Search the Episcopal Press and News

67th Convention Opens Sept. 5 in New Orleans

Episcopal News Service. April 8, 1982 [82089]

NEW YORK (DPS, April 8) -- "There shall be a General Convention of the Church" which "shall meet not less than once in each three years," the Constitution of the Episcopal Church provides. That triennial event is scheduled to occur again Sept. 5-15, 1982 when the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops convene in New Orleans.

The Church's Convention -- its 67th -- will open formally with a eucharist on Sunday, Sept. 5, at 6:00 p.m., in the Rivergate convention center. The bishops and deputies will be joined by Episcopalians from the Diocese of Louisiana and other visitors, including the 450 women who will be in session concurrently as the Triennial Meeting of the Women of the Episcopal Church, and members of other Church organizations who will be in session.

The bicameral Convention is made up of the 904-member House of Deputies -- composed of four lay persons and four priests from each of the 113 jurisdictions -- and the House of Bishops which is composed of 264 members.

A part of the opening eucharist service will be the presentation of the United Thank Offering -- expected to be over $1 million -- which represents the gifts of the women of the Church for the furtherance of the work of the Church in many areas. The funds are distributed as grants throughout the Anglican Communion.

Just prior to the opening worship service, the two Houses will convene separately for organizational purposes at 2:30 p.m. The deputies will meet at the Rivergate and the bishops will hold their sessions at the Hilton Hotel across the street.

For the next 10 days -- Sept. 6-1 -- the Convention will fall into a general pattern of early morning committee meetings followed by separate legislative sessions of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies morning and afternoon, with open committee hearings on significant issues in the evening. Several joint sessions of the two Houses are proposed during the two weeks.

There does not appear to be any overriding issues facing the 1982 Convention, though a wide range of issues will probably come before the bishops and deputies. Of wide interest to Episcopalians is the revision of The Hymnal 1940. The Convention's Standing Commission on Church Music has spent the past few years preparing its recommendations concerning hymn texts which will be included in the revised book. If the Convention approves the report on texts -- it does not have to approve tunes -- the publication of the revised hymnal will be authorized. The Commission estimates that total production time will be three years from date of approval.

Growing out of the Lutheran-Episcopal Dialogue -- continuing from 1969 to 1980 -- are recommendations for action calling for closer relationships with each other. Involved in this mutual recognition of respective church bodies are the Episcopal Church, the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches.

Other issues and problems facing the bishops and deputies include evangelism, hunger and poverty, the arms race, injustice, human rights, housing, education, lay ministry, community outreach, church structure, clergy and lay deployment, the church in small communities, urban problems, and world mission. The Convention's boards and commissions will release their reports and recommendations in The Blue Book in June.

High among the proposals to be considered for approval is the General Budget of the Episcopal Church for the next triennium, 1983-1985. The Program, Budget and Finance Committee of the General Convention has asked for a joint session of the bishops and deputies for Saturday, Sept. 11 from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., to make its presentation.

As required by canon, it is the Executive Council which proposes the triennial program and budget to the Convention, with the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance making its own recommendations at the Sept. 11 meeting.

The Executive Council will have the platform on Tuesday, Sept. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon to make its presentation, subject to the approval of the tentative agenda. The Council will recommend a detailed 1983 budget which will be used as a guideline for 1984 and 1985 budgets.

Some 450 delegates to the Triennial Meeting of the Women of the Episcopal Church will gather during part of the time the Convention is in session. The opening session will be Sunday, Sept. 5. There are some male delegates in the group.

The Triennial Meeting will close at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 14, following a Eucharist celebrated by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin.

Mrs. Betty Thomas Baker of Kansas is Presiding Officer of the women's meeting.

Allin is President of the House of Bishops and Dr. Charles R. Lawrence of Pomona, N.Y., is President of the House of Deputies. Vice Presidents of the two houses are the Rt. Rev. James W. Montgomery of Chicago and the Very Rev. David B. Collins of Atlanta. The Rev. James R. Gundrum is Executive Officer of the Convention.

Some 10,000 bishops, deputies, women delegates, press, exhibitors, guests, and visitors are expected to attend part or all of the 11-day Convention.

[thumbnail: In a view from the roof o...] [thumbnail: The Rev. Canon James R. G...] [thumbnail: President of the House of...]