Episcopal News Service ENS reports that Byron Rushing has been elected Vice President of the House of Deputies:
Byron Rushing from the Diocese of Massachusetts was elected on the second ballot July 11 to serve as the next vice president of the House of Deputies.
Rushing has been a General Convention deputy since 1973 and has served as a member of the Massachusetts State Legislature since 1983. He is founding member of the Episcopal Urban Caucus, and serves on the boards of the Episcopal Women’s Caucus and the Episcopal Network for Economic Justice. He currently serves on the council of advice for the president of the House of Deputies.
He was nominated by the Rev. Altagracia Perez, deputy from Los Angeles. She said Rushing’s primary ministry is politics, “in the best and most accurate use of that word – the art and science of governance and ordering of our common life.” She said he also “calls people to act on their beliefs in justice and compassion.”
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According to the church’s constitution and canons, he said, the position of vice president is “to be around and present and known in case anything might happen to the president. I would expect to spend a considerable amount of time in various liturgies in the Episcopal Church praying for the health and wealth … of our president-elect Jennings.”
Rushing has served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 1983 and has been active in civil rights all his life. His life and activities are outlined here and here.
Rushing is an active Episcopalian and a member of St. John’s, St. James’ Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts.