A church in the heart of the city, with a heart for the city

North Carolina bishop announces plan to retire in 2028

June 24, 2026

[Diocese of North Carolina] North Carolina Bishop Sam Rodman has announced plans to retire and called for the election of the next bishop diocesan. The new bishop will be elected at the diocese’s 212th annual convention in November 2027. The newly elected 13th bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina then will be ordained and consecrated in spring 2028. In a June 23 message to the diocese, Rodman said his decision to retire came from a “place of clarity and peace,” and that he believes it is both “the right time for me and for my family to embrace the opportunities that come with retirement – a new perspective and a slower pace,” and “this is the right time for the diocese to discern leadership for the next chapter of mission and service.” “Serving as your bishop has been, and continues to be, a joy, a blessing and an incredible gift,” Rodman said. “And I am grateful that we will still have time together building up beloved community here in North Carolina, as we focus our energy over the next two years on the diocesan priorities of discipleship in our churches and racial reckoning, justice and healing. This work is essential and will continue to expand as we move forward with our mission strategy priorities in the months ahead.” Rodman was elected the 12th bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina in March 2017, succeeding Bishop Michael Curry following Curry’s election as The Episcopal Church’s 27th presiding bishop in 2015 at the 78th General Convention. Since his ordination as bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina, Rodman was called to serve The Episcopal Church as the co-convener of the presiding officers’ Working Group on Truth-Telling, Reckoning and Healing following the 79th General Convention, and he currently serves on the Standing Commission for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Relations. Within the diocese, he has engaged clergy and lay leaders across congregations on a number of initiatives, including the diocesan mission strategy, advocacy and public witness, reparations and restitution, and the sharing of proceeds from the sale of the former diocesan house building to support congregations in their own ministry in the communities they serve. At the time of the announcement, the standing committee also shared a message with the diocese: “We are profoundly grateful for [Bishop Rodman’s] steady and bold leadership, emboldened as it has been by his constant and prayerful devotion to the Holy Spirit that has informed his personal care of the congregations throughout this diocese; and for the myriad ways he has walked with us in times of joy and times of challenge, always encouraging us to grow more fully into the one body of Christ. In the coming season of transition, as we anticipate all that accompanies the election of the next bishop, we look forward to both celebrating Bishop Rodman’s ministry, while yet, and with his ongoing guidance, continuing to focus actively on the work to which the Holy Spirit still calls us.” The standing committee also noted it is already working with consultants from The Episcopal Church to clarify roles, responsibilities, objectives and timelines. Additional details will be shared as the process develops. As it does, the diocese will follow Rodman’s call for “prayers as we navigate this time of discernment together, trusting in the wisdom, direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.”