Western New York Elects Bowman
Episcopal News Service. May 29, 1986 [86116]
BUFFALO (DPS, May 29) -- The Rev. David Charles Bowman was elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Western New York on the second ballot on May 17, 1986. The special Electoral Convention met at St. Paul's Cathedral, here.
Bowman was one of the four nominees offered by the Nominating Committee. The others were the Rev. Jack Eales of Hermosa Beach, Calif.; the Rev. William Lawson of Lynn, Mass.; and the Rev. Hays Rockwell of New York. An additional nomination was made from the floor of the Rev. Albert Sam, diocesan priest.
In spite of a ponderous canonical process which resulted in the first ballot being taken three hours after the start of the electoral convention, the election came swiftly. The diocesan bishop, the Rt. Rev. Harold B. Robinson, commented later that this election is a mandate and expresses the unity of mind and spirit within the diocese. "Father Bowman is eminently qualified to be Bishop of this diocese. I am convinced that in ten years the diocese will rejoice in today's election," Robinson stated.
Bowman received his B.A. from Ohio University in 1955 and his B.D. from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1960. He was ordained to the diaconate in June 1960 and to the Priesthood in December 1960. He served in the Army from 1955 to 1957 and was stationed at Ft. Jackson, S.C.
From 1960 to 1963, Bowman was an assistant at Epiphany in Cleveland, Vicar of St. Andrew's, North Grafton, Mass. (63-66), Rector at St. Andrew's in Youngstown, Ohio (67-73), Rector of St. James', Paineville (73-80), and is currently Rector of Trinity Church, Toledo, Ohio.
He currently is involved in the Levis Square Ministries, an outreach arm of Trinity Church to downtown Toledo whose purpose is to improve the quality of life in the downtown area. Ecumenically, he is involved in the Metro Toledo Churches United, of which he is President.
Bowman was President of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Ohio from 1976 to 1980. He was an alternate deputy to the General Convention in 1976 and was elected as a deputy to the General Convention in 1979, 1982, and 1985.
He is married to Nancy Lou Betts (June 30, 1962). They have three children: Ann, 21, William, 18, and Sarah, 15.
Robinson, a native of England, has been bishop of the diocese since 1970. He was ordained deacon and priest in 1946 and served parishes in San Diego until he was called as dean of St. Paul's, Buffalo, in 1962. He was elected bishop coadjutor in 1968. Robinson is president of Province II, chairman of the Episcopal Radio/TV Foundation, and a member of the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations.
The diocese consists of 28,000 baptized members in 69 congregations served by 129 priests.