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The Newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia Te Newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia Dayspring October, 2015 http://www.wvdiocese.org Volume 113, Number 2 West Virginia Represented at General Convention By Linda S. Comins Several West Virginians par- Rev. Paul Hicks, clergy. ops who began their ministry in ticipated – as deputies, exhibi- Participating in the ECW trien- the Diocese of West Virginia. tors, volunteers or guests – in the nial gathering, conducted concur- The highlight of this year’s Gen- historic events of The Episcopal rently with General Convention, eral Convention was the election Church’s 78th General Conven- were Becki Krzywdik, convener of the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, tion held in Salt Lake City from of women’s ministries in the dio- Bishop of North Carolina, as the June 24 through July 3. cese, and Becky Szabo, diocesan 27th Presiding Bishop of The The Rt. Rev. W. Michie Klus- coordinator for the United Thank Episcopal Church. He will be meyer, Bishop of West Virginia, Offering. installed in offce on Nov. 1, All was chosen as the celebrant for Also present in the convention Saints Day, during a service at one of the General Convention’s center were the Rev. Roy Gene Washington National Cathedral. daily services of .Holy Eucharist. and Jane Crist, who were volun- After the House of Bishops Bishop Klusmeyer presided at the teers for the Episcopal Appala- elected Bishop Curry by a wide June 29 service. chian Ministries’ booth in the ex- margin, the Presiding Bishop- The diocese sent a deputation of hibit hall; the Rev. Pamela Shier, elect was escorted to the House eight people, plus two alternates, who represented the Compass of Deputies where he was greeted to General Convention and two Rose Society in the exhibit hall; enthusiastically. Deputies later af- representatives to the triennial the Rev. Chip Graves, who was frmed the bishops’ choice. meeting of the Episcopal Church a candidate for the Church Pen- Well known for his dynamic Women. Both events took place at sion Fund’s trustees and served preaching style, Bishop Curry the Salt Palace Convention Center as a volunteer; and the Rev. Jon electrifed the audience with his in downtown Salt Lake City. White, who covered General powerful and energetic sermon at Lay deputies from West Vir- Convention in his role as editor the convention’s closing Eucha- ginia were Kelly McGhee, Linda of the online Episcopal Café. Sara rist on July 3. Comins, Beth Marquart and Bill Gunter, the diocese’s director of Historic and signifcant legisla- Saviers. Clergy serving as depu- youth and young adult ministries, tion was approved by the House ties were the Rev. John Valentine, was involved in youth activities at of Bishops and the House of Dep- the Rev. Stan Holmes, the Rev. General Convention. uties during the sessions. A recap Photo by Linda S. Comins Mark Seitz and the Rev. Chris- As always occurs during Gen- of those actions can be found in The Rt. Rev. W. Michie Klusmeyer, Bishop of West Virginia, presides at the topher Thompson. The alternates eral Convention, joyful reunions this issue of the Dayspring. June 29 service of Holy Eucharist during General Convention, held at the Salt were Wendy Speer, lay, and the took place with priests and bish- CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. Bishop Michael Bruce Curry Elected 27th Presiding Bishop [Episcopal News Service] The Rt. Rev. Michael Bruce Cur- serve as President of the Domestic 1982-1988: Chaplain, Bethany School ry, Bishop of the Episcopal Dio- and Foreign Missionary Society. 1978-1982: Rector, St. Stephen’s Episcopal cese of North Carolina, was elected A Vigil Celebration and Eucharist, Church, Winston Salem, North Carolina the 27th Presiding Bishop of The sponsored by the Union of Black He has served on a number of Episcopal Church on the frst bal- Episcopalians in honor of the 27th Episcopal Church Committees, lot on June 27. Presiding Bishop, will be held at Commissions, Agencies, and Bishop Curry, 62, is the frst 11 a.m. Saturday, October 31 at the Boards. African-American to be elected Armory in Washington, D.C. The He holds a Bachelors of Arts, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Domestic and Foreign Missionary with High Honors from Hobart and Church. Society will sponsor a live webcast William Smith College; a Masters The election occurred during the of the Vigil Celebration. of Divinity from Berkeley Divinity 78th General Convention of The The Holy Eucharist with the In- School at Yale; Continuing Studies Episcopal Church. stallation of Bishop Curry as the at The College of Preachers, Princ- Of the 174 votes tallied, Bishop Presiding Bishop and Primate eton Theological Seminary, Wake Curry received 121 (89 needed to will occur on Sunday, November Forest University, The Ecumenical elect). 1 at noon Eastern at Washington Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary Following his election by the National Cathedral.The Holy Eu- and Institute of Jewish Christian House of Bishops, Bishop Curry’s charist with the Installation of the Studies; and D.D., honors causa, election was overwhelmingly con- 27th Presiding Bishop will be live from Sewanee The University frmed by the House of Deputies, webcast. of the South, Berkeley Divinity 800 for, 12 against. Bishop Curry was ordained Bish- School at Yale, Virginia Theologi- According to the Canons of The op of North Carolina on June 17, cal Seminary, and The Episcopal Episcopal Church, he becomes 2000. Divinity School Presiding Bishop and Primate on His experience includes: He is an author with numerous November 1. Bishop Curry will be 1988-2000: Rector, St. James’ Episcopal publications. Photos by Linda S. Comins the 27th Presiding Bishop, the Pri- The Rt. Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, Bishop of North Carolina and Presiding Bish- Church, Baltimore, Maryland Married to Sharon, they are the op-elect, preaches at the closing service of Holy Eucharist on July 3, the fnal mate, and the Chief Pastor of The 1982-1988: Rector, St. Simon of Cyrene parents of two adult children. day of General Convention, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Episcopal Church. He will also Episcopal Church, Lincoln Heights, Ohio Lake City. More about General Convention on pages 4-5 Page 2 The Bishop’s Column Bill Saviers, and our Alternate issues of structure, the best use of Te Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia Deputy, Ms. Wendy Speer. In Church property, the use of alco- Bishop addition, Marsha was present, hol within our society. The Rt. Rev. W. Michie Klusmeyer as the spouses of Bishops have With the June 26 decision of programs and projects at General Dayspring Staff: the Supreme Court to legalize Linda S. Comins, Editor Convention, and Ms. Becki Krzy- same-sex marriage as the law of Susan A. Barfeld, Layout Editor wdik and Ms. Becky Szabo were the land, the blessing of same- To contact the Editor: present for the ECW Triennial sex marriage was certain to be Convention. email: [email protected] on the agenda of The Episcopal phone: cell 304-670-7598 Each of these people made Church. Certainly the issue was home 304-243-1329 signifcant sacrifces along the brought forward -- not because of Diocesan Staff way, to clear their own personal the Supreme Court decision, but Mollie Bailey, Diocesan Administrator and professional calendars, to be because The Episcopal Church The Rev. Bruce Bevans, Chaplain to Retired Clergy and Families present for the entire time. They has been discussing this matter Annette Combs, Financial Assistant read all of the material, and were for decades (yes, decades). Since Sara Gunter, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries actively engaged in the legisla- General Convention 2012, many Sally Lane, Reading Camp Coordinator tive matters that were before this Dioceses, West Virginia included, Sarah Lydick, Director, Sandscrest Dear Brothers and Sisters in Church. I thank them each, for have permitted the blessing of Daisy McBride, Director, Peterkin Christ, their presence and ministry. same-sex couples. At this Con- Lori Osborne, Director, HEP vention, new ‘experimental’ rites David Ramkey, Chief Financial Offcer Do you remember when, at the During the many days of Gen- Catherine Saxe, Children’s Ministries start of a new year of school, your eral Convention, the Bishops and were proposed and accepted, for teachers had you write that essay same-sex couples to be married in The Anglican Communion: Deputies meet, deliberate and The Most Rev. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury of ‘How I spent my summer vaca- vote in separate ‘houses,’ much Church. As has been the case in tion?’ It usually spoke of playing like the US Congress. The Depu- the past, no member of the clergy The Episcopal Church: The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop games, riding bicycles, swim- ties are elected for a particular is required to offciate at or bless ming and maybe going on a fam- Convention, while the Bishops any marriage. General Conven- The Diocese of West Virginia: ily trip to visit our grandparents serve ‘for life.’ It is said that the tion has clearly stated this is still Diocesan House: 1608 Virginia Street, East -- sunny and rainy days, sitting in Deputies have an urgency about the case for opposite as well as Charleston, West Virginia 25311 the car, for long hours. The days them, as this is possibly their only for same-sex marriages. In West Mailing Address: PO Box 5400, Charleston, West Virginia 25361 Telephone: 304-344-3597 or Toll-free 866-549-8346 seemed to last forever. (or last) Convention, while the Virginia, a policy providing for blessings of same-sex relation- Fax: 304-343-3295 If I were to write my ‘summer Bishops take a longer view, as ships has been in place a while.
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