US Episcopal Church elects first black leader

Michael Curry has been elected the first African American leader of the US Episcopal Church.

Bishop Michael Curry of North Carolina, smiles after being elected the Episcopal Church's first African-American presiding bishop at the Episcopal General Convention in Salt Lake City. Source: AP

The US Episcopal Church has installed its first African American leader as Presiding Bishop Michael Curry urged Episcopalians to evangelise by crossing divides of race, education and wealth.

Curry used the example of his own mother being given Communion at a white Episcopal parish before desegregation, and how that act persuaded his father to join the denomination, and eventually become a priest.

"God has not given up on the world and God is not finished with the Episcopal Church yet," Curry said, during a joyous ceremony in the Washington National Cathedral on Sunday.

Curry, 62, succeeds Katharine Jefferts Schori, who was the first woman in the job and is ending her nine-year term.

Curry served about 15 years as leader of the Diocese of North Carolina before he was overwhelmingly elected last northern summer to the top church post.

The New York-based denomination was the church of many US Founding Fathers and now has about 1.9 million members.