David Irving, currently the executive archdeacon of the diocese of Kootenay, has been elected the new bishop of the diocese of Saskatoon. Bishop-elect Irving will replace Bishop Rodney Andrews , who is retiring on Feb. 28.
“I am absolutely delighted,” Bishop-elect Irving said.
Although Bishop-elect Irving has spent most of his career in British Columbia, his work in the church began on the prairies. After completing his theological studies in England at two Oxford colleges, he was ordained a deacon in Edmonton in 1986 and then spent three years serving as the incumbent for the St. Thomas parish in Wainwright, Alta. “We had a wonderful time when we were in Alberta,” he said. “Prairie folks are special folks and we are certainly looking forward to being back there.”
He has since served as the incumbent at St. Barnabas in the diocese of New Westminster, and then in the diocese of Kootenay at the Parish of Woodsdale and St. Saviour’s in Penticton.
In 2007, Bishop-elect Irving accepted a new position working on congregational development and stewardship with the diocese of Kootenay. He is also a consultant for the Anglican Church of Canada on gift planning and stewardship. His experience in these matters will be useful in his new post where he hopes to foster growth, an important issue across the country, he said. “That’s not just Saskatoon. A lot of our dioceses are in the same situation where they are working on congregational development and stewardship, working to have the resources available for mission and ministry in the area.”
