The bishop, to be elected during the diocese's October 12-14 convention, will succeed Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. She was elected presiding bishop on June 18, 2006 during the 75th General Convention and left her Nevada ministry on October 25, 2006 .

The five nominees are:

• the Rev. Dr. Susan Burns, 60, rector, Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Bethesda, Maryland (Diocese of Washington);
• the Rev. Dr. Cathy L. Deats, 57, rector, St. James Episcopal Church, Hackettstown, New Jersey (Diocese of Newark);
• the Very Rev. Dan Thomas Edwards, 57, rector of St. Francis Episcopal Church, Macon, Georgia (Diocese of Atlanta);
• the Rev. Dr. Charles Eric Funston, 54, rector, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Medina, Ohio (Diocese of Ohio); and
• the Rev. Albert John Keeney, 62, rector, St. John's Episcopal Church, Canandaigua, New York (Diocese of Rochester).

Biographical information about each nominee is available here.

The naming of the slate opens a window for nominees by petition. Such nominations will be accepted until August 1. Information about that process is available here.

Nevada's next bishop will be ordained and consecrated on January 5, 2008.

The Diocese of Nevada comprises about 6,000 Episcopalians worshipping in 35 congregations, including one in the neighboring state of Arizona. Nevada has been a leader in the development of what is known variously as total, mutual or shared ministry, according to the diocesan profile. Most of the ordained clergy serve on a volunteer basis, while retired or engaged in secular employment. About 42 members of the clergy have received their training through individualized programs designed by the commission on ministry. Less than 20 of the active Nevada clergy have been trained in traditional three-year residential seminary programs.