[Diocese of San Joaquin] The Rt. Rev. David C. Rice Jan. 16 announced plans to retire in spring 2026, prompting the Fresno, California-based Diocese of San Joaquin to begin a bishop search.
Rice was elected as San Joaquin’s bishop diocesan in 2017 after serving as provisional bishop starting in 2014. He had previously served as the diocesan bishop in the Diocese of Waiapu in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa/New Zealand. San Joaquin’s new bishop will be the sixth for the diocese since Louis Sanford was elected its first missionary bishop in 1910.
The Diocese of San Joaquin has worked hard to heal and rebuild since 2007, when former Bishop John David Schofield led many congregations out of The Episcopal Church. Those who remained have moved out of isolation into re-engagement with the wider church under the leadership of Rice and former provisional bishops, the Rt. Rev. Jerry Lamb and the Rt. Rev. Chet Talton, according to the announcement.
Today, the Diocese of San Joaquin – which spans much of California’s Central Valley and portions of the eastern Sierra Nevada range and Mojave Desert – has 19 active congregations, offering ministries that address the unique needs of their respective communities, including feeding ministries, services for the unhoused and outreach to Latinos and members of the LGBTQ+ community. The diocese also has commissions with lay and ordained members that focus on migrant justice, racial justice and creation care.
Rice, who has chaired and served on the Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation Committee at General Convention, led the effort to migrate nearly all churches in the diocese to renewable solar power. He also fostered unique ministry trips such as a bike tour to raise funds to fight human trafficking, a 200-mile walk to promote advocacy for immigrants and a tour of sites throughout the diocese that relate to climate, migrant and racial justice.
Looking ahead, the standing committee has formed a nominating committee with diverse representation to select final candidates for a new bishop. The committee is working closely with the Rev. Brian Nordwick – a consultant from the San Jose, California-based Diocese of El Camino Real – to ensure the election process adheres to best practices and is canonically correct and spiritually faithful.
The nominating committee recently posted its diocesan profile online.