Dear beloveds in Christ in The Episcopal Church,
As we prepare for the 82nd General Convention, we invite you to join us in shaping a gathering that reflects our shared responsibility for the life and mission of The Episcopal Church. Our theme, “Rising in Hope,” expresses the spirit we bring to this work and our confidence in what God is calling this church to become.
As your presiding officers for General Convention, we are united in a vision for this work as a community of discernment. We want to create the conditions for the church to gather, pray, listen, build relationships, and effectively carry out the responsibilities entrusted to us. We want you to arrive prepared to contribute and return home with a sense of purpose, connection, and hope for the work ahead.
This vision begins with the Body of Christ, our shared dignity, and our sacred life together. How we gather, how we care for one another, and how we make decisions all express what we believe about the church.
In a culture that often rewards division and treats disagreements as contests to be won, we have an opportunity to practice something different. Our deliberations can make room for conviction, curiosity, and the possibility that listening to one another will deepen our understanding.
As presiding officers, we are committed to modeling this approach in our partnership, and we ask every deputy and bishop to prayerfully join us as we embark on the work entrusted to us at General Convention. Your experience, curiosity, and wisdom are essential.
That is why this preparation has been grounded in listening. Feedback from the last General Convention, together with the listening and visioning work of the steering committee charged with re-envisioning General Convention, has directly shaped the planning now underway. You have asked for meaningful worship, stronger relationships, attention to health and wellness, and time for thoughtful deliberation.
The Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements is helping give that vision practical expression. Its guiding values call us toward belonging, accessibility, hospitality, and sacred purpose, with deliberate attention to safety and the different needs people bring. We are working toward a General Convention at a human scale, where care for the whole person supports our ability to participate fully. We want to make faithful, understandable decisions that the church can carry into its life and ministry.
What will this look like?
- Inclusive worship and spaces that support discernment
- Opportunities for welcome and connection in the exhibit hall
- Mornings that begin with worship and small groups, making room for prayer, formation, listening, and relationships
- Focused legislative sessions that will allow our decisions to grow from that morning’s common discernment
- Time for fellowship, networks, caucuses, and rest
All of this is sacred work, and together, we can discern a clear, faithful, strategic direction that strengthens the ministries of our congregations and communities.
Our new Governance and Legislative System (GLS) will support this work. Its design makes resolutions easier to find and follow, clarifies the status of legislation and amendments, and helps participants understand the business before them. Technology should serve our common discernment, helping us give our attention to one another and to the substance of the decisions we share. Training and opportunities to become familiar with GLS will be part of our preparation.
In the coming months, we will share further news and preparations in stages, explaining what is being proposed, why it matters, and how you can participate. These updates will include formation opportunities, legislative hearings and preparation, GLS training, and practical guidance for our time together.
Deputies will play an essential role in shaping the legislation that comes before General Convention. Through service on legislative committees, we listen to the church, consider resolutions, and discern how proposed actions can strengthen our common life and ministry. This work is both a legislative responsibility and a spiritual practice, grounded in prayer, careful attention, and a willingness to learn from one another. If you are a deputy interested in serving, please complete the legislative committee interest form.
More immediately, you will have the opportunity to attend the Joint Budget Committee’s upcoming hearings scheduled for Nov. 18 and Dec. 9–both from 2-4 p.m. ET. Register for those here. Our budget gives concrete expression to the church’s priorities, and we encourage you to help shape that work.
“Rising in Hope” invites us to prepare with intention, make room for one another, and take responsibility for the future we share. We look forward to this work with you.
Faithfully,
Ms. Julia Ayala Harris
President, House of Deputies
The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe
Presiding Bishop
