Bishops and Deputies from the 20 Episcopal dioceses in the southeast United States gathered last week at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC, to prepare for this summer’s General Convention. The meeting is part of the preparation two the General Convention which meets in Salt Lake City later this month.
The group heard reports from the Presiding Bishop, the President of the House of Deputies, and others including Canon Frank Logue who briefed the gathering on the current draft of the proposed budget for the Episcopal Church. The Rev. Sierra Wilkinson Reyes also addressed the Synod to speak of her experience with the 2003 General Convention, when she served as Youth Representative, and the opportunities that participation opened up for her. Break out sessions during the meeting created an opportunity to discuss the proposed budget, the report from the Task Force on Marriage, and the report of the Task Force for Reimagining the Church.
Actions of the Synod
The Synod passed three resolutions. One calls on the General Convention to establish a day of prayer for recent Christian martyrs. A second affirmed the work of province and would amend the Episcopal Church canons to insert a clearer explanation for the role of provinces. The third resolution endorsed A Memorial to the Church which serves as an open letter to the church. More than 500 Bishops, Deputies, and other Episcopalians have signed on to the Memorial. Province IV is the first Synod to do so.
The Synod elected Canon Frank Logue to a six-year term on the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. The Executive Council functions as the Board of Directors with the duty to carry out programs and policies adopted by General Convention and to oversee the ministry and mission of the Episcopal Church.
Current and past Youth Representatives to the General Convention included the Rev. Sierra Wilkinson Reyes (at far right) who served in 2003.
