History of the Diocese of Southwest Florida

The explosive growth of the State of Florida in the post World War II years led to the creation of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. The Episcopal Diocese of South Florida founded over 40 missions in the 1960s and it became clear that South Florida would need to be divided in order to better serve its congregations.

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church met in Detroit in September of 1969. That Convention approved of a plan to divide the Diocese of South Florida. Three “Archdeaconries” were established, according to the intended boundaries of each new Diocese. The same Convention gave permission for the Diocese to elect two Suffragan Bishops.

The two elected were the Rev. James L. Duncan, rector of St. Peter’s Church, St. Petersburg and the Rev. Canon William L. Hargrave, Canon to the Ordinary. Bishop Hargrave was given oversight of the Gulf Coast Archdeaconry, which would soon become the Diocese of Southwest Florida.

The Primary Convention of the Diocese of Southwest Florida was held at the Bath Club, North Redington Beach, Florida October 16, 1969. Bishop Hargrave was elected Diocesan Bishop on the first ballot. He announced that St. Peter’s Church, St. Petersburg would be the new cathedral.

Bishops of Southwest Florida

	William Loftin Hargrave First Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida 1969–1975
	Emerson Paul Haynes Second Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida 1975–1988
	Rogers Sanders Harris Third Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida 1989–1997
	John Bailey Lipscomb Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida 1997–2007
	Dabney Tyler Smith Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida 2007-December 10, 2022
	Douglas Frederick Scharf Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida December 10, 2022 - Present

Other resources and links

Pictured here, Bishop Louttit (seated), Father John Thomas (standing), Whitney Smith (back to camera) at the induction of Bishop Hargrave as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida in 1969 at St. Peter's Cathedral.

• The First Five Decades, A History of The Diocese of Southwest Florida
• The Episcopal Church in South Florida 1893-1961 by Randolph F. Blackford. This is a 58-page thesis history of the predecessor to the Diocese of Southwest Florida.
• History of our Diocesan Shield
• About Deaconess Harriet Bedell, Missionary to Natives