$210K for Deputies’ President

From The Living Church-

At its first meeting after the General Convention in Austin, Executive Council voted to provide compensation to the president of the House of Deputies in the amount of $210,000 per year.

At first glance, this appears to be in line with other four top officers of the Episcopal Church, whose salaries are disclosed by canonical mandate on the church website. But Jane Cisluycis of the Diocese of Northern Michigan, who led the subcommittee that researched the compensation issue, said the president will be paid as an independent contractor and will not receive an employee benefits package that includes healthcare coverage and retirement accounts. As a rule of thumb, benefits are valued at about a third of base salary.

The position had always been uncompensated, but the responsibilities of the office have grown steadily over recent decades, and it now is a demanding job. The incumbent, the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings of Ohio, was re-elected to a third and final three-year term in July.


https://livingchurch.org/2018/10/24/210k-for-deputies-president/?fbclid=IwAR14g7pUWHbt4FoV_ipq_Ckgeb1yME4gGL9vQsYaQSjbLh0dTEahtJ3gvw4

Group of bishops proposes compromise on thorny issue of paying House of Deputies president

From ENS-

A group of bishops has proposed a compromise on the question of whether the president of the House of Deputies should be paid, an issue that has proved divisive at previous General Conventions.
The compromise comes as the result of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s desire for the issue to get a “full and fair conversation” in the House of Bishops, Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania Sean Rowe told Episcopal News Service June 28.

That conversation began informally at the March House of Bishops meeting. Rowe and the group then crafted Resolution B014 that would direct the church’s Executive Council to pay the House of Deputies president director’s fees “for specific services rendered in order to fulfill duties required by the church’s Constitution and Canons.”

The resolution, and others related to the issue, will be debated during the July 5-13 meeting of General Convention in Austin, Texas.

More here-

https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2018/06/28/group-of-bishops-propose-compromise-on-thorny-issue-of-paying-house-of-deputies-president/

Time for a President’s Salary?

From The Living Church-

For the fourth time in two decades, General Convention will include a faceoff between bishops and deputies about whether the church should pay a salary to the president of the House of Deputies (or PHoD), which has always been a volunteer position.

In 1997, 2000, and 2015, the House of Deputies passed resolutions calling for compensation for the president. Each time, the House of Bishops voted no, thereby killing the proposals.

Early indications are that the same thing may very well happen again.

There’s more at stake than just one person’s paycheck. The dispute touches on issues going to the heart of the Episcopal Church’s polity and its bicameral governing body.

The two houses look at the issue through very different filters. The deputies see it as a fairness issue, while the bishops believe it’s important to protect the authority of the episcopacy in the Episcopal Church.

More here-

https://livingchurch.org/2018/05/23/time-for-a-presidents-salary/?platform=hootsuite

75 Days and Counting: Executive Council Opening Remarks

From The General Convention-

Good morning, and welcome to Austin! It’s 75 days until the first day of legislative business. Just in case you are keeping track. I am!

Since we met in January, I’ve had the privilege of meeting with and communicating with scores of deputies who are preparing for our time together at General Convention. Again this triennium, I am extraordinarily impressed with the commitment and focus of both new and returning deputies, and especially deputy legislative committee officers. As I announced when I appointed them in November, this group of officers is the youngest and most diverse ever to serve at General Convention. Forty-five percent are under the age of 50, 18% are people of color, and at least 15% identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

This House of Deputies will be the first in history to be majority female, and 52% of our legislative committee leaders will be women. Forty-two percent of the 852 deputies are first-time deputies. Twenty-four percent will be deputies for the second time, meaning that two-thirds of the deputies–66%–are new or relatively new. Only 7% of deputies are senior deputies, meaning they have served at seven or more conventions. Twenty-four percent of all deputies are people of color, and 53% are female.

I’m also grateful for the collegial and supportive work of so many members of the Presiding Bishop’s staff. As deputies prepare for convention, we are seeking information and advice from many staff members, and I have been delighted to establish and reestablish such collaborative, collegial working relationships between deputies and staff members.

More here-

https://houseofdeputies.org/2018/04/23/75-days-and-counting-executive-council-opening-remarks/

Welcome to the House of Deputies Newsletter

From The House of Deputies-

Impairment Task Force Report Released

Executive Council commission examines leadership and addiction

 In March 2015, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, by affirming a House of Bishops resolution,  created and funded the Commission on Impairment and Leadership. The group was charged with exploring "the canonical, environmental, behavioral and procedural dimensions of matters involving the serious impairment of individuals serving as leaders in the Church, with special attention to issues of addiction and substance abuse." The group's appointment was precipitated by a 2014 crash in which then-bishop Heather Cook, who was driving while drunk, killed bicyclist Thomas Palermo.

The commission's report, which includes recommendations about the church's ordination, training, transition, deployment, wellness, management and oversight processes, is now available online.

More here-

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1111106056536&ca=f0fed35e-b21a-4109-8a7e-687f750657b9

House of Deputies Special Committee on Sexual Harassment and Exploitation Appointed

From The House of Deputies-

Forty-seven member panel to draft legislation for General Convention 2018

House of Deputies President Gay Clark Jennings has appointed a House of Deputies special committee that will draft legislation on sexual harassment and exploitation for this summer’s General Convention.

“In January, Presiding Bishop Curry and I called the church to examine its history and end the systemic sexism, misogyny and misuse of power that plague the church just as they corrupt our culture, institutions and governments,” Jennings said. “We asked Episcopalians to consider what roles each of us is called to play in the church’s collective repentance.”

Since then, she says, scores of women from across the church have contacted her. “On Facebook, via email, by phone and in person, women have been in touch to share their stories and let me know that they want to be part of changing the church’s culture on these issues. I am delighted to harness their energy by appointing this committee.”

The group, which Jennings will chair, is divided into five sub-committees that arose from ideas that women contributed to a Facebook discussion on the House of Deputies page in late January. One group will draft legislation concerning theology and language, while others will address issues of structural equity including pay and benefits, the Title IV disciplinary process, and social justice for women. In response to the presiding officers’ call for the church to examine its history, a sub-committee will draft legislation proposing the creation of a truth and reconciliation process.

More here-

Difficult But Necessary Work: A Lay Leader’s #metoo Reflection

From The House of Deputies-

My #metoo Lenten reflection begins before I became Episcopalian. My father is from Mexico and my mother is European-American. I was raised by my mother’s family, a large working class Catholic family, in the Archdiocese of Chicago in the 1980’s. My home parish was affected by the sexual abuse of priests as well as the school principal. Perhaps because of this context, from a very young age while I deeply loved the church, I also knew that it was not always a safe place. Regardless, I was committed to my church and as involved as they would allow me to be. I was an altar girl, pre-school Sunday school teacher, and I took my first paid job working in the parish office. At the age of 15, I gave birth to a baby that I placed for adoption, an open adoption that continues to this day. At the very moment he took his first breath and stretched out his tiny newborn hand, I was stuck with a powerful spiritual experience that I can only liken to Saul on the road to Damascus. Over the next several decades, until the writing of this very reflection, I would begin to hide the nature of this event by simply calling it a “spiritual awakening.”

This event, or spiritual awakening, led me to look for Jesus outside of my home church. I spent a brief few years as a born-again Evangelical Christian with a strong testimony in my pregnancy and birth story. During this time I was accepted into a prestigious Christian faith-based college where I just knew that God had amazing things planned for me. Through my unbridled excitement, I allowed myself to become naive enough to believe that I would be safe among my peers.

More here-

http://houseofdeputies.org/2018/02/15/difficult-necessary-work-lay-leaders-metoo-reflection/

Legislative Committee Rosters: General Convention 2018

From The House of Deputies-

Legislative committees of deputies, along with parallel legislative committees of bishops, work before and during General Convention to review and propose legislation for the convention to consider. For General Convention 2018, President Jennings has appointed the deputy committees listed below. Read her letter about committee appointments, and review the list of legislative committee officers.

More here-

http://houseofdeputies.org/2018/01/17/legislative-committee-rosters-general-convention-2018/

State of Church Committee Looks at Pension Fund

From House of Deputies-

Deputy Winnie Varghese of New York and President Gay Jennings are quoted in a recent Episcopal News Service story about

In 2015, President Jennings charged the House of Deputies State of the Church Committee to explore three aspects of church life, one of which was CPG. Varghese chaired the sub-committee.

"The reality of the church is that there are fewer people and, more than that, less money," she told Episcopal News Service. 

about challenges confronting the Church Pension Fund (CPG) and CPG's legal relationship to the Episcopal Church.

 More here-

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1111106056536&ca=c3574047-6625-4ad8-8691-7c1a29a7ce83

Historic joint meeting hears of effort to change church’s culture

From ENS-

The House of Bishops, the House of Deputies and the Executive Council heard on Sept. 15 about efforts to shift the culture of the Episcopal Church’s denominational staff closer to that of the Jesus Movement.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others also spoke about how the church’s culture at all levels can reflect the loving, liberating and life-giving way of Jesus.

Fear, mistrust and resentment have no place in such an organization, Curry and House of Deputies President the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings said of findings about the denominational staff’s culture in a two-hour presentation during the opening day of the House of Bishops’ Sept. 15-20 meeting here. Members of the House of Deputies joined the presentation via a webcast, making it what is believed to be the first time that the two houses have met together outside of General Convention.

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/09/15/historic-joint-meeting-hears-of-effort-to-change-churchs-culture/

On the Primates Meeting: A Letter from the House of Deputies President

From ENS-

January 15, 2016

Dear Deputies and Alternate Deputies:

Many of you have received the news that the meeting of Anglican primates that has just concluded in Canterbury has voted to issue what it calls “consequences” to the Episcopal Church for our full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in our common life.

This news may be painful for some of us, particularly for LGBT people who have been excluded too often and for too long by families, churches, schools, and other institutions mired in homophobia. It may also be hurtful or unsettling to those of us who value our mission relationships with Anglicans across the Communion.

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/01/15/on-the-primates-meeting-a-letter-from-the-house-of-deputies-president/

Manslaughter charge prompts church to examine relationship with alcohol

From The Washington Post-

With a history of sherries at church coffee hour and wine during Holy Communion, Episcopalians have long endured — and shared — jokes about their drinking (for example: “wherever two or three are gathered, there’s a fifth.”) Yet the relationship is complicated.

The denomination stood out a century ago for saying alcoholism wasn’t an evil. And Episcopal clergy played a significant role in the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Which is why, in a way, it seemed surprising this week when a top church leader said the case of Heather Cook — the Maryland bishop now accused of killing a biker while driving drunk — revealed Episcopalians’ “systemic denial about alcohol and other drug abuse.” Leaders will review church policies on drug and alcohol abuse for the first time in 30 years when they have their once-every-three-years meeting this summer.

More here-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/manslaughter-charge-prompts-church-to-examine-relationship-with-alcohol/2015/02/11/98acf034-b194-11e4-854b-a38d13486ba1_story.html

Report of the House of Deputies Study Committee on the Rules of Order

From The House of Deputies-

December 10, 2014

Dear Deputies and Alternate Deputies:

The House of Deputies Study Committee on the Rules of Order was appointed by President Jennings following the 77th General Convention. Her goal in appointing the committee was to undertake a comprehensive review and update to the Rules of Order that govern legislative business in the House of Deputies. During our work, she has encouraged us to think creatively about ways to improve the work of the House of Deputies.

Our study committee began its work by meeting with a parallel committee from the House of Bishops. During this meeting, we had a fruitful discussion and shared some of the experiences of our respective Houses and opportunities to improve the Joint Rules of Order.

More here-

http://houseofdeputies.org/report-of-the-house-of-deputies-study-committee-on-the-rules-of-order.html

House of Deputies president on DOMA, Prop 8 rulings

From ENS-

The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, President of the House of Deputies of The Episcopal Church, issued this statement in response to the United States Supreme Court’s rulings that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and that same-sex marriage can resume in California:

“I join with millions of Christians across the country in celebrating today’s Supreme Court rulings that extend equal protection under federal law to all marriages and allow marriage equality to resume in California. We are moving ever closer to civil laws that recognize the God-given dignity and equality of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers.

“Today’s rulings will allow more people of all faiths to see what we in the Episcopal Church have seen for decades:  Same-sex couples and their families are evidence of the goodness of God’s creation. They bless our congregations and communities immeasurably, and we have all learned from their steadfast love for one another and the evidence of God’s goodness that they show us.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2013/06/26/hod-president-on-doma-prop-8-rulings/

Welcome to the House of Deputies Newsletter

From The House of Deputies


Welcome to the House of Deputies Newsletter

Welcome to the Episcopal Church House of Deputies monthly email newsletter. If you're a deputy or first 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 new website or on our Facebook page.

Do you have suggestions, ideas, or news about the work of deputies to share? Please email us. Want to learn more about the House of Deputies? Check out the new resources on our website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed.

More here-

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=yk7jrzkab&v=0014Ey5FNw0bDIyEBF9pXvr1rvCzUCpTMcj2rG8JmGFwst3okkTiCjxNDI4xTbj2eRh2JTLl0bCCz5yRtYlmBlMB--3CTTqYf1Lk56HyvHNRLu_lmaAS4jsIXX0xodTnVqbCHpkWNdWsu7VdEL4BSJIBQIaMdXFjvf6pz5eX1PBcCI%3D

Executive Officer, General Convention Secretary announces retirement

From ENS-

After nearly eight years and three General Conventions, the Rev. Canon Gregory Straub, executive officer and secretary of General Convention, has announced his retirement effective Jan. 1, 2013, according to a press release from the church’s Office of Public Affairs.

“It has been a great privilege to serve the church and its governing bodies these past seven years,” Straub, 63, wrote in his resignation letter to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings. “I shall long remember with fondness the many volunteers who staff our committees, commissions, agencies and boards with whom it has been my honor to work.”

Straub was appointed executive officer in 2005 by then-Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and then-House of Deputies President the Very Rev. George Werner.

The executive officer oversees all aspects of the work of Episcopal Church governance, from site selection for the meetings of General Convention through supervision and funding of the work mandated by the convention, according to information here. The executive officer may also be elected to serve as the secretary of the House of Deputies and, if elected by both houses of General Convention, secretary of the General Convention.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/08/09/executive-officer-general-convention-secretary-announces-retirement/

Sally Johnson may stand for House of Deputies vice president

From ENS-

Sally Johnson, a seven-time General Convention deputy from the Diocese of Minnesota, said June 24 that she will stand for election as vice president of the Episcopal Church’s House of Deputies if a clergy person is elected president of that house.

“I have been encouraged to seek the vice president’s office and believe that I am being called not because I have the answers to the question of how we should change, but because I understand how the Episcopal Church is currently put together; what the rules are; and how decisions are made,” Johnson said in announcing her intentions on her Facebook page. “I understand how to make change work, how to take a vision and making it a functioning reality. I have a proven track record of assisting people in making organizational and structural change in the Church.”


“From my work in helping the Church strengthen its misconduct, Title IV, and background screening protocols, I know what it feels like and what it takes to challenge the church’s usual way of doing business. I know, too, the good that can come from persevering in campaigns to change an entrenched culture.”

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/06/25/sally-johnson-may-stand-for-house-of-deputies-vice-president/

Martha Alexander to stand for election as House of Deputies president

From ENS-

Martha Bedell Alexander, a trustee of the Church Pension Fund and a North Carolina state legislator, had announced that she will stand for election as president of the House of Deputies.

“I see it as a wonderful opportunity to serve God and His Church — and to make a difference,” Alexander, 72, said in a June 20 press release from the Diocese of North Carolina.

Saying the idea of her standing for election originated through conversations with others, Alexander added, “I gave the possibility of the nomination a lot of prayerful, thoughtful and careful consideration.”

Alexander is serving her tenth two-year term as a Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. She was first elected in 1992 and is standing for re-election on Nov. 6.
The election will take place during the 77th meeting of General Convention July 5-12 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Alexander is the second candidate to announce her intention to stand for election. The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, who just completed a six-year term on the Episcopal Church’s Executive Council, announced her plans on June 5.

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/06/21/martha-alexander-to-stand-for-election-as-house-of-deputies-president/

A Summary of the HoD Committee on the State of the Church Blue Book Report

From The State of the Church-

The House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church is charged with preparing and presenting a report on the State of the Church (Canon 1.6.5b) and with setting the form of the Parochial Report. This triennium's committee decided to add new areas which would enlighten the Church members on how it is fairing moving from a "corporate" mode to a new environment that is and will remain in process for several years.

The report is full of new graphs in different categories that the committee would like you to review prior to attending General Convention. Although the Demographic section is similar to the 2009 HOD State of the Church Report, we were able to add several new graphs which are: Number of Episcopal Congregations by Year Founded: 1610-2010, Change in Key Statistical Areas: 2000-2010, Age Structure of the United States and The Episcopal Church : 2010, Congregations in Financial Stress: 2010, by Size. These graphs can be found on Pages 60 through 64 of the report.

The next category is the Laity. The Demographics of the Laity Graph can be found on Page 64. This report also contains the first survey ever sent to all deputies for their input. We are grateful to President Bonnie Anderson for allowing us access to the list of deputies and alternates. And we thank the deputies and alternates (834) who responded to the survey. The Survey Respondent Data Graph is on page 66. 

More here-


http://houseofdeputies.org/hod-state-of-church-blue-book-report-summary.html

House of Deputies president election schedule changes

From ENS-

Episcopal Church House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson has announced changes in the timetable for electing her successor.

The schedule for electing a new vice president of the house remains the same.

The up-to-date schedule for the elections, which will take place during the 77th meeting of General Convention July 5-12 in Indianapolis, is here.

Nominations from the House of Deputies floor for the office of president will now open on July 9 instead of July 8. This change appears to allow the deputies to then host a “meet the nominees” gathering the evening of July 9 from 6:30 to 8:30. The location will be announced.

The election for president will take place on July 10. Nominations for House of Deputies vice president will open that same day and that election will take place the next day, July 11.

Anderson announced May 23 that she would not ask convention to elect her to a third and final term as president.

The office of vice president has been open since February 2010 when the Rev. Brian Prior was ordained bishop of Minnesota. There is no canonical procedure to follow in choosing an interim vice president when the office becomes vacant between conventions. Anderson announced that she will follow the precedent established by Pamela Chinnis, who had to decide how to fill a vice presidential vacancy in 1994 during her terms as president of the House of Deputies (1991-2000).



More here

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/06/12/house-of-deputies-election-schedule-changes/