The Episcopal Church’s General Convention, the congregation’s national legislative body, recently announced the results of its elections. Two Massachusetts pastors won positions related to governing body of the church. 

General Convention’s Election

As per the Episcopal Diocese of Washington website, the Episcopal election is one of the most important aspects of the congregation. 

Here, members of the church are free to select and choose which pastor or delegate they will place in different parishes for various positions in the church. 

In the recent Episcopal elections held around the first week of July, the church announced the names of the newly-elected officials that will be assigned to different positions in the church. 

Two of them are from Massachusetts’ congregations, The Rev. Christopher Wendell and The Rev. T. James Kodera. 

The first pastor is a rector from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bedford, Massachusetts, while the latter is a professor of religion at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. 

As reported via the Episcopal News Service, The Reverend Wendell will be assigned as one of the officials in the Court of Review for Clergy Discipline and Disciplinary Board for Bishops– Clergy, while The Reverend Kodera is placed as one of the Trustees of the General Theological Seminary. 

The two positions are different from each other, but both have big responsibilities. 

As explained via the Episcopal Diocese of Fond Du Lac, the clergy discipline board has the objective to resolve any issues relating to officials of the church who may have faced conflicts. This involves offering pastoral care and response, listening intently to both parties involved, and many more. 

Meanwhile, the disciplinary board has seven members with at least one cleric member. 

Being part of the board requires members of the church to know about the church in greater depth, as well as the people inside the church. They are also expected to be knowledgeable in the cultures and disciplines of every Episcopal church, as per its official website. 

Lastly, the trustees of the General Theological Seminary are responsible as the teachers or professors of the rules of the government Seminary. They are set to become the evaluators or implementors of the seminary’s mission which states “to educate and form leaders for the church in a changing world.” The position usually lasts until three years. 

Other Newly-Elected Officials in The Episcopal Church

Aside from the reverends from Massachusetts, other officials that were named in the press release are the following: 

Court of Review for Bishops: Georgia Bishop Frank Logue, New Hampshire Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld, Texas Bishop Suffragan Kai Ryan, and West Tennessee Bishop Phoebe Roaf.

Disciplinary Board for Bishops: Rio Grande Bishop Michael Hunn, Southern Virginia Bishop Susan Haynes, Rhode Island Bishop Nicholas Knisely, Bethlehem Bishop Kevin Nichols, and Washington Bishop Chilton Knudsen. 

Court of Review for Clergy Discipline (clergy): The Rev. Rodney Davis (Northern California), The Rev. Lisa Burns (Texas), the Rev. Gregory Jacobs (North Carolina), the Rev. Elisa Kirby (East Carolina), the Rev Carrie Schofield-Broadbent (Central New York) and the Rev. d’Rue Hazel (Upper South Carolina). 

Disciplinary Board for Bishops (clergy): The Rev. Gregory Jacobs (North Carolina) 

Trustee of the General Theological Seminary (clergy): The Rev. Richard Norman Jr. (Southwest Florida). 

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