Episcopal News Service Saturday, June 17, 2006
From Columbus: General Convention receives Presiding Bishop nominees,
welcomes bishops-elect
By Melodie Woerman
[ENS] A joint session of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops June 17 formally received the nominations of seven bishops, one of whom will become the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
The Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop presented its four nominees:
* Bishop J. Neil Alexander of Atlanta * Bishop Edwin F. Gulick, Jr. of Kentucky * Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of Nevada * Bishop Henry N. Parsley Jr. of Alabama
Three bishops were then nominated from the floor:
* Bishop Francisco Duque-Gomez of Colombia * Bishop Stacy F. Sauls of Lexington * Bishop Charles E. Jenkins III of Louisiana
The joint committee announced its nominees in January and then allowed other bishops to be nominated by petition until April 1. That deadline gave the committee time to perform the same required medical and psychological screenings, as well as background checks, for the second group of nominees.
The bishop elected will succeed the Most Rev. Frank Tracy Griswold, whose nine-year term ends November 1.
Following the Convention Eucharist Sunday, the bishops will convene at 10:30 a.m. in executive session at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Columbus, near the state Capitol.
The House of Bishops will remain in session after it has chosen the Presiding Bishop-elect until the House of Deputies confirms its choice. After the deputies confirm, and the bishops certify the election, the Presiding Bishop-elect will be introduced to the House of Deputies by his or her deputation. A news conference will be held in the Hyatt Regency ballroom soon afterwards.
The Presiding Bishop-elect will be given office space and administrative support will be provided at the convention center; he or she will also preach at the Convention's closing Eucharist June 21.
The investiture service is set for November 4 at Washington National Cathedral.
--Melodie Woerman is director of communications for the Diocese of Kansas.
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