Big issues facing this General Convention

Book of Common Prayer revision

The 2015 General Convention asked the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music to look at revising the BCP. The Committee has developed a comprehensive plan for revisions, with two options as to how the church might proceed with that work. The Committee’s report is here.

Marriage equality

General Convention’s Task Force on the Study of Marriage has been monitoring the use of the two new marriage rites approved by the 2015 General Convention and is proposing that the Convention make provision for all couples to have access to the rites. Currently eight diocesan bishops have not authorized their use. The Task Force is also proposing the addition of the trial use liturgies to the Book of Common Prayer, and amendments to the BCP marriage rites and Catechism to make language gender neutral. It also proposes two liturgies for the blessing of relationships of couples who choose not to marry for legal or financial reasons, and recommends that the church look for new ways to minister to the growing number of people choosing to live together in committed, monogamous relationships rather than marry. The Task Force’s report is here.

A salary for the president of the House of Deputies

The 2015 General Convention appointed the Task Force to Study Church Leadership and Compensation to consider whether the currently volunteer position of president of the House of Deputies should receive compensation. The Task Force concluded that the position is a full-time job and calls for a salary. This is a controversial issue. Some say the change will make it possible for more people to consider running for election as president. Others say it is a significant first step in expanding the authority of the president’s position.

Two shows to provide daily coverage of General Convention

Two daily shows originating from General Convention will offer an insider’s view to Episcopalians across the church.

“For a lot of people, General Convention can be overwhelming,” said the Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, host of both Inside General Convention and Adentro de la convención general. “But this year we’re aiming to change that. We’re going to take you all over the convention hall. We’re going to meet different people from throughout the church and give you an insider’s look.”

The 30-minute magazine-format shows are produced by the Episcopal Church's Office of Communications and will premiere July 4 at 4:30 p.m. Central (5:30 p.m. Eastern) in English and at 6:30 p.m. Central (7:30 p.m. Eastern) in Spanish. Each show will offer news and highlights as well as its own lineup of interviews and guests. 

Beginning July 4, viewers can find Inside General Convention and Adentro de la convención general here.

Prayer service set at detention center during General Convention

Responding to calls from Episcopalians across the church to act on behalf of families seeking asylum at the southern U. S. border, a team of concerned leaders heading to General Convention has planned a prayer service outside the T. Don Hutto Residential Detention Center in Taylor, Texas at about noon on Sunday, July 8. 

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, have arranged for a one-hour delay in Sunday’s legislative calendar to facilitate participation by bishops and deputies.

The event, which Curry and Jennings will attend, is open to all who are committed to praying for an end to the inhumane treatment of those seeking asylum in the United States. 

More details on this event are here.  

Mobile app released for General Convention

The Episcopal Church’s Office of the General Convention has announced the release of a mobile app for the upcoming 79th General Convention. The event app, powered by Eventmobi, is compatible with cell phones, tablets, and other data devices, offering attendees pertinent General Convention information including schedules, maps, worship bulletins, restaurant guide, a link to the Virtual Binder for legislative progress and resources, as well as other general convention information. Information related to the Episcopal Church Women’s Triennial Meeting 2018 is also provided.

The app is accessed two ways:

• Go to https://eventmobi.com/79gc/ This opens it as a website on any device.
• Download the Eventmobi app from the appstore and input the event code: 79gc.
  

If you have any questions about the event app, please contact Twila Rios at trios@episcopalchurch.org.

General Convention continues to use Virtual Binder instead of paper

It used to be that General Convention conducted all of its legislative business on paper – approximately 1.2 million pieces of paper in 2012. No more. For the second convention running, when each deputy, alternate deputy and bishop arrives in Austin, Texas, for the 79^th General Convention, they will get a loaner iPad to use as their “Virtual Binder.”

Replacing each actual binder with the digital system will save the cost of those estimated 2,400 reams of paper, which amounted to about six tons, plus the copying costs. Tracking the progress of resolutions was impossible for people who did not attend convention.

The Virtual Binder is an app that runs on the bishops’ and deputies’ iPads, and can be accessed online. Those without a General Convention iPad can access the online version here. That latter version mirrors the app running on the iPads and changes along with it in real time.

No matter how it is accessed, the Virtual Binder enables users to track the progress of convention resolutions. It also includes each house’s daily agendas, calendars, and reports. It contains tabs for checking on current action and floor amendments in each house.

A free General Convention app is available for anyone using a smartphone or tablet running Android 4.4 or IOS 8.0 or later. The app contains General Convention schedules, maps, vendor information, daily orders of worship services and other useful materials.

Download the app here or from the App Store or Google Play, and then enter the code 79GC when prompted. The app can also be used on a computer. That link is here.