About the GCO

The Executive Office of the General Convention, or the “GCO” as it is often called, is one of the three offices of The Episcopal Church (the others are the Office of the Presiding Bishop and the Office of the President of the House of Deputies). The GCO administers the governance of the Church, and does so in a variety of ways:

• Management of the General Convention triennial meeting of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops, together with the meeting of the Episcopal Church Women and other concurrent meetings of Episcopal Church groups.
• Management of the meetings and support of the work of the Executive Council of the General Convention.
• Support of the activities of the various interim bodies of the General Convention and the hundreds of volunteers who make up those bodies.
• Administration of the official meetings of the House of Bishops and any interim meetings of the House of Deputies.
• Support of the ministry of various ecumenical, inter-religious, and inter-Anglican bodies of the Church.
• Management of the church’s annual Parochial Report and associated research.
• Registrar duties of the bishop consent process and of bishop consecrations.
• Production of the Canonical Publications of the General Convention.
• Other duties arising out of the mandates of the General Convention or Executive Council.

The GCO also supports the Executive Officer in their various roles.

On Monday September 16th 2024, Presiding Bishop Curry and House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris announced that they have appointed the Rev. Dr. Molly James as Interim Executive Officer of General Convention.

“Molly has served as deputy executive officer since 2019, and we are grateful to her for offering her experience, gifts, and collaborative spirit during this time of change,” they wrote in a letter to Executive Council. “As interim executive officer and secretary, she will be able to guide the General Convention Office staff in supporting the work of the new Executive Council and interim bodies; the final stages of the new 2025 budget process; and the early stages of other key initiatives envisioned for the 2025-2027 triennium. Her appointment is for the period of the position review and search for the next executive officer and secretary.”

James, who was previously dean of formation on the bishop’s staff in The Episcopal Church in Connecticut, has also served as chair of the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons and as a deputy to General Convention and legislative committee officer and chair. She holds a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Exeter (UK), a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, and Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Tufts University, and has been a hospital chaplain and parish priest.

Dear Executive Council Members,

Grace and peace to you in this season of transition for our church. We are writing today to let you know that we have asked the Rev. Dr. Molly James to take on the role of interim executive officer of General Convention and secretary of the General Convention effective September 15, and she has accepted.

Molly has served as deputy executive officer since 2019, and we are grateful to her for offering her experience, gifts, and collaborative spirit during this time of change. As interim executive officer and secretary, she will be able to guide the General Convention Office staff in supporting the work of the new Executive Council and interim bodies; the final stages of the new 2025 budget process; and the early stages of other key initiatives envisioned for the 2025-2027 triennium. Her appointment is for the period of the position review and search for the next executive officer and secretary.

This interim appointment is intended to ease this transition period and facilitate greater collaboration in our governance work, not to preempt the process for determining the joint appointment of the next executive officer in keeping with Canon I.1.12a. At the November Executive Council meeting, we will begin the process of reviewing the job description of the executive officer, studying the current needs of the church, and making recommendations for any necessary changes. As you know, this work is critical to the strategic adaptive realignment of our institutional structures envisioned by Executive Council in the last triennium.

You will hear soon from Molly and the GCO staff about logistical arrangements for the November meeting. If you have questions in the meantime, you can reach her at mjames@episcopalchurch.org or 212-716-6048.

Thank you for your ministry as members of Executive Council. We ask your prayers for all of the staff and leaders of our church during this season of change.

In Christ,

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop

Ms. Julia Ayala Harris
President of the House of Deputies

The Rt. Rev. Sean W. Rowe
Presiding Bishop-elect