Several members of All Saints Church are volunteering to work at the 75th convention, which started on Monday and will end on June 21.
Also, church Deacon Richard Schisler is one of four clergy delegates who will help shape church policy for the next three years.
“The delegates vote on all resolutions,” said Rev. Jeff Queen, the pastor of All Saints. “He'll be working on all kinds of issues for the diocese.”
All Saints Church is a member of the Southern Ohio Diocese. Queen's wife, Richelle Thompson, is the diocese's communications director.
Church members will be involved with the prayer sessions at the convention.
Secretary Diana Michael is helping organize the prayer sessions and she has recruited several volunteers from the congregation to help.
About 8,000 people are expected to attend Saturday's prayer service.
The church has its convention every three years.
“The convention promotes the sense of who we are,” Queen said. “It is the only body that can speak for the church nationally. We set policy on everything from how we worship to divorce and remarriage.”
He said he hopes this convention is not as controversial as the one in 2003. That year, church leaders voted in the church's first openly gay bishop, Rev. Eugene Robinson, of New Hampshire. Queen said the controversy over the choice is still being felt.
“This time there shouldn't be too many controversial issues,” he said. “Hopefully, there will be some reconciliation from the last time.”
To get ready for the conference, Queen led his church in a weeklong prayer vigil last week.
According to the diocese Ministry Guide for the convention, church leaders will be looking at several major issues this week, including:
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