Image Description: The stamp for the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. The bottom of the stamp is a orange-yellow shield with a dark blue outline that reads "Estd. 2024" in highly stylized type with two Episcopal-style crosses. On the top of the shield, like it's sailing on it, is the two-sailed ship from the diocesan seal, along with the three stars in the sky. the largest of which represents our new diocese while the two smaller stars represent our two legacy dioceses.
Contact
Image Description: The wordmark for our diocese that reads, "EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF THE GREAT LAKES." The first four words are in all caps in a simple-yet-wide sans serif font. "Great Lakes" is also in all-caps, but in a highly stylized font that is reminiscent of vintage sign art. The G, L and S all have added flourishes that look like waves. This is the horizontal orientation of the wordmark and it is shown in the warm gray (off-white) brand color.

History

Established 2024

After nearly four years of exploratory conversation, intentional sharing working together bi-diocesanally, intentional prayer, joint Conventions and governing bodies, shared bishops (including two dramatic shared bishop departures amid Title IV – clergy disciplinary – proceedings), at a special convention on March 18, 2024, the dioceses of Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan voted to pursue juncture, a canonical (read: church law) process that would lead to us becoming one new diocese.

Photos from the March 2024 Special Joint Convention of the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan. 📸: Ryan Prins Photography

On June 28, 2024 at the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church, both houses of the Convention, the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops, voted to honor and ratify the dioceses’ decision to juncture and create the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes.
Image Description: A group of people - the 2024 General Convention deputations of the legacy dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan - stand on a dais with their backs to the camera. They are holding hands. The wide angle image shows them to be standing in front of the whole of the House of Deputies in a large expo-hall-turned-governing-body-chamber. They're all wearing dark blue shirts and what's super cool is that those shirts actually have designs in sequins on the front. When the sequins are flipped in one direction, the shirts read, "Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan," and when they were flipped the other way, it read, "Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes." Pictured is the moment that the House of Deputies approved the juncture of our two legacy dioceses. The photo was taken and shared by Julia Ayala-Harris, the President of the House of Deputies.

Members of the deputations of the legacy Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan stand on the dais together as the House of Deputies voted to ratify their juncture vote, paving the way for the creation of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. 📸: House of Deputies President, Julia Ayala Harris

In October of 2024, at our Primary Convention, the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes was officially established after a nearly five year journey of exploration and discernment.

Delegates and guests celebrate the moment the Primary Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes is called to order on October 18, 2025, at Soaring Eagle Casino Resort and Conference Center in Mt. Pleasant Michigan.

The Primary Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes and leaders from across the diocese shared warm greetings with the whole of The Episcopal Church on the occasion of Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s installation.

Although our new Diocese is young, our history is long, dating back to the incorporation of the original Diocese of Michigan in 1832. We know that, even as we move forward into where God is calling us as a diocese and as individuals, we bring our past – the joyful and the sorrowful – with us. In this season of becoming, we’ll be inviting people from around the diocese to help contribute to a history-gathering and story-telling process, honoring our past and firmly planting our feet on our foundation for the future. If you’re interested in this work, please contact us. Read on for a brief history of both of our legacy dioceses.

Eastern Michigan

The Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan was officially incorporated as its own diocese in 1995 with a vision of a Church founded on the empowerment of local leadership and the ministry of all the baptized.

Prior to our separation from our parent diocese, the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan (incorporated 1832), the Rt. Rev. William J. Gordon was called to serve as an Assistant Bishop in the mid-1970s. His ministry focused on the region now known as Eastern Michigan and helped articulate the vision of a new diocese formed on shared leadership and an empowered laity.

Our first bishop, the Rt. Rev. Edwin M. Leidel, Jr., was an energetic and enthusiastic catalyst for ministry and a prolific generator of ideas.

His entrepreneurial spirit and tireless embrace of possibilities helped give shape to a diocese that blesses experimentation and the ability to take bold steps without fear of failure.

In 2007, the diocese elected its second bishop, the Rt. Rev. S. Todd Ousley, a mission developer who served on the diocesan staff. Bishop Ousley’s tenure focused on relationship, creativity, and social justice, to bring innovative responses to modern challenges in ministry. He resigned in 2017 to accept a call from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to serve as the Bishop for Pastoral Development for The Episcopal Church.

In 2019, the diocese partnered with the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan to engage in exploratory conversation and intentional sharing, considering how church structures and resources may be collaboratively aligned to better serve the Kingdom of God from coast to coast. This partnership ultimately led to the establishment of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes in 2024.

Seal of the Legacy Diocese of Western Michigan. It's in the standard almond shape of Episcopal seals and reads "Diocese of Western Michigan" around the outside in a calligraphy reminiscent of middle English illuminated texts. The image features a one-sailed boat on a stylized purple sea in front of a dark blue sky. The word "PAX" is in the sky above the sail.

Western Michigan

After a congenial split from the Diocese of Michigan, the bishop at the time, the Rt. Rev. Samuel A. McCroskey convened the first convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan in December 1874 at St. Mark’s, Grand Rapids. At the convention, the newly created diocese elected their first Bishop, George Gillespie.

In the first few years of existence, St. Marks, Grand Rapids was identified as the Cathedral Church of the diocese. Bishop Bennison later moved the Cathedral to a new building in Portage – a large, unique brick building.

In an effort to reach financial solvency and increase transparency, we sold our Cathedral and Diocesan Center in Kalamazoo in 2005.

After years of study and dialogue, the diocesan convention voted in 2017 to complete a diocesan restructuring – moving from five deaneries into three regions. However, the intention of the regionalization to create three diocesan offices – one in the south near Kalamazoo, one near Traverse City, and one main headquarters to be held near Grand Rapids – never materialized.

In 2019, the diocese partnered with the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan to engage in exploratory conversation and intentional sharing, considering how church structures and resources may be collaboratively aligned to better serve the Kingdom of God from coast to coast. This partnership ultimately led to the establishment of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes in 2024.

This website, like our diocese, is in the process of becoming. Thanks for your patience!
© 2025 Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes | Privacy Policy | Comment Policy