The Rt. Rev. Bill Thompson to Become Full-Time Bishop of Growing Diocese of Western Anglicans

posted June 3, 2012

After devoting nearly four decades of his life to his role as rector of All Saints’ Anglican Church in Long Beach, Calif., the Rt. Rev. William A. Thompson will focus his full attention on being bishop of the Diocese of Western Anglicans.

The Diocese was formed in April of 2009 and includes 28 parishes and church plants stretching from southern California to Washington state and as far east as Wyoming. In addition to his work to support the growing Diocese, Bishop Thompson serves the Anglican Church in North America in numerous ways, including leading the Prayer Book and Common Liturgy Task Force.

“When I was consecrated bishop, I had no way of realizing how consuming it would be. To be fair to both positions, I’m choosing to focus on this role and allow All Saints’ to enjoy the benefits of a full-time rector. We haven’t selected a new rector here since the mid-70s; it’s kind of exciting,” said Bishop Thompson in his announcement to the diocesan House of Delegates.

Bishop Thompson moved into the rector role at All Saints’ just before his 29th birthday. He’s seen the congregation grow and change during his tenure and says, “The parish has always been very strong. While the property litigation we’re facing has been going on now for eight years, we knew the risk of our decision and chose to take a stand for the authority of Scripture anyway.” the rest