Vermont Elects Swenson Coadjutor
Episcopal News Service. December 23, 1986 [86009]
BURLINGTON, Vt. (DPS, Jan. 23) -- In a special convention held early in January, the Diocese of Vermont elected the Rev. Daniel Lee Swenson as its new bishop coadjutor.
Swenson, who was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Feb. 2, 1928, has been rector of the Church of St. John in the Wilderness, White Bear Lake, Minn., since 1978. A 1950 graduate of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, he also did graduate studies there in 1950-52; his major field of study was English literature. His preparation for Holy Orders came through the Diocesan Tutorial Program of the Diocese of Minnesota, 1958-61. He was ordained deacon in June 1960 and priest a year later. Since then, he has done continuing education work in Church history and in various areas of pastoral care, including youth work, chemical dependencies and grief counseling.
Swenson served as assistant at St. Martin's-by-the-Lake, Minnetonka Beach, with principal responsibilities for youth ministry and Christian education, 1959-62. He was founding vicar of St. Edward's Church, Wayzata, 1962-65, and rector of St. Paul's Church, Virginia, and St. John's Church, Eveleth, Minn., a yoked parish serving mining communities, 1966-75. From 1975-78 Swenson was Dean of the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour, Faribault.
A delegate to General Convention in 1979, 1982, and 1985, Swenson chaired the House of Deputies Committee on Miscellaneous Resolutions in the latter two and served as a member of the Council of Advice to the President of the House of Deputies in 1985. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Seabury-Western Theological Seminary since 1980.
On the diocesan level, Swenson has served on diocesan council and the standing committee and as examiner in Church history, as well as chairing the Commission on Ministry since 1975. He has also been active in Cursillo and in work with the diaconate.
Swenson married Sally Mason in 1951, and they have three children.
Asked what he thought was the most important contribution he could make to the Church in the Diocese of Vermont, Swenson said, "Wherever I serve in ministry, I bring a leadership style which is rooted in the Baptismal Covenant, the Holy Eucharist and the Ordination Rite, a style which is essentially collegial and pastoral... I believe that the most important gift of the Holy Spirit that I may bring is my commitment to serve the community as one who seeks to enable shared ministry to occur."
As coadjutor, Swenson will automatically succeed as Bishop of Vermont upon the retirement of the present bishop, Robert S. Kerr, who has held the post since June of 1974.