GAYLORD - Six candidates under consideration to become the next bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan fielded questions on gay marriage, fostering growth in the church and the church's authority when they visited Gaylord Friday.

The candidates - the Rev. Daniel S. Appleyard; the Very Rev. Robert A Schiesler; the Rev. Bruce William Gray; the Rev. Todd Ousley; the Rev. Canon A. Gordon Okunsanya; and the Rev. Canon Margaret Babcock (see bios at right) - met with more than 130 lay people and clergy from across northern Michigan Friday in a “walkabout” session, where parishioners met the nominees.

The successful candidate will replace retiring Bishop Ed Leidel Jr., who serves 51 congregations across 20,000 square miles, from Grand Blanc north to the Straits, and east of 127.

“I thought it went very well,” said the Rev. Gerry Rehagen, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Gaylord, and member nominating committee.

In addition to four required questions, the candidates answered random questions from the northern Michigan audiences assembled for the walkabout in classrooms at St. Mary Cathedral School.

“It was very fruitful,” offered Rehagen.

Parishioner Barbara Austin, 59, agreed. “It was very exciting. There were some fantastic candidates.” While all were qualified, she said, Ousley, whom she knew already, stood out in her mind. He led the group in a prayer before taking his first question, she noted, “and he was just so knowledgeable about what's going in our diocese.”

Austin, a member of St. Andrew's for 10 years, was impressed with his comments concerning the gay bishop in New Hampshire. “He was the only one who truly answered it,” she said, noting he acknowledged it was against canon law to marry same sex partners, then added, “I have friends and relatives who are gay and they're wonderful people.”

“Actually, I liked Rev. Daniel Appleyard,” remarked Pam Lynch, who had participated in a bishop search while living in the Detroit area. “He wanted to get past the rehearsed questions and jump into unknown questions so we could get to know him better ... I don't think we could go wrong” with any of the candidates, she concluded, adding all appeared to be “good leaders and also seem to be very spiritual, caring people at the same time.”

Two of the seven or eight in her group did focus on the consecration of the gay bishop. “That question was on the mind of a lot of people,” observed Lynch, 50, whose husband, Dennis, also attended the session. “It was not one of my pressing issues.”

Lewiston resident Bill Henahan liked the candidates' talk about fostering growth within the church. “I was impressed,” said the 82-year-old St. Andrew's parishioner. “A couple (of candidates) I thought would be exceptional,” he said, but declined to indicate which, since he is not a delegate who will vote in the May 6 election at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Grand Blanc.

His wife, Betty, however, will be a delegate, as will Rehagen and his wife, Marirose; Deacon Joan Shaw; Don Sanberg; and Lotta Westlund.

The name of the candidate elected (by a three-quarters majority) in May will be submitted to the national convention in Indianapolis in June to be approved by both the House of Bishops and House of Deputies, according to Rehagen. The latter is made up of delegates of lay people and clergy. The bishop will be consecrated in September, and will become bishop on Jan. 1.

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