Candidate Yanni

MEET THE REV. TIMOTHY J. YANNI

The Rev. Timothy J. Yanni, Rector
The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist
Phoenix, AZ

Aloha nui loa! I am the Rev. Timothy J. Yanni, but most people call me Fr. Tim. I serve as Rector at St. John the Baptist in Phoenix, Arizona. I served previously as Associate Rector at All Saints’ Episcopal Church and Day School in Phoenix.

I married my wife Brandy in 2018. We have a mischievous rescue dog named Ari. Brandy has two adult daughters, and we have two energetic grandsons.

I grew up in the Southern California border town of El Centro, the Imperial County seat and home to a multicultural, multilingual environment. Many of my childhood friends lived in Mexico, so we saw the area as one large community separated by a fence. I even lived in Mexico for a short time. I am fairly fluent in Spanish, although it gets rusty when I don’t use it.

I previously was a journalist, writing for the Imperial Valley Press, the Salt Lake Tribune, and the Deseret News. I was a correspondent for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers and MLB’s San Diego Padres for a time.

I left my childhood denomination, the Roman Catholic Church, after college because I did not agree with its stances on issues such as same-sex marriage and the ordination of women. I discovered the Episcopal Church in my late 20s and it did not take long for me to recognize that I was now home. I entered the ordination process and went to seminary at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. I was ordained in 2016. I continued my education by completing a residency in Clinical Pastoral Education and I earned an MA in theology from the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!).

I have served in prisons, hospitals, and parishes. My true passion is relationship building. Some of my role models in ministry include Sr. Helen Prejean, Fr. Greg Boyle, Bishop Marianne Budde, Fr. Jim Martin, and Fr. Damien of Molokai.

I love the islands of Hawaii, and the spirit of aloha! I have over 100 Reyn Spooner aloha shirts in my collection (those are only the ones Brandy knows about!). In fact, when I was installed at St. John’s, the entire parish and our bishop, dressed in aloha shirts to celebrate. I have a deep love and respect for the people of the ‘aina, and I hope to continue the work of healing from past harms caused by the US government and my fellow Christians. I have tremendous empathy for the people whose land was stolen, and I commit to continue to learn about and to honor the sensitive realities of the multicultural nature of the Islands.

In my spare time I enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking, playing golf, and following college sports. I play guitar and ukulele, and I appreciate spending time with good friends enjoying good food.

I am honored to share this journey with you, and I wish you all of God’s blessings, and an abundance of aloha. Mahalo!

New! Candidate Essay Responses

(Posted April 8, 2026)

Once the candidates for bishop were selected, three questions were presented to each for a response. The questions are listed below along with candidate response:

Spiritual Autobiography:
As a candidate discerning a call to serve as Bishop in Hawai‘i, reflect on your spiritual journey and formation. Describe how your faith and spiritual values have developed over time - highlighting formative experiences, significant turning points, and how these have influenced your ministry. Discuss how your spirituality shapes your vision for leadership and service, especially within the unique and diverse context of Hawai‘i.
What are your vision and strategies for moving the Diocese toward the church of the future, considering current financial, structural, and cultural realities facing our people, congregations, and diocese?
Embodying Aloha:
‘Aloha’ is central to life in Hawai‘i and speaks deeply to our values as a church and community.
What does ‘aloha’ mean to you personally, and how would you embody and express the spirit of aloha as Bishop—in your leadership, relationships, and ministry?

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Candidate Resume

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