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Fr. Gundrum Appointed to General Convention Offices

Diocesan Press Service. April 25, 1975 [75152]

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Rev. James R. Gundrum of Des Moines, Iowa, has been appointed secretary of the House of Deputies, and treasurer and registrar of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church. He succeeds the Rev. Canon Charles M. Guilbert who has resigned effective May 28, to retire from the active ministry.

Father Gundrum's appointment as secretary of the House of Deputies was made by the Rev. Dr. John B. Coburn, president of the house, and his appointment as registrar was made by the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, presiding bishop-of the Episcopal Church. His appointment as treasurer of the General Convention was a joint action by Dr. Coburn and Bishop Allin.

Father Gundrum is appointed to these offices until the next meeting of the General Convention, which will be in Minneapolis/St. Paul in the fall of 1976.

The secretary of the House of Deputies also serves as secretary of the General Convention, with the responsibility of printing the Journal of the two houses -- Bishops and Deputies -- which make up the convention.

As registrar of the General Convention, Father Gundrum will keep the official records and documents of the convention, and maintain records on the ordinations and consecrations of all bishops of the church.

By action of the Bishop of Iowa, Walter C. Righter, and the diocesan council, Father Gundrum will continue his duties in the diocese as Mission Consultant in the areas of missions, college work, and Christian social relations. He will maintain his residence and office in Des Moines, commuting to the New York City office as necessary.

In making the appointment, Dr. Coburn said, "I am very happy that Father Gundrum has consented to accept this appointment. He is a former deputy of the House, experienced in the duties of the secretary, having served with Canon Guilbert at the 64th General Convention. I have every confidence that the work of the House of Deputies will continue to be carried forward with efficiency and dispatch. "

Father Gundrum has attended every General Convention since 1964. A deputy from the Diocese of Iowa in 1967, he was elected secretary of the Christian social relations committee of that house, and he served as a member of the committee on agenda and arrangements for the 1970 convention. He was appointed first assistant secretary of the House of Deputies at the 1973 convention.

Born in Muscatine, Iowa, on November 30, 1929, Father Gundrum received his B.A. degree from Iowa Wesleyan College, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in 1951, and his B. D. degree from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Evanston, Ill. He has done graduate studies at the University of Iowa and the School of Theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.

From 1954 to 1958 he was in charge of four and a half counties in western Iowa, serving three churches and a preaching station. He was rector of St. Michael's, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 1958 to 1969. He was appointed Mission Consultant for the Diocese of Iowa in 1969.

Father Gundrum has been a delegate to six provincial synods. He has served on Iowa's diocesan council, chairman of the departments of Christian education and evangelism, and a member of the finance department.

He and Mrs. Gundrum, formerly Frances Ellen Lathrop, have three children.