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.

Attending GC81 in Louisville? Search for the “Cvent Events” app from the App Store or Google Play, or scan this QR code to download the app to track all events and information on-site. The full schedule and overview calendar can also be found online.

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

Presiding bishop election

  • The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe elected 28th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church
    The House of Bishops met in executive session Wednesday morning at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral and elected Bishop Sean Rowe of the Episcopal Dioceses of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York as the church’s next presiding bishop. The election was then confirmed by the House of Deputies during its afternoon session. Read press release about the election and see “GC81 in the News” below for more articles.
  • Presiding bishop-elect offers address: Presiding Bishop-Elect Sean Rowe addressed deputies and bishops in the House of Deputies following his election and confirmation. Watch video on demand. 
  • Presiding bishop-elect press conference: The Office of Public Affairs hosted an afternoon press conference with Presiding Bishop-Elect Sean Rowe and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. Watch the press conference on demand.
Bishop Sean Rowe and other members of the House of Bishops walk to Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral the morning of June 26, where Rowe was elected the next presiding bishop on the first ballot. / Photo by Randall Gornowich
  • Eucharist service: The fourth day of the 81st General Convention began with a Eucharist service conducted fully in Spanish. The Rev. Yejide Peters Pietersen preached; the Rev. Connie Sanchez presided. Watch the service on demand.
  • Legislative update: Work continued in both houses, with an evening session in the House of Deputies. Elections were held in the House of Deputies for members of Executive Council, trustees of the Church Pension Fund, members of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops, Court of Review, and the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop, as well as the treasurer of General Convention. View election results.

    Learn more about what happened today in the Episcopal News Service’s GC81 Daily Digest and its other convention coverage.

GC81 in the News

  • The Episcopal Church has elected its youngest leader in centuries
    The New York Times
    Addressing his fellow bishops and delegates to the meeting after his election, Bishop Rowe called for the church to be courageous and resilient heading into what he described as an “existential crisis” caused by a changing world. He suggested he would encourage the denomination to focus on local dioceses and congregations, and streamline its national structure so it doesn’t “collapse under its own weight.”
  • Pennsylvania bishop Sean Rowe elected new leader of Episcopal Church. He’s the youngest since 1789
    Associated Press, The Washington Post
    Rowe was elected over four other nominees in voting during the Episcopalians’ weeklong General Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
  • Sean Rowe, leader of Episcopalians in Penn., NY, elected next presiding bishop
    Religion News Service
    In a video posted on the General Convention website as nominees were considered, Rowe said the next presiding bishop must be attentive to voices that can “breathe fresh air and new light and life into our beloved church,” helping the church “hear the testimony of the women at the empty tomb” and “recognize Jesus on the road.”
  • Sean Rowe elected 28th presiding bishop, will begin nine-year term Nov. 1
    Episcopal News Service
    The bishops elected the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe on their first ballot in a closed session at Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Louisville. The result later was announced publicly in the House of Deputies’ afternoon session by House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris. The announcement was greeted by cheers from the standing-room-only crowd on the floor of the convention hall at the Kentucky International Convention Center.
  • Sean W. Rowe elected as 28th presiding bishop
    The Living Church
    Rowe, 49, has been bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania since 2007 and bishop provisional for Western New York since 2019. He was bishop provisional for Bethlehem from 2014 to 2018. He holds degrees from Grove City College and Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained a priest in 2000. He is the parliamentarian of the House of Bishops.
  • Bishop Sean Rowe of Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pa. elected to lead Episcopal Church
    Erie Times-News
    Rowe was elected bishop of the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania in May 2007 when he was only 32 years old, making him the youngest bishop in the Episcopal Church. He held that distinction for nearly a dozen years. He became bishop provisional of Western New York in 2019 as part of a first-of-its-kind experiment in the Episcopal Church to share a bishop and staff.
  • Deputies give Navajoland a joyous welcome
    The Living Church
    With fanfare, prayers of thanksgiving, and presentation of gifts, the House of Deputies on June 25 raucously approved the bid of the Navajoland Area Mission to become the Missionary Diocese of Navajoland. Resolution C009 now goes to the House of Bishops.

Thursday’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.

  • 7-8:30 a.m. ET: Forum, candidates for vice president of House of Deputies (livestreamed in House of Deputies)
  • 9 a.m.-12 p.m. ET: Morning Prayer (worship bulletin) and legislative sessions in House of Deputies and House of Bishops
  • 2-6 p.m. ET: Legislative sessions in both houses
  • 7-9 p.m. ET: Legislative sessions as needed

Thursday’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. The vbinder also contains links to elections, memorials, church budget information, and more.

Looking for a specific resolution? View all resolutions or search by number or keyword.

Wonder how a resolution moves through General Convention? View this infographic from the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

Thursday events in Louisville

  • ‘The Philadelphia Eleven’ film, 3 p.m., The Galt House Hotel, 3rd floor, West Tower
    The Episcopal Church Women will host a screening of this documentary as part of its Triennial gathering alongside General Convention. The feature-length film tells the story of the first women to be ordained as Episcopal priests in 1974, in an act of civil disobedience. All convention attendees are welcome; seating is first-come, first-seated.

In case you missed it

  • Indigenous Boarding Schools Talking Circle: Leaders of commissions formed by the 80th General Convention and Executive Council to research the church’s role in Indigenous boarding schools shared their work during a June 25 evening forum. Convention attendees can visit the Indigenous Boarding School Commissions booth in the Exhibit Hall to learn about the work being done and how to get involved at a parish or diocesan level. Watch the recorded forum.

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