[5] Upon his accession to the diocesan position after the retirement of Vander Horst in 1977, the diocese had, for about ten years by that point, been functioning with three bishops stationed in the largest cities of the state, with each one serving the churches in the western, middle, and eastern parts of Tennessee respectively.

Sanders set up offices in Knoxville, while Vander Horst operated out of a rented space in Nashville.

Meanwhile, a suffragan bishop, W. Fred Gates Jr., was consecrated in part to man the (old statewide) office in Memphis.

Sanders chose to become bishop of the new East Tennessee diocese, and assumed that office on January 1, 1985.

Sanders was married twice, firstly to Kathryn Cowan Schaffer in 1951 and then to Marlin Jones Phythyon in 2005.