The Deputation from the Diocese of West Texas is set to travel to Baltimore
The Deputation from the Diocese of West Texas is getting ready to travel to the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Originally scheduled for July of 2021, the 80th General Convention was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The postponed triennial General Convention will meet July 8 - 11, with a shortened four-day schedule and modifications to the number of attendees and legislative processes to ensure the health and safety of all attendees amid the continued threat of COVID-19.
“The Church has been blessed with faithful, diligent leaders who have worked and continue to work tirelessly to ensure that General Convention can happen in Baltimore in July – and in a way that cares for our safety, honors our dignity, and equips us to do the work of the gathered Body of Christ,” The Rev. Canon Michael Barlowe, Secretary of the General Convention and Executive Officer said.
Legislative committees met online regarding resolutions from February to June. This is the first year legislative committee hearings have met before Convention and on a web-conferencing platform. This change also allowed communicants of the broader Church more opportunity to attend open hearings and give testimony as the committees narrowed down a large number of proposed resolutions to the few that will go before the 80th General Convention to be considered and voted on.
Participating in person at the 80th General Convention in Baltimore, Maryland are the following:
The Rt. Rev. David Reed, Bishop of West Texas, is a member of the House of Bishops.
Clergy elected to represent the Diocese of West Texas in the House of Deputies are:
The Rev. Ripp Hardaway, St. John’s, New Braunfels, Chair
The Rev. David Read, St. Helena's, Boerne
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Nelson, Head Chaplain at TMI
The Rev. David Chalk, St. Francis', Canyon Lake
The Rev. Irving Cutter, St. Luke’s, San Antonio will serve as first alternate deputy.
Laity elected to represent the Diocese of West Texas in the House of Deputies are:
Jennifer Wickham, All Saints' Corpus Christi
Curt Mowen, St. Luke’s, San Antonio
Mary Hayden Manning, St. David's, San Antonio
Wheless Baker, St. John's Sonora
Dr. Elizabeth Manning, Holy Spirit Dripping Springs will serve as first alternate deputy.
The West Texas deputation will provide daily updates from Baltimore beginning July 8. If you would like to watch the livestream worship and legislative sessions of The Episcopal Church’s 80th General Convention in Baltimore, July 8-11. Click here to view the schedule of livestreams and click here to watch the sessions—in English and Spanish.
The 81st General Convention will be held in Louisville, Kentucky in July 2024. Deputies from the Diocese of West Texas will be elected at our Diocesan Council next February 2023 in Corpus Christi.
