sixty counties and 69,000 square miles in southern Texas. Its 87 congregations serve approximately 20,000 parishioners.
An Investiture Service of Choral Evensong will be held on December 1, 2023 at St. Mark’s, San Antonio. During the service, the Bishop Coadjutor will ceremonially receive the diocesan crozier from the outgoing Bishop Diocesan, as a sign of the transfer of authority. All are welcome to attend.
A video recording and the consecration service bulletin are available on the Diocese of West Texas website, at dwtx.org/consecration, as well as its social media channels.
Photographs by Lauren Vereen, St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Kerrville.
