Dr. Estill of Dallas Elected in North Carolina

Episcopal News Service. November 8, 1979 [79346]

WINSTON-SALEM, N. C. -- The Rev. Robert W. Estill of Dallas, Tex., was elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina on the second ballot at a special convention at St. Paul's Church here on November 2.

The bishop-elect will assist and ultimately succeed Bishop Thomas A. Fraser, 64, when he retires. No date for his retirement has been set.

Bishop-elect Estill, rector of St. Michael and All Angels Church in Dallas since 1976, received a majority vote in the lay order on the first ballot and was only eight votes short of a majority in the clergy order. On the second ballot he had the required majority in both orders aIn second place in the voting was the Rev. A. Theodore Eastman, St. Alban's Church, Washington, D. C. Other nominees submitted by the committee were the Rev. Douglas G. Burgoyne, St. Andrew's Church, Newport News, Va.; the Rev. Daniel P. Matthews, St. John's Church, Knoxville, Tenn.; and the Rev. Martin R. Tilson, St. Luke's Church, Birmingham, Ala. The Rev. Franklin D. Turner, Staff Officer for Black Ministries at the Episcopal Church Center in New York City, was nominated from the floor.nd was declared the winner.

A native of Lexington, Ky., Bishop-elect Estill is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, Episcopal Divinity School, and he was awarded a Doctorate in Ministry degree jointly by the University of the South and Vanderbilt University. His parish experience includes Christ Church, Lexington, Ky., dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Louisville, Ky., and St. Alban's, Washington, D. C. For three years he was director of continuing education at Virginia Theological Seminary until he accepted the call to the Dallas parish.

In 1950 Dr. Estill married Joyce Haynes and they have three children.

The Diocese of North Carolina is one of three jurisdictions in the state. East Carolina includes the eastern, coastal part of the state and Western North Carolina embraces the western, mountainous counties.

The Diocese of North Carolina, whose see city is Raleigh, has 41,000 members of whom 30,000 are communicants, and 115 congregations. The new bishop will have oversight of the 52 missions, including deployment and pastoral care of the clergy, evangelism, stewardship, education, and long-range planning.

Bishop Fraser said of the diocese's choice, "I think he and I will have a very happy and constructive ministry together. He is a very able person, a very loving, caring person."

In a letter of acceptance to the diocese, Dr. Estill said he was "grateful for your confidence in me" and pledged his commitment to the work of the diocese.

It is expected that he will be consecrated at Duke University Chapel in Durham in March, after he has received the required consents from the diocesan bishops and standing committees.