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With the close of the Nomination by Petition period, the Standing Committee is pleased to announce that the Rev. Elizabeth “Libby” Berman, Rector of the Church of the Holy Nativity, Honolulu, has successfully petitioned into nomination. Rev. Libby’s petition came as a result of her personal and community discernment.

She now joins the two candidates previously announced by the Search Committee — the Rev. Andrew Arakawa and the Rev. Timothy Yanni — forming the final slate of three candidates for the Sixth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi. Please visit the Bishop Search & Transition webpage HERE for more information about all three candidates on the final slate.

The Rev. Canon Andrew J. Arakawa

Lower School Chaplain, 'Iolani School; Honolulu, HI

The Rev. Elizabeth "Libby" Berman

Rector, Church of the Holy Nativity, Honolulu. HI

The Rev. Timothy J. Yanni

Rector, The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist,

Phoenix, AZ

We again extend our deep gratitude to the Search Committee for their faithful, diligent, and prayerful work over the past eleven months. Their commitment to listening, discernment, and transparency has shaped this process with great care. We also offer our sincere thanks to the Transitions Committee for the thoughtful work already completed and for the important responsibilities that lie ahead as they guide us toward the ordination of our next bishop. We offer our deepest mahalo nui loa for the guidance and steadfast presence of the Presiding Bishop’s Office—Dr. Sarah Stonesifer Boylan, Senior Leadership Development Officer, and the Reverend Anne Kitch, Bishop Search and Transition Consultant.

As we move into the next phase, we invite all members of the Diocese, particularly, the electing clergy and lay delegates to participate in the upcoming Ke Aloha Kākou Meet and Greet sessions. These gatherings offer an important opportunity to hear from the candidates directly, ask questions, and experience their leadership and vision for our Diocese.

Information about dates, locations, and registration is available on the Bishop Transition webpage HERE, and we encourage early sign ups! Whether you are planning to attend the Ke Aloha Kākou Meet & Greets in person or online, all attendees must register by Thursday, April 16 to help us plan and prepare, and to provide the Zoom and online links for those watching virtually. Click HERE or scan the QR code to register NOW!

The election of the Sixth Bishop of Hawaiʻi will take place at the Special Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 'Iolani School, where clergy and lay delegates will vote for one of the three candidates on the final slate.

We have constantly reminded ourselves, this is not a job search, but a holy process of discernment — one grounded in prayer, guided by the Holy Spirit, and rooted in our shared trust that God is already at work preparing the way. We walk this path together, and we remain firmly in God’s loving and calm hands.

John 14:27 — “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

We also give thanks for your prayers, your presence, and your steadfast love for the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi as we continue this journey together.

Blessings,

The Standing Committee

Chuck Spence, President (Maui)

Joan Sokei-Vila, Secretary (Maui)

The Rev. Jazzy Bostock (O‘ahu) 

Mary Carpenter (O‘ahu) 

The Rev. Mark Haworth (O'ahu)

The Rev. Keleawe Hee (O‘ahu) 

Hans L'Orange (Hawai'i Island)

The Rev. Andrew McMullen (Kaua‘i) 

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for either the Standing Committee or the Transitions Committee, you may submit them via the contact link HERE.

(Photo is of the original Search and Transitions Committees with the Standing Committee and Consultant from the Presiding Bishop's Office, the Rev. Anne Kitch, during a June 2025 retreat at The Cathedral of St. Andrew.)

QUICK LINKS TO THE BISHOP SEARCH & TRANSITION WEBPAGE:

Contact Information

Sybil Nishioka, Editor & Communications Specialist

The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i

229 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu, HI 96813

(808) 536-7776

www.episcopalhawaii.org

news@episcopalhawaii.org