The first news of the day (at least for me) is that Paula and I celebrate today our 37th wedding anniversary. She’s on Grand Island, and I’m in Anaheim, so that doesn’t make it very romantic.
Ecumenical – As I’ve written before, I’m serving on the Legislative Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. The resolution which continues Interim Eucharistic Sharing with the United Methodist Church as passed, which pleases me greatly. I think we at St. Martin’s ought to do something with Trinity UMC this coming year. And we’re trying to continue work with the Presbyterian Church USA, though both Houses have not yet agreed.
Prayer Book and Music – There have been a batch of resolutions from Prayer Book and Music. One of them has been to propose a major revision of Lesser Feasts and Fasts (our “saints days” in The Episcopal Church). I have rather mixed feelings about the scope of this project. It seems to me that the Committee has included too many on the list. The resolution calls for “trial use” so that the Committee can decide who stays and who goes. But my hunch about the Committee is that it can’t say, “No,” and that all the names proposed will remain.
Ecumenical Guests – One of the highlights for me yesterday in the House of Deputies was the introduction of the various ecumenical guests attending General Convention. Three of them – a Jewish rabbi, a Moslem leader, and an Episcopal priest – sang the Aaronic blessing. The text is “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Each of the singers in turn offered a prayer and then combined their voices in song. All three faiths trace their roots to the biblical prophet Abraham.
Title IV – In an earlier blog, I noted that the House of Deputies had passed the major revision of Title IV, which deals with discipline of clergy. Title IV has now passed the House of Bishops as well, so it will take effect on June 1, 2011. That gives us (Western New York) two Diocesan Conventions to make changes in our own canons so that we will come into conformity with Title IV of The Episcopal Church. Shawn Duncan, who is a WNY Deputy, is also the chair of our Diocesan Constitution and Canons Committee. He has indicated that he will shortly call a meeting of this Committee to begin work.
D-025 – As you’ve read previously, this resolution addresses our relationship with the Anglican Communion, and the understanding of The Episcopal Church regarding who may be acceptable candidates for Bishop. D-025 began in the House of Deputies and was adopted (see earlier blog). The House of Bishops amended significantly the 6th Resolve (which dealt directly with candidates for ordained ministry / bishop. That amended version of D-025 came back to the House of Deputies, and we concurred. So the matter has officially passed this Convention. The full text is below.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
Fr. Earle
Text of D-025 as approved by General Convention:
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm the continued participation of The Episcopal Church as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion; give thanks for the work of the bishops at the Lambeth Conference of 2008; reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention encourage dioceses, congregations, and members of The Episcopal Church to participate to the fullest extent possible in the many instruments, networks and relationships of the Anglican Communion; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm its financial commitment to the Anglican Communion and pledge to participate fully in the Inter-Anglican Budget; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm the value of "listening to the experience of homosexual persons," as called for by the Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998, and acknowledge that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships "characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (2000-D039); and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships have responded to God's call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, and that God's call to the ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church is a mystery which the Church attempts to discern for all people through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters.
Ecumenical – As I’ve written before, I’m serving on the Legislative Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. The resolution which continues Interim Eucharistic Sharing with the United Methodist Church as passed, which pleases me greatly. I think we at St. Martin’s ought to do something with Trinity UMC this coming year. And we’re trying to continue work with the Presbyterian Church USA, though both Houses have not yet agreed.
Prayer Book and Music – There have been a batch of resolutions from Prayer Book and Music. One of them has been to propose a major revision of Lesser Feasts and Fasts (our “saints days” in The Episcopal Church). I have rather mixed feelings about the scope of this project. It seems to me that the Committee has included too many on the list. The resolution calls for “trial use” so that the Committee can decide who stays and who goes. But my hunch about the Committee is that it can’t say, “No,” and that all the names proposed will remain.
Ecumenical Guests – One of the highlights for me yesterday in the House of Deputies was the introduction of the various ecumenical guests attending General Convention. Three of them – a Jewish rabbi, a Moslem leader, and an Episcopal priest – sang the Aaronic blessing. The text is “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Each of the singers in turn offered a prayer and then combined their voices in song. All three faiths trace their roots to the biblical prophet Abraham.
Title IV – In an earlier blog, I noted that the House of Deputies had passed the major revision of Title IV, which deals with discipline of clergy. Title IV has now passed the House of Bishops as well, so it will take effect on June 1, 2011. That gives us (Western New York) two Diocesan Conventions to make changes in our own canons so that we will come into conformity with Title IV of The Episcopal Church. Shawn Duncan, who is a WNY Deputy, is also the chair of our Diocesan Constitution and Canons Committee. He has indicated that he will shortly call a meeting of this Committee to begin work.
D-025 – As you’ve read previously, this resolution addresses our relationship with the Anglican Communion, and the understanding of The Episcopal Church regarding who may be acceptable candidates for Bishop. D-025 began in the House of Deputies and was adopted (see earlier blog). The House of Bishops amended significantly the 6th Resolve (which dealt directly with candidates for ordained ministry / bishop. That amended version of D-025 came back to the House of Deputies, and we concurred. So the matter has officially passed this Convention. The full text is below.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
Fr. Earle
Text of D-025 as approved by General Convention:
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm the continued participation of The Episcopal Church as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion; give thanks for the work of the bishops at the Lambeth Conference of 2008; reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention encourage dioceses, congregations, and members of The Episcopal Church to participate to the fullest extent possible in the many instruments, networks and relationships of the Anglican Communion; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm its financial commitment to the Anglican Communion and pledge to participate fully in the Inter-Anglican Budget; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm the value of "listening to the experience of homosexual persons," as called for by the Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998, and acknowledge that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships "characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (2000-D039); and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships have responded to God's call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, and that God's call to the ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church is a mystery which the Church attempts to discern for all people through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters.
14/07: July 14, 2009
As I write in the morning, a variety of more significant legislative matters are coming forward.
Bishop Consecrations – The House of Bishops on Monday addressed D-025, about which I wrote yesterday, and included the entire resolution on the blog. The Bishops completely re-wrote the sixth “resolve,” though not significantly changing the intent of that “resolve,” approving the resolution by a 2-1 margin. Since there was an amendment, the resolution will come back to the House of Deputies to consider the Bishops’ amendment. I would guess that the Deputies would concur with no amendments.
Ecuador Central – A contested election of a bishop took place in Ecuador Central, which is part of The Episcopal Church. A non-Ecuadorian was elected, though all the legal procedures were followed exactly. That took a lot of our time, though folks in Western New York probably won’t consider this of great importance to them.
Title IV – In the Canons of The Episcopal Church, Title IV is the section that addresses the discipline of clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons). There was a massive overhaul of Title IV. At our next two Diocesan Conventions, we will be looking at how our Diocese needs to modify our disciplinary system in order to comply with The Episcopal Church. The experts in canon law did a terrific job in drafting the revisions. The system moves from a rather “legal” system to a much more conciliatory system.
Evangelize Latinos/Hispanics – A major initiative to evangelize Latinos/Hispanics has passed both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. One of the primary strategies is to identify 500 areas (probably by ZIP Code) where there are a significant number of Latinos/Hispanics living, and where the local Episcopal Church has a very small percentage of Latinos/Hispanic. The plan is to fine 100 of those congregations that would be willing to be intentional about working to expand their membership with local Latinos/Hispanics.
Denominational Health Plan – The Church Pension Group (of the Episcopal Church) was charged three years ago with investigating the possibility of providing a health care plan for the entire Episcopal Church. Currently, the CPG writes the health insurance for over half of the Dioceses (though not Western New York). The Bishops approved the implementation of this insurance plan, to take effect by 2012. The Deputies have not yet received the resolution. Compared to our present plan in our Diocese, the plan would make very little difference. In some areas, the difference is quite significant.
That’s it for now. Please keep praying for us.
Fr. Earle
Bishop Consecrations – The House of Bishops on Monday addressed D-025, about which I wrote yesterday, and included the entire resolution on the blog. The Bishops completely re-wrote the sixth “resolve,” though not significantly changing the intent of that “resolve,” approving the resolution by a 2-1 margin. Since there was an amendment, the resolution will come back to the House of Deputies to consider the Bishops’ amendment. I would guess that the Deputies would concur with no amendments.
Ecuador Central – A contested election of a bishop took place in Ecuador Central, which is part of The Episcopal Church. A non-Ecuadorian was elected, though all the legal procedures were followed exactly. That took a lot of our time, though folks in Western New York probably won’t consider this of great importance to them.
Title IV – In the Canons of The Episcopal Church, Title IV is the section that addresses the discipline of clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons). There was a massive overhaul of Title IV. At our next two Diocesan Conventions, we will be looking at how our Diocese needs to modify our disciplinary system in order to comply with The Episcopal Church. The experts in canon law did a terrific job in drafting the revisions. The system moves from a rather “legal” system to a much more conciliatory system.
Evangelize Latinos/Hispanics – A major initiative to evangelize Latinos/Hispanics has passed both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. One of the primary strategies is to identify 500 areas (probably by ZIP Code) where there are a significant number of Latinos/Hispanics living, and where the local Episcopal Church has a very small percentage of Latinos/Hispanic. The plan is to fine 100 of those congregations that would be willing to be intentional about working to expand their membership with local Latinos/Hispanics.
Denominational Health Plan – The Church Pension Group (of the Episcopal Church) was charged three years ago with investigating the possibility of providing a health care plan for the entire Episcopal Church. Currently, the CPG writes the health insurance for over half of the Dioceses (though not Western New York). The Bishops approved the implementation of this insurance plan, to take effect by 2012. The Deputies have not yet received the resolution. Compared to our present plan in our Diocese, the plan would make very little difference. In some areas, the difference is quite significant.
That’s it for now. Please keep praying for us.
Fr. Earle
13/07: July 13, 2009
For many, the most widely anticipated legislation at General Convention would be the legislation which would address B-033 from General Convention 2006 (see my previous blogs). Yesterday, the House of Deputies addressed and passed D-025. The entire resolution as adopted by the House of Deputies appears at the end of today’s blog.
The resolution was passed, in a Vote by Orders, by 77 to 31 in the Lay Order and by 75 to 34 in the Clergy Order. I voted in favor of the Resolution. The House of Bishops has not yet dealt with the resolution, so the resolution is NOT yet in force. As the Episcopal New Service said, resolution “declares the ordination process of the Episcopal Church open to all individuals while expressing its ongoing commitment to the Anglican Communion.”
Below is the text. I’d be happy to talk with any of you about the Resolution when I get back home. Let me know if you’re interested.
Blessings
Fr. Earle
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm the continued participation of The Episcopal Church in the Anglican Communion; give thanks for the work of the bishops at the Lambeth Conference of 2008; reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention encourage dioceses, congregations, and members of The Episcopal Church to participate to the fullest extent possible in the many instruments, networks and relationships of the Anglican Communion; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm its financial commitment to the Anglican Communion and pledge to participate fully in the Inter-Anglican Budget; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm the value of "listening to the experience of homosexual persons," as called for by the Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998, and acknowledge that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships "characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (2000-D039); and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships have responded to God's call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, which call is tested through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters.
The resolution was passed, in a Vote by Orders, by 77 to 31 in the Lay Order and by 75 to 34 in the Clergy Order. I voted in favor of the Resolution. The House of Bishops has not yet dealt with the resolution, so the resolution is NOT yet in force. As the Episcopal New Service said, resolution “declares the ordination process of the Episcopal Church open to all individuals while expressing its ongoing commitment to the Anglican Communion.”
Below is the text. I’d be happy to talk with any of you about the Resolution when I get back home. Let me know if you’re interested.
Blessings
Fr. Earle
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm the continued participation of The Episcopal Church in the Anglican Communion; give thanks for the work of the bishops at the Lambeth Conference of 2008; reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention encourage dioceses, congregations, and members of The Episcopal Church to participate to the fullest extent possible in the many instruments, networks and relationships of the Anglican Communion; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm its financial commitment to the Anglican Communion and pledge to participate fully in the Inter-Anglican Budget; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm the value of "listening to the experience of homosexual persons," as called for by the Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998, and acknowledge that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships "characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (2000-D039); and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships have responded to God's call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, which call is tested through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church; and be it further
Resolved, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters.
12/07: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
I’m writing this at mid-day. The Holy Eucharist on Sunday is always has the highest attendance, as folks from around the host Diocese (in this case, Los Angeles) attend. I sat next to a young man from Culver, CA – members of his congregation chartered a bus so they could be present. Our Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori presided, flanked by two past Presiding Bishops – Frank Griswold and Edmond Browning. I wish I had been close enough to take a photo. The preaching is great, and the singing is wonderful. The “postlude” today was the choir singing “There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.” Truly uplifting. Thanks be to God for the inspiring worship. I suppose there were about 6000 people in attendance. The entire worship event took about an hour and 20 minutes (including the United Thank Offering Ingathering, and the receiving of communion by 6000 persons).
I attended part of the Integrity Eucharist this past Friday. “Integrity” is the organization among Episcopalians for those who are gay and lesbian. Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire presided, and Bishop Barbara Harris (retired from Massachusetts) preached. Again, a most inspiring liturgy.
Legislation is quickly coming out of committee and heading to one of the two Houses (either the House of Deputies or the House of Bishops). I serve on the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. We have forwarded a resolution for full communion with the Moravian Church, which has already been adopted in the House of Bishops. While we don’t have many Moravians in our area, there are many in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Folks from those states indicate that this full communion agreement will be extremely helpful for them in their ministry and mission.
I expect that the most followed debate will be on a resolution which may be coming to the House of Deputies today or tomorrow. It deals with B-033 from the 2006 General Convention (see my previous blogs) – addressing the election of persons to be bishop who might be gay or lesbian. One of the two primary writers (Ruth Meyers) was a classmate with me in seminary in the early 1980’s. If you’re tracking resolutions on the General Convention website, this is Resolution D-025 (http://gc2009.org/ViewLegislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=986&type=Original). I think that this is a great resolution for beginning our legislative discussions, inasmuch as it has been very carefully crafted in order to address a variety of concerns. I’ll keep you posted.
Approximately 500 resolutions have been proposed for consideration at General Convention. Many of them are duplicates, or take pro/con sides of a particular issue. And many of them have to do with minor changes, or fairly insignificant (at least to most folks). Our house has dealt with perhaps 50 of them so far. So we have a LOT of work to do. Please keep praying for us.
Blessings to you all.
Fr. Earle
I’m writing this at mid-day. The Holy Eucharist on Sunday is always has the highest attendance, as folks from around the host Diocese (in this case, Los Angeles) attend. I sat next to a young man from Culver, CA – members of his congregation chartered a bus so they could be present. Our Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori presided, flanked by two past Presiding Bishops – Frank Griswold and Edmond Browning. I wish I had been close enough to take a photo. The preaching is great, and the singing is wonderful. The “postlude” today was the choir singing “There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.” Truly uplifting. Thanks be to God for the inspiring worship. I suppose there were about 6000 people in attendance. The entire worship event took about an hour and 20 minutes (including the United Thank Offering Ingathering, and the receiving of communion by 6000 persons).
I attended part of the Integrity Eucharist this past Friday. “Integrity” is the organization among Episcopalians for those who are gay and lesbian. Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire presided, and Bishop Barbara Harris (retired from Massachusetts) preached. Again, a most inspiring liturgy.
Legislation is quickly coming out of committee and heading to one of the two Houses (either the House of Deputies or the House of Bishops). I serve on the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. We have forwarded a resolution for full communion with the Moravian Church, which has already been adopted in the House of Bishops. While we don’t have many Moravians in our area, there are many in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Folks from those states indicate that this full communion agreement will be extremely helpful for them in their ministry and mission.
I expect that the most followed debate will be on a resolution which may be coming to the House of Deputies today or tomorrow. It deals with B-033 from the 2006 General Convention (see my previous blogs) – addressing the election of persons to be bishop who might be gay or lesbian. One of the two primary writers (Ruth Meyers) was a classmate with me in seminary in the early 1980’s. If you’re tracking resolutions on the General Convention website, this is Resolution D-025 (http://gc2009.org/ViewLegislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=986&type=Original). I think that this is a great resolution for beginning our legislative discussions, inasmuch as it has been very carefully crafted in order to address a variety of concerns. I’ll keep you posted.
Approximately 500 resolutions have been proposed for consideration at General Convention. Many of them are duplicates, or take pro/con sides of a particular issue. And many of them have to do with minor changes, or fairly insignificant (at least to most folks). Our house has dealt with perhaps 50 of them so far. So we have a LOT of work to do. Please keep praying for us.
Blessings to you all.
Fr. Earle
11/07: Friday, July 10, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
It’s near the end of the third legislative day as I write this. The days are long, and I’m getting tired.
One of the great blessings of General Convention is being in contact with old friends and making new one. In the “old friends” category is t he Rev’d Canon Ginny Doctor, who is the Bishop’s assistant in Alaska. It was Ginny who placed me in Eagle, Alaska, as a six-week part of my sabbatical in 2004. She is among the many Alaskans who have become my friends, and I ran into her this afternoon at General Convention. Perhaps you’re aware that there were terrible floods in Eagle in early May. St. John’s Church (where I served for six weeks) was swept away by the floods. But Ginny tells me that they were able to locate the old church bell as well as the baptismal font. I had corresponded with Ginny by email in mid-May, and I then sent a collection of photos that I took of the church in 2004. I thought that perhaps the Dioc ese might want to have photos of the now-destroyed church in their archives. Ginny told me this afternoon that the photos of the interior of the Church were extremely helpful for their insurance claims, and made a significant difference in the amount that they were able to recover from the insurance company. I was glad that I made a difference for them.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was at Convention on Wednesday and Thursday. He spoke on Wednesday evening in regard to the environment and the economy. He also preached at the Eucharist on Thursday morning. He’s certainly a brilliant man, and a joy to meet and to hear. I’m not so certain that he’s as engaging with The Episcopal Church in general. Many of us (including myself) don’t think he’s been terribly interested in hearing the concerns of The Episcopal Church.
One of the major matters that General Convention will consider is the issue of gay bishops. In 2003, Gene Robinson (a gay priest) was elected and consecrated bishop of New Hampshire. This provoked something of a crisis among many Anglicans around the world. Under much pressure, the General Convention in 2006 passed a resolution promising that Bishops and Standing Committees would not grant consent to anyone elected bishops “whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.” There is much debate on whether that resolution accomplished what it set out to do. For many Episcopalians, it seems as though the rest of the Anglican Communion has chosen to ignore this restraint. In particular, various Anglican groups outside the United States have continued to try to draw dioceses, congregations, and individuals away from The Episcopal Church and into foreign jurisdictions. A local example for us is the move of St. Bartholomew’s in Tonawanda to the care of the Diocese of Argentina.
As a result, there is a lot of support for taking some sort of action which would supercede the 2006 resolution. Personally, I’m inclined to agree with such a proposal, though no specific resolution has yet been formally presented. And until such a resolution appears, it’s hard to say how anyone might vote. Our House of Deputies spent an hour today listening to testimony from 30 members of the House on this issue. It will be a difficult time. Please keep me and the General Convention in your prayers. Thanks.
Blessings
Fr. Earle
It’s near the end of the third legislative day as I write this. The days are long, and I’m getting tired.
One of the great blessings of General Convention is being in contact with old friends and making new one. In the “old friends” category is t he Rev’d Canon Ginny Doctor, who is the Bishop’s assistant in Alaska. It was Ginny who placed me in Eagle, Alaska, as a six-week part of my sabbatical in 2004. She is among the many Alaskans who have become my friends, and I ran into her this afternoon at General Convention. Perhaps you’re aware that there were terrible floods in Eagle in early May. St. John’s Church (where I served for six weeks) was swept away by the floods. But Ginny tells me that they were able to locate the old church bell as well as the baptismal font. I had corresponded with Ginny by email in mid-May, and I then sent a collection of photos that I took of the church in 2004. I thought that perhaps the Dioc ese might want to have photos of the now-destroyed church in their archives. Ginny told me this afternoon that the photos of the interior of the Church were extremely helpful for their insurance claims, and made a significant difference in the amount that they were able to recover from the insurance company. I was glad that I made a difference for them.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was at Convention on Wednesday and Thursday. He spoke on Wednesday evening in regard to the environment and the economy. He also preached at the Eucharist on Thursday morning. He’s certainly a brilliant man, and a joy to meet and to hear. I’m not so certain that he’s as engaging with The Episcopal Church in general. Many of us (including myself) don’t think he’s been terribly interested in hearing the concerns of The Episcopal Church.
One of the major matters that General Convention will consider is the issue of gay bishops. In 2003, Gene Robinson (a gay priest) was elected and consecrated bishop of New Hampshire. This provoked something of a crisis among many Anglicans around the world. Under much pressure, the General Convention in 2006 passed a resolution promising that Bishops and Standing Committees would not grant consent to anyone elected bishops “whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.” There is much debate on whether that resolution accomplished what it set out to do. For many Episcopalians, it seems as though the rest of the Anglican Communion has chosen to ignore this restraint. In particular, various Anglican groups outside the United States have continued to try to draw dioceses, congregations, and individuals away from The Episcopal Church and into foreign jurisdictions. A local example for us is the move of St. Bartholomew’s in Tonawanda to the care of the Diocese of Argentina.
As a result, there is a lot of support for taking some sort of action which would supercede the 2006 resolution. Personally, I’m inclined to agree with such a proposal, though no specific resolution has yet been formally presented. And until such a resolution appears, it’s hard to say how anyone might vote. Our House of Deputies spent an hour today listening to testimony from 30 members of the House on this issue. It will be a difficult time. Please keep me and the General Convention in your prayers. Thanks.
Blessings
Fr. Earle
10/07: Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
As always, the schedule at General Convention goes at a frantic pace. Legislative Committee meetings began yesterday (Tuesday). I’m on the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee. We currently have only 6 resolutions to consider (which is pretty small when compared to the Legislative Committee on Liturgy and Music, which has 65 resolutions to consider). We’ve already sent to the Convention a full-communion resolution between The Episcopal Church and the Moravian Church, as well as a continuance of the Interim Eucharist Fellowship between The Episcopal and the United Methodist Church. Perhaps this fall, St. Martin’s might engage in some formal conversations with Trinity United Methodist Church.
Today, the first two (brief) legislative sessions took place for the General Convention. Most of the time was spent getting the two Houses – the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops – organized. Currently there are 847 Deputies registered. So when one adds in spouses, friends, Bishops, observers, guests, exhibiters, etc., it is a huge group. Deputies who are attending their seventh (or more) Convention get a special yellow ribbon at the bottom of their credentials, which says, “Senior Deputy.” I’m a “Senior Deputy” now.
As always, the schedule at General Convention goes at a frantic pace. Legislative Committee meetings began yesterday (Tuesday). I’m on the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee. We currently have only 6 resolutions to consider (which is pretty small when compared to the Legislative Committee on Liturgy and Music, which has 65 resolutions to consider). We’ve already sent to the Convention a full-communion resolution between The Episcopal Church and the Moravian Church, as well as a continuance of the Interim Eucharist Fellowship between The Episcopal and the United Methodist Church. Perhaps this fall, St. Martin’s might engage in some formal conversations with Trinity United Methodist Church.
Today, the first two (brief) legislative sessions took place for the General Convention. Most of the time was spent getting the two Houses – the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops – organized. Currently there are 847 Deputies registered. So when one adds in spouses, friends, Bishops, observers, guests, exhibiters, etc., it is a huge group. Deputies who are attending their seventh (or more) Convention get a special yellow ribbon at the bottom of their credentials, which says, “Senior Deputy.” I’m a “Senior Deputy” now.
This is the first of my Blog offerings. I’m writing this prior to my departure to General Convention, and I intend this an introduction.
Every three years, The Episcopal Church (TEC) gathers for a week and a half for its General Convention (GC). GC is the primary way that TEC seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the common life of our Church. This year’s GC will meet in Anaheim, California, from July 8-17.
Participants – Our church government is divided into two Houses, much the same as the Federal government (Senate and House of Representatives). In the case of TEC, we have a House of Bishops and a House of Deputies. All Bishops are members of the House of Bishops. Our own Bishop Garrison is a member of the House of Bishop, and of course will be attending GC. There also is a House of Deputies, which includes four lay Deputies and four clerical Deputies from each of the 110 Dioceses in TEC. So if every Diocese sent eight Deputies, the House of Deputies would number 880. Dioceses also may send Alternates (sometimes called “Provisional Deputies”) who become Deputies if a particular Deputy is not service. I’m one of the clerical Deputies, and I’m also co-chair of the Deputation. I was a Deputy in 1991, 1994, 200, 2003, and 2006, and was First Alternate in 1997. As you can tell, I’m somewhat of a “Convention Junkie.” I happen to enjoy the General Convention, I do a lot of preparation, and I believe that God has given me gifts in helping make decisions on behalf of TEC.
Legislation – The legislative sessions begin on Wednesday, July 8, and conclude on Friday, July 17. Typically, about 500 resolutions are offered for consideration. That’s a lot of work, and it makes for a fairly frantic schedule at times. It also means that Deputies and Bishops have a lot of work to do ahead of time. The “Blue Book,” which includes the reports from various Commissions, Committees, Agencies, and Boards, numbers about 1000 pages includes ____ resolutions. Resolutions also may be submitted by Bishops, Deputies, and Dioceses.
Legislative Committees – If you’re familiar with our Congress, you’ll know that legislation comes from committee. The same is true for the GC. There are Committees (for example) for: Stewardship, Evangelism, Worship and Music, Christian Education, Ministry, Constitution and Canons, Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, etc. I’m serving on the legislative committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. Legislative committees begin work on Tuesday morning, July 7, so I’ll be arriving in Anaheim on Monday, July 6. (I’m taking a few days of vacation prior to GC so that I can stop in Las Vegas to visit my sister, so I’m actually departing Buffalo on July 2.)
Big Issues – At recent meetings of GC, there have been a number of divisive issues, particularly relating to sexuality. The primary issue this year relating to sexuality will be (I believe) dealing with Resolution B-033 from 2006. That resolution was an agreement that Bishops and Standing Committees would not “consent to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.” Issues of sexuality, of course, are generally the only ones that make the secular press. I expect that the primary focus will be on Stewardship and Evangelism. There also is a major revision of Title IV (the disciplinary canons), a resolution to have TEC write all the health insurance for employees for TEC, and a resolution for TEC to come into full communion with the Moravian Church.
Worship – Daily worship is an important part of GC, and most folks look forward very much to the opportunity to thank God for all the many blessings we have received, to seek guidance for our future, and to repent when we see that we have fallen short. This also is an opportunity to experience ways of worshipping God which may be different from what we experience at home.
Exhibits – One of my favorite parts of GC is the exhibits – usually about 150 of them. They represent the wideness of the interests of TEC. There also are exhibits which peddle books, vestments, jewelry, and so on. It’s quite a display!
Keeping Updated – Watching CNN or Fox News is not the best way to stay updated on GC news. Instead, check out www.episcopalchurch.org/elife. You may either peruse the articles there, or you may subscribe to their email news (at the bottom of the homepage, click the section under “online”). I’ll be back at St. Martin’s on Sunday, July 19. So I’ll be able to respond to questions about what happened at GC 2009. Please keep GC (and me) in your prayers.
Fr.Earle
Every three years, The Episcopal Church (TEC) gathers for a week and a half for its General Convention (GC). GC is the primary way that TEC seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the common life of our Church. This year’s GC will meet in Anaheim, California, from July 8-17.
Participants – Our church government is divided into two Houses, much the same as the Federal government (Senate and House of Representatives). In the case of TEC, we have a House of Bishops and a House of Deputies. All Bishops are members of the House of Bishops. Our own Bishop Garrison is a member of the House of Bishop, and of course will be attending GC. There also is a House of Deputies, which includes four lay Deputies and four clerical Deputies from each of the 110 Dioceses in TEC. So if every Diocese sent eight Deputies, the House of Deputies would number 880. Dioceses also may send Alternates (sometimes called “Provisional Deputies”) who become Deputies if a particular Deputy is not service. I’m one of the clerical Deputies, and I’m also co-chair of the Deputation. I was a Deputy in 1991, 1994, 200, 2003, and 2006, and was First Alternate in 1997. As you can tell, I’m somewhat of a “Convention Junkie.” I happen to enjoy the General Convention, I do a lot of preparation, and I believe that God has given me gifts in helping make decisions on behalf of TEC.
Legislation – The legislative sessions begin on Wednesday, July 8, and conclude on Friday, July 17. Typically, about 500 resolutions are offered for consideration. That’s a lot of work, and it makes for a fairly frantic schedule at times. It also means that Deputies and Bishops have a lot of work to do ahead of time. The “Blue Book,” which includes the reports from various Commissions, Committees, Agencies, and Boards, numbers about 1000 pages includes ____ resolutions. Resolutions also may be submitted by Bishops, Deputies, and Dioceses.
Legislative Committees – If you’re familiar with our Congress, you’ll know that legislation comes from committee. The same is true for the GC. There are Committees (for example) for: Stewardship, Evangelism, Worship and Music, Christian Education, Ministry, Constitution and Canons, Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, etc. I’m serving on the legislative committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. Legislative committees begin work on Tuesday morning, July 7, so I’ll be arriving in Anaheim on Monday, July 6. (I’m taking a few days of vacation prior to GC so that I can stop in Las Vegas to visit my sister, so I’m actually departing Buffalo on July 2.)
Big Issues – At recent meetings of GC, there have been a number of divisive issues, particularly relating to sexuality. The primary issue this year relating to sexuality will be (I believe) dealing with Resolution B-033 from 2006. That resolution was an agreement that Bishops and Standing Committees would not “consent to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.” Issues of sexuality, of course, are generally the only ones that make the secular press. I expect that the primary focus will be on Stewardship and Evangelism. There also is a major revision of Title IV (the disciplinary canons), a resolution to have TEC write all the health insurance for employees for TEC, and a resolution for TEC to come into full communion with the Moravian Church.
Worship – Daily worship is an important part of GC, and most folks look forward very much to the opportunity to thank God for all the many blessings we have received, to seek guidance for our future, and to repent when we see that we have fallen short. This also is an opportunity to experience ways of worshipping God which may be different from what we experience at home.
Exhibits – One of my favorite parts of GC is the exhibits – usually about 150 of them. They represent the wideness of the interests of TEC. There also are exhibits which peddle books, vestments, jewelry, and so on. It’s quite a display!
Keeping Updated – Watching CNN or Fox News is not the best way to stay updated on GC news. Instead, check out www.episcopalchurch.org/elife. You may either peruse the articles there, or you may subscribe to their email news (at the bottom of the homepage, click the section under “online”). I’ll be back at St. Martin’s on Sunday, July 19. So I’ll be able to respond to questions about what happened at GC 2009. Please keep GC (and me) in your prayers.
Fr.Earle
