Church Episcopal Church Successor Incumbent Predecessor Hays Rockwell | In office June 6, 2002 – Present See Missouri Name George Smith | |
Ordination 1981 (Deacon)
1982 (Priest) | ||
George Wayne Smith (born January 29, 1955) is a Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and has served as tenth and current the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri since 2002.
Bishop Smith was born in Abilene, Texas. He was raised a Baptist and converted to the Episcopal Church while a student at Baylor University. Smith received his seminary education at Nashotah House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Smith was ordained as a deacon in 1981 followed by ordination to the priesthood in 1982. Smith served congregations in both Texas and Michigan before becoming the rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Des Moines, Iowa.
On November 3, 2001 Smith was elected to the post of Bishop of Missouri, having been elected on third ballot. He was consecrated on March 6, 2002 as Bishop Coadjutor to Bishop Hays Rockwell and subsequently succeeded him on June 6, 2002. Bishop Smith is the 975th Bishop consecrated in the Episcopal Church.