During the lunch break the Committee for the Confirmation of the Election of the Presiding Bishop (House of Deputies only) met to discuss the results of the House of Bishops actions.
414 Clerical Deputies, 414 Lay Deputies, for a 828 total deputies
106 dioceses have lay deputies, 109 dioceses have clergy deputies.
Rules suspended to hear a report from the Committee for the Confirmation of the Election of the Presiding Bishop.
The House of Bishops elected the Right Reverend Sean Rowe as 28th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
The House of Deputies then voted to confirm the election.
We then moved to elect lay members to the Court of Review. We elected seven. We then moved to elect deacon members to the Court of Review and elected two. We then moved to elect priest members to the Court of Review and elected 4. Next, we voted on Disciplinary Board for Bishops (Lay members) and elected two.
More elections… We next elected six lay members to Executive Council. Next, we voted for two clergy members to Executive Council. One the first ballot, we elected one. On the second ballot, no one was elected. On the third ballot, one more was elected – a deacon!! Yay!
The Presiding Bishop-elect is now addressing the House of Deputies.
Following that we took a thirty minute to celebrate!
When the House resumed business, we heard a report from the Executive Director of Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers, The Rev. Jess Elfring-Roberts.
We then resumed… elections with the lay members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. We elected four on the first ballot. On the second ballot, we elected no one. On the third ballot, we elected one. Next, we elected the deacon member of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. Then, four clergy members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. On the first ballot three were elected and on the second ballot no one was elected. On the third ballot, one was elected. No more elections today!
We then moved to Consent Calendar 1 for the day, which was adopted.
Then we had time of prayer and began special discussion around a series of resolutions related to the Israel/Palestine situation. We began with a report from the Social Justice & International Policy Committee. They received 25 resolutions and sixteen of them related to Israel/Palestine. They received a great deal of testimony on these topics.
The chair of the committee spoke powerfully about their work and closed by quoting from the brilliant lyricist Pet Seeger.
My Father’s mansion’s many rooms
Have room for all of His children
As long as we do share His love
And see that all are free
And see that all are free to grow
And see that all are free to know
And free to open or to close
The door of their own room
What is a room without a door
Which sometimes locks or stands ajar?
What is a room without a wall
To keep out sight and sound from all?
And dwellers in each room should have
The right to choose their own design
And color schemes to suit their own
Though differing from mine
Yes and each door has its own design
To suit the owners state of mind
And those who’d want them all the same
Don’t understand the human game
My Father’s mansion’s many rooms
Have room for all of His children
If we do but share in His love
And see that all are free
We had discussion about the definition and usage of the word “genocide” and “apartheid.”
We then heard a report on D007 – Peace Through Equal Rights in Israel/Palestine, which has been passed by the House of Bishops from the Social Justice & International Policy Committee. Three people spoke in favor. It was adopted unanimously by voice vote.
We then took a break for dinner.
