Pamela Pauly Chinnis
Encyclopedia
Pamela Pauly Chinnis was the first woman to serve as president of the House of Deputies
, one of two houses, with the House of Bishops
, that makes up the General Convention
of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. She served three three-year terms, elected in 1991, 1994 and 1997.
Pamela Chinnis was born in Springfield, Missouri
and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the College of William and Mary
. After moving to Washington, D.C.
, Chinnis joined and served in leadership positions in the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Washington. Her growing involvement in the Episcopal Church included election as president of the diocesan chapter of Episcopal Church Women, serving as presiding officer of the national ECW's Triennial Meeting in 1976.
Chinnis served in a wide variety of church organizations, including the cathedral chapter
of Washington National Cathedral
, vice president of Province 3
, the mid-Atlantic region of the Episcopal Church, vice chairwoman of Executive Council, which governs the church between General Conventions, and vice president of General Convention.
Chinnis also has served as a member or delegate to numerous Anglican and ecumenical bodies:
Chinnis died at her home on August 24, 2011.
House of Deputies
The House of Deputies is one of the legislative houses of the bicameral General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America...
, one of two houses, with the House of Bishops
House of Bishops
The House of Bishops is the third House in a General Synod of some Anglican churches and the second house in the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.-Composition of Houses of Bishops:...
, that makes up the General Convention
General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
The General Convention is the primary governing and legislative body of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. With the exception of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons, it is the ultimate authority in the Episcopal Church. General Convention...
of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. She served three three-year terms, elected in 1991, 1994 and 1997.
Pamela Chinnis was born in Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
. After moving to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Chinnis joined and served in leadership positions in the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Washington. Her growing involvement in the Episcopal Church included election as president of the diocesan chapter of Episcopal Church Women, serving as presiding officer of the national ECW's Triennial Meeting in 1976.
Chinnis served in a wide variety of church organizations, including the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
, vice president of Province 3
Province 3 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Province 3 is one of nine ecclesiastical provinces making up the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It comprises thirteen dioceses in the Middle Atlantic States of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C..-Dioceses of Province...
, the mid-Atlantic region of the Episcopal Church, vice chairwoman of Executive Council, which governs the church between General Conventions, and vice president of General Convention.
Chinnis also has served as a member or delegate to numerous Anglican and ecumenical bodies:
- Delegate to the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of ChurchesWorld Council of ChurchesThe World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
, Bangalore, India, 1978 - Delegate to the Anglican Consultative CouncilAnglican Consultative CouncilThe Anglican Consultative Council or ACC is one of the four "Instruments of Communion" of the Anglican Communion. It was created by a resolution of the 1968 Lambeth Conference...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(1979), SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
(1987), WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
(1990), Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
(1993); standing committee, 1987 - 1993 - Member of ACC delegation to Lambeth Conference, 1988
- General Board, National Council of ChurchesNational Council of ChurchesThe National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA is an ecumenical partnership of 37 Christian faith groups in the United States. Its member denominations, churches, conventions, and archdioceses include Mainline Protestant, Orthodox, African American, Evangelical, and historic peace...
, 1988 - 2000 - Led Episcopal delegation to 8th Assembly, World Council of ChurchesWorld Council of ChurchesThe World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
, Harare, Zimbabwe, 1998; elected to Central Committee - Plenary, Consultation on Church UnionConsultation on Church UnionThe Consultation on Church Union was an effort towards church unity in the United States, that began in 1962 and in 2002 became the Churches Uniting in Christ...
, 1999
Chinnis died at her home on August 24, 2011.