Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi

Diocese of Mississippi
Location
Ecclesiastical province Province IV
Statistics
Congregations 83 (2014)
Members 18,677 (2014)
Information
Rite Episcopal
Cathedral St. Andrew's Cathedral, Jackson
Current leadership
Bishop Brian R. Seage
Map

Location of the Diocese of Mississippi
Website
www.dioms.org

The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, created in 1826,[1] is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over the entire state of Mississippi. It is in Province 4 and its cathedral, St. Andrew's Cathedral, is in Jackson, as are the diocesan offices.[2]

As a Southern diocese, historically Mississippi parishes and missions have leaned toward evangelical, or low church, practice over the course of the diocese's history. However, unlike most of the other major religious traditions in the state, the Episcopal Church in Mississippi has usually tolerated freedom of belief and differing types of ritual practice (e.g., Anglo-Catholicism in Biloxi and a liberal orientation in communities like Oxford and Starkville where colleges have significant presences). As such, the fallout from the ideological and theological conflicts that beset the Episcopal Church between the 1970s and 2000s (such as the Gene Robinson controversy) has not been large in comparison to other Southern dioceses (e.g., Tennessee, Fort Worth, South Carolina).

As of 2013 the Diocese of Mississippi had 18,741 members, down from 20,925 in 2003.[3]

Current bishop

Brian R. Seage was elected on May 3, 2014, at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Jackson, and received the required consents from a majority of bishops and standing committees of the Episcopal Church. He succeeded Duncan M. Gray, III, as the tenth bishop of Mississippi when Gray retired in February 2015.

Seage was elected as bishop coadjutor during his tenure as rector at St. Columb’s in Ridgeland, Mississippi, where he served since 2005. He was also the dean of the Central Convocation of the Diocese of Mississippi where he helped co-ordinate and enable the ministry of Episcopal clergy in central Mississippi.

He holds an undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University and a master’s of divinity from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. He has been a priest since 1998.

From 1997-98, Seage served as curate at St. John’s, Ocean Springs, and then as rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Diamondhead from 1998-2005, growing both attendance and programming in the parish. A successful building program was completed and average Sunday attendance doubled during his ministry at St. Thomas.

Seage was called to St. Columb’s in Ridgeland in 2005. St. Columb’s attendance and programming grew under his leadership and a large building project was completed as well.

Before entering the priesthood, Seage served as director of youth ministry for St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in his native Thousand Oaks, California. In this large, program-size church he managed a team of volunteers to support both the junior high and senior high youth groups, assisted with chapel at St. Patrick’s Day School, and coordinated the congregation’s Habitat for Humanity program.

In the Diocese of Mississippi, Seage served as a Fresh Start facilitator and was on the diocese’s Executive Committee from 2006 through 2009. He was also a member of the diocesan Restructure Task Force.

Seage has been a camp director at Camp Bratton-Green every summer since 2006 and will continue that ministry during his episcopacy. He also served on the Gray Center Board of Managers. While at St. Thomas, he served on the board of trustees for Coast Episcopal School.

Brian and his wife, Kyle, who is rector at St. Philip’s in Jackson, are parents to two daughters, Katie and Betsy.[4]

List of bishops

The bishops of Mississippi have been:[5]

  1. William Mercer Green, (1850–1887)
    Hugh M. Thompson, bishop coadjutor 1883
  2. Hugh M. Thompson, (1887–1902)
  3. Theodore D. Bratton, (1903–1938)
    William Mercer Green (grandson) bishop coadjutor 1919
  4. William Mercer Green (grandson) (1938–1942)
  5. Duncan Montgomery Gray, Sr., (1943–1966)
    John M. Allin, bishop coadjutor 1961
  6. John M. Allin, (1966–1974)
    Duncan Montgomery Gray, Jr., bishop coadjutor 1974
  7. Duncan Montgomery Gray, Jr., (1974–1993)
    A. C. Marble, Jr., bishop coadjutor 1991
  8. Alfred C. Marble, Jr., (1993–2003)
  9. Duncan Montgomery Gray, III, (2003–2015)
  10. Brian R. Seage, (2015–present)

See also

References

  1. ↑ See "About Us", Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi website, http://www.dioms.org/digital_faith/dfcfiles/850520
  2. ↑ Episcopal Church Annual, 2006, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Morehouse Publishing, p. 264-265
  3. ↑ Episcopal Church membership stats
  4. ↑ http://www.dioms.org/bishop/the-rt-rev-brian-r-seage-biography.html
  5. ↑ Episcopal Church Annual, 2006, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Morehouse Publishing, p. 264

External links

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