The Episcopal Church of Liberia (ECL) has entered a new chapter in its 205-year history with the historic consecration and episcopal ordination of The Rev. Canon Michael Tuan Sie Sr. and The Rev. Canon Dr. Wilmot T. Merchant II as Suffragan Bishops, a milestone expected to strengthen pastoral leadership and expand the church’s missionary outreach across the country.
The sacred ceremony, held at the historic Blessed Trinity Cathedral on Broad Street in Monrovia, was led by the Diocesan Bishop of Liberia, Rt. Rev. Dr. James Bombo Sellee, who invoked the centuries-old Anglican rite of episcopal consecration through the laying on of hands, anointing with holy chrism, and the presentation of the symbols of episcopal authority.
Addressing the two bishops-elect during the liturgy, Bishop Sellee charged them to faithfully shepherd the people of God and uphold the teachings of the Church.
“For the office and work of a bishop in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Sellee declared during the consecration.
He reminded the newly ordained bishops that God had called them not to fear, but to serve with “power, love, and soberness,” urging them to watch over the flock entrusted to their care, restore the lost, encourage the weak, and build up the body of Christ.
As part of the solemn liturgy, the bishops were presented with the Holy Bible, episcopal ring, pectoral cross, pastoral staff, and skullcap—traditional symbols representing faithfulness, sacrificial service, pastoral leadership, and apostolic authority within the Anglican Communion.
Following his consecration, Bishop Michael Tuan Sie Sr. took the canonical oath, pledging to uphold the doctrine, discipline, and constitution of the Church of the Province of West Africa while faithfully governing the diocese entrusted to him.
Similarly, Bishop Wilmot T. Merchant II vowed to conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Episcopal Church of Liberia, affirming his adherence to the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion and the Book of Common Prayer.
“I solemnly engage to conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Episcopal Church of Liberia and the Church of the Province of West Africa,” Bishop Merchant declared during his oath of office.
The consecration is widely regarded as one of the most significant developments in the Episcopal Church of Liberia in decades. It marks the first time in more than 40 years that the church has consecrated Suffragan Bishops and the first occasion on which two assistant bishops have been consecrated simultaneously.
The elections of Bishops Sie and Merchant were conducted during the 90th Diocesan Convention at St. Mary’s Church in Bolahun, Lofa County, where Canon Sie secured election on the second ballot and Canon Merchant on the third ballot.
Following their consecration, the bishops are expected to oversee two strategic missionary jurisdictions established to strengthen episcopal presence beyond Monrovia. Bishop Sie is expected to serve the LOBONI Archdeaconry, covering Lofa, Bong, and Nimba counties, while Bishop Merchant will provide episcopal oversight to the Southeastern Archdeaconry, comprising Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Maryland, River Gee, and Sinoe counties.
Church leaders say the creation of the two suffragan bishoprics fulfills a long-term vision first championed by the late Most Rev. George Daniel Browne, the first Liberian Diocesan Bishop and Archbishop of the Province of West Africa.
The initiative, now implemented under the leadership of Bishop Sellee, is intended to decentralize church administration, improve pastoral care, and expand the Episcopal Church’s missionary, educational, and community development ministries throughout Liberia.
The elevation of Bishop Merchant also reflects the church’s growing international character. Having served as a rector within the Diocese of South Carolina in the United States, he brings extensive international pastoral experience that is expected to strengthen partnerships between the Episcopal Church of Liberia and the wider Anglican Communion.
The Episcopal Church of Liberia traces its origins to 1821, when missionaries of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States arrived in Liberia to establish Christian missions. As the church expanded across the country, the need for indigenous episcopal leadership became increasingly evident.
The first Liberian Suffragan Bishop, Bishop Theophilus Momolu Gardiner, was consecrated in 1921, becoming a pioneering symbol of local church leadership. More than six decades later, Bishop Edward Wea Neufville II became Liberia’s second Suffragan Bishop in 1984 under Archbishop George Daniel Browne.
For the next 42 years, the office remained vacant until the election and consecration of Bishops Michael Tuan Sie Sr. and Wilmot T. Merchant II.
Church leaders believe their appointments represent not only the restoration of the Suffragan Bishopric but also a renewed commitment to bringing episcopal ministry closer to congregations throughout Liberia, ensuring stronger pastoral oversight, deeper missionary engagement, and sustained growth for generations to come.
