08/22/2026
Bishop Jonathan Folts sent this message to the Diocese today:
August 21, 2026
Dear Clergy and Lay Members of the Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota,
May the peace of our Lord be with you all. I am writing to share the news of my prayerful decision to retire as your bishop on October 31, 2027.
Together, we have worked hard over these years to renew and strengthen the life and ministry of our diocese in many ways, and I am filled with gratitude to God and to you for the ministry we share and for the relationships we have forged. Many of our congregations have grown in courage and are embracing new and faithful ways of serving their communities. Our diocesan finances are stronger, and Thunderhead Episcopal Center continues to be revitalized, ready to welcome and nurture new generations of campers and visitors. We have done good work in our Lord's fields, and my plan in retirement is to continue serving as a bishop in new and parttime ways as I enter my sixties and continue my fourth decade of ordained ministry. Until then, my commitment to South Dakota as its bishop will remain unwavering.
To the diocesan staff, clergy, and dedicated lay members across our diocese, thank you for your continued tireless dedication and partnership as we serve our Lord together. Your hard work continues to be a key reason for our progress, and I am honored to be standing alongside you. You are putting your faith into action, loving without limits, and being the Church that many people do not expect to see or experience. You have welcomed me into your family, taught me new lessons
and skills, and have forged me into the Christian person that I am today. I am immensely grateful.
There is still work to be done and faithful, continual ministry to do: Thunderhead Episcopal Center, dilapidated church buildings, reimagining how to help struggling congregations, and shepherding people through the ordination process remain our prime objectives, and more on these matters will be shared in due course.
May our Lord therefore continue to bless us and our shared participation in God's mission as we complete our journey together and as we begin to prepare for the next chapter of ministry in our beloved diocese.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Jonathan H. Folts
Bishop
