The opening hymn, “God is Love, let heaven adore him” set the tone for the Integrity Eucharist at the 79th General Convention, Austin, Texas. Photo: Sharon Tillman/Episcopal News Service
[Episcopal News Service – Austin, Texas] Much happens each day during General Convention. To complement Episcopal News Service’s primary coverage, we have collected some additional news items from July 9 and late July 8.
The members of the General Convention Official Youth Presence addressed the House of Deputies on July 9. The Official Youth Presence was established by an initial resolution in 1982. The members are permitted seat and voice by the rules of the House of Deputies and participate in committee hearings and floor debates. The member of the 79th General Convention Official Youth Presence are Georgia Atkinson, New Hampshire; James-Paul Forbes, Connecticut; Anthony Baldeosingh, Long Island; Wentao Zhao, Long Island; Alexander Ward, West Virginia; Andrew K. Kasule, Washington; Justin Mullis, Diocese of North Carolina; Helena Upshaw, South Carolina; Claire Parish, Western Michigan; Alexander Koponen, Indianapolis; Emily Jetton, Iowa; Luisa Van Oss, Minnesota; Michaela Wilkins, Texas; Cecelia Riddle, Kansas; Angela Cainguitan, Hawaii; Maria Gonzalez, Olympia; Diana Marcela Abuchar Sierra, Colombia; Fernando Jose Aguilar Sanchez, Honduras. Photo: Mary Frances Schjonberg/Episcopal News Service
House of Deputies vice president called home for other legislative work
House of Deputies Vice President Byron Rushing presides over discussion of Resolution B014 on July 5. Photo: David Paulsen/Episcopal News Service
House of Deputies President the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings told the house as it convened July 9 that Vice President Byron Rushing had returned to Massachusetts for what she said is a special session of that state’s legislature. Rushing is that house’s assistant majority leader.
Full ENS coverage of the 79th meeting of General Convention is available here.
The legislature is facing a time-crunch over the state’s budget. It is the only state in the United States that does not have a budget plan for fiscal year 2019, which began on July 2.
Jennings said that she is invoking a portion of the house’s rules that allow her to appoint a deputy to chair the house in the event that she needs to relinquish it for any reason. She has done so during this meeting of convention when deputies debated the issue of compensating the president on July 5 and again July 8 during the voting which resulted in her being reelected.
Jennings appointed the Rev. John Kitagawa, an Arizona deputy, to stand in Rushing’s stead.
-Mary Frances Schjonberg
Monday theme days deck some out in both camp shirts and purple scarves
Bishop Gretchen Rehberg of Spokane, left, wears her Camp Cross, Lake Coeur d’Alene, T-shirt with a purple scarf. Bishop José McLoughlin of Western North Carolina wears his purple scarf with a shirt that “welcomes you home” to his diocese’s three camp and conference center sites. Photo: Sharon Tillman/Episcopal News Service
People are wearing purple scarves July 9 to support electing women to the episcopacy. Meanwhile, Bill Slocumb, director or Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers, who is promoting Wear Your Camp T-shirt day, said, “it is exciting to see everyone wearing camp and conference center t-shirts today. So far I’ve seen more than 50 [locations] represented.” House of Deputies President the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings said in opening announcements that Episcopal Camp and Conference Centers “enrich our ministries deeply in this Church.” According to ECCC, there are over 100 Episcopal retreat center, camps, and programs in the Episcopal Church.
– Episcopal News Service staff
Leaders of both Houses honored at Integrity Eucharist
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry proudly holds his Louie Crew Clay Award from Integrity. In his remarks he said, “together we can change the world!” Photo: Sharon Tillman/Episcopal News Service
There were two recipients of Integrity’s Louie Crew Clay Award on the evening of July 8: the Rev. Gay Jennings, president of the House of Deputies, and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. Both were honored at the Integrity Eucharist at the 79th General Convention, Austin, Texas.
“The award is offered by Integrity on occasion when we feel there is someone who has earned it,” said Mel Soriano, a member of the organization. E. Bruce Garner, current Integrity president, made the presentations. The Rev. Carlye J. Hughes, bishop-elect of Newark, was the preacher.
– Sharon Tillman
This post appeared here first: July 9 dispatches from 79th General Convention in Austin
[Episcopal News Service – General Convention 2018]