Light's on as new bishop.

Parishes in the former British Columbia diocese of Cariboo will once again have a bishop.

Now called the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior (APCI), representatives from the parishes on Jan. 10 nominated Canon Gordon Light to the Light position of bishop suffragan to the metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of British Columbia and the Yukon, currently Archbishop David Crawley.

With 63 delegates voting, Mr. Light, who is 59, was elected on the first ballot by a margin of 62 per cent. He has been administrative assistant to Archbishop Crawley, responsible for APCI, since Jan. 1, 2002. The other candidates were Archdeacon Peter Zimmer and Canon Frank Wood.

Since APCI is not a diocese, but is administered from Archbishop Crawley's office in Kelowna, B.C., Mr. Light's name will go to the electoral college of the provincial synod, which was scheduled to meet on Jan. 24. The college may add names but is expected to confirm Mr. Light's election.

Crippled by the weight of financial pressures stemming from lawsuits alleging abuse at Indian residential schools, Cariboo's diocesan synod office dosed at the end of 2001 and then-bishop Jim Cruickshank retired.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Light was principal secretary to the primate, Archbishop Michael Peers, at the national church office in Toronto from 1992 through 2001. He served as the dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, Kamloops, B.C., from 1984 to 1992. The former diocese of Cariboo was based in Kamloops. Ordained in 1969, Mr. Light has served parishes in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Kamloops. He has been a member of several national church committees and is particularly well-known as a hymn writer and for his membership in the Christian music group Common Cup. Born in Claresholm, Alta., he holds a B.A. degree from Carleton University and bachelor of sacred theology degree from Trinity College in Toronto. He and his wife, Archdeacon Barbara Liotscos, have six grown children and three grandchildren.