From ENS-
Participants in the Diocese of Northern Michigan's 114th annual convention Oct. 30-31 set out the framework for conducting another search for the diocese's next bishop.
The convention, which met at St. Stephen's Church in Escanaba, passed a resolution saying that the process would form a search committee engaged in discernment that will build on the work done by the previous search committee (known as the Episcopal Ministry Discernment Team), be open to working with a search consultant, use a broad process of collecting potential candidates, intend to present multiple candidates to the electing convention, use a petition process for adding names to the slate, and communicate effectively with the wider church.
Agreement on a new process, which a diocesan news release said came after "lengthy discussions," was necessitated by the failure of the diocese's previous attempt to call a successor to Bishop James Kelsey who died in June 2007.
The Rev. Kevin Thew Forrester, chosen during a special convention on Feb. 21, 2009 to succeed Kelsey, came under intense scrutiny after his election.
Initially, concern centered on his status as the only candidate at the convention and the question of whether his practice of Zen Buddhist meditation has diluted his commitment to the Christian faith, making him unsuitable to serve as a bishop. That attention led to the internet publication of some of Thew Forrester's sermons and writings along with a revision he made to the Episcopal Church's baptismal liturgy, raising further concern among some about his theology.
Under the canons of the Episcopal Church (III.11.4 (a)) that apply for all episcopal elections, a majority of bishops exercising jurisdiction and diocesan standing committees had to consent to Thew Forrester's ordination as bishop within 120 days from the day after notice of his election was sent to them. On July 27, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori notified the diocesan Standing Committee that the necessary consents had not been received within the prescribed time period and therefore his election was "null and void."
More here-
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_116290_ENG_HTM.htm
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