Source: Site page (PDF version available), //Who We Are/nwtx-application-essay-wright-2026-06-01.html. Part of the bishop-transition candidate essays; see page-3191807 and diocese-northwest-texas.

Key points

• Roots: Grew up in the diocese, discerned his call there, and was sent to seminary in 1992 at age 23. Home parish is St. Peter's, Borger, now the diocese's northernmost outpost. His parents, Ken and Marcia, were active lay ministers.
• Fit: A colleague noted that the diocesan profile's values (shared ministry, collaboration, accessibility, a practical and humor-infused approach) match his ministry style. He says these were formed by people in his hometown, at camp, and at diocesan events.
• Discernment framing: Familiarity alone is not a calling. He asks whether he is called to "learn Northwest Texas again in a new way" as servant and leader. He expects both the diocese and himself to have changed.
• Experience (30+ years): Small and large congregations, campus ministry, youth ministry, school chaplaincy, interim ministry, diocesan leadership. Additional degrees in liturgy and theology. Adjunct teaching in diocesan schools, ecumenical divinity schools, and Episcopal seminaries.
• Current role: Past 7 years in diocesan service in the Diocese of Newark, NJ. He notes it is densely populated and urban, very different from Northwest Texas on the surface (summary truncated before the rest of this argument).

Related

• Other candidate essays: page-3192618, page-3192620, page-3192621
• Petition process: page-3192624