The stake president was Byron Christensen. His method, Norman learned later, was to put potential bishops on the High Council for a year or so to observe them before extending a call. Norman had served on the High Council and apparently passed inspection.

The call came around 1983 — Norman’s recollection places it in ‘83, though he acknowledges it might have been a year or two later. He was a little nervous. His first counselor was Wayne Taft; his wife was Heidi. Larry Shingleton was the second counselor.

Norman served for several years. Marilyn was eventually called as Relief Society president in the same ward. The ward was split at least once during his tenure, which brought in additional families including the Shingletons and the Wolfleys.

Two events during Norman’s service as bishop marked the ward permanently. A young man named Arley Forcht was struck and killed by a car while stopped at a corner near his home, waiting to turn. A few months later, Paul Harker’s best friend Trent Kunz was paralyzed from the chest down making a tackle in a state playoff football game. Norman was called to the hospital from the sidelines as the life flight landed. Elder Richard G. Scott, newly called as an apostle, was assigned to stake conference shortly afterward and accompanied Norman to give Trent a blessing — one of comfort, not healing.

Norman remembers falling asleep on the stand most Sundays. During one High Council talk, the speaker turned and asked: “Isn’t that right, Bishop?” Norman had been asleep. “I just smiled,” he said. He also accidentally wore a Nike shirt under his dress shirt one Sunday, which was visible through the white fabric.

Kevin describes this period as the center of gravity for the Vancouver years.