Next week marks the beginning of the 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Louisville, KY. The Episcopal Diocese of Alaska will be represented by a Deputation of Lay Leaders and Clergy from across the Diocese. Our Lay Deputies are: Allan Hayton (Interior); Ella Lisbourne (Arctic Coast); Dan Hall (Southeast); Maggie McKay (South Central). Adam Lees (South Central) will also attend as an Alternate. Our Clergy Deputies are: Mary Norton (Arctic Coast); Bessie Titus (Interior); Marilyn Duggar (Interior); and Julie Platson (Southeast). Dawn Allen-Herron (South Central) will also attend as an Alternate. Mary Norton is the Chair of the Deputation.
General Convention is the official legislative body of the Episcopal Church. Meeting every three years, General Convention considers a significant amount of resolutions that range from matters relating to worship and music, constitution and canons, the budget for the Episcopal Church, mission direction, and a host of resolutions that address social, political, and institutional concerns. You can learn more, read and track proposed resolutions, and get news about General Convention at the GC81 website: https://generalconvention.org/gc81/
The First Legislative Day of General Convention is Sunday, June 23, but deputies may have meetings or activities scheduled as early as June 21 or 22. The last day of General Convention is Friday, June 28.
One of the anticipated acts of this General Convention will be the election of a new Presiding Bishop. Michael Curry’s 9 year term as Presiding Bishop will end October 31st this year and General Convention will elect a Bishop to begin serving as the Presiding Bishop beginning November 1.
The General Convention will also see the election of the next President of the House of Deputies.
I have served for the last 2 and a half years as a co-chair of the Nominating Committee for Presiding Bishop. It has been an extraordinary experience; I have said many times that the Joint Nominating Committee of the Election of the Presiding Bishop has been the most extraordinary group of people I have ever had the honor to serve with on an Episcopal Church committee. I am proud of the work we have accomplished together and the integrity and care that the members brought to the work. In all things, the committee made prayer and discernment the grounding of our work.
A recent letter published by the Presiding Officers reports complaints that have been received since the nomination slate was announced. Typically, in accordance with the canons on Title IV, complaints that are processed through Title IV are held in confidence to protect both the complainant and the respondent. If after reviewing through the Title IV process, it is determined that an offense or violation has taken place, any disciplinary action is made public.
The Presiding Officers, however, took the extraordinary action of publishing Title IV complaints involving some of the Nominees before resolution and, in a couple cases, after it was determined that there had been no offense or violation and the case dismissed. They took this action as an exercise of their pastoral concern for transparency in the election.
I ask you to keep your Deputation in your prayers. Pray for the Church. Pray that in all things the Holy Spirit will call and guide the Episcopal Church in its deliberations and decisions. Pray that in all the business of General Convention, we may not lose sight of our true calling to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ our Lord–to look to him and his life-giving love, his life-changing forgiveness, as our true hope for everlasting life, peace, and reconciliation with God and all people.
After General Convention, I will be taking a couple of weeks of vacation. Patricia will join me in Western New York to spend time with my parents, children, and friends. I will be back in the office July 16.
