Executive Council begins new term by learning about its job, call to ministry

From Episcopal Life Online

The Episcopal Church's Executive Council opened its first meeting of the 2010-2012 triennium here by considering how it will live out its role and responsibility.

The Executive Council carries out the programs and policies adopted by the General Convention, according to Canon I.4 (1)(a). The council is composed of 38 members, 20 of whom (four bishops, four priests or deacons and 12 lay people) are elected by General Convention and 18 (one clergy and one lay) by provincial synods for six-year terms, plus the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies. Twenty-one of the 38 members are new to the council with this meeting, having just been elected by General Convention and the provinces.

The October 5-8 meeting at the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis Fogelman Conference Center is taking place in the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee. Council will hear about the mission and ministry of the diocese and of Province IV on the evening of October 6.

Council members spent all of October 5 in plenary session learning about their role in the governance of the Episcopal Church. Those discussions are due to continue October 6, and will include considering whether its four standing committees -- Administration & Finance (A&F), Congregations in Ministry (CIM), National Concerns (NAC) and International Concerns (INC) -- still serve the needs of the council and the church, and how to clarify their individual responsibilities.

Whatever shape the committees take, they will meet for most of the day on October 7 (with the exception of time for disability sensitivity and anti-racism training).

In their opening remarks to the council, both Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, council chair, and Bonnie Anderson, president of the House of Deputies and council vice chair, called on the members to be creative and innovative as they discern how to lead the church in the coming three years.

More here-

http://www.episcopal-life.org/79901_115329_ENG_HTM.htm