The Rt. Rev’d E. Mark Stevenson announced today the appointment of the Rt. Rev’d James Joseph “Bud” Shand as a Visiting Bishop in the Diocese of Virginia. He will serve in the Diocese from January through May of this year and will be based in Northern Virginia.
Bishop Shand is the retired Bishop Diocesan of the Diocese of Easton (Maryland), where he served from 2003 to 2014.
“Bishop Shand is a Jesus-loving disciple whose easy-going style and pastoral gifts will be a wonderful addition to our diocesan staff and a blessing to the clergy and parishioners of the entire Diocese,” said Bishop Stevenson. “I’m so grateful he will join the diocesan family on our journey in Christ.”
Ordained in 1972, Bishop Shand began his ministry as rector of St. Mary Anne’s Church in North East, Md., where he served from 1975-1989. He was then called to Christ Church Parish, Kent Island in Stevensville, Md., where he served as rector from 1989 to 2002.
While in parish ministry, Bishop Shand was heavily involved in youth ministry and in the development of active church schools in each community. During his time at Christ Church, he was also a Field Work Supervisor for Virginia Theological Seminary. In service to the wider church, Bishop Shand was a six-time deputy to General Convention and also served on the Convention’s Standing Committee for the Church in Small Communities.
Bishop Shand became a member of the Board of Trustees of Virginia Theological Seminary in 2002 and served as Chairman of the Board from 2009 to 2017.
“It’s an honor to share ministry with all the people of this historic and vital diocese,” said Bishop Shand. “I look forward to proclaiming the message of God’s love, forgiveness, and peace for all of us in this world.”
Raised in Plainfield, N.J., Bishop Shand graduated from Canaan College in Canaan, N.H. with a Bachelor of Arts. He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Philadelphia Divinity School in 1972. He also holds a Master of Arts in Christian Education and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from VTS.
Bishop Shand and his wife of 49 years, Lynne, have two children, Jonathan and Meghan, and one grandchild, Connor.