House of Bishops Meets
Diocesan Press Service. October 22, 1971 [96-1]
POCONO MANOR, Penn. -- The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States will hold its 1971 meeting here at the Pocono Manor Inn, October 24-29.
Approximately 150 Bishops of the Episcopal Church, from both domestic and overseas jurisdictions, are expected to be in attendance.
The Rt. Rev. John E. Hines, Presiding Bishop, is president of the House of Bishops. The secretary is the Rt. Rev. Scott Field Bailey, Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Texas.
The House of Bishops is one of two houses which form the bicameral legislature governing the Episcopal Church. The other body, the House of Deputies, composed of both clerical and lay representatives, normally meets every three years at General Convention in conjunction with the House of Bishops to enact legislation, to approve Church programs and to adopt a budget for the next triennial period.
The House of Bishops meets oftener than the House of Deputies, usually once a year, and when meeting alone limits itself to matters of general concern affecting the state of the Church and its effectiveness in meeting the needs of contemporary society. It does not have legislative power alone to initiate programs or amend programs approved by General Convention.
The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, which usually meets quarterly, is assigned by the canons of the Church the duty of carrying out the program and policies adopted by the General Convention.
An opening service will be held at 8 p.m. on Sunday, October 24, and will include an address by the Rt. Rev. John Howe of London, Executive Officer of the Anglican Communion, who has served in that position since May, 1969. As Executive Officer of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Howe is responsible to the Lambeth Consultative Body, of which the Archbishop of Canterbury is president.
Oscar C. Carr, the Executive Council's recently appointed Vice President for Development, will address the House on Monday evening, October 25. The Bishops will meet in small groups on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday will be a quiet day with a banquet in the evening. Business sessions will be held Thursday and Friday with adjournment set for noon on Friday, October 29.
Host Bishops for the meeting will be the Rt. Rev. Frederick J. Warnecke, Bishop of the Diocese of Bethlehem, and the Rt. Rev. Lloyd E. Gressle, Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Bethlehem.
Bishop Warnecke is also vice president of the House of Bishops and will preside in the absence of the Presiding Bishop from the chair.