Tennessee Episcopal bishops join push to spare death row inmate Donnie Johnson's life

From Tennessee-

Two Episcopal bishops in Tennessee are joining calls from other religious leaders in the state for the governor to spare the life of death row inmate Donnie Johnson. 

In a letter appealing to Gov. Bill Lee, Bishop Brian L. Cole, who leads the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee, said the life Johnson has lived behind bars demonstrates the power of faith and forgiveness. 

"Ending his life now would only show a violent world that more violence is an answer," Cole said in the May 8 letter. "I believe there is another way available to you — to show our state that forgiveness and mercy is the true measure of mature authority and a wise measure of executive power." 

Johnson, who was sentenced to death for the 1984 murder of his wife, Connie Johnson, is scheduled to be executed Thursday at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.

More here-

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2019/05/10/donnie-johnson-execution-episcopal-bishop-brian-cole-joins-push-spare-inmates-life/1164093001/

Cole 5th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee

From East Tennessee-

Saturday at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Knoxville, the Rt. Rev. Brian Cole was ordained and consecrated as the 5th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee.

Cole is the fifth bishop to serve the diocese since its establishment in 1985. About 800 people were present for the celebration and pageantry that are part of the sacred service.

The presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church – head of “the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement,” the Most Rev. Michael Curry, ordained Cole.

The Rt. Rev. William Evan Sanders and the Rt. Rev. Charles Glenn vonRosenberg, the first and third bishops of the diocese, participated in the ordination.

The Rt. Rev. Robert Gould Tharp, second bishop of the diocese died in 2003. Bishops from outside East Tennessee, and ecumenical, interfaith and other guests were present as well.
More here-

http://www.citizentribune.com/news/local/cole-th-bishop-of-the-episcopal-diocese-of-east-tennessee/article_aa0824be-d7e0-11e7-a897-0f9a3b780103.html

Cole named Bishop-elect of Episcopal Church in East Tennessee

From Tennessee-


The Rev. Brian Cole was elected the 5th Bishop of the Episcopal Church in East Tennessee Friday at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Knoxville. The election culminated a search process lasting just over a year.

Cole was elected from a field of five candidates.

Cole, 49 has served as rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lexington, Kentucky, since 2012.

Pending the canonically required consent of a majority of The Episcopal Church’s diocesan Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction, Cole will be ordained and consecrated on Dec. 2 by the Most Reverent Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.

The service will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Knoxville.

In order to be elected, Cole needed to receive a simple majority of votes from both clergy and the lay delegates to the electing session of the 33rd Convention of the Episcopal Church in East Tennessee, voting as separate orders on the same balloting round.

More here-

http://www.citizentribune.com/news/local/cole-named-bishop-elect-of-episcopal-church-in-east-tennessee/article_3292a9dc-74d4-11e7-92f5-9bf57272a60d.html

Brian Cole elected fifth bishop of East Tennessee

From ENS-

The Rev. Brian Cole was elected the fifth bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee on the fifth ballot July 28 by delegates gathered for the electing session of the 33rd Annual Convention of the diocese at St. John’s Cathedral in Knoxville.

Cole, 49, has served as rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lexington, Kentucky, since 2012. He was elected by 85 votes in the clergy order and 141 votes in the lay order. An election on that ballot required 57 clergy votes and 94 lay votes.

“With an open heart, I am both excited and humbled to be chosen by the lay and clergy delegates of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee to serve as your fifth bishop,” Cole said. “Susan and I look forward to joining with you all in practicing resurrection, in the apostolic work of revealing the Living Christ to a beautiful but broken world. We will be happy to see you soon as we put down roots in Knoxville later in the year.”

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2017/07/28/brian-cole-elected-fifth-bishop-of-east-tennessee/

also here-

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/East-Tennessee-Bishop-Election-Held.html?soid=1103630271834&aid=n8BqxCmzPyE

Slate of 5 in East Tennessee

From The Living Church- (with links)

The Diocese of East Tennessee has announced a slate of four men and one woman for the diocese’s election of a fifth bishop:

The Rev. Brian Cole, rector of Good Shepherd, Lexington, Kentucky

The Rev. Hendree Harrison, rector of St. Paul’s, Athens, Tennessee

The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, canon to the ordinary, Diocese of Georgia

The Rev. Canon Lance Ousley, canon for stewardship and development in the Diocese of Olympia and priest-in-charge of St. John’s, Kirkland, Washington

The Rev. Marty Stebbins, rector of St. Timothy’s, Wilson, North Carolina

The diocese will accept nominations by petition through May 12. The election is scheduled for July 28 at St. John’s Cathedral in Knoxville.

More here-

http://livingchurch.org/slate-5-east-tennessee?platform=hootsuite