Missionary Diocese of Navajoland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diocese of Missionary Diocese of Navajoland |
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|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Ecclesiastical province | Province VIII |
| Statistics | |
| Congregations | 10 (2021) |
| Members | 757 (2021) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Episcopalian |
| Cathedral | None |
| Language | English, Diné |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Vacant Barry Beisner (provisional) |
| Map | |
 Location of the Missionary Diocese of Navajoland |
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| Website | |
| ecofnavajoland.org | |
The Missionary Diocese of Navajoland is a special part of the Episcopal Church in the United States. It's also called the Episcopal Church in Navajoland. This diocese works with the Navajo people. Its main offices are in Farmington, New Mexico. It belongs to Province 8 of the Episcopal Church, which is a larger group of churches.
Contents
The Missionary Diocese of Navajoland was created in 1978. It was first known as the Navajoland Area Mission. This area includes parts of the Navajo Reservation. It also covers areas in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. You can see these areas on the map.
Being a "missionary diocese" means it gets extra support. This support comes from the main leaders of the Episcopal Church. Before 1978, the church's work with the Navajo people was shared. Three other Episcopal dioceses helped: Rio Grande, Arizona, and Utah.
Early Leaders of the Mission
The first full-time leader for Navajoland was Frederick W. "Fred" Putnam. He was a bishop from the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma. Bishop Putnam started his work in January 1979. He served until he retired in January 1983. Even though he was 61 when he started, he was very focused. He wanted to help build up local Navajo leadership in the church.
After Bishop Putnam, Wesley Frensdorff was appointed. He was a bishop from Nevada. Bishop Frensdorff helped Navajoland while also working in other areas. He passed away in May 1988. Then, William "Dub" Wolfrum became the interim bishop. He served until March 1990.
Steven Plummer: A New Chapter
Steven Plummer became bishop in March 1990. He was the first bishop chosen by election. He was also the first Navajo person to hold this important position. Bishop Plummer took a break from May 1993 to April 1994 for personal reasons. During that time, William Wantland served as interim bishop.
Many people believe Bishop Plummer brought stability to the Mission. He helped it move towards self-determination for the Navajo people. Bishop Plummer passed away in April 2005 after a long illness. Rustin Kimsey then served as an assisting bishop from June 2005 to July 2006.
More Recent Leadership Changes
Mark MacDonald was appointed as an assisting bishop in July 2006. He also took on a role as National Indigenous Bishop for the Anglican Church of Canada. He worked in both positions until September 2009. He then left his role in Navajoland to focus on his work in Canada.
On October 17, 2009, the Episcopal Church in Navajoland held a special meeting. They chose Canon David Bailey to be their interim leader. He was a leader in the Diocese of Utah at the time. The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church then officially elected him. He became a bishop on August 7, 2010.
In 2024, the main meeting of the Episcopal Church approved a request. This request changed Navajoland into a full Missionary Diocese. This new status became official on June 24, 2025. The diocese is now working to elect a new bishop.
Here is a list of the bishops who have led the Navajoland Diocese:
- The Right Rev. Frederick Warren Putnam (1979–1982)
- The Right Rev. Wesley Frensdorff (Assisting Bishop, 1983–1988)
- The Right Rev. William H. Wolfrum (Interim Bishop, 1988–1990)
- The Right Rev. Steven Tsosie Plummer (1990–2005)
- The Right Rev. William C. Wantland (Interim Bishop, 1993–1994)
- The Right Rev. Rustin Ray Kimsey (Assisting Bishop, 2005–2007)
- The Right Rev. Mark Lawrence MacDonald (Assisting Bishop, 2007–2009)
- The Right Rev. David Earle Bailey (2010–2023)
- The Right Rev. Barry Leigh Beisner (Provisional Bishop, 2023-Present)
Images for kids
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Location of the Missionary Diocese of Navajoland
