Welcome to the House of Deputies Newsletter
Welcome to the Episcopal Church House of Deputies monthly email newsletter. If you're a deputy or alternate, you've been subscribed automatically. If you've come across this issue in another way and would like to subscribe yourself, you can sign up on our website or on our Facebook page.
|
|
President Ayala Harris March 2023 Interim Bodies Sermon |
|
Out of Despair and Into Hope
Today the lectionary provides us with two very familiar passages from the Bible that are given for our reflection on this 5th Sunday in Lent.
The first is the valley of the dry bones, where the prophet Ezekiel describes to us how the God that we worship can help us speak breath into new life. Ezekiel says in verse 9, “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’” The bones began to rattle and shake, and then before he knew it, Ezekiel was standing before a vast multitude. God tells Ezekiel this is a metaphor for God’s people, which can be summarized in Ezekiel verse 14 “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live.”
|
|
Interim Bodies have rolled up their sleves and are doing fantastic work! Our interim Stay tuned as we highlight their work on the road to the 81st General Convention. |
|
The Task Force on LGBTQ+Inclusion |
|
Interim Body on Anti-Harassment Best Practices |
|
Interim Body members from the Diocese of PR |
|
Episcopal Church Task Force on LGBTQ+ Inclusion Issues Statement from Inaugural Meeting |
|
A Statement from the Episcopal Church’s Task Force on LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Cleveland, Ohio | March 26, 2023
The Episcopal Church’s Task Force on LGBTQ+ Inclusion held its inaugural meeting in Cleveland from March 23-26 where we began the process of implementing the charge given to us by the 80th General Convention: to continue the work of becoming The Beloved Community – a charism of which is a church that functions with equity and care for the whole body, including its LGBTQ+ members.
|
|
Women's History Month Videos |
|
During the month of March, The House of Deputies celebrated Women's History Month by highlighting lay and clergy women of diverse backgrounds who represent the diversity of the Episcopal Church.
Each woman answered three questions and shared how it feels to be a woman in The Episcopal Church.
We invite you to watch and share these short videos and hear what the woman in our church have to say.
Watch all videos here:
|
|
Vice The President Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton |
|
|
Dr. Sarah Stonesifer Boylan |
|
Dr. Luisa E. Bonillas
con Subtítulos en Español
|
|
House of Deputies Special Committee on Rules of Order Appointed |
|
Pursuant to Rule X of the House of Deputies Rules of Order, President Ayala Harris has appointed a House of Deputies Special Committee on Ruler of Order to review and recommendpotential changes to the House of Deputies Rules of Order for the 81st General Convention. The special committee, created under Article X of the House of Deputies Rules of Order, will be chaired by Parliamentarian Mr. Bryan Krislock and comprised of Chancellor Mr. Michael Glass, Chair of Dispatch The Rev. Emily Mellott, and Deputy Executive Officer of General Convention The Rev. Dr. Molly James. To begin their work, the Special Committee is eager to hear from deputies and alternate deputies.
To offer feedback on the Rules of Order, use the following form, which will be open for 30 days and close on April 28, 2023.Click here to fill out form
|
|
Deputies at the Anglican Consultative Council
|
|
Deputy The Rev. Ranjit Mathews, from the Diocese of Connecticut's and Deputy Annette Buchanan, represented the Episcopal Church serving in the Anglican Consultative Council which was held in Ghana this past February.
|
|
State of the Church wants to hear from you |
|
The Parochial Report is an annual report made by every Episcopal congregation to their diocese. On the 2022 edition, there were new demographic questions added, and we need your help to answer them!
This data helps the leadership of The Episcopal Church know who is sitting in the pews, and at the wider church level, make decisions about financial and staff support for ministries aimed different age groups (like Children, Youth and Young Adult, etc) and racial/ethnic identities (like staff positions for Indigenous, Hispanic/Latino, African Descent Ministries).
After you fill out the parochial report, the committee on the State of the Church wants to hear your feedback on the 2022 parochial report questions and the way data is collected. All comments are welcome.
|
|
C009 Deputy Certification Compliance |
|
Communication from the Office of General Convention |
|
Information regarding Deputations
New for 81st General Convention
The new rules of order for the House of Deputies regarding deputations, which are available online, require all deputations to have formation in racial reconciliation and for that formation to be reported back prior to General Convention. The reporting will not be required until early 2024. We did want you to be aware and prepare for this reality as you begin to elect your deputations.
|
|
Bloody Sunday By Joe McDaniel
|
|
THE SELMA BRIDGE CROSSING JUBILEE: COMMEMORATION OF BLOODY SUNDAY
By: Joe McDaniel, Jr. (Deputy, the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast)
On March 5, 2023, I attended, along with Warren Wong, deputy from the Diocese of California, and Jill Showers-Chow, a fellow deputy from the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, The Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee, which is an annual commemoration of Bloody Sunday. The event is held to keep the memory of what happened on March 7, 1965, when state and local police used billy clubs, whips, and tear gas to attack hundreds of civil rights activists who were marching from Selma, Alabama to the state capitol in Montgomery. The horrifying images of violence were broadcast on national television, shocking many viewers, and helping to rouse support for the civil rights cause. The event is widely credited with spurring passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 three months later.
|
|
We want to hear about what's happening around the House.
The House of Deputies is full of members that are not only working on resolutions but are also doing fantastic work in their congregations, dioceses, and the country. If you are a deputy doing amazing work or know of someone who is, share it with us today.
|
|
Get in touch with President Ayala Harris |
|
President Ayala Harris wants to connect with you and support our church's ministries and groups. Here are the different ways you can get in touch with her and the office of the house of deputies:
|
|
Follow President Ayala Harris
|
|
President Ayala Harris is sharing her travels and journey as President of the house of deputies. If you would love to join her, we invite you to follow her social media accounts. |
|
Coming up for President Ayala Harris
|
|
April:
- Interim Bodies in Baltimore
|
|
House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church | 815 Second Avenue, New York, New York 10017 | houseofdeputies.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
