Melbourne, FL – After consenting to the election of three new bishops yesterday, the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America met again today, January 11, 2024, to consider the election of three additional bishops-elect. Consent was given to all three. Each of the candidates will serve as a bishop suffragan for his diocese.
On December 16, 2023, the Diocese of the Rocky Mountains elected the Rev. Benjamin Fischer to be a suffragan bishop to serve under and in support of the Rt. Rev. Ken Ross, Bishop Ordinary. Fischer has spent his ordained ministry in Idaho from where he will serve the diocese as he also continues as rector of his current congregation.
“I’ve come away from this process very encouraged to do ministry with these guys,” Fischer said of the consent process. “In my ministry as bishop, I especially look forward to supporting and encouraging other pastors and their families. That’s one of the most important roles of a bishop, to pastor the pastors.”
Fischer and his wife, Brooke, have three children. His consecration will be held on February 5, 2024.
The Rev. Charles “Charlie” Camlin was elected to serve as bishop suffragan under the Most Rev. Ray Sutton in the Diocese of Mid-America (REC). Camlin has most recently served as Dean of Church of the Holy Communion in Dallas, Texas, the cathedral for the diocese. He will continue to serve in that role. Camlin has been married for 31 years to Brett and together they have three children and four grandchildren. He will be consecrated on March 21, 2024.
After the consent process, Camlin said, “It was daunting, but I am thankful for it and understand it given the gravity of the office.” He continued, “I just want to serve the Church and I want to be a help to Bishop Sutton and Bishop Banek. That’s my main role.”
Under the Reformed Episcopal Church is the Missionary Diocese in Cuba. The Reformed Episcopal Church also has a Cuban Mission Society that helps to administrate the Missionary Diocese in Cuba in cooperation with the Anglican Network in Canada. The Rev. Canon John Boonzaaijer was elected to serve as suffragan under the REC to oversee its churches in Cuba. Boonzaaijer has served in various leadership roles within the REC, including as Canon for Foreign Mission, and was the Decalogue team leader on the Catechism Task Force for the Anglican Church in North America. He and his wife, Christine, currently live in Dallas, Texas.
Referring to the process Boonzaaijer said, “God’s been preparing me for this. It’s good to be examined. I felt like I was amongst friends, and I was. They were welcoming and encouraging.” Regarding his ministry, he expressed readiness: “I’m eager to get started!”
Boonzaaijer’s consecration will be held on February 15, 2024.
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, said of the bishops-elect, “I am grateful for the ministry of these men of God. I look forward to watching their ministries develop in their dioceses as well as in the College.”
