Episcopal Press and News
Frensdorff of Nevada Announces Resignation
Episcopal News Service. January 24, 1985 [85021]
Reno, Nev. (DPS, Jan. 31) -- The Rt. Rev. Wesley Frensdorff has announced his resignation, effective Sept. 30, as Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Nevada, a post he has held since March 4, 1972.
Frensdorff said he is resigning "for purposes of missionary strategy, thus making it possible for the diocese to call new episcopal leadership." He will continue, however, to serve part-time as bishop of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland, as he has done for the past two years. In addition, he has accepted a call to become assistant bishop of Arizona, where he will share episcopal duties with Bishop Joseph Heistand. Frensdorff said he plans to live in Tucson, and the new post will allow him to reduce the amount of time he now must spend in travel. He said he hopes to serve in Arizona until 1991, when he and his wife expect to retire in the Reno area.
"This resignation is the result of much thought and prayer and is prompted by a combination of reasons, strategic and personal," said Frensdorff in a letter to the diocese, adding: "The Diocese of Nevada is at a good place in its life and mission, with strong and committed leadership."
During Frensdorff's tenure as bishop, the diocese has become financially self-sufficient.
The diocese has also formally embraced the concept of total or shared ministry, in which the gifts for ministry of all members of the diocesan family are recognized and affirmed. Parishes assume responsibility for their own life as members of the diocesan family.
As part of the process, individuals are identified and called from within a parish, undergo extensive training, and are ordained to holy orders under the canons of the national church which deal with indigenous ministries. Seminary-trained, professional clergy are used more as trainers and enablers.
Frensdorff has spoken and led workshops about ministry throughout the country and internationally as well, including workshops in the past year in Central and South America. He was one of those responsible for the 1983 conference in Hawaii to study the missionary theology of Roland Allen.
He has also served on the Episcopal Church's Council for the Development of Ministry and on several other bodies of the national church.
At his resignation, he will have spent almost 23 years in Nevada, including 14 as bishop. Between 1951-59 he served as a priest in McDermitt, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Elko, and Wells.
He also served a parish in the North Cascade Mountains in the Diocese of Olympia from 1959-1962 and was dean of the cathedral in Salt Lake City from 1962-1971, with a year out for service in Nicaragua.
He is the seventh bishop of Nevada and was the first elected by the diocese. Previous bishops had been elected by the House of Bishops.
Frensdorff's resignation was accepted by the Standing Committee of the diocese at a meeting held at the Wellspring Retreat Center in Boulder City. At his suggestion, the committee and other officers of the diocese will meet in early February with Bishop David Richards, director of the national church's House of Bishops' Committee on Pastoral Development, to plan the election process for a successor.
Frensdorff and his wife, the former Dolores Stoker of Winnemucca, have five children and three grandchildren.