In a historic election, the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi has elected Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells as its new bishop, marking the first time a woman and a Black person will lead the church. The selection was made during the diocese’s annual conference on Saturday, with Wells chosen on the fourth ballot by delegates representing all 87 congregations.
Wells, who currently serves as the Rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, Tennessee, and as the chaplain of the church’s preschool, will become the 11th bishop of the Mississippi diocese. Her appointment follows in the footsteps of Sharma Lewis, who was elected as the first Black woman to become the Mississippi United Methodist Church bishop in November 2022.
The outgoing bishop, Brian Seage, expressed his excitement for this milestone, stating, This is a historic moment and this marks a new chapter in our history. It’s the first time we have elected a woman and the first time we have elected an African American as the bishop of the diocese. I think this speaks dramatically for this movement within our church.
Wells, a native of Mobile, Alabama, brings a wealth of experience and education to her new role. She graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis with a degree in vocal performance and holds a Juris Doctorate from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis. Additionally, Wells holds a master’s degree in divinity from the Memphis Theological Seminary and a doctorate in ministry from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
Expressing her gratitude and readiness to serve, Wells said, I am truly humbled by the confidence that the council has placed in me, and I am so looking forward to working with the good people of the Diocese of Mississippi. We are reading all kinds of statistics and reports about declining church attendance and declining church engagement, but we know God is in the midst of all of this, and I am looking forward to exploring with this Diocese all of the ways we can continue to love God and love one another and serve our neighbors and care for the people around us.
Wells will officially become bishop-elect on May 1 and will work alongside Bishop Seage before being ordained on July 20. The ordination will be officiated by Michael Curry, the first Black person to serve as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, who gained international acclaim for his preaching at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.
The Episcopal Church, a mainline Protestant denomination, consists of 99 dioceses and nine provinces across the United States. While the church has reported a decline in membership in recent years, with over 1.4 million active members in 2022, Wells is determined to address this issue and revive the church’s engagement. She plans to visit churches across Mississippi, meet clergy and lay people, and build relationships as they work together to serve God and their communities.
The election of Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells as the first woman and Black person to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi is a significant milestone in the church’s history. As Mississippi continues to break barriers with diverse leadership, it signals the ongoing progress towards inclusivity and representation within religious institutions.
