The 81st General Convention

Bishops and Deputies from EDLI returned home this past weekend after representing our diocese along with 108 dioceses at The Episcopal Church’s 81st General Convention, in Louisville, Kentucky. There were many opportunities to worship together as a national church, we celebrated with gratitude the ministry of the 27th Presiding Bishop Michael Bruce Curry who will be retiring in November. As many Episcopalians and people around the world know of Presiding Bishop Curry it was an honor to celebrate him and thank him for the “Way of Love" that formed his ministry over the last nine years. PB Curry has deepened the roots of our church by inviting us all to continue to be the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement. While saying goodbye to Bishop Curry, the House of Bishops voted to elect Bishop Sean Rowe to be the 28th Presiding Bishop and the House of Deputies voted to confirm his election.

PB Elect Sean Rowe stated that although we face very challenging times ahead, our church has been given the armor of love from Bishop Curry and together we will move forward, making changes to the structure of our national church and thereby enabling the church to be more supportive of dioceses and parishes engaged in ministry.

Among the many resolutions that were debated, celebrated, concurred and adopted together, one of the many highlights was voting to amend our catechism definition of Holy Matrimony to be between "two persons” .Additionally, Bishop Franklin leafing the ecumenical momentum, resulted in The Episcopal Church moving closer to full communion with the United Methodist Church and continuing that dialogue with the Presbyterian Church.

For more information about all that the House of Deputies considered and resolved to complete, please visit: https://www.vbinder.net/menu? house=HD&lang=en