General Convention (GC) is just a few weeks away. Center Aisle, Virginia's GC opinion journal, released  this guide to General Convention. It includes a parish bulletin insert for June 14, some General Convention 101 for the unfamiliar, and a spotlight on the major issues at this year's General Convention. Here are the issues Center Aisle will be paying special attention to:

Electing the Next Presiding Bishop: Our current Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, is not seeking a second nine-year term. The nominees for election are Thomas Breidenthal, Bishop of Southern Ohio; Michael Curry, Bishop of North Carolina; Ian Douglas, Bishop of Connecticut; Dabney Smith, Bishop of Southwest Florida. Click here for more on the nominees, including profiles and videos. 

Same-Sex Marriage:  The Task Force on the Study of Marriage, commissioned in 2012, released this report, calling for amendments to the canons to allow clergy to bless same-sex marriages. They also released Dearly Beloved, a guide for hosting conversations about the nature of marriage.  

Restructuring the Episcopal Church: Many say the size and structure of General Convention hinder its efficacy. In 2012, the  Task Force to Re-Imagine The Episcopal Church (commonly known as TREC) was commissioned to think broadly about how GC and the Church might restructure to best serve its people, parishes and the world. Its proposals range from shrinking the number of GC's voting members, to combining the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, to restructuring the Church to encourage networks and remove rigid hierarchies.   

Contact Us: Tell Center Aisle what you think or want to see covered in an email to centeraisle@thediocese.net.