News & Messages

Some updates from General Convention

On the first day of the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, "following heart-wrenching testimony, the House of Deputies on July 8 initiated a new beginning in the life of the church, overwhelmingly approving resolutions to establish a voluntary coalition for racial equity and justice, and to reckon with The Episcopal Church’s involvement in Indigenous boarding schools." Read more here.

photo credit: Randall Gornovich

Following a shooting near the Baltimore Convention Center on the eve of the General Convention, Bishops United Against Gun Violence led a walk to the site of the fatal shooting. Both bishops and deputies participated in this public witness against gun violence.

On Saturday, July 9, the House of Deputies elected its next President, Julia Ayala Harris. Ayala Harris is from the Diocese of Oklahoma and currently serves on the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. Read more about her and the election in this article from the Episcopal News Service. And from Deputy News, an interview with President-elect Ayala Harris. 

In the House of Bishops yesterday, "called for an end to the conflict in Ukraine and concurred with deputies to approve racial equity resolutions, marking a new chapter for The Episcopal Church." Read more here.

This photo shows the deputations from the Diocese of Texas and the Diocese of North Texas.

Last night (July 9), the House of Deputies voted unanimously to approve the reunification of the Dioceses of Texas and North Texas.

Here are some places to track what's happening at General Convention:

The Episcopal Church's General Convention Hub
General Convention Media Hub
 Episcopal News Service
Deputy News
Virtual Binder
Diocese of Milwaukee at General Convention 2022 Facebook page

Book of Occasional Services 2018 Available

New liturgical resource: The Book of Occasional Services 2018

Download available in English & Spanish

The Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) is pleased to announce the release of The Book of Occasional Services 2018. The availability of this liturgical resource is the result of action taken at last summer’s 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church.

The Book of Occasional Services 2018, a companion volume to The Book of Common Prayer, is a collection of liturgical resources related to occasions which do not occur with sufficient frequency to warrant their inclusion in The Book of Common Prayer. Designed to give congregations resources that form our members in the Episcopal faith, the rites and ceremonies contained in this book are to be understood, interpreted, and used in light of the theology, structure, and directions of The Book of Common Prayer.

The material included in this collection comes from a variety of sources, generally arising out of the specific use of worshipping communities engaged in the process of creating liturgical responses to particular occasions in the life of the church. Included are St. Francis Day animal blessings and rites for December 12, Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. 

Where it seems appropriate, instead of complete rites, the Book of Occasional Services 2018 includes paragraphs of stated principles and guidelines for crafting liturgies in particular contexts. For instance, the resources for Día de Muertos are offered in outline form. A part of the outline format is an expressed desire that those congregations wishing to develop and use the rite will do so in collaboration with communities for whom the celebration is already a culturally significant event, creating opportunities for deeper appreciation and love in congregations. 

This material included in Book of Occasional Services 2018 is authorized by the General Convention for use throughout The Episcopal Church.

The Book of Occasional Services 2018, offered in both English and Spanish, is available as a free download from the publications page of the General Convention website, at https://www.generalconvention.org/publications#liturgy. 

Additional Liturgical Resources available on the General Convention website include:

Expansive Language Liturgies

Text of Expansive Language Liturgies from resolution 2018-D078--docx
Text of Expansive Language Liturgies from resolution 2018-D078--pdf