Here are some interesting statistics and details about the 80th General Convention.
Julia Ayala Harris is the youngest person to be elected president of the House of Deputies. She is also the first Latina to be elected to that post.
The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings served 31 years in the House of Deputies, the last 10 years as president.
The Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton of Olympia is the first ordained woman and the first Indigenous woman to be elected vice president of the House of Deputies.
The Hon. Byron Rushing of Massachusetts is the longest-serving deputy — serving in 16 conventions since 1973. At this convention he concludes serving as vice president of the House of Deputies.
The deputation from Taiwan traveled the farthest to Baltimore — 7,853 miles!
The dioceses of Honduras, Litoral Ecuador, and Venezuela did not send deputations. While Cuban Bishop Griselda Delgado attended (and celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday in the House of Bishops), a Cuban deputation did not attend.
In the House of Bishops, there are 122 bishops and four bishops-elect. Of them, 38 are first-time bishops at a General Convention and 34 are women. Three of the four bishops-elect are women.
The senior bishop here is Arthur Williams, Diocese of Ohio, who was consecrated bishop suffragan 35 years ago on October 11, 1986.
COVID and health protocols eliminated a time-honored convention tradition — this year, there was no photo session with bishops and deputations at specially decorated diocesan signs in the House of Deputies at the beginning of the joint session to review the budget.
Neva Rae Fox is a communications professional with extensive Episcopal experience, serving the boards of The Living Church Foundation, Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, Episcopal Community Services of New Jersey, and others.