General Convention 2009

“Above all else, this Convention claimed God’s mission as the heart beat of The Episcopal Church”

[July 22, 2009] Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued a letter to the church about General Convention 2009.

General Convention 2009 was held July 8 to July 17 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California (Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles).

The following is the Presiding Bishop’s letter..........

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

The 76th General Convention is now history, though it will likely take some time before we are all reasonably clear about what the results are.

We gathered in Anaheim, as guests of the Diocese of Los Angeles, for eleven full days of worship, learning, and policy-making. The worship was stunning visually, musically, and liturgically, with provocative preaching and lively singing.

Our learning included training in Public Narrative, as well as news about the emergent church, in the LA Night presentation.

We we lcomed a number of visitors from other parts of the Anglican Communion, including 15 of the primates (archbishops or presiding bishops), other bishops, clergy, and laity.

You can see and hear all this and more at the Media Hub: http://gchub.episcopalchurch.org/

The budget adopted represents a significant curtailment of church-wide ministry efforts, in recognition of the economic realities of many dioceses and church endowments, which will result in the loss of a number of Church Center staff who have given long and laudable service. Yet we will continue to serve God’s mission, throughout The Episcopal Church and beyond. This budget expects that more mission work will continue or begin to take place at diocesan or congregational levels. Religious pilgrims, from the Israelites in the desert to Episcopalians in Alaska or Haiti, have always learned that times of leanness are opportunities for strengthened faith and creativity.

As a Church, we have deepened our commitments to mission and ministry with "the least of these" (Matthew 25). We included a budgetary commitment of 0.7% to the Millennium Development Goals, through the NetsforLife® program partnership of Episcopal Relief & Development. That is in addition to approximately 15% of the budget already committed to international development work.

We have committed to a domestic poverty initiative, meant to explore coherent and constructive responses to some of the worst poverty statistics in the Americas: Native American reservations and indigenous communities.

Justice is the goal, as we revised our canons (church rules) having to do with clergy discipline, both as an act of solidarity with those who may suffer at the hands of clergy and an act of pastoral concern for clergy charged with misconduct.

The General Convention adopted a health plan to serve all clergy and lay employees, which is expected to be a cost-savings across the whole of the United States portion of the Church. Work continues to ensure adequate health coverage in the non-U.S. parts of this Church. The Convention also mandated pension coverage for lay employees.

Liturgical additions were also included in the Convention’s work, from more saints on the calendar to prayers around reproductive loss.

What captured the headlines across the secular media, however, had to do with two resolutions, the consequences of which were often misinterpreted or exaggerated. One, identified as D025, is titled “Anglican Communion: Commitment and Witness to Anglican Communion.” It reaffirms our commitment to and desire to pursue mission with the Anglican Communion; reiterates our commitment to Listening Process urged by Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998; notes that our own participation in the listening process led General Convention in 2000 to “recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships ‘char acterized 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’”; recognizes that ministry, both lay and ordained is being exercised by such persons in response to God’s call; notes that the call to ordained ministry is God’s call, is a mystery, and that the Church participates in that mystery through the process of discernment; acknowledges that the members of The Episcopal Church, and of the Anglican Communion, are not of one mind, and that faithful Christians disagree about some of these matters.

The other resolution that received a lot of press is C056, titled “Liturgies for Blessings.” The text adopted was a substitute for the original, yet the title remains unchanged. It acknowledges changing circumstances in the U.S. and elsewhere, in that civil jurisdictions in some places permit marriage, civil unions, and/or domestic partnerships involving same-sex couples, that call for a pastoral response from this Church; asks the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, and the House of Bishops, to collect and develop theological and liturgical resources for such pastoral response, and report to the next General Convention; asks those bodies to invite comment and participation from other parts of this Church and the Anglican Communion; notes that bishops may provide generous pastoral responses to the needs of members of this Church; asks the Convention to honor the theological diversity of this Church in regard to matters of huma n sexuality.

The full text of both resolutions is available here: http://gc2009.org/ViewLegislation/

I urge you to read them for yourself. Some have insisted that these resolutions repudiate our relationships with other members of the Anglican Communion. My sense is that we have been very clear that we value our relationships within and around the Communion, and seek to deepen them. My sense as well is that we cannot do that without being honest about who and where we are. We are obviously not of one mind, and likely will not be until Jesus returns in all his glory. We are called by God to continue to wrestle with the circumstances in which we live and move and have our being, and to do it as carefully and faithfully as w e are able, in companionship with those who disagree vehemently and agree wholeheartedly. It is only in that wrestling that we, like Jacob, will begin to discern the leading of the Spirit and the blessing of relationship with God.

Above all else, this Convention claimed God’s mission as the heartbeat of The Episcopal Church. I encourage every member of this Church to enter into conversation in your own congregation or diocese about God’s mission, and where you and your faith community are being invited to enter more deeply into caring for your neighbors, the “least of these” whom Jesus befriends.

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
0A
The Episcopal Church

General Convention has come to an end and the renewal of our work as a Church is just beginning. For those who attended the convention, there has been a resurgence of faith, energy, and appreciation for the work done during this 10-day event. Several realities will have an impact on the Church: budget cuts that will result in the loss of jobs for many in the church, increased benefits for the laity of our church who provide so much time and work to our benefit; and a renewed focus on mission that emphasizes local ministry and challenges us to work as a diocese to serve the needs of our congregations.

The press has represented some of the decisions made at General Convention incorrectly and portrayed the Church as damaging its relationship with the Anglican Communion following the passing of resolutions relating to the role of gay and lesbians in the Church. While the Church has decided to reaffirm that all baptized persons, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or age can be called to any form of ordained ministry, it nonetheless continues to uphold the moratorium on the approval of someone to the episcopate whose manner of life would strain our relationship with the Anglican Communion. This understanding has been clearly articulated in the House of Bishops and by our Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

Another decision made at General Convention has also received the attention of the press, specifically the resolution allowing bishops to use their pastoral discretion in states that allow civil unions of gay and lesbians. Also contained in this resolution is the call for the Church to collect and develop liturgies for the blessing of same sex unions. While both of these matters clearly indicate the Episcopal Church is moving forward in its thinking, the resolution clearly states that we are still in a discernment mode about both matters. In Southern Virginia, nothing in our policies about either has changed.

We are presently scheduling meetings in the diocese to discuss the resolutions passed at General Convention. As soon as those dates and locations are confirmed, we will contact you through email and publicize them on our website. The Episcopal Church is a diverse community of people striving to be faithful. We live in challenging times, but by the grace of God, our life together in the Episcopal Church can demonstrate the true power of the Gospel.

Now that almost all of us are home, I'd like to give a few reflections from the week. Personally, the media room was the place to be. The writers from all over including LA Times, Washington Post, Virtue Online, Christian Post, PBS and many others were there working all day, occasionally running up or down to the House of Deputies or House of Bishops. We could watch both houses from the media room simultanously but sometimes it was better to be in the room with the bishops or deputies. Press briefings took place twice and sometimes three times a day which provided a nice summary of the day's events and excellent responses by bishops, deputies and others.

The directness of some of the questions from the press provided good insight and gave us an idea of where most of the media were going with decisions made at GC. There were no applauses or groans when results came in on any of the major topics. It was quiet as the communications directors from the dioceses and the media reflected and frantically typed working to report the information accurately (well, maybe not in all cases). We were able to ask each other clarifying questions, explore processes and inquire about Canons.

I applaud the Communications office from the Church, as everything was extremely well-run and organized. As a member of the "press" we were given copies of everything or told where to find them. If we needed anything, someone was there to provide it. Publications like "The Daily" and "CenterAisle" provided additional information each day (no kidding, a new publication every day, which reported on the previous day's events). Everyone was extremely professional and kind.

One of the things I truly learned to appreciate was that we are part of a larger organization and while there are unique needs and thoughts in the dioceses, there is an appreciation for that uniqueness and a common bond and unity in our love for Jesus Christ. It was moving.

I befriended several folks in that room from around the country. On the last day, Duke Hefland, a reporter from the LA Times sat next to me and we went back and forth with information, sharing what we knew or where to find research online. His story on the most controversial issues from GC is one of the best ones I have seen. I'm going to share it with you here.

I know many of you have questions about GC and the Bishop and Deputies are here to answer them. Keep following our blog and website as we continue to post.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-episcopal18-2009jul18,0,2066151.story
From the Los Angeles Times

Episcopal leaders affirm new policy on same-sex blessings

Clergy and laity vote for the measure approved earlier this week by bishops. It is the second major victory for liberals at the General Convention in Anaheim.

By Duke Helfand
July 18, 2009

Capping a 10-day convention in Anaheim, leaders of the Episcopal Church agreed Friday to consider marriage liturgies for same-sex unions and to give bishops greater latitude in meeting the spiritual needs of gay and lesbian couples.

The new policy marked a second victory for liberals after the church gave final approval Tuesday to a measure ending a de facto ban on the ordination of gay bishops.

Debate over liberalizing the rules underlined deep theological differences within the church of 2.1 million Episcopalians, and raised new concerns over tensions with the wider Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the communion.

On Friday, the U.S. church's top two officials sought to calm fellow Anglicans, including the communion's spiritual leader, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

In a letter to Williams, Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the president of the church's House of Deputies, Bonnie Anderson, described the resolution on gay bishops as "more descriptive than prescriptive in nature.

"They said it does not repeal the earlier ban on such ordinations, but instead reaffirms commitments made by the church's constitution and canons, which prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation."

In adopting this resolution, it is not our desire to give offense," they wrote. "We remain keenly aware of the concerns and sensibilities of our brothers and sisters in other churches across the communion. We believe also that the honesty reflected in this resolution is essential if indeed we are to live into the deep communion that we all profess and earnestly desire."

Copies of the letter were sent to the communion's 38 other regional leaders.

During the convention, Jefferts Schori voted for the new polices on ordinations and blessings.

In an interview Friday, the Episcopal leader spoke of the need to balance the aspirations of her church with the broader goal of unity.

"Change doesn't happen overnight," she said, predicting that the church would continue to deepen its relations with the Anglican Communion, despite the conflict that erupted after the Episcopal Church's 2003 consecration of an openly gay bishop from New Hampshire. Some Anglican leaders from Africa and elsewhere have since cut ties with the U.S. church.

Jefferts Schori also said she believes that the tensions between the church and some Anglicans are less the result of theological differences than varying social norms in different regions of the world.

"I think we are learning more about each other's contexts," she said of the relationships in the communion. "We know more about what it means to be a Christian in Pakistan or North India or Kenya."

The issue of same-sex blessings took up part of the convention's final day of legislative business.

Clergy and laity in the church's House of Deputies voted 152 to 64 to approve the measure, affirming a decision made two days earlier by Episcopal bishops.

The resolution acknowledges "changing circumstances" in the United States and other countries resulting from legislation authorizing or forbidding marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships for gays and lesbians.

It calls for a "renewed pastoral response from this church, and for an open process for the consideration of theological and liturgical resources for the blessing of same-gender relationships."

A church committee will collect and develop such resources for consideration when the General Convention gathers next in 2012.

The measure gives bishops, particularly those in jurisdictions where gay marriage is legal, discretion to allow same-sex blessings, saying officials may "provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church." Such blessings already are common in some parts of the denomination.

Advocates of change framed the deliberations as matters of compassion and social justice, likening their cause to an uproar over the ordination of women in the 1970s that ultimately led to women being named to the highest ranks of the church.

The blessings measure says the convention honors "the theological diversity of this church in regard to matters of human sexuality" and invites input from within the church and the larger communion.

Opponents questioned whether the large majorities of Episcopal bishops and deputies who embraced the liberalized policies had been moved by cultural trends rather than biblical authority, noting that the Bible defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. They worried that the new direction would accelerate the departure of congregations. Several dozen Episcopal parishes and four dioceses left last year to form a rival church.

The differences were on display Friday during a short debate before deputies voted. One representative described the measure as an "elegant blend of theological care, ecclesiastical breadth and pastoral generosity," while another told the gathering that the church was "covering itself in shame."

Despite the varying interpretations, deputies and bishops alike characterized the legislative debates as prayerful and generous, if messy at times.

"What has happened at the convention are signs of the health and vigor of the Episcopal Church," said Bishop J. Neil Alexander of Atlanta.

duke.helfand@latimes.com

[July 17, 2009] The following are the closing remarks of President of the House of Deputies Bonnie Anderson to the House of Deputies on July 17 at the conclusion of the Church’s 76th General Convention in Anaheim, California..........................

Deputies, Alternates, Guests, Visitors:

I have again been honored by you and elected to serve as President of the House of Deputies for the approaching triennium and through the 77th General Convention. Thank you for that honor.

During the first three years as my tenure as your president I have focused upon two things: identity and mission. Why Identity:

The reason for this choice was the growing concern that I have about the erosion of the practice of the polity of our Church.
As Deputy Wade reminded us this morning in the opening meditation, William White, upon whom shoulders we stand, was a revolutionary. His strange ideas about the ministry of all the baptized, taking their place in the counsels of the Church, caught the imagination and spirit of this fledgling Church in America. His strange ideas about the equality of the voices of all the people of God live today in our polity and in our baptismal covenant and in our Catechism. We are the ministers of the Church – the laity, the clergy and the bishops together, doing God’s work, each bringing our gifts to bear upon the reconciliation of God’s world.

The ministry of all the baptized is not the “lowest common denominator” as it were, from which we all begin and then some advance while others do not. The truth is quite the opposite. Our most unifying truth, our clearest moment of ubuntu is actually found in our baptisms and through our baptismal covenant. Each time we reaffirm our baptismal promises we are committing to ubuntu; we are pledging our life and our service to being agents of God’s love and grace by dying to self and living through Christ. It is from that place that we are one in the eyes of God and one with each other.

I have tried during this past triennium to address my growing concern about our identity as the Episcopal Church, and in particularly, the House of Deputies, in some specific ways.

First, to educate the deputies and the Church that we are deputies, not delegates. We are intentionally named deputies by our forebearers. We are elected because our dioceses trust us. Our dioceses deputize us to vote our mind. Our dioceses trust us, that, after careful prayer, listening to each other and stating our own views we will vote accordingly. I think that we have done that here. Our Church always has deputies. We are deputies when we leave here. We are deputies until we are either reelected by our diocese or another deputy is elected to take our place. There are ALWAYS deputies. We are leaders in our dioceses. We do not rise from the mist like Brigadoon. Our church ALWAYS has deputies. We are acting together in our own dioceses, in the counsels of the church, vestries, standing committees, commissions on ministry, on CCABs – where the only voice of clergy and laity in the larger church is possible through our canons.

Further, regarding identity, through the work of Kim Tucker and Cheri Salanty, my two dedicated and skilled staff assistants, I have created a tool that allows deputies and first alternates to communicate regularly during the past triennium. We have created a moderated deputy online forum to share important information leading up to General Convention. We have created and maintained a tool so that I am able to communicate regularly and effectively with the Deputies and First Alternates.

Our identity as deputies extends beyond the House of Deputies and into the Anglican Communion. At a first-ever conference in Costa Rica this year, the scope of our relationships to clergy and laity in the Anglican Church of the Americas has been extended. We have created new relationships in mission through our diocesan partnerships and mission work. We have strengthened old relationships in this same way. I believe that God is calling us to this work of reconciliation.

As your president, my focus in the areas of mission and identity have intersected at this General Convention and at the pre-General convention synods leading up to it. Our relationships, our quest for UBUNTU, our “I in you and you in me” is only possible if we KNOW each other. We are one in Jesus Christ and it is where our own stories and the story of Jesus intersect that we find our UBUNTU and our call to be a people of God’s mission. I ask you to exercise the leadership that is already yours in your diocese.

So what’s next? Believing that God speaks to us in many different ways during each day and in our dreams at night, this morning I spent time in my room thinking and praying as I do each morning. Then, if I have time, I read the paper. This morning when I opened the door of my room to get the paper, the BIG letters on the front page of USA Today, read, “WHATS OUR NEXT STEP?” The paper was talking about the space frontier. But our next step as a Church is a frontier also.

First, when you return home, meet with your deputation and design the report you are canonically required to provide to your diocese. The President’s Deputy Online Forum will be a place where resources for your reporting will be posted.

Refer to yourselves as deputy. If someone refers to you or other deputies as delegates, use it as a teaching moment to talk about the polity of our church. Don’t let it go by.

Next, in your own diocese, in your own congregation, take the leadership that is already yours and do mission. Start something, strengthen something, We can use the skills we have learned here in the art of public narrative to strengthen or and create relationships, to deepen our spirituality and Christian community. Keep it in your mind and heart there is an urgency now to our mission. Keep in mind now that we are the voices of the people of God, together, clergy, laity, bishops.

It is time for us to end chapter 76 in the book of life of the House of Deputies. It is time for us to leave this place and to take leave of each other. We go back to our loved ones. I go back to the comfortable place where I am not called “Madam President” and no one waits until I rise before they do the same.

With each other in Anaheim, we have shared a part of our lives together. We have worshipped and eaten the bread of life, we have risen to sing and lowered our heads to pray. We have breathed the air that has been in our neighbors lungs. In Jesus we are one of another. We are a Christian Community, made in the image of God.

Let us give great thanks to our senior deputies that will not be returning and for all that we have been given.

(Episcopal News Service) The two presiding officers of General Convention have written to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams providing an explanation and clarification of Resolution D025 pertaining to human sexuality issues and the Episcopal Church's commitment to the Anglican Communion. The letter was also sent to the communion's 38 primates.

"We understand Resolution D025 to be more descriptive than prescriptive in nature -- a statement that reaffirms commitments already made by the Episcopal Church and that acknowledges certain realities of our common life. Nothing in the resolution goes beyond what has already been provided under our Constitution and Canons for many years," wrote Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies Bonnie Anderson.

Resolution D025 was passed on July 14 by the 76th General Convention meeting in Anaheim, California. In addition to underscoring the Episcopal Church's support of and participation in the Anglican Communion, the resolution affirms "that God has called and may call" gay and lesbian people "to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church."

The presiding officers emphasized that D025 has "not repealed" Resolution B033 that was passed by the 75th General Convention in 2006. B033 urged restraint in consenting to the consecration of bishops whose "manner of life" might present challenges for the rest of the Anglican Communion. That challenge was widely understood to refer to gay bishops in partnered unions. The full text of the letter to Williams is available here.

Jefferts Schori wrote a separate letter to the primates of the Anglican Communion -- and included a copy of the letter to Williams -- acknowledging that "with so much misinformation circulating through the press and other sources, it is crucial to me that I provide the archbishop and all of you with accurate information." Thirteen primates were present in Anaheim, the largest number ever to attend a General Convention.

Jefferts Schori told the primates that her "heart was filled with joy at seeing so many of you" at General Convention. "It is important to me that we continue to find ways to communicate with one another directly about our different cultural and ecclesial contexts, and thereby prevent any misunderstandings," she said. The full text of the letter to the primates is available here.

At this General Convention, several resolutions were submitted that called for further action regarding B033. In their letter to Williams, the presiding officers explained that these resolutions fell into three categories -- "those calling for the repeal of B033; those restating or seeking to strengthen our church's nondiscrimination canons; and those stating where the Episcopal Church is today. From these options, our General Convention chose the third -- along with reaffirming our commitments to the Anglican Communion -- with the hope that such authenticity would contribute to deeper conversation in these matters."

Williams attended his first General Convention July 7-9. During a convention Eucharist, he expressed his gratitude to the Episcopal Church for its "continuing willingness to engage with the wider life of our communion." But he also expressed his hopes and prayers "that there won't be decisions in the coming days that could push us further apart. But if people elsewhere in the communion are concerned about this, it's because of a profound sense of what the Episcopal Church has given and can give to our fellowship worldwide."

In their letter to Williams, the presiding officers emphasized that in adopting Resolution D025, "it is not our desire to give offense."

The letter to Williams was hand-delivered and copies were emailed to the primates and to Anglican lay and clergy leaders on July 17, according to the Episcopal Church's Office of Public Affairs. It was also distributed to the House of Bishops and House of Deputies.

"We remain keenly aware of the concerns and sensibilities of our brothers and sisters in other churches across the communion," Anderson and Jefferts Schori wrote. "We believe also that the honesty reflected in this resolution is essential if indeed we are to live into the deep communion that we all profess and earnestly desire."

The letters to the Archbishop and Primates of the Anglican Communion can be accessed by clicking on these links.

The 46th Triennial meeting ended on Thursday, July 16 with the installation of ECW National Board Members and UTO National Committee. Our own Marilyn Meek attended the meetings and reports on her observations on July 14:

The day opened with a gathering with music and singing, opening prayers and then Susan Johnson presented the Episcopal Women's History Project. Kay Meyer, President of the ECW Triennial, addressed the House of Bishops this day.

Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies, addressed the Triennial. The "ECW keeps its eye on the cross...we're in relationship with each other." she says. She then applauded the depth of relationship in daughters and sisters, sharing her knowledge about the Emery sisters who were early pioneers for the work of women in the church. She discussed an urgency for mission and a continuation of the United Thank Offering. She shared that more than 60 grants were presented totally $1,997,362.43. The collection gathered at the Sunday Eucharist was $28,168.92. This was a 37 percent increase over the 2006 convention. These funds will go to the Navajoland grant request. In all, the UTO funded 63 grants totalling $2,650,472.43.

Southern Virginia submitted two grant requests for UTO funding. Of those, the request for Holy Cross Anglican School in Belize was awarded. The entire $41,000requested was granted for this project.

Marilyn noted other things of interest...the Washington National Cathedral presented a cardboard model of the cathedral as a box for contributions. Unique and creative.

Presentations including the Episcopal Women's History Project, started by Mary Donovan and Joann Gillespie, gave an oral history of all women in the Episcopal Church, Lay and ordained foremothers.

The Young Adult representive also spoke with the message: "Continue recognition of us."