June 27, 2015

Tuesday Forum regular Martha Alexander, left, was on the dais Saturday as Fr. Michael Curry, bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina, spoke to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church after his election as 27th presiding bishop of the national church.

Curry, 62, has served in the Raleigh-based diocese since 2000. When in November he succeeds Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the church’s first female presiding bishop, Curry will be the church’s first African-American presiding bishop.

The church’s two-tiered election process saw Curry win 121 of the 174 votes cast in the House of Bishops, and 800 of 812 votes cast in the House of Deputies, which is composed of priests and laity. Martha Alexander  has served in many volunteer church roles at the diocese and national level. In 2012 she stood for election to the presidency of the House of Deputies.

Curry’s first call as rector was to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem. He was called back to North Carolina to be bishop from St. James, Baltimore, the third-oldest black Episcopal church in the United States, organized in 1824. Curry will serve a nine-year term. The church is headquartered in New York City.

More on Curry’s election is at The Charlotte Observer, the Washington Post and the Episcopal News Service.