Here are some highlights from today’s General Convention:
Bishops Against Gun Violence Public Witness
The Day began with a public witness organized by Bishops Against Gun Violence in the park outside the Convention Center. Key speakers were Philip and April Schentrup, who addressed both Houses yesterday, and whose daughter, Carmen, was murdered in the school shooting in Parkland, FL this year. Also speaking was Abigail Zimmerman. She co-led a school walkout in March to remember the victims of the shooting in Parkland, Florida, and spoke at her city’s March for Our Lives event. Abigail is a member of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Waco, TX, where she acolytes and is active in the youth group.
Elections
The House of Deputies elected six lay and two clergy to Executive Council. The election represented a big win for Forma, the organization that promotes lifelong formation and advocates for resources at the local, diocesan and church-wide levels. Four of the five candidates endorsed by Forma were elected. The Forma-endorsed candidates elected were Andrea McKellar, Diane Pollard, Sarah Stonesipher, and Anne E. Kitch.
Here are all the elected members:
| Lay | Diocese |
| Liza Anderson | Massachusetts |
| Pauline (Polly) Getz | San Diego |
| Andrea McKellar | South Carolina |
| Diane Pollard | New York |
| Rose Sconiers | Western NY |
| Sara Stonesipher | Washington |
| Clergy | |
| Devon Anderson | Minnesota |
| Anne E. Kitch | Bethlehem |
Elections were also held for Trustees to the Church Pension Fund.
The elected candidates were:
| Candidate | Diocese |
| Rosalie Simmonds Ballentine | USVI |
| Sam Candler | Atlanta |
| Diane M. Jardine Bruce | Los Angeles |
| Clifton Daniel, III | New York |
| Delbert Glover | Rhode Island |
| Julio Holguin | Dominican Republic |
| Ryan Kusumoto | Hawaii |
| Kathryn Weathersby McCormick | Mississippi |
| Yvonne O’Neal | New York |
| Solomon Owayda | Massachusetts |
| Austin K. Rios | Convocation in Europe |
| Linda Watt | Western North Carolina |
The relationship between the Church and the Pension Fund is the subject of a resolution (A060), which would set up a joint study group from the Executive Committee and CPG “in order to achieve greater clarity on their respective roles, responsibilities and authority.”
Access to Marriage Equality
Tomorrow the HoD takes up Resolution B012 (Marriage Rites for the Whole Church) which would enable parishes in all dioceses to celebrate marriage equality. The original resolution was sponsored by Bishop Lawrence Provenzano (LI), and would have set up a Task Force to “seek a lasting path forward for mutual flourishing consistent with this Church’s polity and the 2015 “Communion across Difference” statement of the House of Bishops.” That portion of the resolution was eliminated by amendment.
image: Member bishops of Bishops United Against Gun Violence held a rally in Austin, TX during the General Convention of the Episcopal Church/ Rosalind Hughes