Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky has announced her intention to appoint the Rev. Carlo A. Rapanut as Greater Northwest Area Assistant to the Bishop, effective July 1, 2021. He will continue in his role as Alaska Conference Superintendent.
Currently, Rev. Rapanut serves as director of connectional ministries for Alaska, as part of the portfolio of conference superintendent. Those specific responsibilities will shift to a new leader, which the bishop will announce in the coming weeks.
“Carlo is a trusted voice and respected leader in Alaska and as a part of our Greater Northwest Area Cabinet,” offered Bishop Stanovsky. “I know that he will excel in this new role and help us with the strategic and adaptive work necessary as we move forward together.”
In this new position, Rapanut will assist Bishop Stanovsky in her role of leading and overseeing the spiritual and temporal affairs of the Greater Northwest Area, taking on administrative and strategic leadership responsibilities as assigned and serving as the bishop’s representative where deemed appropriate and necessary.
This shift in leadership responsibilities will also allow Rev. Rapanut and the new director of connectional ministries to assist Alaska and Pacific Northwest Conference leaders as Alaska moves toward becoming a ‘mission district’ of the Pacific Northwest Conference. A special called session of the Alaska Conference approved a petition to the 2020 General Conference in February of 2020 to initiate this process.
Funding for this staffing change is expected to come out of savings in the Greater Northwest Area’s Episcopal Fund, where travel and related expenses have been lower than expected, particularly during the pandemic. This change is not likely to significantly impact the budgets of any of the three conferences in the Greater Northwest Area.
“I am deeply humbled and honored that Bishop Elaine would entrust me with this new role, said Rev. Rapanut. “I am excited to be part of the team that leads our area as we discern together where God is moving us during this season of change. I covet all of your prayers as I step into the unknowns and great responsibilities of this position.”
Rev. Rapanut is an ordained elder and member of the Pacific Northwest Conference serving as Alaska Conference Superintendent since 2014. He moved to Alaska in 2008 with his family to serve as pastor of the United Methodist Church of Chugiak. Before that, he served various churches in the Philippines and on the staff of the Baguio Episcopal Area under Bishops Daniel C. Arichea and Benjamin A. Justo. Carlo and his wife Radie live in Eagle River, Alaska with their two sons Caleb and Titus.
Outstanding!