Yesterday was such an amazing day. I am so blessed. First some back story:

This is my fourth time to be part of the deputation from MIssissippi (2006, 2009, 2012, 2015). I am so very grateful to be here and I am loving spending time with these amazing people on our MS deputation.

Before I had even left for Salt Lake City, the chair of our deputation, Canon David Johnson, asked me to take his spot on the floor for Saturday. Deputies can exchange with alternates for any legislative session. David knew Saturday was when the Presiding Bishop election would take place, yet gave that up for me. He thought his wife was arriving mid day so he wanted to be available for that. Saturday morning her flight was delayed until around 8 at night, so he could have easily served on the floor and been available when she arrived. I offered to let him retract his offer to swap with him and let me have another day, and David graciously refused. Due to the kindness of Edward O’Connor (who graciously gave up his place on the deputation) and David Johnson, and the willingness of Bishop Seage and the Executive Committee to allow me on the team, I was on the floor when we confirmed the election of the Right Reverend Michael Curry, Bishop of North Carolina, as our new Presiding Bishop. Bishop Curry is a dynamite preacher, great evangelist, wonderful teacher, excellent administrator and a man that loves Jesus and the church. If you haven’t heard him preach, google him, he is so gifted. The electricity on the floor of the House of Deputies once we heard he had won was amazing. He won on the first ballot (the House of Bishops elect the PB, they were sequestered at the Episcopal cathedral in Salt Lake City for the voting. They prayed and sang and prayed some more before casting ballots). There have only been two PBs elected on first ballot, and Bishop Curry had 47 more votes than he needed for a majority on ballot one. Slam dunk. 

By the way he is our first African American Presiding Bishop. 

This week has been unreal. After preaching on the Charleston murders Sunday, including a lot of words on racism and gun violence, coming here and continuing the work of the marriage task force as we strive for full access to the rite of Holy Matrimony for all, then the SCOTUS decision coupled with the hard-to-believe movement to remove the Confederate Battle Flag, and then today being present RIGHT THERE ON THE FLOOR of the House when history was made and the best Episcopal preacher I have ever heard was selected to lead our church, it is really almost impossible to believe.

What a week! I am so blessed to be part of all this movement of the Holy Spirit.

This morning I will join with the Bishops Against Gun Violence and many others participants of General Convention for a march here in Salt Lake City, calling for reasonable conversation on guns. Later in the moring the United Thank Offering Eucharist will be celebrated, then the business of GC kicks back into high gear in the afternoon. Our marriage resolutions have been sent by the legislative committee to the House of Bishops for deliberation. Should be an exciting next 6 days of convention.

Thanks for listening. Thanks for your prayers. Thanks be to God.