"My deepest hope and prayer on this day is that the call of this new bishop reminds all of us of our own call from our Lord to love and serve Him and to use our own spiritual gifts for His sake. And I look forward to hearing your calls and serving alongside you very soon." Richard Lawson
Last Saturday the delegates of Alabama’s Diocesan Convention voted to elect Richard Lawson to be our next bishop.
Richard has been Dean & Rector of Saint John’s Cathedral, Denver, CO, since 2017. He has been pastoring that parish of 2,200 members, leading 16 full-time staff including 3 full-time priests and a full-time deacon.
Before that he was a Rector of large midtown parish in Memphis, TN. However, Richard began his ministry in the Diocese of Alabama. From 2004-2010 he was Rector of St. John’s, Decatur. He was ordained Deacon at Epiphany, Guntersville in 2001 and became a priest that same year.
Richard is married to Katherine Lawson and has two adult children.
Richard will be consecrated bishop on June 27, 2026, by Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham. I’m delighted to say that he will make his first visitation to St John’s, Montgomery, on Sunday August 23. We chose this date because it is just about the first Sunday after his ordination that will not be hampered by school vacations. That day he will confirm some members of St John’s and preach to us for the first time. So, please come out to meet Richard on that day and begin our long and joyful partnership with him.
If you’d like to watch a video of Richard’s message to the Diocese before the election,
you can find it linked here: https://www.albishopsearch.org/