Episcopal House of Deputies president who accused bishop of abuse wins reelection
The Episcopal Church House of Deputies president, who recently garnered headlines when she accused a retired bishop of unwanted contact, has been reelected after being challenged by her own vice president.
House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris was reelected on Tuesday at the 81st General Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, receiving 521 votes out of the 826 votes cast by deputies.
In second place was Zena Link, a former Executive Council member, who received 241 votes, and in third was the Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton, the deputies’ vice president, with 64 votes.
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“I am humbled and thank you for your confidence in me and my leadership,” said Ayala Harris after the results were announced, as quoted by Episcopal News Service. “Now, church geeks, let’s roll up our sleeves and get back to work.”
Ayala Harris was elected president in 2022, replacing the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, who had served in the leadership role since 2012, and was unopposed for reelection in 2015 and 2018.
Last year, Harris wrote a public letter accusing an unnamed former bishop of verbal and physical harassment, claiming that it occurred shortly after she was elected.
Ayala Harris submitted a complaint against the retired bishop, who was later identified as retired Oklahoma Bishop Ed Konieczny, under the purview of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops. For his part, Konieczny has denied the allegations.
In April, Taber-Hamilton announced that she was challenging Ayala Harris for the presidency, claiming that there was an “unhealthy corporate culture” within the denomination.
“Through the lens of over 30 years of experience in organizational assessment and development, I am disheartened by what I have experienced and observed over the two years that I have served as vice president of the House of Deputies,” she said.
Earlier this month, Taber-Hamilton wrote a blog post accusing Ayala Harris of misusing her position to “manipulate, intimidate, silence, mistreat and marginalize people.”
“For a president who claims to be dedicated to safety, I can assure you that there are those who absolutely do not feel safe — to speak truths, to share concerns, to ask for information, to hold the president accountable, to question what is going on,” wrote Taber-Hamilton.
For her part, Ayala Harris denied the accusations, telling ENS that she considered the blog post to be “a misrepresentation of my presidency” and “in direct conflict with my values and approach as a leader.”
“Throughout my presidency I have strove to include a diverse set of leaders in my appointments that reflect the broad diversity of our church,” she continued.
“I believe in our house’s ability to discern their choice for president, focused on skills, experience and vision, not on personal accusations. I continue to pray for our house and all candidates running for elections throughout our convention.”
