Dear Friends,
During the last week of June this year I will be taking a few days to travel to Louisville, Kentucky, where I will be attending the 81stnGeneral Convention of the Episcopal Church. know that most of us have some idea of what the General Convention is, but I thought it might be helpful to provide a little additional information on the Convention and what it actually does. The General Convention is the governing body of The Episcopal Church. Every three years it meets as a bicameral legislature that includes the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops, composed of deputiesm and bishops from each diocese. The Executive Council serves as the governing body of The Episcopal Churchnbetween sessions of the General Convention, charged specifically with executing the programm and policies adopted by the Convention. They also serve as the board for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the “official legal name of the Episcopal Church"  commonly referred to as the DFMS) and the Executive Office of the General Convention. The
DFMS is the corporate entity of The Episcopal Church. This structure encompasses the Office the Presiding Bishop and his or her staff, the President of the House of Deputies and staff, and
the Executive Office of the General Convention as well as the offices of the DFMS that are shared by all three.
The General Convention also includes Interim Bodies which meet between the triennial sessions to accomplish ongoing work and tasks set in the triennial sessions.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE GENERAL CONVENTION MEETING?
The legislative process of the General Convention is an expression of The Episcopal Church’s belief that, under God, the Church is ordered and governed by its people: laity, deacons, priests, and bishops.
The b Convention is the Church’s highest temporal authority. As such, it has the power to amend the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church; to amend the Book of Common Prayer and to authorize other liturgical texts; to adopt the budget for the Church; to create covenants and official relationships with other branches of the Church; to determine requirements for its clergy and other leaders; to elect its officers, members of the Executive Council, and certain,other groups; to delegate responsibilities to the Interim Bodies of The Episcopal Church

HOW IS THE GENERAL CONVENTION IS ORGANIZED?
There are two legislative  bodies Convention: the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. Each of the two Houses has the presiding officer: the Presiding Bishop and the
President of the House of Deputies. When there is a joint meeting of the two Houses, the Presiding
Bishop has the right to preside.
● The House of Deputies is composed of deputations elected from each diocese of The Episcopal Church; from Navajoland;nfrom the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe; and from Liberialkk(which has seat and voice). Deputationsmmay include up to four clergy and four lay members. Members of the Official Youth Presence also have a seat and voice in the
House of Deputies.
●The House of Bishops is composed of every bishop of The Episcopal Church with jurisdiction; every bishop coadjutor; every bishop suffragan; every assistant bishop; and every bishop “who by reason of advanced age or bodily infirmity, orm who, under an election to an office created by the General Convention, or for reasons of mission strategy determined by action of the General Convention or the House of Bishops, has resigned a jurisdiction.”

The General Convention acts through the adoption of resolutions. A resolution becomes an Act of Convention only after both Houses adopt it in the same form and at the same General
Convention meeting. The Secretary of the General Convention has responsibilities to support the work of both Houses. This person must first be elected a Secretary of the House of Deputies, and then, through concurrent action by the House of Bishops, becomes the Secretary of the General Convention. The Treasurer of the General Convention is elected by concurrent action of
both Houses.
For me, the exciting thing about this particular General Convention is that it will include the election of our new Presiding Bishop to succeed Presiding Bishop Michael Curry in a nine-year term of office.
There are currently five nominations for the office of Presiding Bishop:
The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Barker, Diocese of,Nebraska, Province VI;
The Rt. Rev. DeDe Duncan-Probe, Diocese,of Central New York, Province II;
The Rt. Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutierrez, Diocese,of Pennsylvania, Province III;
The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Province III & Diocese of Western New York, Province II;                                                                                                     The Rt. Rev. Robert Wright, Diocese of Atlanta, Province IV.                                                           

 The General Convention meets in Louisvillethe last week of June, and it promises to be a very busy and (I hope) interesting week. I ask you for your prayers for all those traveling to the Convention
With that, I’ll close with a few related prayers,

For a Church Convention or Meeting
Almighty and everliving God, source of all
wisdom and understanding, be present with those
who take counsel in General Convention for the
renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in
all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide
us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the
courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Election of a Bishop or other Minister
Almighty God, giver of every good gift; Look
graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds
of those who shall choose a presiding bishop for this
Church, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who
will care for your people and equip us for our
ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God  of all grace, wisdom, and power, we
lift up our hearts to you in prayer as we take
counsel together at this time in the service of your
Church. Make us sensitive and responsive to the
guidance of your Holy Spirit; bring all our plans
and decisions into conformity with your perfect
will; and use all our endeavors for the furtherance
of the gospel, the good of your people, and the
glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Be well,
Be safe,
Be thankful,
for we have been richly blessed.
Father Tom+