Greetings
The Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, the Rt. Rev. Douglas Scharf leads the diocese where he was raised, ordained, and consecrated. One of the youngest bishops in The Episcopal Church, Bishop Scharf believes that Christ's love and transformational teachings paired with the authentic connection of a Church community can replenish the wellspring of the soul.
My Story
The Rt. Rev. Douglas Frederick Scharf was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Southwest Florida on April 2, 2022. He was ordained and consecrated as a bishop on September 24, 2022, in Sarasota and was seated as the sixth bishop of the diocese on December 10, 2022, at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in St. Petersburg.
Bishop Scharf served as rector of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and School in Tequesta, FL (2017-2022), rector of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church (2007 - 2016) in Valrico, FL, associate rector of Church of the Holy Spirit ( 2004 – 2007) in Osprey, FL.
Bishop Scharf earned a B.A. in English from Florida Gulf Coast University (2002); an M. Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary (2004); and a D. Min. from Emory University, Candler School of Theology (2018) with a concentration in Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation.
Born in 1979, Bishop Scharf was raised in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, the son of the Rev. Frederick Scharf and Carol Scharf. He and his wife Shannon are the parents of three children: Clayton, Parker, and Grady. His hobbies include music (he plays piano), reading, hiking, kayaking, and spending time in the beauty of God’s creation.