The Reverend Dr Mark Short has been elected as the eleventh Diocesan Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

The Episcopal Electoral Synod came together from 8-10 November in Goulburn to elect The Reverend Dr Mark Short.

This synod consisted of 124 clergy and 175 lay representatives from across the diocese, voting according to the new Episcopal Election process which was adopted by Synod last year.

Mark Short is currently National Director, The Bush Church Aid Society, working in partnership with 17 Anglican Diocese and other Christian organisations across Australia to support gospel workers in remote and regional areas.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Theology with Honours from Moore Theological College awarded in 1997. He was ordained a Deacon in 1996 and a Priest in 1997, both at St Saviour’s Cathedral in Goulburn. Following Ordination he was Deacon  Assistant and Assistant Priest in the Parish of Temora, before becoming the Lucas-Tooth Scholar and undertaking a PhD at the University of Durham, UK, on From One Generation to Another: The Passover as Collective Memory. During his time
in Durham he was an Honorary Assistant at St Nicholas Church of England.

From 2002-2011 he was Rector of the Parish of Turvey Park and Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Tarcutta. In 2007 he became Vocations Director Archdeacon, coordinating and overseeing the tri-Diocesan vocations process for new ordinands. From 2009-2011 he was Archdeacon of Wagga Wagga where he shared in the oversight of 20 parishes, Anglicare and School Ministry across that region.

Formerly Mark worked as a Graduate Economist for the Commonwealth Department of Industrial Relations and Journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Mark (51) is married to Monica and they have two sons. His other interests include bushwalking, train travel, reading and exercise.

As Bishop Trevor Edwards has said: ‘Mark brings to the position a wealth of experience in national ministry with oversight and pastoral care of gospel workers across the country, as well as in parish ministry to regional and rural areas, where he has worked to develop sustainable and engaging ministry models.’

It is the role of the Bishop to provide leadership, care and vision for Anglicans within the Diocese and to represent the church to the wider community,’ Bishop Trevor Edwards said. As Bishop, Reverend Dr Mark Short will assume the oversight
of our 62 parishes and mission districts, eight schools and significant community agencies such as Anglicare and St Mark’s National Theological Centre.

He will be consecrated and installed in a service at the Diocesan cathedral of St Saviours in Goulburn early in the New Year.

Some words from Mark himself on being elected:

Dear friends in Christ,

I am honoured and humbled by God’s call to serve you as the Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn. Monica and I give thanks to God for your partnership in the gospel and your commitment to living out the way of Jesus in your churches, communities, schools and workplaces. We are especially grateful for the care shown to us in recent months by Bishop Trevor Edwards, the Episcopal Election Nominations Committee, our support team and for the members of Synod who set aside time to read, pray, discuss and discern God’s will together.

Our family has very special memories of time already spent in the Diocese and we look forward to joining you again in due course. These are exciting days to engage in God’s mission and we invite you to pray with us in these words from Romans
15:5-6:

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give us the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Christ,
Mark Short

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