Bonnie Anderson brings to the office of President of the House of Deputies a keen and practiced understanding of the ministry of the laity. Her ministry is enhanced by her organizational development skills, commitment and first-hand experience of the mission and ministry of The Episcopal Church (TEC) gained during 35 years of lay ministry at the congregational, diocesan, provincial, national and international levels. As a seven-time lay deputy to General Convention, she served on the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (PB&F) for four terms, three of them as chairperson. In that capacity, she championed the concept of a "mission-driven budget" and developed a consensus-building process for General Convention with identification and adoption of mission priorities for the budget.
Elected by Province V as its lay representative to Executive Council, Anderson served on Executive Council's Standing Committee on Administration and Finance Committee and was the elected Executive Council representative to the Investment Committee for TEC. She was a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements and the Chair of the General Convention Task Force charged by the 74th General Convention to prepare a comprehensive model for General Convention, including structure and agenda, to be considered by the 75th General Convention. Anderson was elected Vice President of the House of Deputies in 2003 and was elected President of House of Deputies in 2006.
Anderson has long been a committed advocate for youth and their full inclusion in TEC. As a deputy to the 71st General Convention she authored resolution D115 which granted seat and voice to an official youth presence at General Convention. The official Episcopal Youth Presence participates in General Convention in addition to any deputies elected by their dioceses.
Anderson is from the Diocese of Michigan, where she has served in many capacities, including Canon to the Ordinary, President of the Standing Committee, and member of the Commission on Ministry. In her southeast Michigan community Anderson designed, coordinated and implemented a citizen-sponsored river clean up involving 22 local governments and over 4 ,000 volunteers. She was appointed by the governor of Michigan as a public member of the Michigan Environmental Review Board. She has been an adjunct lecturer at the University of Michigan in the School of Natural Resources and the Women's Studies Department. Her published resources include "Spirituality and the Earth; Exploring Connections", "A Citizen's Guidebook to the Great Lakes Ecosystem" and "White Racism: Look Me in the Eye."
Anderson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Divinity School and an honorary Doctor of Canon Law degree from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary.
As President of the House of Deputies, Anderson's canonical responsibilities include presiding over the House of Deputies, appointing Deputies to legislative committees, appointing additional legislative committees when necessary, appointing clerical and lay members to TEC's committees, commissions, agencies and boards (CCABs), serving as Vice Chair of Executive Council, serving as Vice President of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS) (the corporate entity under which TEC operates), serving on the Agenda Committee for Executive Council meetings, serving on the Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements for General Convention (was elected by the Committee as Chair), appointing and presiding over the President's Council of Advice, and working jointly with the Presiding Bishop to appoint the Executive Officer of General Convention and the Financial Officer of Executive Council.
In addition to her canonical duties, Anderson also communicates regularly with the more than 800 deputies, routinely meets and communicates with the Presiding Bishop, consults with the Presiding Bishop on major staff appointments and issues as requested, maintains a presence at TEC Center in New York City, and serves as ex-officio member of all TEC Standing Commissions.
She has been married to Glen Anderson for 42 years. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.
Anderson's commitment to the Episcopal Church and the mission of God is built on her spiritual foundation as a follower of Jesus Christ. Her diverse ministry has touched the hearts, minds and spirits of countless people. Underscoring and celebrating the ministry of all the baptized is key to her ministry and missional focus. During her tenure as president of the House of Deputies she continues to articulate a vision of inclusivity and hospitality by listening to and learning from people with different opinions in a spirit of grace while spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.
Background information on the House of Deputies:
The House of Deputies is the older of the two Houses of General Convention, the governing body of The Episcopal Church. It has equal numbers of clergy and lay deputies selected by the 110 dioceses and one convocation of congregations. The first session of the first General Convention, held in 1785, consisted only of the House of Deputies. It adopted a constitutional provision establishing a separate House of Bishops, which joined the Convention at its second session in 1789. The bi-cameral nature of the General Convention continues today. General Convention meets every three years to set the Episcopal Church's mission priorities, budget and policies.
