Jeffrey Lee (bishop) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Right Reverend Jeffrey Dean Lee M.Div. |
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| Bishop of Chicago | |
Jeffrey Lee in 2016
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| Church | Episcopal Church |
| Diocese | Chicago |
| Elected | November 10, 2007 |
| In Office | February 2, 2008 – December 31, 2020 |
| Predecessor | William D. Persell |
| Successor | Paula Clark |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1985 |
| Consecration | February 2, 2008 by Katharine Jefferts Schori |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | American |
| Denomination | Anglican (prev. Lutheran) |
| Spouse | Lisa Rogers Lee |
| Children | 2 |
Jeffrey Dean Lee is an important leader in the Episcopal Church. He served as the Twelfth Bishop of Chicago from 2008 to 2020. A bishop is like a main pastor or leader for a group of churches in a certain area, called a diocese. Bishop Lee helped guide the churches in Chicago for many years.
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Early Life and Path to Ministry
Jeffrey Lee grew up in Michigan. He was raised in the Lutheran faith, which is another type of Christian church. From a young age, his pastor encouraged him to think about becoming a minister. As a young man, he joined the Episcopal Church.
After marrying Lisa in 1979, they moved to New York City. There, they both worked as buyers for a large store called Bloomingdale's. In New York, Jeffrey Lee saw both great wealth and extreme poverty. This experience made him decide to become an ordained minister. He went to Nashotah House in Nashotah, Wisconsin to study for his seminary education.
Serving the Church
After becoming a priest, Jeffrey Lee worked in different roles. He helped start a new church in a suburb near Indianapolis, Indiana. He also worked as a rector, which is the main priest, for churches in Wisconsin and Washington. These churches were facing challenges, and he helped them grow.
In 2007, Jeffrey Lee was chosen to be the Bishop of Chicago. He was selected from eight candidates. On February 2, 2008, he became the 1,026th bishop consecrated for the Episcopal Church. After his time in Chicago, he began serving as a Bishop Provisional in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee in April 2021.
Bringing Churches Together
A big event during Bishop Lee's time in Chicago was the reunification with the Episcopal Diocese of Quincy. In 2008, many members and leaders of the Quincy diocese left to form a new group. The remaining Episcopalians in Quincy wanted to rejoin the main Episcopal Church.
In 2012, they talked to Bishop Lee and the Chicago diocese about joining together. In November 2012, the Chicago diocese agreed that they should try to reunite. On June 8, 2013, both dioceses voted to merge. This decision was approved by other bishops and church committees. On September 1, 2013, the Diocese of Quincy officially became part of the Diocese of Chicago. It is now known as the Peoria deanery.
Retirement Plans
On February 14, 2019, Bishop Lee announced that he planned to retire in August 2020. He asked the Diocese of Chicago to start looking for his replacement. His retirement was delayed until the end of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also
- List of Episcopal bishops of the United States
- Historical list of the Episcopal bishops of the United States
