Adapted from the Office of Public Affairs
The 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church will meet at Baltimore Convention Center in July 2021.
The Rev. Canon Michael Barlowe, executive officer of General Convention and chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements, announced the decision as Executive Council met at the Maritime Institute near Baltimore.
“There were three outstanding finalist cities, each with compelling histories of mission, work toward racial reconciliation, and a strong desire to welcome the General Convention. It was a most difficult decision,” Barlowe said.
“An important factor in the decision was that the city of Baltimore’s incentives for our 2021 gathering offered the church the most economical plan. The Baltimore Convention Center offers superb facilities and services, is located on the Inner Harbor, and is well served by regular train and air connections.”
Barlowe explained that the approval of Executive Council is among the steps of the process of approval for the location of meetings of the General Convention.
Church canon requires that the proposal win the majority of presidents and vice presidents of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies, presidents of the church’s provinces, and the Executive Council. Barlowe told Executive Council that the required consents have been received.
The 79th General Convention will be meet July 5-13, 2018, at Austin Convention Center.
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
