The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Churchwide Leadership presented its Report #8 on Resolution A173 (Amend Canon I.2.1(a-f)) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A173)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Canon I.2.1(a-f) is hereby amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1 (a) At each General Convention a Joint Nominating Committee for the election of the Presiding Bishop shall be elected. The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of 15 members, consisting of five Bishops; five clerical members, including at least one deacon; and five lay people. The Joint Standing Committee on Nominations will nominate a slate for election to the Nominating Committee, in accordance with the Joint Standing Committee on Nominations’ canonical charge and procedures, and guided by the skill sets needed for effective service on the Nominating Committee. The nominees for the Joint Standing Committee for the Nomination of the Presiding Bishop may but need not be deputies to General Convention. The House of Deputies shall elect five Clerical and five Lay Deputy as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop, with a majority of those voting necessary for election.

At each General Convention the House of Deputies shall elect one Clerical and one Lay Deputy from each Province as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A Deputy from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Deputy from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Deputies, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Clerical and Lay Deputies from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two Clerical Deputies and two Lay Deputies as nominees shall be selected by the caucus, and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Deputies shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee. The President of the House of Deputies, after consultation with representatives of youth, shall appoint two persons, age 16-21, as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop.

(b) At each General Convention the House of Bishops shall elect five Bishops as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop, guided by the skill sets needed for effective service on the Nominating Committee.

At each General Convention the House of Bishops shall elect one Bishop from each Province as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A Bishop from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Bishop from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Bishops, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Bishops from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two Bishops as nominees shall be selected by the caucus, and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Bishops shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee.

(c) In the event vacancies shall occur in the Joint Nominating Committee after the election of its members due to death, disability, resignation, or other cause within one year of the next General Convention, the vacancies shall not be filled and the remaining members shall constitute the Joint Nominating Committee. In the event such vacancies shall occur more than one year prior to the next General Convention, the Presiding Officer of the House of Bishops shall appoint Bishops and the President of the House of Deputies shall appoint Clerical and Lay Deputies. in all cases from the same Provinces as those Bishops or Deputies whose positions are being filled. An elected or appointed member who shall not be a Deputy to the next General Convention shall continue as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee until the adjournment of such next General Convention. A member of the Committee who transfers from one Province to another or a Lay Deputy who is ordained Presbyter or Deacon, or a Presbyter or Deacon who is consecrated a Bishop, shall not thereby become ineligible to continue to serve on the Joint Nominating Committee through the next succeeding General Convention. A Lay member of the Committee who is ordained Presbyter or Deacon, or a Presbyter or Deacon who is consecrated a Bishop before the next General Convention, shall not thereby become ineligible to continue to serve on the Joint Nominating Committee through the next succeeding General Convention.

(d) The Joint Nominating Committee shall remain in office until the adjournment of the next General Convention, at which a new Joint Nominating Committee shall be elected. Members of the Committee are eligible for reelection.

(e) The Joint Nominating Committee shall develop and manage a process for soliciting and identifying qualified nominees for the office of Presiding Bishop and for providing the nominees to the General Convention at which a Presiding Bishop is to be elected. The process shall include (1) providing the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for consideration by the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in the choice of a Presiding Bishop; (2) establishing a timely process for any bishop or deputy to express the intent to nominate any other member of the House of Bishops from the floor at the time the Joint Nominating Committee presents its nominees to the joint session of the two Houses, and for each Bishop so nominated to be included in the information distributed about the nominees; (3) providing pastoral care for each nominee bishop and his or her family and diocese; and (4) determining and providing for transition assistance to the Presiding Bishop and the Presiding Bishop-elect must enable the work to be done efficiently and as cost-effectively as practicable. This process shall be designed to encourage diversity that reflects the breadth of The Episcopal Church. The process shall include (1) the Nominating Committee shall inform the wider church of the process and timeline; (2) the Nominating Committee shall prepare a profile for the election of the next Presiding Bishop, and the profile will be distributed widely to the Church; (3) providing the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for consideration by the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in the choice of a Presiding Bishop; (4) establishing a timely process for any bishop or deputy to nominate any other member of the House of Bishops through a petition process, and for each Bishop so nominated to be vetted through the same process of background and reference checks as all nominees, and for each Bishop so nominated to be included in the information distributed about the nominees; and (5) providing pastoral care for each nominee bishop and his or her family and diocese.

(f) A Presiding Bishop Transition Committee shall be appointed by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies. The members shall have the necessary skills and talents to determine the need for and provide for transition assistance to the Presiding Bishop and the Presiding Bishop-elect.

(g) A small Presiding Bishop Installation Committee shall be appointed by Executive Council with the necessary skills and talents to plan for and carry out a Celebration of New Ministry for the new Presiding Bishop.

(f)(h) At the General Convention at which a Presiding Bishop is to be elected, the Joint Nominating Committee shall present to the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in Joint Session the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops, along with those nominated through the petition process, for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop, and there may be discussion of all nominees. At the Joint Session to which the Joint Nominating Committee shall report, any Bishop or Deputy may nominate any other member of the House of Bishops for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop, and there may be discussion of all nominees. Commencing on the day following the Joint Session, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among such nominees. If the House of Bishops shall find itself unable to elect a Presiding Bishop from among such nominees, another Joint Session shall be held, at which additional nominations may be received, and on the following day, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among all of the nominees. After the election by the House of Bishops, report of the result thereof, including the number of votes cast for each nominee on each ballot, shall be made to the House of Deputies which shall vote to confirm or not to confirm such choice of Presiding Bishop.

The rest of the canon continues as numbered.

Committee Amendment:

Resolvedthe House of Bishops concurring, That Canon I.2.1(a-f) is hereby amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1 (a) At each General Convention a Joint Nominating Committee for the election of the Presiding Bishop shall be elected. The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of 15 20 members,. Fifteen (15) of those members shall consisting of five Bishops; five clerical members, including at least one deacon;, and five lay people. The Joint Standing Committee on Nominations will nominate a slate for election to the Nominating Committee, in accordance with the Joint Standing Committee on Nominations’ canonical charge and procedures, and guided by the skill sets needed for effective service on the Nominating Committee. The nominees for the Joint Standing Committee for the Nomination of the Presiding Bishop may but need not be deputies to General Convention. The House of Deputies shall elect five Clerical and five Lay Deputy as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop, with a majority of those voting necessary for election.

At each General Convention the House of Deputies shall elect one Clerical and one Lay Deputy from each Province as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A Deputy from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Deputy from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Deputies, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Clerical and Lay Deputies from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two Clerical Deputies and two Lay Deputies as nominees shall be selected by the caucus, and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Deputies shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee. The President of the House of Deputies, after consultation with representatives of youth, shall appoint two persons, age 16-21, as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop.

(b) At each General Convention the House of Bishops shall elect five Bishops as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop, guided by the skill sets needed for effective service on the Nominating Committee.

At each General Convention the House of Bishops shall elect one Bishop from each Province as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A Bishop from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Bishop from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Bishops, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Bishops from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two Bishops as nominees shall be selected by the caucus, and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Bishops shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee.

(c) The Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies shall also jointly appoint three members to the Joint Nominating Committee to ensure the cultural and geographic diversity of the Church and the skill sets needed for effective service on the Nominating Committee.

(c)(d) In the event vacancies shall occur in the Joint Nominating Committee after the election of its members due to death, disability, resignation, or other cause within one year of the next General Convention, the vacancies shall not be filled and the remaining members shall constitute the Joint Nominating Committee. In the event such vacancies shall occur more than one year prior to the next General Convention, the Presiding Officer of the House of Bishops shall appoint Bishops and the President of the House of Deputies shall appoint Clerical and Lay Deputies. in all cases from the same Provinces as those Bishops or Deputies whose positions are being filled. An elected or appointed member who shall not be a Deputy to the next General Convention shall continue as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee until the adjournment of such next General Convention. A member of the Committee who transfers from one Province to another or a Lay Deputy who is ordained Presbyter or Deacon, or a Presbyter or Deacon who is consecrated a Bishop, shall not thereby become ineligible to continue to serve on the Joint Nominating Committee through the next succeeding General Convention. A Lay member of the Committee who is ordained Presbyter or Deacon, or a Presbyter or Deacon who is consecrated a Bishop before the next General Convention, shall not thereby become ineligible to continue to serve on the Joint Nominating Committee through the next succeeding General Convention.

(d)(e) The Joint Nominating Committee shall remain in office until the adjournment of the next General Convention, at which a new Joint Nominating Committee shall be elected. Members of the Committee are eligible for reelection.

(e)(f) The Joint Nominating Committee shall develop and manage a process for soliciting and identifying qualified nominees for the office of Presiding Bishop and for providing the nominees to the General Convention at which a Presiding Bishop is to be elected. The process shall include (1) providing the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for consideration by the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in the choice of a Presiding Bishop; (2) establishing a timely process for any bishop or deputy to express the intent to nominate any other member of the House of Bishops from the floor at the time the Joint Nominating Committee presents its nominees to the joint session of the two Houses, and for each Bishop so nominated to be included in the information distributed about the nominees; (3) providing pastoral care for each nominee bishop and his or her family and diocese; and (4) determining and providing for transition assistance to the Presiding Bishop and the Presiding Bishop-elect must enable the work to be done efficiently and as cost-effectively as practicable. This process shall be designed to encourage diversity that reflects the breadth of The Episcopal Church. The process shall include (1) the Nominating Committee shall inform the wider church of the process and timeline; (2) the Nominating Committee shall prepare a profile for the election of the next Presiding Bishop, and the profile will be distributed widely to the Church; (3) providing the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for consideration by the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in the choice of a Presiding Bishop; (4) establishing a timely process for any bishop or deputy to nominate any other member of the House of Bishops through a petition process, and for each Bishop so nominated to be vetted through the same process of background and reference checks as all nominees, and for each Bishop so nominated to be included in the information distributed about the nominees; and (5) providing pastoral care for each nominee bishop and his or her family and diocese.

(f)(g) A Presiding Bishop Transition Committee shall be appointed by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies. The members shall have the necessary skills and talents to determine the need for and provide for transition assistance to the Presiding Bishop and the Presiding Bishop-elect.

(g)(h) A small Presiding Bishop Installation Committee shall be appointed by Executive Council with the necessary skills and talents to plan for and carry out a Celebration of New Ministry for the new Presiding Bishop.

(h)(i) At the General Convention at which a Presiding Bishop is to be elected, the Joint Nominating Committee shall present to the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in Joint Session the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops, along with those nominated through the petition process, for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop, and there may be discussion of all nominees. At the Joint Session to which the Joint Nominating Committee shall report, any Bishop or Deputy may nominate any other member of the House of Bishops for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop, and there may be discussion of all nominees. Commencing on the day following the Joint Session, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among such nominees. If the House of Bishops shall find itself unable to elect a Presiding Bishop from among such nominees, another Joint Session shall be held, at which additional nominations may be received, and on the following day, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among all of the nominees. After the election by the House of Bishops, report of the result thereof, including the number of votes cast for each nominee on each ballot, shall be made to the House of Deputies which shall vote to confirm or not to confirm such choice of Presiding Bishop.

The rest of the canon continues as numbered.

A vote was taken on resolution A173.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #123)