The Rev. Phoebe Roaf elected IV Bishop of West Tennessee

The Rev. Phoebe A. Roaf has been elected IV Bishop of West Tennessee. The decision came on the first ballot – that result is reported here.

Roaf is the Rector of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA, Diocese of Virginia. From the church website:

The Rev Phoebe A Roaf is the 22nd rector of St Philip’s Episcopal Church. Mother Roaf, a fourth generation Episcopalian, has deep roots in Virginia as both of her mother’s parents were born and raised in the Commonwealth. Mother Phoebe grew up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She obtained an undergraduate degree in US History from Harvard College and a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University. After pursuing a career in public policy, she returned to Arkansas to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. In the midst of her legal career in New Orleans, Mother Phoebe was called to ordained ministry. She graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) in 2008.

Mother Phoebe was the first African-American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Louisiana.  Her first position after graduating from VTS was Associate Rector of Trinity New Orleans, the largest Episcopal church in the Diocese of Louisiana, where she served for three years.  She was the first person of color to serve as a priest at Trinity.

When Mother Phoebe joined St. Philip’s in 2011, she became the first woman to serve as Rector of the church in its 150 year history.

More about bishop-elect Roaf here at the West Tennessee bishop search website.