The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Maine announced in May that Bishop Edward Chalfant has resigned, following revelations that he had been involved in an extra-marital relationship with an unmarried adult lay woman.
Bishop Chalfant had originally taken leave of absence but then resigned in May. In his resignation letter he said: "the diocese has complicated work to do in order to proceed with its mission and ministry. I do not want to impede that work by creating non-essential and peripheral concerns of conjecture about my possible return following my leave-of-absence."
After reviewing and evaluating the facts in the case, and consulting with Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning, the Standing Committee concluded that Bishop Chalfant should resign.