[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] The Episcopal Church Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop (JNCPB) has issued the following information.

The Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop (JNCPB) is continuing its work to prepare The Episcopal Church for the election of the 27th Presiding Bishop at General Convention in 2015.

Between now and August 1, the JNCPB will publish three short educational essays.

This first essay describes the basic timeline and steps for the nominating and election process.  (The first essay is presented below.) The second essay will outline the current roles, functions, and responsibilities of the Presiding Bishop.  The third essay will discuss how the office of Presiding Bishop has changed and evolved from being the senior bishop by consecration who presides over meetings of the House of Bishops to the complex multifaceted position it is today.

It is the hope of the JNCPB that all members of General Convention and all Episcopalians will take the time to read these brief essays to learn the importance of what we will do next summer at General Convention.  Should you have any questions or comments about these essays or the work of the JNCPB please contact pbnominatingcommittee@gmail.com.

The JNCPB is comprised of a lay member, a priest or deacon, and a bishop from each of the nine provinces of The Episcopal Church elected by the House of Deputies and House of Bishops respectively, plus two youth representatives, appointed by the President of the House of Deputies. The members serve a three-year term that concludes with the close of 78th General Convention in Salt Lake City, UT (Diocese of Utah).

Election of the Presiding Bishop in 2015:  Essay #1
June 2014

Over the course of the next weeks of the summer the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop will share three short educational pieces with the Church.  This first essay describes the basic time-line and steps of the nominating and election process.  The second essay will outline the current roles, functions, and responsibilities of the Presiding Bishop.  The third essay will discuss how the role of the office has changed and evolved from being the senior bishop by consecration presiding over meetings of the House of Bishops to the complex multifaceted position it is today.

1. The Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop

At the 2012 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, the House of Deputies elected one clerical and one lay member from each Province as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop (JNCPB).  The House of Bishops also elected one bishop from each Province as a member of the Committee.  The JNCPB includes two youth representatives, ages 16-21, appointed by the President of the House of Deputies.  All of these members serve a three-year term that concludes with the close of the 78th General Convention in Salt Lake City, UT (Diocese of Utah).

Since November 2012 the JNCPB has been meeting as a whole, and in sub-groups to prepare for the selection of nominees for Presiding Bishop.  In 2013 the JNCPB crafted and circulated a church wide survey which invited broad-based feedback on the desired qualities and gifts of the next Presiding Bishop.  The JNCPB received more than 5,200 responses and the data collected offers the JNCPB an overview and understanding of the wishes of the Church which the JNCPB will utilize as it prepares a Profile and Call for Candidates.  The JNCPB has also issued further updates to the Church on its timeline.

2. Review of the Nomination and Election Processes

The Nomination Process
• The Profile and Call for Candidates for Presiding Bishop will be issued around August 1, 2014.  At that time the JNCPB will provide specific information for those wishing to submit names of Bishops for consideration.

• The Committee will receive names of candidates from October 1 through October 31, 2014.

• In the months following the identification of candidates, the JNCPB will do the work of discerning which candidates to nominate for Presiding Bishop.

• The JNCPB will announce its nominees in early May 2015.

• For two weeks after the May announcement of the JNCPB’s nominees, any deputy to the 78th General Convention or bishop may indicate their intent to nominate other bishops from the floor at the 2015 General Convention in accordance with a process that the JNCPB will announce.  In the spring of 2015 the JNCPB will provide further information on the process by which bishops and deputies can nominate additional bishops.

• The identity of the additional nominees will be made available to the Church in early June 2015.

The Election Process
• On the day before the first legislative day of General Convention, the JNCPB will present both its nominees and those of other bishops and deputies to a joint meeting of the House of Deputies and House of Bishops.  At that meeting the JNCPB will facilitate conversation and questions and answers with the nominees.

• Early in General Convention there will be a Joint Session of both Houses at which the names of the nominees of the JNCPB and any others by bishops or deputies will be officially entered into nomination.

• On the day following that Joint Session, the House of Bishops will elect one of the nominated bishops to be Presiding Bishop by a vote of a majority of all bishops, excluding retired bishops not present.

• After election by the House of Bishops, a report of the result of the election, including the number of votes cast for each nominee on each ballot, will be made to the House of Deputies.  The deputies will then vote to confirm or not to confirm the bishops’ choice of Presiding Bishop.

• The term of office of the Presiding Bishop will be nine years, beginning on November 1, 2015.