General Convention
What values and priorities will guide the Episcopal Church in the days and years ahead?
Up to four elected lay deputies and up to four elected clerical deputies from each of the more than 100 dioceses in the U.S. and overseas, along with our bishops will meet in Louisville, Kentucky, in the summer of 2024 to shape the policies, practices, and budget of the Episcopal Church through voting on resolutions and through elections. Their work is done in the context of prayer and worship. Passionately held values meet Rules of Order.
Reporting from General Convention
- Reports from convention via Facebook, through the weekly Diocesan Digest, and on our website at https://episcopalcolorado.org//news/.
- Photos from General Convention at https://www.facebook.com/EpiscopalCO.
- Articles from Episcopal News Service (ENS) as relevant to convention.
Why should I care about General Convention?
The basic reason is that we’re all in this together. We’re a hierarchical church that together makes a common witness to the world. Local is essential, and, it’s part of something bigger. Decisions will likely have an impact on local parish staff, priests and deacons, and bishops. It will have an impact on the way The Episcopal Church engages the world.
There are a lot of internal issues of the institutional church that General Convention addresses. That’s because this is the time and place, and these are the people, to do that. Who are we as Episcopalians? What do we care about? What should we be doing, and how, when, and with whom?
Who are our deputies & alternates?
At our annual convention in 2022, we elected members to the deputation. They joined Bishop Lucas in Louisville as voting members of General Convention.
Lay Deputies
Zoe Cole
Chuck Theobald
Erica Pomerenk
Lawrence Hitt II
Clergy Deputies
Brian Winter
Melissa Adzima
Tory Moir
Anne Richter
Lay Alternate
Br. Scott Michael Pomerenk
Clergy Alternate
Debra Shew
How did our deputation serve at this General Convention?
All bishops and some deputies are appointed to serve on the 26 legislative committees. These committees hold hearings on their respective resolutions, inviting testimonies to understand various perspectives, and fine tune the resolutions before the matter comes before the Houses for deliberation. Unassigned deputies volunteer to follow committees, so as the deputation caucuses throughout convention, the team can stay informed of the whole.
Four of our 8 Deputies are officers or members of General Convention legislative committees:
- The Rev. Brian Winter; Member, Congregational & Diocesan Vitality
- Ms. Erica Pomerenk; Member, Committees & Commissions
- Ms. Zoe Cole; Vice-Chair, Christian Formation & Discipleship
- Chancellor Larry Hitt; Vice-Chair, Constitution and Canons
In addition, in February 2022, Bishop Kym Lucas was elected President of Province VI (the Dioceses of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa) and Chancellor Lawrence Hitt II was elected to a 6-year term as the Lay Member of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church from Province VI.
How do resolutions move through General Convention?
When our bishops and deputies (elected lay persons, priests, and deacons) gather at General Convention, they pray, worship, and take counsel together through a legislative process. This process begins when resolutions are proposed by authorized committees, commissions, and task forces that meet between sessions of General Convention, and by Deputies, Bishops, Provinces, or Dioceses of the Episcopal Church.
Participate from Colorado
- Follow along on Twitter with hashtags #GC81 and tag @EpiscopalCO
- Follow The Episcopal Church in Colorado on Facebook for updates from our General Convention Deputation!
- General Convention website with legislative info, worship material, schedules, and more.
- Virtual Binder of all resolutions to date (both English and Spanish).
- Blue Book – two volume PDF with reports from all of the official committees, commissions, and task forces that have been at work since the last General Convention in 2015, with all 173 proposed resolutions (“A” resolutions).
At General Convention
Updates
Read updates from the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop
Newsletters
Office of the General Convention: Read monthly newsletters
House of Deputies: Read monthly newsletters
Prayer for General Convention
Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in the 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church gathered in Louisville, KY, 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.