General Convention, 2018

Logo General Convention 2015

The 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held in Austin, Texas from July 5-13 2018. 

 

 

 

 

Here is a summary of the last convention in 2015

The General Convention is the primary governing and legislative body of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and written into the original constitution in 1789. It has grown to be the largest bicameral legislative body.

With the exception of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons, it is the ultimate authority in the Episcopal Church. General Convention comprises two houses: the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. It meets regularly once every three years; however, the House of Bishops meets regularly in between sessions of General Convention. The Bishops have the right to call special meetings of General Convention.

The Most Reverend Michael Curry, our presiding bishop, leads the House of Bishops, and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings is the elected leader of the House of Deputies. 

All diocesan, coadjutor, suffragan, and assistant bishops of the Episcopal Church, whether active or retired, have seat and vote in the House of Bishops. Each diocese of the Episcopal Church, as well as the Navajoland Area Mission and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, are entitled to representation in the House of Deputies by four clergy deputies, either presbyters or deacons, canonically resident in the diocese and four lay deputies who are confirmed communicants in good standing. Resolutions must pass both houses in order to take effect.

The convention is divided into committees which consider resolutions. Resolutions arise from four different sources:

1) "A" resolutions from interim bodies whose work is collected in what is referred to as the "Blue Book"
2) "B" resolutions which come from Bishops
3) "C" resolutions which come from diocesan conventions and
4) "D" resolutions which originate from Deputies.

Each properly submitted resolution is referred to a convention committee which makes its recommendation to the House. When one house has acted on the resolution it is sent to the other house for consideration.

How do people, like you or me, become deputies?

After every General Convention, the triennial meeting cycle begins anew.
– Parishioners—that’s you and me—elect people to their vestries.

– Vestries, along with parish rectors and priests, select people to be delegates (people who represent the parish in their deliberations) to their annual councils.

– The delegates elect their diocese’s General Convention deputies (people who vote based on their knowledge and consciences): four clergy and four lay people in addition to four alternates in each order. 

– Deputies work on preparatory responsibilities and then go to General Convention. 

What do deputies do?

Deputies have the responsibility of attending its provinces’ meetings, called synods, which meet before General Conventions.   Deputies attend the House of Deputies plenary sessions where they listen to addresses and debates, and vote. About one third of the deputies work on committees. They network and attend dinners, such as seminary ones and their diocese’s. They caucus frequently within their deputation. During the legislative days’ business break times, they can visit with one another and peruse the exhibits. There are a lot of them and they fall into two categories: ministry and marketing. 

Summary Schedule

July 3: Registration and committee meetings will begin

July 4: Addresses by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Gay Clark Jenkins, president of the House of Deputies.

July 5: The first legislative day 

Blue Book

 

The The Blue Book includes  reports and proposed  legislation from the Committees, Commissions,  Agencies, and Boards of the General Convention (CCABs).

Just the reports.
 

Resources 

General Information

Governance

Main website of the General Convention  Lots of information for the delegates

Acts of the Conventions 1976-2015  Search index of all recent acts

Organizational Chart  

General Convention Media Kit

Official Handbook for Bishops and Deputies

General Convention Glossary

Legislative information

Committees

Online resolution tracker by number, by committee, proposer, or topic

Something new in 2018

General Convention moving paperless

The Episcopal Church Conversations 

Daily Links

Schedule 

Issues and Resolutions

List of resolutions to be considered

How Resolutions Move Through the General Convention

Key resolutions to watch:

  1. A028 – Salary for the President of the House of Deputies
  2. A041 – Episcopal Church-United Methodist Dialogue
  3. A052 – Matters Pertaining to The Episcopal Church in Cuba
  4. A053 – Design a New Parochial Report
  5. A060 – Create a Task Force to Study Church’s Pension System
  6. A068 – Plan for the Revision of the Book of Common Prayer
  7. A080 – A Season of Provincial Discernment
  8. A085 – Trial Use of Marriage Liturgies
  9. A086 – Authorize Rites to Bless Relationships
  10. A087 – Develop Relationship Pastoral Resources

Diocese of Delaware discusses the issues. These include the budget, marriage, prayer book revision, state of the church and hymnal revision.

Diocese of Western MA discusses the issues.

The Budget Video

Confronting Tough Societal Questions – Episcopal News Service

Racism from Episcopal News Service

Preparing for General Convention – Webinar Series – Province 1

1 Reconciliation, Prison Reform, Gun Violence and more

2 Evangelism, Leadership Formation in Small Churches, and Church Planting

3 Structure, Provinces, Title IV, and Church Wide Leadership

Episcopal News Service discusses major issues (July 2)

Deputies

Virginia Delegation   List of the delegates

All deputies

Media

Orientation materials

Live Coverage through the Media Hub. Article about Media Hub and other 2018 media changes

Virtual Binder. This gives you access to any information that the delegates have.

Event App

Center Aisle newspaper 

Episcopal Herald newspaper

House of Deputy news

Facebook

‘Cartoon Book’

Other Links

Seven Whole Days from Forward Movement

Exhibitor’s map

Introduction to the General Convention

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