The General Convention is the governing body of The Episcopal Church which meets every three years as a bicameral legislature. It includes the House of Deputies, composed of clergy and lay people elected from each diocese in The Episcopal Church, and the House of Bishops, which is composed of all bishops, active and retired, in The Episcopal Church.
While The General Convention can be fun, its main purpose is to do legislative work. Deputies are elected to exercise leadership on behalf of the whole church. Worship frames our decision making process as we meet and engage with people from across The Episcopal Church and the majority of General Convention is spent in legislative sessions, discussing and voting on proposed resolutions.
Important items to know about being a Deputy to The General Convention
- The 82nd General Convention of The Episcopal Church will be held July 3-8, 2027 in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Deputies must arrive in Phoenix by June 30 for preparatory meetings and should not plan to depart until the evening of July 8.
- Legislative days can be 8-10 hours long.
- ECCT covers the cost of attendance, including travel, room & board, and registration, for the 4-lay and 4-clergy deputies, and the first alternates from each order.
- Some deputies are placed on Legislative Committees which meet on Zoom during the months of January to June, 2027.
- There is an extensive amount of reading prior to and during The General Convention.