The Rev. David M. Reed, rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Harlingen, has been elected bishop suffragan for the Diocese of West Texas. The election came on the third ballot of a special electing council held at TMI-the Episcopal School of Texas on Saturday, March 25.

Reed was one of eight candidates and led on all three ballots. With 109 clergy and 329 lay people voting, Reed was elected with 63 clergy votes and 230 lay votes. A simple majority in both orders on the same ballot was needed for election.

Immediately following his election, Reed said that God had brought him low in a humbling way that day. "Twenty-two years ago God called me to the ordained ministry," he told the audience. "I was not ready, I was ill-equipped, and I didn't really want to do it. I'm having a little deja-vu today."

But, he added, "God always calls us to places we cannot see." Referring to the following day's gospel reading of the feeding of the 5,000, Reed said, "I know that I am not enough, but I trust that Jesus will make me enough."

Reed also acknowledged the influence of his father in his life. "He taught me to go to church and say my prayers," he said. Reed's mother has died.

Reed, who is 49, was born and raised in Brownsville where his family was a member of Church of the Advent. Interestingly, three of the last four bishops elected in this diocese have roots at Church of the Advent: both Bishop Lillibridge and Bishop Folts were rectors of the parish at one time.

Reed graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1978. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in 1983. He served as assistant rector at St. Alban's from 1983 to 1987 before being called as rector of St. Francis', Victoria. He was called to St. Alban's as rector in 1994.

He is married to Patti, and the couple has two children, ages 14 and 12.