General Convention

From July 30 to August 8, thousands of Episcopalians from across the United States are gathering in Minneapolis, MN, for 74th General Convention.

General Convention (GC) is held every three years for the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) to gather in worship, conversation and sharing. All 108 dioceses in ECUSA will be represented. For 2003, the theme is Engaging God’s Mission: Receive, Repent, Reconcile and Restore.

GC will be jammed with business meetings, legislative sessions and committee hearings along with a healthy dose of socializing and getting to know one another. There will also be controversy, heated discussions, and — without a doubt — history-making decisions.

The Episcopal Diocese of New York is sending five bishops, an eight-member deputation and eight alternate deputies. Additionally, there will be many others — well over 100 including youth — from EDNY who will be attending as exhibitors, visitors, volunteers and presenters.

But what does this mean to us? And how do the actions decided at GC affect us in our everyday worship and church community? Will the business and discussion of GC in Minneapolis have any kind of an impact on the Episcopalians of this Diocese? The bottom line is, why should we care?

The Episcopal New Yorker is presenting the following articles, interviews, analysis and features about GC to answer precisely those questions. You can meet the EDNY deputation and find out what the important issues are.

This special section of ENY examines the General Convention and tries to explain why we should care and how it may affect us.

Our Representatives
Bishop Mark Sisk leads the EDNY team. Bishop Suffragan Catherine Roskam and Vicar Bishop E. Don Taylor will join him in the 295-member House of Bishops. Retired Bishop Richard Grein and Assisting Bishop Herbert Donovan are also attending.

The EDNY representatives in the House of Deputies are elected by the Diocesan Convention. Four clergy and four lay deputies, along with four clergy alternates and four lay alternates, have been meeting and discussing the issues for over a year. For 2003, the EDNY representatives are:

Clergy: the Rev. Theodora Brooks, St. Margaret’s, Bronx; the Rev. Jean Campbell, St. Mark’s, Chelsea; the Rev. Dr. Roger Ferlo, St. Luke in the Fields, Manhattan; the Rev. Gerald Keucher, St. John’s Getty Square, Yonkers.

Lay: Diane B. Pollard, Crucifixion, Manhattan (deputation chair); Nell B. Gibson, St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, Manhattan; Dorothy Smith, Mediator, Bronx; Fred Wibiralske, St. David’s, Highland Mills.

Alternate Clergy Deputies: the Rev. James L. Burns, Heavenly Rest, Manhattan; the Rev. Tobias Haller, St. James’ Fordham, Bronx; the Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Matthews, Trinity, Wall Street, Manhattan; the Rev. K. Dennis Winslow, St. Peter’s, Manhattan.

Alternate Lay Deputies: William S. Augerson, MD, Grace, Millbrook; James A. Barba, Zion, Wappingers Falls; James A. Forde, Good Shepherd, Bronx; Louise Jonsson, Mediator, Bronx.

Committee Work
Much of the work of General Convention is done through the 25 legislative committees. The committees meet, hold hearings and present recommendations.

Bishop Sisk sits on the Social and Urban Affairs Committee; Bishop Roskam on the Prayerbook, Liturgy & Music Committee; and Bishop Taylor on the National & International Concerns Committee.

Of the EDNY deputation, Brooks sits on National & International Concerns; Campbell on Prayerbook, Liturgy & Music; Ferlo on Ecumenical Relations; Gibson on Ecumenical Relations; and Pollard on Church Pension Fund as Vice-Chair.

THE EPISCOPAL NEW YORKER	74th General Convention A Convention for the New Millennium Diocesan Faces at General Convention A Myriad of Issues to Tackle 44th ECW Triennial Meeting Deputies, In Their Own Words A Conversation with the Bishops BACK
A Convention for the New Millennium By Neva Rae Fox
From July 30 to August 8, thousands of Episcopalians from across the United States are gathering in Minneapolis, MN, for 74th General Convention. General Convention (GC) is held every three years for the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) to gather in worship, conversation and sharing. All 108 dioceses in ECUSA will be represented. For 2003, the theme is Engaging God’s Mission: Receive, Repent, Reconcile and Restore. GC will be jammed with business meetings, legislative sessions and committee hearings along with a healthy dose of socializing and getting to know one another. There will also be controversy, heated discussions, and — without a doubt — history-making decisions. The Episcopal Diocese of New York is sending five bishops, an eight-member deputation and eight alternate deputies. Additionally, there will be many others — well over 100 including youth — from EDNY who will be attending as exhibitors, visitors, volunteers and presenters. But what does this mean to us? And how do the actions decided at GC affect us in our everyday worship and church community? Will the business and discussion of GC in Minneapolis have any kind of an impact on the Episcopalians of this Diocese? The bottom line is, why should we care? The Episcopal New Yorker is presenting the following articles, interviews, analysis and features about GC to answer precisely those questions. You can meet the EDNY deputation and find out what the important issues are. This special section of ENY examines the General Convention and tries to explain why we should care and how it may affect us. Our Representatives Bishop Mark Sisk leads the EDNY team. Bishop Suffragan Catherine Roskam and Vicar Bishop E. Don Taylor will join him in the 295-member House of Bishops. Retired Bishop Richard Grein and Assisting Bishop Herbert Donovan are also attending. The EDNY representatives in the House of Deputies are elected by the Diocesan Convention. Four clergy and four lay deputies, along with four clergy alternates and four lay alternates, have been meeting and discussing the issues for over a year. For 2003, the EDNY representatives are: Clergy: the Rev. Theodora Brooks, St. Margaret’s, Bronx; the Rev. Jean Campbell, St. Mark’s, Chelsea; the Rev. Dr. Roger Ferlo, St. Luke in the Fields, Manhattan; the Rev. Gerald Keucher, St. John’s Getty Square, Yonkers. Lay: Diane B. Pollard, Crucifixion, Manhattan (deputation chair); Nell B. Gibson, St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, Manhattan; Dorothy Smith, Mediator, Bronx; Fred Wibiralske, St. David’s, Highland Mills. Alternate Clergy Deputies: the Rev. James L. Burns, Heavenly Rest, Manhattan; the Rev. Tobias Haller, St. James’ Fordham, Bronx; the Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Matthews, Trinity, Wall Street, Manhattan; the Rev. K. Dennis Winslow, St. Peter’s, Manhattan. Alternate Lay Deputies: William S. Augerson, MD, Grace, Millbrook; James A. Barba, Zion, Wappingers Falls; James A. Forde, Good Shepherd, Bronx; Louise Jonsson, Mediator, Bronx. Committee Work Much of the work of General Convention is done through the 25 legislative committees. The committees meet, hold hearings and present recommendations. Bishop Sisk sits on the Social and Urban Affairs Committee; Bishop Roskam on the Prayerbook, Liturgy & Music Committee; and Bishop Taylor on the National & International Concerns Committee. Of the EDNY deputation, Brooks sits on National & International Concerns; Campbell on Prayerbook, Liturgy & Music; Ferlo on Ecumenical Relations; Gibson on Ecumenical Relations; and Pollard on Church Pension Fund as Vice-Chair.