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Thoughts and Inspiration from our Priest . . .
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Thursday, July 16, 2009
General Convention Post #2Only one more legislative day left! Being a deputy at this General Convention has been,
in many ways, a gift and a blessing. We come together for convention every three years. During
our time, there are two groups meeting – the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. There are
Legislative Committees at work comprised of members from both houses, and those committees meet in order to take testimony
and craft legislation which is brought to the floor for debate and to be passed. In order for a resolution
to pass, both houses much pass it. While the media has focused on the issues around human sexuality, there
has been so much more happening here and being decided these past ten days. Here are some highlights of
what we’ve been working on: - Issues of inclusion for all people – gay and straight.
This has included pronouncements condemning any kind of prejudice as well as statements affirming that all people have
a place in our church. There was also an acknowledgement that gay and lesbian people are in our churches
now, and also serve in ministries within the church. A resolution was passed allowing anyone who feels
they may have a call to ordained ministry to pursue such a call through the normal channels available to all within the church.
There is a careful process in place now in every diocese within the church. Also, individual bishops
have the ability to set policies within their own dioceses. This is not binding on all. The
House of Bishops has also called for more discussion related to an array of topics in this area. These
discussions were carried out with great respect and humility by all involved on all sides of the issue.
- Affirmation of our desire to be constitutive
members of the worldwide Anglican Communion and to participate as fully as possible in the life of this global body- the second
largest in the world after the Roman Catholic Church.
- Creation a national health plan – allowing the national church offices
to purchase health coverage for every diocese, as a group. In our diocese, we should see a reduction of
about 10% for health insurance. Other dioceses will see a greater discount, some less.
- Major revisions of Title IV
in the Canons and Constitution of the Church. This canon deals with a process for handling misconduct situations
with a clergy person. The process is more streamlined, allows more flexibility for bishops before having
to go to a church trial, and also establishes a more clear process that helps both alleged victim and alleged perpetrator.
- At their request, retired bishops are still given seat and voice in the House of Bishops, but they no longer have
a vote.
- As I write, debate is being carried out on the triennial budget of the Episcopal Church. We
are faced with a 24 million dollar deficit. That deficit has been brought down significantly as the two
houses are called upon to pass a balanced budget. There will be staff reductions on the level of the national
church. Also, a number of ministries will be asked to focus their energy more on the local level and less
on a national level. The word has been “subsidiarity”, meaning that what can be done on a local
level, should be. In spite of this deficit, there is a firm commitment to continue to fund Millennium Development
Goals as well as domestic mission work. Those funds (1% of the budget each) are staying. Virtually
everything else is being cut. In the opinion of some who have been around for a while, these cuts are in
order and a good idea.
- Over 100 names of women and men who have lived ‘heroic lives’
or who have contributed in some significant way to the furthering of the kingdom of God will be added on an experimental level
to Lesser Feasts and Fasts, our calendar of saints. They will be approved or removed at the next
General Convention.
These seven areas give an idea of the kinds of issues and work that’s been going on. As
you can imagine, if a resolution comes to one of the Houses and gets amended, it must then go back to the House it originated
from in order to be approved. The process can be cumbersome. In between legislative
sessions there are a variety of celebrations of the Eucharist, prayer opportunities, and many chances to meet other folks
in the Episcopal Church from all over God’s creation. It’s been good. I’m looking forward to coming home!
In Christ, Fr. Scott
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
General ConventionAnaheim, California
Greetings All! I write you from the Anaheim
Hilton, located right next to the convention center where we've been in the midst of the 76th General Convention of the
Episcopal Church. It's been quite an experience thus far.
Highlights:
*Hearing Katharine Jefferts Schori preach to us on two different occasions. She is
truly a woman of great depth and insight and she communicates well the love of Christ and our search to serve Him in the midst
of all we do and are. As the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, her job is not an enviable one. Keep her
in your prayers.
*Hearing Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, preach to us. What a gift to have heard
him. He is without a doubt one of the most brilliant and engaing minds in the Anglican Communion. However, he
comes across with humility, great insight and humor.
*Being a member of the House of Depuites. THere
are 110 dioceses in the Episcopal Church, from 10 different countries. Each of those dioceses sends four lay deputies and
four clergy deputies. As you can imagine, the house of deputies is quite large! Aside from India, it's the
largest legislative body convened in the world. We are at work at the same time is the House of Bishops, made up of
diocesan bishops, assistant (suffragan) bishops, and retired bishops. Our two "houses" take upa series of
resolutions. We debate them, amend them, and if we pass them they get sent to the other house. In order for a
resolution to pass the convention, both "Houses" must approve it.
Our Work: Some
Highlights
At times, it's been challenging. We've looked at several issues in the life of our
church:
*Our church is facing a difficult situation with regard to our national budget. Ministry priorities
and programs are going to be affected and tough decisions are being made. In spite of that, the House of Deputies remained
committed to taking funds 'off the top' for purposes of outreach and service to others.
*New canons
and procedures have been approved for issues related to clergy misconduct, ensuring a transparent process that both advocates
for and protects victims as well as garauntees due process to those accused. It's clear and clean.
*We've entered into a covenant relationship, including sharing of Holy Communion with the Moravian Church.
*We've looked at the issue of human sexuality in the life of our church. Both Houses have affirmed the simple
truth that serving in the ministries of our church are people who are gay and lesbian. This is nothing new. Gay
and lesbian people have been serving in our church, and every other church, for centuries. What is new is that we are
publicly proclaiming this to be the case. At the same time, both Houses acknowledge that this simple truth can be for
some in our own church as well as for some of our partners in the Anglican Communion a difficult pill to swallow. Both
Houses have also affirmed that gay andlesbian people, like anyone else, are able to discern a call to ordained ministry.
Ordination is no one's 'right', gay or straight. It is a call. We have in our own church and in our
diocese a very clear process for those called to ministry. Further, bishops may set policies in their own dioceses.
We have also worked on and looked at a variety of other resolutoins and canons. It's been pretty draining,
but it's also been great to attend Eucharist with 2,000 or so other Episcopalians! We are a church of many cultures,
languages, and from many places. We are all seeking ot serve and love Christ.
It's been good to
be here. There is still some more work to do. I am looking forward to coming home! God bless you!
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