Advancing to General Convention 2015

What is General Convention?

The 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church will meet in Salt Lake City, UT this summer, June 25 to July 3. The General Convention gathers every three years and is a bicameral legislature that includes the House of Deputies, which has more than 800 members (up to four clergy and four lay people from each diocese), and the House of Bishops, which is comprised of more than 300 active and retired bishops.

How does General Convention work?

The General Convention is the primary governing and legislative body of the Episcopal Church. 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. All bishops, 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, and four lay deputies. Resolutions must pass both houses in order to take effect.

The first General Convention - Virginians were there!

Before the American Revolution, there had been no Anglican dioceses or bishops in the colonies, thus when the American congregations were separated from the Church of England, "the chain which held them together [was] broken". In 1782, William White, the father of the Episcopal Church, wrote in his pamphlet The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States Considered, "it would seem, that their future continuance can be provided for only by voluntary associations for union and good government". The first General Convention of Episcopal Church was held in Philadelphia in 1785, with clergy and lay representatives from Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. The convention authorized the preparation of an American Prayer Book and named itself the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

Presiding Bishop nominees announced 

The nominees for the 27th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church have been announced. The 27th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church will be elected on Saturday, June 27 during The Episcopal Church's 78th General Convention which will be held June 25 - July 3 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, UT (Diocese of Utah).

Nominated for Presiding Bishop are:

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio

The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina

The Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas, Bishop of the Diocese of Connecticut h

The Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith, Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida

The Presiding Bishop serves for a nine-year term.  The Presiding Bishop is Primate, Chief Pastor of the Church, Chair of the Executive Council, and President of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.

Praying for the churches of Southern Virginia

As part of our liturgy at Annual Council 2015, each delegation wrote a prayer for their parish. We are sharing these prayers each week in the eNews so that we all can support one another in the upcoming year.

St. Paul & St. Andrew, Kenbridge

Dear, Gracious Father, we pray for your Church and especially the Episcopal Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew in Kenbridge. Inspire our witness to your Son Jesus Christ that we may see and respond to the needs in our community and in the world. Give us grace in loving our neighbors and strength to better understand and accept our individual differences. Heal those who are in need in mind, body and spirit and give us the ability to care for them. Grant us the perseverance to know and to follow your will. Prosper our efforts to share the Good News with all whom we meet that we may be the examples of your love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Good Shepherd, Norfolk

Almighty God, we ask you to grant us the will to follow your will, the desire to reach beyond the walls of our church to those in need or want, the heart to work for justice in our city and the world, and the ability to know your Son, Jesus Christ, and make him known in joy, faith, and service. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Young Adult Service Corp: A mission to bring God's people closer together

By Andy Russell, Bruton Parish, Williamsburg

After four years of calling Williamsburg home, it's time to go. William & Mary, Bruton Parish, and Canterbury - I will miss them all greatly.  But in a lot of ways, life is change.  And with the end of my college career, one huge change is coming my way.  Next year, I will be serving as a missionary with the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC).   

YASC, a program through the Episcopal Church, brings young adults into relationship with other members of the Anglican Communion across the globe. Translation: next year, I will be integrated into a diocesan community outside of the U.S. in order to, in some small way, bring the members of Christ's body closer together.

To be sure, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding my mission with YASC.  I do not yet know where my placement site is.   I do not yet know what I will be doing at this placement site.  I do not know any of the people, and I may not know the primary language spoken there. But there are at least two things that I do know.  First, that God is looking out for every single one of us.  And second, that I cannot do this alone.

As such, I invite you to share in this YASC mission with me. I truly need your support.  This support is twofold.  First, YASC missionaries are called to raise $10,000 to help cover the expenses of mission. Second, I know that I will desperately need your prayers and community. Together, with God's help, this is our mission.  We will connect with God's children and we will make a difference in their lives as they make a difference in ours.

To financially support our mission, donations can be sent to Bruton Parish Church (memo line "YASC"), P.O. Box 3520, Williamsburg, VA 23187-3520. To prayerfully support our mission via a Prayer Sponsor List, please send a mail or email address to asrussell21@gmail.com. Please stay tuned for any updates, including my placement!

Episcopal Relief & Development update

By The Very Rev. Keith Emerson, St. Paul's, Suffolk

Diocesan Coordinator for Episcopal Relief & Development

Let me express my thanks to the following congregations who made contributions to Episcopal Relief & Development between January and March of this year:

75th Anniversary Fund:

          $186.00      Merchants Hope Church, Prince George

              $5.00      St. Paul's Church, Suffolk

Ebola Relief Efforts:

            $90.00      St. Andrew's Church, Newport News

Gifts for Life and Other Special Projects:

          $150.00      Emmanuel Church, Hampton

          $210.00      St. Paul's Church, Suffolk

      $1,127.00      St. Michael's Church, North Chesterfield

Undesignated Gifts

          $300.00      Christ Church, Smithfield

          $100.00      St. Luke's Church, Powhatan

          $500.00      Christ and Grace Church, Petersburg

      $3,743.00      Church of the Redeemer Church, Midlothian

          $100.00      St. Luke's Church, Powhatan

          $412.90      St. Martin's Church, Williamsburg

            $65.00      St. Paul's Church, Norfolk

          $100.00      St. Luke's Church, Powhatan

          $668.00      Old Donation Church, Virginia Beach

Your gifts go a long way toward healing a hurting world!

Please consider making a gift to help with rescue and relief efforts in Nepal. Click here to make a donation.

Episcopal Relief & Development responding to Nepal earthquake

Episcopal Relief & Development is working with the ecumenical ACT Alliance in Nepal and local partners in northern India and southwest China regarding urgent needs and assessment efforts following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck near Kathmandu on the morning of April 25.

Responding to immediate needs for food, clean water and shelter, as well as the need for accurate information through on-the-ground assessment, Episcopal Relief & Development will support ACT Alliance efforts implemented through a partner office in Kathmandu.  The ACT Alliance works in coordination with major international groups such as UN OCHA to maximize efficiency and impact of aid, mobilizing local networks to reach remote areas. Episcopal Relief & Development is in contact with the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia regarding support for the work of the Deanery of Nepal, which is part of the Diocese of Singapore.  The organization may also support other partners in the region including CASA, the humanitarian arm of the National Council of Churches in India, and the Amity Foundation, an independent Christian organization in China.

"It is a frightening time, with so many homes and buildings already destroyed and the threat of aftershocks causing others to collapse," said Abagail Nelson, Episcopal Relief & Development's Senior Vice President of Programs.  "People need spiritual support as they try to keep their families safe, or find and save those who are missing.  We urge  prayers for all those impacted by the quake, and for those who are bringing relief, support and encouragement to people in need."  

Donations to the Nepal Earthquake Response Fund will enable Episcopal Relief & Development to support its partners' emergency relief efforts and on-the-ground assessment in the region.

Praying for the churches of Southern Virginia

As part of our liturgy at Annual Council 2015, each delegation wrote a prayer for their parish. We are sharing these prayers each week in the eNews so that we all can support one another in the upcoming year.

St. John's, Suffolk

Holy and most gracious God, we thank you for the limitless bounty you share with us and all creation. We are constantly in awe of the unearned mercy you show to us. We ask you to foster in us a sense of stewardship and loving care for our community; that we might be equipped to make a lasting and positive difference in our lives and the lives of all people we meet. We also ask you to help us to always move forward, even when we pause to refresh our view of your presence. Help us focus our pause to find clarity for the road you set before us. All this we ask through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

St. Michael's, Bon Air

Almighty God, we ask that you bless your servants who worship with the faith community of Saint Michael's Bon Air and that you hear our prayers for our mission and ministry goals this year; we pray for a strong commitment from our parish community to serve in our outreach ministries; we pray for enthusiastic participation in a vibrant parish life, especially as we establish our community garden; we pray for greater involvement of the children and youth of our parish in parish life, missions and outreach programs; we pray for a children's ministry director who will find creative and compelling ways to communicate God's word and its application to children's lives; we pray for a powerful music, arts & education ministry, and for wisdom and guidance in establishing a Center for Arts of Life in our parish; we pray that our facilities be used to fulfill our commitment to mission; we pray that through faithful stewardship of time, talent and treasure, we have the necessary resources to support what you have called us to do we do to fulfill our mission to Celebrate your Beauty, Love your People and Serve your World, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen

Bring your church into your neighborhood with All Our Children

Is your congregation hungry for more meaningful relationships with your neighbors, whether they're downtown or down the street? Would you like to connect with students and teachers in under-resourced schools in your area? Your congregation can help children reach their full potential and support their right to quality public education by forming a church-school partnership.

All Our Children, National Network is a network of congregations working in partnership with under-resourced public schools. The network's purpose is to promote, strengthen, and support grassroots church-school partnerships. They do this by sharing tools, materials, and best practices to nurture and support the teams who run individual programs.

For AOC, a partnership is an intentional relationship between a congregation and a school that is recognized by leaders of both institutions. AOC members are those partnerships. Each member partnership is unique. They focus on everything from running in-school & after-school programs, to classroom & teacher support, to leading advocacy coalitions for school budgets and facilities renovations.

To learn more about starting a church-school partnership, check out AOC's "10 Steps to Building a Church-School Partnership" and the other tools and materials on their website. You can reach the All Our Children team directly at info@allourchildren.org.