Update: Navajoland Bishop Search

Missionary Diocese of Navajoland
By Navajoland Communications Office
December 19, 2025

The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland shares the following letter from the Rev. Alyssa Stebbing, who has formally withdrawn from the slate of nominees in the election of the first bishop of the Missionary Diocese of Navajoland.

We are grateful for Rev. Alyssa’s prayerful discernment, her time among the people of Navajoland, and the spirit of care and integrity with which she has participated in this process. The Standing Committee has accepted her withdrawal.

The bishop election process will continue with the remaining nominees, the Rev. Cornelia Eaton and the Rev. Leon Sampson. We give thanks for their willingness to continue offering themselves for discernment.

We ask the church to hold Rev. Alyssa, the nominees, and the people of Navajoland in prayer during this season.

Letter from the Rev. Alyssa Stebbing

Dear All,

It is with deep sorrow and regret that I will need to withdraw from the Bishop election. After prayer, meeting with my current and incoming Senior Wardens, and speaking with my regional Bishop, it is untenable for me to remain a candidate for six more months.

The 12 days spent in Navajoland and the entire prayerful process has had a profound effect on me, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. My heart and soul remain in deep prayer for this new mission diocese and for its new bishop. Cornelia and Leon, I will be praying for you and know God is with you. I hope that I can continue to support the Episcopal Church in Navajoland and walk with the people and their clergy, including the new bishop. I am in deep prayer as to how the Spirit will lead.

I am forever grateful for the relationships I made with you all. You all are wonderful and faithful servants of God. Thank you for all the hard work, prayerful discernment, love, and dedication each of you has made in support of this new mission diocese. I also thank you for your support of me in the process and your concern and care.

May the Creator God continue to bless and guide you.

In Peace and All Good,

Alyssa+

Update: Navajoland Bishop Search

Missionary Diocese of Navajoland
By Navajoland Communications Office
December 15, 2025

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

We give thanks to God, Creator of all, for the unfolding journey before us.

In June 2025, the Executive Council approved our Constitution, the final step in our sacred journey to become a missionary diocese. This moment marked not an ending, but a beginning rooted in prayer, listening, and faithful courage. Today, we share an update as we continue forward on our bishop search journey.

Earlier this month, three bishop nominees visited Navajoland. They traveled among our congregations across the three regions, visiting, listening deeply, praying, and sharing meals with our Navajo people. This time together was holy work. It was relationship-building, story-sharing, and truth-telling within our communities and within the land itself.

The process we have undertaken is new for us, and it is also new for The Episcopal Church as a whole. As we walk this path, we are learning that it will take longer than we first imagined. We trust that the Holy Spirit works in God’s time. Creator knows our path, and places before us the learning processes needed for growth, wisdom, and grounding within Creation.

As our nominees walked with us within the four sacred mountains of the Navajo Nation, we recognized that our discernment among these three nominees must be extended by six months. This time is a gift, allowing us and our nominees to grow, learn, and strengthen our foundation through shared knowledge, lived stories, prayerful discernment, and truth spoken in love. We now expect to hold a bishop election in June 2026.

We ask you to continue walking with us. We are forging a path no one has walked before, faithfully stepping into a future shaped by the diverse leaders who walk with us today and by those who came before, each contributing to the journey and passing their wisdom to those who followed, by the Episcopal tradition we carry, and by the movement of the Holy Spirit. Your prayers, patience, and support sustain us as we continue this sacred work together.

May Creator continue to guide our steps.

Sincerely,
The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland

Update from the Communications Office of Navajoland- April 30, 2025

Building on the momentum from the overwhelming acclamation of the House of Deputies and the concurrence of the House of Bishops at the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church—approving our petition to become a Missionary Diocese in June 2024—we have been prayerfully and diligently preparing for the next steps in our journey.

Many hours have been spent gathering, reflecting, editing, and shaping what we now call The Three Streams. These three vital structures—our Vision and Mission Statement, Navajoland Constitution and Canons, and the process for electing a Bishop—represent the living foundation of our Missionary Diocese.

The First Stream: Vision and Mission Statement

This stream is flowing strongly, grounding us in shared purpose. Across Navajoland, we recite the Mission Statement during Sunday worship and in our homes. Friends throughout The Episcopal Church join us in this affirmation of our call.

The Second Stream: Constitution and Canons

The second stream flows gently but with deep intention. We are preparing to vote on the acceptance of our Constitution and Canons—documents lovingly crafted by many hands and hearts, shaped to reflect our unique identity and spiritual journey. These texts carry the hopes of our congregations, seeking both stability and new growth in our shared autonomy.

The Third Stream: The Election of a Bishop

Now, the third stream begins to trickle to life. Our Standing Committee, through prayer and discernment, has appointed a Bishop Search Committee that reflects the rich diversity and wisdom of our diocese.

Together with a Bishop Search Consultant, this group will create a diocesan profile that tells our story and outlines the qualities we seek in a bishop. They will also engage and educate our congregations about the ministry of a bishop and the election process. This team will receive nominations and prepare a slate of candidates for election by a Special Electing Convention, anticipated for December 2025 or January 2026.

We are pleased to introduce the dedicated individuals who have committed themselves to this holy work:

Chairs:

Chairperson: Marianita Chee, All Saints’ Church, Farmington, NM

Assistant Chair: The Rev. Carol Tookey, St. Luke’s in the Desert, Huerfano, NM

Members:

Georgia Buck, St. Mark’s Church, Coal Mine, NM

Lilly Henderson, St. John the Baptizer, Montezuma Creek, UT

Evelyn Kaniatobe, St. John the Baptizer, Montezuma Creek, UT

Rev. Paula Henson, St. John the Baptizer, Montezuma Creek, UT

Consultant:

The Rev. Ann Hallisey

We invite you to participate in this sacred process as much as you can. Let us walk together, rooted in prayer and community, as we prepare for our first bishop election in the Missionary Diocese of Navajoland.

We can only imagine the power and grace that will surge when all Three Streams converge, propelling us into a deeper river of Firsts.

Please continue to seek God’s guidance and blessing on this journey, both in your personal prayers and in the worship life of your congregation.