Sean Rowe Elected as Next Presiding Bishop
As the principal item of business at the 81st General Convention currently taking place in Louisville, Kentucky, on June 26th the Episcopal Church elected the Rt. Rev Sean Rowe, current diocesan bishop of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York, to succeed the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry as Presiding Bishop later this year.
On the first ballot in the House of Bishops, Rowe took an overwhelming majority with 89 of 158 votes cast (82 were needed to elect). Then the House of Deputies (made up of both clergy and laity) affirmed the choice with 778 votes for, 43 against.
At 49 years old, Rowe will be the youngest presiding bishop to lead the church since the 18th century. This is familiar territory for him: He was just 24 when he was ordained a priest in 2000 (the youngest Episcopal priest in the US at the time) and the youngest member of the House of Bishops when he was consecrated in 2007 at age 32.
A native of Pennsylvania, Rowe holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Grove City College, earned his M. Div. at Virginia Theological Seminary, and holds a doctorate in Organizational Learning from Gannon University in Erie. His wife Carly is an educator and they have one daughter, Lauren. While serving in Western Pennsylvania, Rowe also stood in as bishop for the Diocese of Bethlehem (central-east Pennsylvania) and Western New York as they undergo transition.
Bishop Curry’s nine-year term ends on November 1st. Timing and details of Rowe’s investiture will be announced after General Convention.
Ayala Harris Wins Second Term Over House of Deputies
On Tuesday, the House of Deputies elected Julia Ayala Harris to a second term as its President, with 521 votes. The “lower” house of our church governance is made up of over 800 clergy and lay leaders and–alongside the House of Bishops–works to steer the course of the church.
“As leaders in the church, we are in a moment of significant transition. We’re facing critical questions about how we will navigate the road ahead and co-create, with God and one another, the future of our beloved yet imperfect Episcopal Church. I have strived to embody these principles, providing strong, stable, and bold leadership through times of change and transition, through moments of progress and celebration, and through crises and challenges. Over the last two years, together, we have worked to address our challenges, not ignore them; to bring those challenges into the open, not discussed from the sidelines. We’ve begun addressing issues of accountability, transparency, and safety in our systems.”
Julia Ayala Harris
Ayala Harris, 43, holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity International University and a Masters from the University of Oklahoma. Prior to her election, she served on the church’s Executive Council from 2015-2022. She is a first-generation Mexican American who hails from Norman, Oklahoma, and has a background in social services. She is the first Latina and the first woman of color to serve in the role. The contest was historic in that all three candidates were women of color.