The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Governance and Structure presented its Report #44 on Resolution A002 (Amend Article I.1-6 Reimagine Dioceses, Bishops, and General Convention) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A002)

A. Reimagine Governance Structures

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 78th General Convention adopt a unicameral model of governance as outlined in amendments to Article I, Sections 1-6 of the Constitution as proposed in TREC’s final Report; and be it further

Resolved, That the bishops of The Episcopal Church create, nurture, and develop a culture of collaboration that results in: new structures, partnerships, and practices on the interpersonal, group, and organizational levels; measurable, tangible outcomes of performance; standards of accountability, reporting and mutual ministry reviews at all levels (bishops, clergy, diocesan bodies); frank discussion on the number and size of our dioceses and whether change is needed; and reportage on their progress to each succeeding General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That a task force on the episcopacy be appointed by the Presiding Officers composed of four bishops, four clergy, and four lay persons. The Task Force will explore the practice of and particular gifts, life experience, expertise, and social diversity required by the episcopacy, recommending to General Convention 2018 a new process for discernment, formation, search, and election of bishops in The Episcopal Church, and that $100,000 be appropriated in the next triennial budget for this purpose; and be it further

Resolved, That within each bishop-search process, a mandatory time of discernment with the Standing Committees of the diocese in transition occur with the Standing Committees and bishops of adjoining dioceses; and be it further

Resolved, That the diocesan assessment percentage be lowered while making it canonically mandatory (with means for pastoral exception) for each diocese to meet that assessment.

B. Make Constitutional Changes to Achieve a Unicameral Legislative Body

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Article I, Sections 1-6 of the Constitution be stricken in their entirety and replaced with the following:

Sec. 1. There shall be a General Convention of this Church,consisting of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, which Houses shall sit and deliberate separately; and in all deliberations freedom of debate shall be allowed. Either House may originate and propose legislation, and all acts of the Convention shall be adopted and be authenticated by both Houses.

Sec. 2. Each Bishop of this Church having jurisdiction, every Bishop Coadjutor, every Suffragan Bishop, every Assistant Bishop, and every Bishop who by reason of advanced age or bodily infirmity, or who, under an election to an office created by the General Convention, or for reasons of mission strategy determined by action of the General Convention or the House of Bishops, has resigned a jurisdiction, shall have a seat and a vote in the House of Bishops. A majority of all Bishops entitled to vote, exclusive of Bishops who have resigned their jurisdiction or positions, shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Sec. 3. At the General Convention next before the expiration of the term of office of the Presiding Bishop, it shall elect the Presiding Bishop of the Church. The House of Bishops shall choose one of the Bishops of this Church to be the Presiding Bishop of the Church by a vote of a majority of all Bishops, excluding retired Bishops not present, except that whenever two-thirds of the House of Bishops are present a majority vote shall suffice, such choice to be subject to confirmation by the House of Deputies. The term and tenure of office and duties and particulars of the election not inconsistent with the preceding provisions shall be prescribed by the Canons of the General Convention.

Sec. 4. The Church in each Diocese which has been admitted to union with the General Convention, each area Mission established as provided by Article VI, and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, shall be entitled to representation in the House of Deputies by not more than four ordained persons, Presbyters or Deacons, canonically resident in the Diocese and not more than four Lay Persons, confirmed adult communicants of this Church, in good standing in the Diocese but not necessarily domiciled in the Diocese; but the General Convention by Canon may reduce the representation to not fewer than two Deputies in each order. Each Diocese, and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, shall prescribe the manner in which its Deputies shall be chosen.To constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, the Clerical order shall be represented by at least one Deputy in each of a majority of the Dioceses entitled to representation, and the Lay order shall likewise be represented by at least one Deputy in each of a majority of the Dioceses entitled to representation.

Sec. 5. The vote on all questions which come before the House of Deputies shall be governed by the following provisions, supplemented by such procedural provisions as the House of Deputies may adopt in its Rules of Order: Unless a greater vote on any question is required by this Constitution or by the Canons in cases not specifically dealt with by this Constitution or unless a vote by orders on a question is required, the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the Deputies present and voting shall suffice to carry any question. A vote by orders on any question shall be taken if required for that question by this Constitution or by the Canons or if the Clerical or Lay representation from three or more separate Dioceses shall so request at the time of the call for the vote on that question. In all cases of a vote by orders, the vote of each order, Clerical and Lay, shall be counted separately, each order in each Diocese shall have one vote, and a vote in the affirmative by an order in a Diocese shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Deputies present in that order in that Diocese. To carry in the affirmative any question being voted on by orders requires concurrence in the affirmative by both orders and, unless a greater vote is required by this Constitution or by the Canons in cases not specifically dealt with by this Constitution, concurrence in the affirmative by an order requires the affirmative vote in that order by a majority of the Dioceses present in that order.

Sec. 6. In either House any number less than a quorum may adjourn from day to day. Neither House, without the consent of the other, shall adjourn for more than three days, or to any place other than that in which the Convention shall be sitting.

The Episcopal Church Constitution, ARTICLE I

Sec. 1. There shall be a General Convention of this Church in which all members shall meet together as one body. Each of the three orders—Bishop, Clerical, and Lay—may meet and deliberate separately except as the constitution, canon, or rule of order may otherwise provide. On any matter requiring a vote, any order may choose to deliberate and/or vote separately. In all deliberations, freedom of debate shall be allowed, subject to such rules of order as may be adopted to assure fairness.

Sec. 2. Each Bishop of this Church having jurisdiction, every Bishop Coadjutor, and every Suffragan Bishop shall have a seat and a vote in the General Convention and any matter acted upon separately by the Order of Bishops. A majority of all Bishops and Deputies entitled to vote shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of General Convention business.

Sec. 3. At the General Convention next before the expiration of the term of office of the Presiding Bishop, the General Convention shall elect one of the Bishops of this Church having jurisdiction as the Presiding Bishop of the Church. The Presiding Bishop of the Church shall serve as a co-chair of General Convention. Candidates for the Presiding Bishop shall be elected by the General Convention, by concurrent vote of each order. The affirmative vote of a majority of the deputies of each order shall be required for the election of a Presiding Bishop. The term and tenure of office and duties and particulars of the election not inconsistent with the preceding provisions shall be prescribed by the Canons of the General Convention. If the Presiding Bishop of the Church shall resign the office as such, or if by reason of infirmity shall become unable to serve, or in case of death, the Bishop who, according to the Rules of the Order of Bishops, becomes its Presiding Officer, shall (unless the date of the next General Convention is within three months) immediately call a special meeting of the Convocation of Bishops to elect a member thereof to be the Presiding Bishop. The certificate of election on the part of the Convocation of Bishops shall be sent by the Presiding Officer to the Standing Committees of the several dioceses, and if a majority of the Standing Committees of the dioceses shall concur in the election, the Bishop elected shall become the Presiding Bishop of the Church.

Sec. 4. In addition, the Church in each diocese that has been admitted to union with the General Convention, each area Mission established as provided by Article VI, and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, shall be entitled to representation in the General Convention by three ordained persons, priests, or deacons (“Clergy”) canonically resident in the diocese, and not more than three lay persons, confirmed adult communicants of this Church, in good standing in the diocese but not necessarily domiciled in the diocese; but the General Convention by Canon may reduce the representation to not fewer than two deputies in each order. Each diocese, and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, shall prescribe the manner in which its deputies shall be chosen. To constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, the Clerical order shall be represented by at least one deputy in each of a majority of the dioceses entitled to representation, and the Lay order shall likewise be represented by at least one deputy in each of a majority of the dioceses entitled to representation.

Sec. 5. The vote on all questions that come before the General Convention shall be governed by the following provisions, supplemented by such procedural provisions as the General Convention may adopt in its Rules of Order: Unless a greater vote on any question is required by this Constitution or by the Canons in cases not specifically dealt with by this Constitution, voting by orders shall not be required, and the affirmative vote of a majority of all Deputies present and voting shall suffice to carry any question.

When voting by orders is required, unless a greater vote on any question is required by this Constitution or by the Canons in cases not specifically dealt with by this Constitution, the affirmative vote of a majority of all Deputies of each order (clergy, lay, and Bishops) present and voting shall suffice to carry any question. A vote by orders on any question shall be taken if required for that question by this Constitution or by the Canons or if clerical, lay, or Bishop representation from three or more separate dioceses shall so request at the time of the call for the vote on that question. In voting by orders, the vote of each order shall be counted separately, each order in each diocese shall have one vote, and a vote in the affirmative by an order in a diocese shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Deputies present in that order in that diocese. To carry in the affirmative any question being voted on by orders requires concurrence in the affirmative by all orders and, unless a greater vote is required by this Constitution or by the Canons in cases not specifically dealt with by this Constitution, concurrence in the affirmative by an order requires the affirmative vote in that order by a majority of the dioceses present in that order.

Sec. 6. At the General Convention, a majority vote of those Deputies present, even though less than a quorum, may adjourn from day to day.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring the 78th General Convention charge the Standing Committee on the Structure of the Church to explore unicameral models of church governance including the polities and the legislative processes. The task force will seek input from bodies beyond The Episcopal Church including but not exclusive to the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The task force will make recommendations to the 79th General Convention.

The Chair of the House of Deputies Committee on Governance and Structure explained that references to either "Standing Committee" or "task force" should be changed to "Standing Commissions."

Point of Order

Deputy Funston of Kansas inquired about the existence of the Standing Commission on Structure following the passing of Resolution A006. The Chair of the House of Deputies Committee on Governance and Structure explained that one of the remaining Standing Commissions was the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons.

An inquiry was made regarding whether the editorial changes made were actually approved by the House. The President called for objections from the House. None were made.

Motion carried

Deputy King of Western New York moved to end debate on the resolution.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

An electronic vote was taken on the resolution.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #292)