Dorothy Sanders Wells ordained and consecrated 11th bishop of Mississippi
The Rt. Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells was seated as the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Mississippi on July 21, 2024, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson. Wells, center left, is standing with her husband, Herbert, and two daughters. Photo: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral/Facebook
[Episcopal News Service] The Rt. Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells was ordained and consecrated as the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Mississippi on July 20 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson. Wells, the first person of color and first woman to serve as Mississippi’s bishop, leads about 17,600 Episcopalians in 87 congregations across the state’s 82 counties.
“Dorothy Sanders Wells, who could not imagine, I am sure, when she was a child that God would bring her to this place at this time, for such a time as this to be the Esther that is needed right now,” said the Rev. Teresa L. Frye Brown – associate dean of academic affairs and the Brandy Professor of Preaching at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University – who preached.
“Because of her persistent faith, she joins the cohort, the legions of men and women who understand that without persistent faith, darkness would never get out of light’s way … .”
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry served as the chief consecrator. Co-consecrators were retired Mississippi Bishop Brian Seage and Chicago Bishop Paula E. Clark. Other consecrating bishops were Alabama Bishop Glenda Curry and retired West Tennessee Bishop Don Johnson. Altogether, 16 bishops, including the presiding bishop, attended Wells’ consecration.
The Rt. Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells, left, was ordained and consecrated as the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Mississippi on July 20 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, right, served as the chief consecrator. Photo: Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi/Facebook
Wells was elected bishop of the Diocese of Mississippi on Feb. 3. She succeeded Seage, Mississippi’s 10th bishop who had served since 2014. Wells had served as rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, Tennessee, a suburb of Memphis, since 2013.
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Wells moved to Memphis to begin her undergraduate studies in vocal performance at Rhodes College. She also has a law degree from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis.
Wells practiced law for 18 years before she was ordained as a priest. She worked as staff director of employee benefits law at FedEx Corporation for 15 years and previously practiced at Waring Cox, PLLC. She earned a Master of Divinity degree at Memphis Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Candler in Atlanta. She served the Church of the Holy Apostles in Collierville, Tennessee, as a curate before being called as rector to St. George’s.
Wells and her husband, Herbert, have two daughters.
In a letter included in the service bulletin, Wells wrote, “My heart is full. I am so very grateful to God for calling me to serve this Diocese — and so grateful to all of you for the warm welcome you have shown me. … I have committed to being a visible presence in the Diocese — and in the coming days, I will continue visiting our worshipping communities. I will, with you, explore intentional collaborations between our worshipping communities, to help us better share resources, dream together, and discern God’s will for our ministry together. There is much to do – and with God’s help and guidance, we will continue to make a difference in the world around us.”
A video of the ordination and consecration is available on St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral’s YouTube channel.
