Greetings from Louisville, Kentucky, the site of The Episcopal Church’s 81st General Convention, which runs through June 28 at the Kentucky International Convention Center. These daily updates from the Office of Public Affairs include news, events, and resources related to GC81.
Tuning in to GC from home? Watch worship services, legislative sessions, press conferences, and special forums live or on demand onthe GC81 Media Hub.
Today’s highlights
- Worship: The fifth day of the 81st General Convention began with Morning Prayer held in each house. Watch all worship services on demand.
- Legislative update: Work continued in both houses throughout the day and included adoption of the proposed 2025-2027 churchwide budget. The House of Deputies elected the Rev. Steve Pankey of the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky as its vice president. Read press release about the election. The Official Youth Presence, whose 18 members have seat and voice in the House of Deputies, made a presentation in the house.
Learn more about what happened today in the Episcopal News Service’s GC81 Daily Digest and its other convention coverage. - Remembering victims of gun violence: This morning in the House of Deputies, each deputation received placards from Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in Louisville commemorating mass shootings in their regions. The placards hung in the cathedral during 2023. In the early afternoon, Bishops United Against Gun Violence walked to nearby Jefferson Square Park for its fourth General Convention Witness Against Gun Violence. Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe offered remarks, as well as participants in Youth Working to End Gun Violence.
In case you missed it
- Watch video of the sermon given during the June 26 Eucharist service by the Rev. Yejide Peters Pietersen, associate dean and director of formation, Berkeley Divinity School. Read related article from The Living Church.
Did you know?
- At age 49, the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe is only the second Episcopal bishop to be in their 40s when becoming presiding bishop. The first was Bishop William White, who was 41 when he signed the minutes of the 1795 General Convention as “presiding bishop.” At that time, the presiding bishop was the senior bishop in order of consecration. In 1919, General Convention passed a constitutional amendment providing for the election of a presiding bishop. The first elected presiding bishop, John Gardner Murray, took office in 1926. Other bishops have been in their 50s, 60s, and 70s when they became presiding bishop; the oldest was 91.
Friday’s livestream schedule
On the GC81 Media Hub site, click on the links beneath the House of Bishops, House of Deputies, and “Love. Always” boxes to watch worship services and legislative sessions live or on demand.
- 8:30-10:30 a.m. ET: Closing Eucharist. Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe will preach; Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will preside (worship bulletin)
- 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET: Legislative sessions in both houses
- 2-6 p.m. ET: Legislative sessions in both houses
Friday’s legislation
Check the General Convention Office’s virtual binder to find the most up-to-date legislative and consent calendars for the House of Deputies and House of Bishops.
Looking for a specific resolution? View all resolutions or search by number or keyword.
- Watch Friday for final votes related to the mergers of three Wisconsin dioceses (D051) and the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan (C025), and on the petition of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland to become a missionary diocese (C009).
- The House of Deputies has 36 resolutions on its consent calendar for Friday, and 29 on its legislative calendar. The House of Bishops has 18 resolutions on its consent calendar, 11 on its legislative calendar, and five on its auxiliary calendar.
- Current number of GC81 resolutions: 385
Wonder how a resolution moves through General Convention? View this infographic from the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.
GC81 in the news
- The Episcopal Church elect the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe as the 28th presiding bishop
Anglican Communion News Service
Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, attended the General Convention in Louisville. Speaking following the announcement of Bishop Rowe’s election, he said: “…I am delighted that the General Convention has elected Bishop Sean Rowe as TEC’s new Presiding Bishop. I will be praying for him as he takes on the enormous privilege and responsibility of the role, and for Bishop Michael Curry in the transition period.” - Kentucky priest elected vice president of House of Deputies
Episcopal News Service
In remarks after his election was announced, the Rev. Steve Pankey said he was humbled and honored to be elected the House of Deputies’ 16th vice president. He added, “I look forward to serving God, this house and our president in a new way beginning with our adjournment tomorrow afternoon. I want to thank you all for trusting me with this office. I promise I will not let you down.” - 81st General Convention adopts constitutional change defining Book of Common Prayer
Episcopal News Service
The Book of Common Prayer has a new constitutional definition: “Those liturgical forms and other texts authorized by the General Convention in accordance with this article and the Canons of this Church.” - General Convention elects members to Executive Council
Episcopal News Service
The House of Bishops and the House of Deputies have elected 10 new members to serve on Executive Council, the church’s governing body between meetings of General Convention. These members all will serve a six-year term. The 10 newly-elected members still need to be confirmed by a vote of the other house. - Deputies send apartheid resolution back to bishops, adopt bishops’ version of ceasefire resolution
Episcopal New Service
The House of Deputies passed three resolutions concerning violence in Israel and Palestine in their legislative session June 26. Two of them, D007 and D056, went on to become official acts of convention while the third, D013, will be sent back to the House of Bishops. - Ecumenical and interreligious guests welcomed
The Living Church
“Part of our goal in hosting these guests is helping the church act like deacons, looking outward,” said the Rev. Margaret Rose, deputy to the Presiding Bishop for ecumenical and interreligious relations. “We are all facing the same issues in the world, and thus we can accomplish much more looking beyond ourselves, forging partnerships with the faith traditions of others.”
