The House of Deputies and The Florida Deputation

General Convention is a bicameral body consisting of two houses, The and The House of Deputies, much like our own legislative branch of the United States government. This is no coincidence, since these two bodies of governance were formed at similar times in history. See Jack Tull's article on the history of The General Convention for more information its origins.

The House of Deputies is a body of over 800 deputies to convention, both lay and ordained. The House of Representatives would be a reasonable comparison for this body from our secular government, but the comparison is imperfect. Instead of being a true representative body (required to vote the will of the represented) deputies are sent to prayerfully consider the matters coming before The General Convention and vote their individual wisdom and conscience on convention resolutions. Strictly representative deputies would not be free to consider new information in convention and potentially change their minds. This is why we use the word “deputy” in lieu of “delegate” or “representative.”

The General Convention is the highest temporal authority in the Episcopal Church and involves all orders of ministry in the church. We have no single locus of authority (think pope) in the Episcopal Church, and our Presiding Bishop is closer to the original meaning of our own “president” meaning “the one who presides (or organizes and runs) the meeting.” While the Presiding Bishop is the head of The House of Bishops, The House of Deputies is organized and run by the President of the House of Deputies. The current president of The House of Deputies is The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings of Ohio, the first ordained woman to hold the office. Women who have served as past presidents have always been from the lay order.

Assisting the President of the House of Deputies are several other officers of the convention. The Vice President of the House of Deputies (The Honorable Byron Rushing) assists in the work of organizing the House of Deputies, and the secretary and treasurer of the convention serve both The House of Bishops and Deputies. There are many other legislative committees and standing commissions who draft, research, and discuss resolutions before they come before the entire house. Most of the hard work on crafting legislation takes place at this committee level, and then a final resolution is brought before the house where the resolutions can be debated, amended, and eventually accepted, tabled, or refused. See our article on the legislative process for more information on this topic.

In session, The House of Deputies acts through an elaborate process called the “Rules of Order.” These rules govern who has the floor to speak, how long they might speak, how legislation is proposed, in what order amendments and motions must be considered, how voting is done, and many other rules for running the meeting of the house. In 2015, in order to streamline the work of the house, there are major revisions proposed to the rules of order from 2012. These new rules of order will be available for review in May 2015 and will change the way both houses of the convention do business.

The deputies in the house get seat, voice, and vote as a member of a diocesan deputation. Deputations are all the same size, with no consideration to geographic size, population, average Sunday attendance, or any other measure. Deputations always consists of up to 4 and up to 4 laypersons. This means that all dioceses, the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, and the Navajoland mission district can each send up to 8 deputies to convention. Deputations sit together on the floor of the house of deputies under a sign identifying their deputation by name. The deputation of the Diocese of Florida is elected at the diocesan convention in the year preceding General Convention. The deputation for 2015 was elected in January of 2014 at Diocesan Convention in Jacksonville. The deputies from The Diocese of Florida to General Convention 2015 are:

Clergy Deputies: The Rev. Beth Tjoflat, Vicar, Church Without Walls, Jacksonville The Rev. Dave Killeen, Rector, St. John's Episcopal Church, Tallahassee The Very Rev. Kate Moorehead, Dean, St. John's Cathedral, Jacksonville The Rev. Nancy Suellau, Rector, St. Catherine's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville

Lay Deputies: Jack Tull, Member, Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Jacksonville Debby Melnyk, Member, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville Jim Salter, Member, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Gainesville Paul Van Brunt, Member, Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, Jacksonville

Clergy Alternate Deputies: The Rev. Mal Jopling, Rector, Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Jacksonville The Rev. Wiley Ammons, Deputy for Outreach, Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Jacksonville The Rev. Carrie English, Rector, Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Jacksonville

Lay Alternate Deputies: Lenora Gregory, Member, Episcopal Church of Our Saviour Keith Aclin, Member, Trinity Episcopal Parish, St. Augustine Margaret Wiles, Member, Trinity Episcopal Parish, St. Augustine Pam Jordan Anderson, Member, St. John's Episcopal Church, Tallahassee

The Diocese of Florida sends all 8 deputies and the first two alternate deputies to General Convention. The work of the convention can mean long days with large reading, writing, and debate requirements. First alternates attend to allow the deputies to take occasional breaks from the floor without compromising the full ability of the diocese to vote.

Some have asked, and with reason, how the Holy Spirit might be able to work amidst all the lists of rules, rosters of committees, and stacks of legislation. While the cynic might reply that this is a good question with no good answer, the historian might reply with Nicea or Constantinople. The gathered church is sometimes messy, sometimes miraculous, and always a mystery. The deputation from the Diocese of Florida will be going to General Convention well-informed, and hopeful that God's work will be the work of our convention. We are the church, it must be. Please pray for your deputation as well, that they might make wise decisions in the days ahead.

Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in Salt Lake City for the renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The , p.818