Legislative Day 4 (and Legislative Night 1)

 There were lots of elections today, in the House of Deputies and in the House of Bishops.

In the HOD this morning, we voted members onto various church boards and bodies.

The major one, of course, was the election of the 28th and next Presiding Bishop, who will success PB Michael Curry in November. Chosen on the very first ballot: The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, Bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Bishop Provisional of the Diocese of Western New York. The announcement was made to the HOD as soon as we returned from our lunch break. 

A little while later, Bishop Curry and the Presiding Bishop-elect entered our House to great applause and standing ovation.

Bishop Rowe spoke to us from the podium. More information available HERE

We then proceeded with our Special Order resolutions on Israel-Palestine. We had only an hour-long recess for supper, so Jason facilitated an online order from Chipotle for our group--he and Benge braved the rain to pick it up, and then went back to collect napkins and plastic cutlery. Gratitude!

We returned to the HOD--which was briefly transformed into an Episco Disco, with flashing lights and glow sticks and more.

You can see video HERE

Jason & Margaret (Photo by Jane Van Zandt)

Then it was back to work for a couple of hours, completing a concurrence with the Bishops on Israel-Palestine and a resolution on the Book of Common Prayer, which required a vote by orders. There was complete unanimity in our deputation.

On the way back to the hotel, we saw a lovely rainbow arching over the skyline. 

And there was a magnificent sunset over the river as a barge was going in one direction and a riverboat in the opposite direction.