Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, President of the House of Deputies sent the follow letter yesterday through the General Convention office to all deputies and bishops.
It outlines the legislative committee structure for the 2015 General Convention and includes the news that there will be a special legislative committee for resolutions regarding marriage. This, they write, will “ensure that the work of the Task Force on Marriage and resolutions related to the rapidly shifting contexts of civil marriage in the United States and in several other parts of the world can be given appropriate consideration.”
Here is the letter in its entirely. Depending on how you arrived at this page, you may need to click Read more to view the committee line-up.
Dear Deputies and Bishops,
A year from now, we will gather in Salt Lake City for the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church. In preparation, we are working together to ensure that our shared legislative business can proceed efficiently and in ways that will facilitate God’s mission.
To that end, and in accordance with the Rules of Order of the House of Deputies and House of Bishops, we are naming the legislative committees listed below to receive and propose resolutions for General Convention’s consideration. Our goal is to establish legislative committees that are more closely aligned with the framework of the Five Marks of Mission. This has shaped our mission work in the current triennium, and we trust that it will continue to shape our engagement in God’s mission in the next triennium.
We have also decided to name a Legislative Committee on Marriage for this General Convention to ensure that the work of the Task Force on Marriage and resolutions related to the rapidly shifting contexts of civil marriage in the United States and in several other parts of the world can be given appropriate consideration. This will also make it possible for the Prayer Book, Liturgy & Music legislative committee to give full consideration to the other business that will come before it.
In July, all deputies will receive a survey asking for pertinent demographic information, legislative committee preferences, and relevant expertise and experience. We expect that deputies will be appointed to legislative committees by late fall. The bishops will be surveyed as to their particular interest in assignments during and following the fall meeting. It is the Presiding Bishop’s practice to assign all active bishops to committees, and additional resigned bishops who express an interest.
If you have questions about the new legislative committee structure, please talk with the presiding officer of the legislative house to which you belong. We look forward to our work together next summer.
Faithfully,
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings
Presiding Bishop and Primate President, House of Deputies
(Photo courtesy of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina)
78th General Convention Legislative Committees
1. Dispatch of Business
Proposes the agenda for its house and determines the calendar of the day, proposes special orders of business, and schedules elections. (Each house has its own committee.)
2. Certification of Minutes
Reviews the minutes of the previous legislative day, corrects the minutes and reports on their completion to the house. (Each house has its own committee.)
3. Rules of Order
Reviews and proposes revisions to the rules that govern each house.
(Each house has its own committee. They meet as cognate committees to review and propose Joint Rules of Order that govern both houses.)
4. Constitution & Canons
Receives and proposes resolutions that propose amendments to the Constitution or Canons.
5. Governance & Structure
Receives and proposes resolutions that address the governance and structure of this Church including General Convention, Executive Council, and the Anglican Communion.
6. World Mission
Receives and proposes resolutions on mission personnel, world mission strategy, and covenant relationships with other Anglican Provinces or bodies.
7. Social Justice & International Policy
Receives and proposes resolutions on social justice issues in The Episcopal Church’s extra-US dioceses and the international peace and justice work of this Church, including engagement with the Anglican Communion.
8. Social Justice & United States Policy
Receives and proposes resolutions on social justice issues facing the United States, including its international engagement.
9. Congregational Vitality
Receives and proposes resolutions on the health, development, and redevelopment of congregations and faith communities including church planting, college and university communities, and new and non-traditional contexts.
10. Evangelism & Communications
Receives and proposes resolutions on evangelism within this Church’s jurisdictions; receives and proposes resolutions on communication strategies and technologies to strengthen the Church’s communication of the Gospel and opportunities for information management and exchange within the Church.
11. Prayer Book, Liturgy & Music
Receives and proposes resolutions on the Book of Common Prayer, liturgy, and music of this Church.
12. Formation & Education for Ministry
Receives and proposes resolutions on Christian formation and education for all the baptized, and all matters related to ordained ministry.
13. Church Pension Fund
Receives and proposes resolutions on the purpose, scope, structure, and work of the Church Pension Fund including, but not limited to, pensions, disability, health insurance, other insurance and products for lay and ordained employees of the Church, insurance for Church institutions, and publishing.
14. Stewardship & Development
Receives and proposes resolutions on stewardship, stewardship education, development, and planned giving.
15. Ecumenical & Interreligious Relations
Receives and proposes resolutions on relations between this Church and other Churches, this Church and other religions, interchurch cooperation and unity, and interreligious dialogue and action.
16. Environmental Stewardship & Care of Creation
Receives and proposes resolutions on environmental stewardship and the care of creation.
17. Privilege & Courtesy
Receives and proposes resolutions that commend individuals or organizations and proposes resolutions that express the houses’ appreciation for groups or persons. (Each house has its own committee.)
18. Credentials
Registers deputies and reports on the number of voting members in the House of Deputies at each session and acts as tellers for elections. (House of Deputies only.)
19. Confirmation of the Presiding Bishop
Receives the report from the House of Bishops regarding the election of a Presiding Bishop, and recommends action regarding confirmation.
(House of Deputies only.)
20. Special Legislative Committee on Marriage
Receives the Report of the A050 Task Force on the Study of Marriage; receives and proposes resolutions related to marriage.