January 11, 2022   Dear East Tennessee Friends, I write to you with news regarding our plans for the Committal of Ashes for The Right Rev. William Sanders. After hearing from the Sanders family, we all came to a mutual decision to postpone plans for a January 22nd public liturgy at St. John’s Cathedral. A large public liturgy with people traveling to Knoxville from all across the Southeast while Covid Omicron numbers surge is not wise right now. Once the

In following the Episcopal School of Knoxville’s winter weather closures, the Diocesan office is closed today, Friday, January 7, due to winter weather. You may call the office at 865-966-2110 to leave a voicemail. Staff email addresses and phone extensions are available at www.dioet.org/office-of-the-bishop-staff. We pray for your safety and warmth!

Transcript Hi, I’m Bishop Brian, I want to tell you a story about my seventh grade Christmas break. So, seventh grade Christmas break, wonderful, time, time with family time where we traveled. Came back to school. Seventh grade locker. Completely forgot my combination. First time in my life where I realized there was something I did every day, but then I stopped doing it for a couple of weeks and I was stunned. I could not get my locker open.

The Diocesan office is closed today, January 3, 2022, due to winter weather. You may call the office at 865-966-2110 to leave a voicemail in the general box or a specific staff member’s box. Staff email addresses and phone extensions are available here.

ATHENS, December 9, 2021 – With a full choir and a full church, The people of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church welcomed The Rev. Claire Brown as their new Rector and celebrated their robust ministry in the Athens community. The Right Rev. Brian L. Cole, Bishop of East Tennessee, celebrated the service with The Rev. Joe Woodfin preaching. “We are here to celebrate that you have found someone who is a partner and a leader in ministry.” the Rev. Woodfin noted.

Bishop Brian invites you into the coming season of Advent, a time of hope and renewal. The diocese is offering a free course with Ginger Huebner in a series called, “Create + Connect Circles.” Each session meets on the four Sundays of Advent, November 28, December 5, 12, and 19 at 6:00 pm Eastern on Zoom. You can attend all or some of the sessions. More information about the Create + Connect Circles offering is available here.  Transcript –

Dear East Tennessee Friends, I write to you with the news that The Right Rev. William Evan Sanders died last evening, November 18th, at his home in Nashville. His family was present with him. Bishop Sanders was the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Tennessee and the first Bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee. At the time of his election as Bishop Coadjutor in 1962, he was serving as the Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Memphis. During his