I’ve just returned from our church’s 80th General Convention in Baltimore, surely one of the most unusual in history.
General Convention is the triennial (every three-years) gathering of The Episcopal Church’s top elected leaders from all 109 dioceses in the U.S. and more than a dozen other countries. A faithful, energized and somewhat geeky mix of lay people, clergy and bishops come together to set the program and policy direction for the church, in a context filled with worship, prayer, learning, fellowship and strategic networking.
Not this time.
Conventions usually occur every three years and last 8-9 days. Because of COVID, this convention was delayed a year and truncated to 4 days. Conventions are always a robust gathering where legislation, formation and worship live in balance. This time the focus was almost entirely on handling more than 400 resolutions submitted from across the church.
Where we ordinarily would have welcomed about 10,000 people to take part in worship, the ministry exhibit hall, legislative committee hearings, community events, social justice witness, celebrations and a churchwide revival, this convention was limited to members of the House of Bishops (about 150 leaders, including our rector The Right Reverend Dean Wolfe!) in one area, and the House of Deputies (about 1,000 deputies and staff) in a different area. COVID precautions prevented us mixing the two “bubbles,” even for worship.
Even with those limitations and losses, I need to tell you that General Convention makes a difference. This time, we made historic commitments to racial truth-telling and reckoning, especially around the Indigenous boarding schools the Episcopal Church took part in running. The church will soon have its first staff person for women’s and LGBTQIA ministries. The House of Deputies elected its first Latina/o president, Julia Ayala Harris. We announced the launch of Centered, a new discipleship course for small groups (think Alpha for today). And a new Episcopal Common Prayer website is capturing liturgical renewal across the church.
Even without the usual daily worship services filled with a diverse array of voices, cultures and expressions, we heard brilliant preaching each day setting out the themes and hopes that will shape our shared life for years to come. Feel free to listen here – just pick one and settle in to be amazed.
- Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s Opening Sermon
- Gay Jennings (outgoing President, House of Deputies)
- Bishop Eugene Sutton (Bishop of Maryland)
- Julia Ayala-Harris (new President, House of Deputies)
At its best, our convention allows Episcopal leaders to wrestle, pray, reflect and lean into the movement of the Spirit and to discern God’s will for the church as a whole in a particular moment. You don’t have to read the binder chock full of resolutions or re-watch the livestream of proceedings (if you’re that kind of geek, you can find both at https://www.generalconvention.org/). But please do let yourself dream of how St. Bart’s could lean into the energy and movement carrying the rest of The Episcopal Church forward. We’re going places . . . together.
The Reverend Canon Stephanie Spellers
Assisting Priest