Register Now for Proposed Rules of Order Online Listening Session

On Friday, September 8th at 3:00 PM ET there will be an online meeting hosted by the Special Committee on the Rules of Order on the House of Deputies to discuss proposed changes in the Rules of Order.

Information on the proposed rules and the Special Committee can be found on the House of Deputies website, as well as a feedback form: Read more here or register here directly

Volunteer Interest Form for GC81

The Diocese of Kentucky is collecting names and contact information for anyone interested in volunteering at the 81st General Convention. Opportunities to volunteer offer an understanding of the governance of The Episcopal Church and is a wonderful way to meet people from the Diocese of Kentucky and others from all over The Episcopal Church. You may volunteer for as little as a half a day or for multiple shifts over many days.

Many volunteer skills and talents are needed. To include your name to the growing list please go this link or open the QR code below:

Exhibitor Registration

Registration for exhibit space at the 81st General Convention is open to all organizations and vendors. This will be the church’s first exhibit show since 2018. The exhibit area is designated as a marketplace and educational center for deputies, bishops, clergy, and lay people from around the world, with thousands expected to pass through.

The exhibit area will open at 12 PM ET Friday, June 21, and run daily through 2 p.m. ET Thursday, June 27.

Find more information, including a registration link, online. Discounted rates may be available to groups affiliated with The Episcopal Church and for other nonprofit organizations.

Finding and Requesting Information: General Convention

There is a lot of information published that shows the legislative work being done across the church. However, it is published or hosted in different places depending on the type of information due to the canonical organization of the Episcopal Church. While the "Useful Links" section of this newsletter is a good place to start, here is a guide for where to locate the information without shortcuts:

Office of the General Convention: GeneralConvention.org

Generally speaking, the General Convention Website includes information on the most recent or upcoming General Convention. Look on the Publications page for the most recent Journal of Convention, Blue Book Reports, and the Constitution & Canons. The Interim Body reports (Blue Book Reports) will also be published here once they are complete.

Virtual Binder: vbinder.net (current) and 2022.vbinder.net (from GC80)

The "VBinder" replaced the physical binders that deputies and bishops would receive during General Convention with copies of all the legislative information. When resolutions are received and filed, they will appear in the VBinder. It will also include information on legislative committee meetings, as well as legislative committee reports, memorials, and election information as we get closer to General Convention.

For convenience in preparing for the 81st General Convention, the resolutions and budget from GC80 are currently hosted online until the end of 2024.

The Archives of the Episcopal Church: EpiscopalArchives.org

The Episcopal Archives has extensive holdings, digital and physical, and are available for research requests as well. On their website you can find previous journals of Convention, Blue Book reports, and the actions of the Executive Council, just to name a few. The digital archives are a useful resource when looking for actions General Convention has taken in the past - you can even search by topic.

Interim Bodies:

The work of General Convention continues during the triennium through Interim Bodies (commissions, committees, task forces, agencies and boards) who meet to accomplish ongoing work and tasks set by the General Convention. Each Interim Body produces a report (Blue Book Report) which are published ahead of the meeting of Convention. These reports contain a roster, mandate (the tasks set to them by canon or by General Convention resolution), a summary of their work, and any resolutions they are proposing.

Minutes for an Interim Body's meetings are available by request: email [email protected] and let us know which group and meeting you are looking for.