We are thrilled to announce William “Bill” Donner has been confirmed to serve as bishop of the Pacific Conference of Brethren in Christ U.S., his term starting August 1, 2023. He will take over from Interim Bishop Warren Hoffman who led the conference in 2022 and 2023 following Perry Engle’s return to congregational ministry.
Following his nomination by the Pacific Conference Board of Directors, acting as the bishop search committee, his candidacy was approved by the General Conference Board. He was officially appointed by a majority vote at the Regional Conference annual meeting on March 4, 2023.
“I am very excited that Bill will be leading the Pacific Conference in these coming years,” says Alan Robinson, BIC U.S. national director. “He has a passion to see the Conference grow through strong, healthy congregations that are impacting their communities.”
Bill first came to faith as a teenager and was shortly after introduced to the Brethren in Christ through a church plant in his hometown of Walnut, California. That congregation nourished, challenged, and strengthened Bill’s fledgling faith, ultimately inspiring him to become a BIC pastor.
His heart for missions and spiritual revival can be seen throughout his ministry history, serving in several BIC churches in California and with missions organizations around the world.
He was a youth and associate pastor at Walnut Valley BIC for over ten years and the senior pastor of New Community BIC in Pomona, Calif., from 2002 to 2011. He has served as the missions pastor at Gateway Karis BIC in Chino, Calif. since 2013. He additionally sat on the BIC Commission on Ministry and Doctrine from 2004 to 2016 and has taught two Directed Study Program courses.
Outside of the BIC, Bill was the chief operations officer for Mercy Ships and on the leadership council of Youth with a Mission (YWAM) Ships, both organizations that seek to provide medical care to isolated coastal communities through hospital ships.
Bill received a bachelor’s degree in government from Pomona College and a masters of divinity and cross-cultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminary.
His wife Janet served alongside him throughout his decades of ministry. She dealt with complications from a brain tumor for many years and passed into the Lord’s presence in December of 2021. Bill lives in Diamond Bar, Calif., and enjoys fishing and woodworking in his free time. He has four adult children.
