In 1956, he was appointed vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Gillette, Wyoming and in 1957, additionally, he became a priest in charge of St. John's Church in Upton, Wyoming, adding in 1959 the additional responsibilities of the priest in charge of St. Francis Church, Wright, Wyoming. In 1960, he was appointed assistant priest at St. Paul's Church in Oakland, California and was in that post, when in 1962 he was called to be rector of St. Alban's Church, Worland, Wyoming. Remaining there until 1965, he then became rector of St Anselm's Church in Lafayette, California and in 1970, rector of St. Paul's Church, Salinas, California. From 1975 to 1980, he served as executive officer of the Episcopal Diocese of California before being consecrated in 1980 as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.
