Greetings from Louisville, KY, where I am serving as a Diocese of Kansas (elected) clergy Deputy for the General Convention of The Episcopal Church on its first full day. I am one of eight deputies (four clergy, four lay) and a few alternates, along with others from our diocese.
This triennial event is the main way that our denomination attends to its business. It happens to be the oldest continuously-operating bicameral legislature in the world! We are divided into two houses – the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops – that must work closely together across a number of moving issues and questions. We have been elected and sent to debate resolutions (so far there are about 300), approve the budget for the next three years, and elect representatives to various church bodies. It is a 16-hour-a-day affair that used to take two solid weeks, but in the postpandemic era has been trimmed to about seven rather grueling days.
I’m also serving as Secretary to a Legislative Committee this year. The committee is charged with resolutions impacting the area of our Canons (rules) around the subject of ministry.
General Convention has been described as one-third marathon, one-third legislative sausage-making, and one-third family reunion. I won’t dispute that characterization.
At every third gathering of the General Convention, the House of Bishops prayerfully selects the next Presiding Bishop, and this is one of those times. The current slate includes the name of a neighbor who may be familiar – Bishop Scott Barker of Nebraska.
Please pray each day for the General Convention as it goes on through June 28th. Pray for those us who travel to Louisville and back. Pray for the candidates for Presiding Bishop. And keep yourself up to date by checking Episcopal News Service throughout the event.
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