The Rev. Daniel Hayden Martins elected the 11th Bishop of Springfield
One hundred and twenty-three clerical and lay delegates of the Diocese of Springfield met on September 18, 2010 (The Feast of Edward Bouverie Pusey and an Ember Day), and elected as their 11th Bishop, The Rev. Daniel H. Martins, Rector of St. Anne’s Church, Warsaw, in the Diocese of Northern Indiana. Pending the consents from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and Standing Committees of the Episcopal Church, Bishop-elect Martins will succeed The Rt. Rev. Peter Hess Beckwith, who retired on February 1, 2010, after serving for 18 years as Bishop Diocesan.
In a Special Electing Synod held in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Springfield, Illinois, Father Martins, 59, was elected on the third ballot from a field of three candidates, including The Rev. Matthew A. Gunter, 52, Rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Diocese of Chicago; and The Rev. Canon E. Mark Stevenson, 46, Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of Louisiana. The Bishop-elect received 38 of 49 votes cast in the Clergy Order and 42 of 74 in the Lay Order. The number of votes needed for election was 25 in the Clergy Order and 38 in the Lay Order.
The day began with the registration of clerical and lay delegates and guests followed immediately by the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The first ballot was cast prior to lunch. After Bishop-elect Martins accepted the election in a telephone conversation, the Synod applauded as the words: “We have an election!” were echoed by the President Pro Tempore of the Synod. After the reading of the results, the tower bell of the Cathedral Church rang out as Synod members again applauded. The Bishop-elect subsequently addressed the Synod via Skype. The Synod subsequently signed the Testimonial of Election and sang the hymn 366 – “Holy God We Praise Thy Name.”
Bishop-elect Martins was born in Brazil and raised in the Chicago suburbs. He was ordained on June 18, 1989 and December 20, 1989 as deacon and priest respectively. Father Martins graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, in 1973. In 1975, he graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Music History from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He received his theological education at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree, cum laude, in 1989.
Serving his curacy at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, (1989-1991) where he was also the Chaplain at the parish day school, Father Martins served as Vicar of St. Margaret’s Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana from 1991-1994. He ministered to both parishes in the Diocese of Louisiana. Bishop-elect Martins then accepted a call to be the Rector of St. John the Evangelist Church in Stockton, California, (1994-2007) in the Diocese of San Joaquin. He has been ministering in his current position as Rector of St. Anne’s, Warsaw, Indiana, for the past 3 years.
At the diocesan level, Father Martins has served on the Executive Board and Cursillo Staff in the Diocese of Louisiana, as Secretary of Convention, Rural Dean, Chair of Liturgy & Church Music, Chair of Examining Chaplains and a Member of the Standing Committee in the Diocese of San Joaquin, and more recently as a Member of the Commission on Ministry, the Standing Committee, and Examining Chaplains in the Diocese of Northern Indiana. Nationally, he has served as a Deputy to the 2003, 2006, and 2009 General Conventions.
The Bishop-elect has been married to Brenda F. Martins since 1972 and the couple has three grown children.