Report from W.A. (Pete) Stringer, Lay Deputy

Wednesday was a long day with six hours of legislative sessions. 

Legislative highlights included the passage of (1) the Denominational Health Plan as the House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishop on this significant legislation which establishes the Plan for all employees who are scheduled to work a minimum of 1,500 hours annually and (2) the Mandatory Lay Employee Pension System as the House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops on this significant legislation that establishes a mandatory pension system for lay employees scheduled to work a minimum of 1,000 hours annually.  The Health Plan is effective January 1, 2013 and the Pension System is effective January 1, 2012.

Today’s sessions included an hour and half Joint Session with the House of Bishops for the presentation of the 2010 – 2012 Budget.  This session is the only joint session for the two houses. The 2010 -2012 proposed which will be voted on Thursday is $23 million dollars lower than the 2007 – 2009 Budget.  All areas of the Church’s administration and mission were cut.

The Tennessee deputation did end the day on a high note as we celebrated Dyer Rodes’ birthday.

Report from the Rev. Tom Hotchkiss, Clergy Deputy

The days and business of General Convention are “moving” now.  On Tuesday, July 14th in the House of Deputies, we worked diligently to “catch up” on the legislative pace (as we are technically about three days behind - but most veteran deputies say that the work will all get done).  On a humorous note, we were moving along so well, evidently, that at the hour appointed to adjourn (6:00 PM) after four continuous hours of legislative session (and a total of 6 ½ for the day) a first-time deputy stood up to propose “suspending the rules of order to extend our time one hour to get more work done since we were doing so well today…”  He was practically shouted back to his seat when the chair took a vote on the proposal.

The work is challenging and will continue right up until the end of the convention.  The weather, however, has been absolutely wonderful (which has also been a bit of a teaser to people who are in meetings mostly from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM - some start at 7:30 AM).  Sorry Tennessee Humidity!  The entire Tennessee Deputation has been working very hard to stay informed and to participate in committee hearings on topics of interest or concern.  It was impressive to see how one of our deputies’ expertise in the human resources area helped a committee “adapt” a resolution more to industry standards simply by his appearance and testimony.

In the morning session, as part of a special order of the House the Deputies of the General Convention, we considered the resolution D025 that passed the house on Sunday and passed the House of Bishops on Monday afternoon.  (A detailed summary of the resolution can be found on the Rev. Bob Cowperthwaite’s report from Sunday July 12^th)  The House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops and passed the resolution as amended.  The resolution affirms that ordination is available to anyone through the discernment processes outlined in the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church.  Also, it said that God’s call to ordination is a mystery and reaffirmed the Episcopal Church’s participation in the Anglican Communion with the understanding that all are not of one mind on this matter.

The vote was “by orders” which means each deputation was asked to vote separately by lay and clergy deputation with a majority in favor being a “yes” and a tie or “divided” vote and majority against both recorded as “no” votes.  The final vote in the lay order was 78 yes, 21 no, and 9 divided.  In the clergy order the vote was 77 yes, 19 no, and 11 divided.  A simple majority of the deputations voting (55 lay & 56 clergy) was all that was necessary for the resolution to pass.  It passed with almost a 2-1 margin.  All the votes all recorded on paper as well as sent electronically at the time so even though there was no roll call, all the votes are public.  The Tennessee Deputation voted “no” in both orders.   

A great deal will be said and already has been said about the impact of D025 on the life of the Church.  The Bishop of Arizona explained to his diocese that he felt the resolution was a move away from the “restraint” of B033 passed at the last General Convention.  It was for him a “de facto repudiation of [that stance].”  Bishop Doyle of Texas stated that he felt, “the resolution, despite the headlines of a number of news organizations, was descriptive and offers a vision of where the Episcopal Church is at this time…that we are not of one mind on the issue of sexuality…I do not believe the house intended the passage of the resolution to be prescriptive.  In other words, the resolution did not pass same sex blessings or ordinations of partnered gay and lesbians.  It was not a permission giving resolution or a canonical change to our understanding of marriage.”  The reaction from the wider Church including the Archbishop of Canterbury has not been congratulatory.  In a comment at the General Synod in York just hours after the passage of D025, the Archbishop said he “regrets the decision house of deputies...to overturn the moratorium on the ordination of gay bishops…I regret the fact that there is not the will to observe the moratorium in such a significant part of the Church in North America but I can’t say more about that as I have no details.’  In an Anglican fashion, the resolution has “breadth” and is groundbreaking; however, for the Episcopal Church it may turn out to be a resolution that speaks more to what we “want” or feel singly “called to” as a province than to our position a member of the “body” of the larger Church in the Anglican Communion.

In other actions, a major revision of the Lesser Feasts and Fasts was approved with the adoption of the trial use of Holy Women, Holy Men which significantly adds to the list of the names commemorated in the present church calendar.  The House of Deputies defeated a resolution addressing the disclosure of the costs of litigation for the Episcopal Church over property disputes.  Despite significant discussion about “transparency” and “trust,” the deputies concurred with the bishops with the recommendation to refer the matter to the Standing Commission on Stewardship and Development.  Finally, a legislative action of significance was the House of Bishops concurred with the Deputies on the extensive revisions to the Title IV Canons.  Title IV, the Episcopal Church’s ministry discipline canons, have received an extensive “overhaul” seeking to move them away from a court-based system towards one “based on safety, truth-telling, healing, and reconciliation.”

 From time to time, we have different guests and visitors recognized.  Just before our daily worship and after the morning legislative session, we were introduced to a “host” of ecumenical visitors brought to us by the Rt. Rev. Christopher Epting, Ecumenical Officer for the Episcopal Church.  At the end of the introductions, three “cantors” from different traditions came forward to offer a prayer and then combine their voices into what was called an “Abrahamic blessing for this house.”  It was powerful prayer through singing from each and then from the three together before we then hustled off to our daily community service of Holy Communion.

There are many who are praying for the Episcopal Church during this General Convention.  Don’t stop now!  Please keep us and the entire enterprise in your prayers on a daily basis.  We appreciate your interest and support.

In Christ, Tom Hotchkiss

The Daily, No. 8

The Daily, featuring the full story on D025, a look at environmental concerns and Title IV, is now available from Episcopal Life Online.

Report from Bishop John Bauerschmidt, No. 3

The resolutions that concern the contested issues of human sexuality are beginning to make their way through the General Convention.

On Monday the House of Bishops received D025, a resolution that addressed the Episcopal Church’s desire to remain as a participating member of the Anglican Communion while affirming the openness to all of its own process of discernment for ordination.  Resolution D025 does not mention the 2006 General Convention Resolution B033, which had urged restraint in the ordination of persons to the episcopate who might not be acceptable to the wider Communion; still, D025 has been widely perceived as moving the Episcopal Church “beyond” B033.

Debate among the bishops indicated that there was difference among the members of the House as to what the resolution meant.  Some saw it as effectively repealing B033, while others saw it as a simple affirmation of what our present Canons say about ordination.  I saw what was before us as ambiguous at best.  I supported an amendment that in my mind would have removed the conflict between D025 and B033, and eliminated the ambiguity, but the amendment was superseded by another that reintroduced the ambiguity.  In the end I voted against the slightly modified D025, which then went back to the House of Deputies and was passed.

I think it is fair to say that the Episcopal Church will exercise restraint in the ordination of a partnered gay or lesbian person to the episcopate until that moment when such a person is elected by a diocese and receives the necessary number of consents from bishops and Standing Committees in the rest of the Church.  Neither Resolution B033 nor D025 make any difference to the process, except in as much as they reflect the mind and intention of the Church.

At the heart of the matter is our own desire as a Church, our own mind and intention.  Are we willing to exercise restraint in light of the great difference between cultures that exist within the Anglican Communion, and the significant theological differences that exist within the Communion and within our own Church on the issue of homosexuality, or are we intent on addressing the needs of gay and lesbian members of the Church through the lens of justice in access to the episcopate?  What seems to be at stake is the unity of our own Church and the preservation of the wider ties we have as a constituent member Church of the Anglican Communion.  I continue to believe that these considerations at this time argue for continuing restraint.

Our Tennessee deputation gathers regularly for reflection, consultation, and fellowship.  We’ve been well represented, and I’m grateful for the support of our deputies in many ways during the Convention.  - Bishop John

The Daily, No. 7

The Daily, is now available from Episcopal Life Online. Stories include Bishops’ affirmation of D025, a look behind the scene with the Altar Guild and visiting primates.

Report from Judy Hines, Diocesan ECW President pro tem, No. 4

Day 7, Monday July 13, 2009 – We started with “Gathering” in the Plenary Room at 9:00 AM. Chaplain, the Rev. Dr. Ellen Sloan, opened with prayer and devotion.

Special Session 3 followed with visits and comments from Bishop Duncan Gray (Central Gulf Coast) and Bishop Charles Jenkins (Louisiana) regarding the Jericho Road Housing Initiative. Other guests joining them were the Very Rev. David DuPlantier, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral New Orleans and Rob Radtke, President  of ERD.

Also introduced were: Harriett Neer, Triennial National President 2003-2006 and the Rev. Canon Alice Medcaf, International Anglican Family and Women’s Network.

Elisabeth von Trapp spoke to the assembled, following her concert last night at which $5,134.55 was raised towards the Jericho Road Housing Initiative. Another $10,000 was donated by St. Patrick’s Church Nevada.

Election of the new 2009-2012 ECW Board was held in the afternoon. The following were elected:

President – Marcia Himes, Diocese of Wyoming

Vice President, Program – Cordelia Burt, Diocese of San Joaquin

Vice President, Information and Communication – Marilyn Rishkofski, Diocese of New Hampshire

Secretary – Kathy Mank, Diocese of Southern Ohio

Treasurer – Sandra Powers, Diocese of Arkansas

Member at Large, Multi Media – Christine Budzowski, Diocese of Los Angeles

Member at Large, Social Justice – Irene Radcliff, Diocese of Southern Ohio

The evening concluded with the Tennessee Deputation and myself having dinner with Bishop John.

Day 8, Tuesday July 14, 2009 – “Gathering Time” commenced at 9:00 AM with devotion and prayer by Chaplain Ellen Sloan. Plenary Session 5 continued with Regina Ratteree, UTO National President, presenting the 2009 Triennial Granting of $2,650,472.43 for 62 grants.

Our diocese received a grant applied for by Church of the Good Shepherd Brentwood for their companion church San Jose Obrero in Manta Ecuador. The grant was $7,022 to fund start up costs for the Center for English Studies for children and adults by providing teachers salaries and classroom necessities enabling the impoverished to gain employment and improve their lives and the lives of their children.

Bonnie Anderson, House of Deputies President, addressed the assembly, talking about the value of ECW to the nation and world. She was presented with the ECW Triennial Cross that we recived last week from Presiding Bishop Katharine by National ECW President Kay Meyer.

Lunchtime in the Exhibit Hall consisted of – you guessed it – turkey salad. Good thing I like turkey. Hope I can tolerate three more days of the same.

Workshops I have chosen for this afternoon are:

“Sisters, Mothers, Friends: Women of the Bible” by Edna Brown and “And Then There Was Laughter” by the Rev. Bonnie Smith.

The Daily, No. 6

The Daily, with features on proposed budget cuts, addressing slavery issues and ECW news is now available from Episcopal Life Online.

Report from Bishop John Bauerschmidt, No. 2

On Sunday evening at General Convention, the House of Bishops and spouses (as is the custom) gathered for dinner and to celebrate the lives of retiring members.  There were a very large number of bishops recognized, reflecting the significant transition that is taking place within the House.  I note the retirement of my own former bishop Charles Jenkins, which is a significant transition for me.  But even more for our Church, bishops like Peter Lee and Don Wimberly represent over fifty years of combined experience in the episcopate.  There is a generational shift happening in the American episcopate.  Different experiences bring different perspectives to the issues, and this is undoubtedly true for the House of Bishops.  Only time will reveal the full extent of the change within our American House of Bishops, but I want to note here the reality of transition in our Church.

A feature of the General Convention experience is to connect with friends in the Church that we may not see face to face very often.  The opportunity to strengthen old friendships and to develop new ones is much appreciated by me. 

Some of my thinking about Convention, especially in connection with my work on the Education Committee, has centered on the meaning of “mandatory” in some of our resolutions.  The Education Committee and others are presented with resolutions that call for a mandate or requirement to study this or to take up that good cause, but with no clear means of enforcing accountability.  The General Convention may mandate an educational experience for certain members of the Church, but the burden of implementation typically falls on diocesan staff, rectors and vicars of parishes, or even on parochial Christian educators.  Unlike the proposed Denominational Health Plan for lay and ordained employees of the Episcopal Church (passed by the House of Bishops on Sunday), which does have some administrative “teeth” in it, this sort of mandated action often gets lost in the shuffle.

The other peculiarity of the legislative process of General Convention is the resolution that calls for action, but for which no funding is provided.  This is a particularly difficult year for our Church, as there is a large gap between expenses and income in the draft budget.  Many of the resolutions before us at this point in the Convention that call for funding have no reasonable chance of being included in the budget, which raises the issue of the time we’re spending on debating them in committee and on the floor.  There is virtue, perhaps, in a “wish list”, but when the issues before us are so great there seems to be a bit of futility in the very process that occupies so much of our time.

The House of Deputies yesterday passed a resolution, D025, which introduces an even greater level of ambiguity about the Episcopal Church’s intention to live by one of the moratoria of the Windsor Report (somewhat summed up in the 2006 General Convention resolution B033).  Some have seen D025 as an attempt to “run around” B033, or to abolish it without addressing it.  The House of Bishops may take up this resolution this afternoon, as well as others that deal with the contested issues of human sexuality.

Please continue in your prayers for our deputation from Tennessee. - Bishop John

Report from the Rev. Stu Phillips, Clergy Deputy

[Editor's Note: Fr. Stu phoned this office and asked that I take notes on his verbal update. These are not his words verbatim but my paraphrasing of his report.]

Yesterday [Sunday July 12] was a big day. The UTO Opening Eucharist was a huge event, filled with pagentry highlighting the UTO mission. The procession was a 1/2 mile long with all the UTO delegates and the Bishops led by a drum band of children. The silk flags were a riot of color. The music was Mozart to spirituals and the focus was on diversity. Approximately 7500 people were in attendance. Over the past triennial [since last General Convention], more than $6.7 million has been collected.

The legislative session contained one of the most provocative pieces of business of the General Convention, centering around Resolution D025. That resolution is in response to Resolution B033 from the previous Convention, urging restraint against ordaining gay and lesbian bishops.

[See the post below from the Rev. Robert Cowperthwaite for a more complete explanation of the resolutions and the voting process.]

The vote was called by order, meaning the clergy deputies votes and the lay deputies votes would be counted separately. The result was Lay 77/31 for, and Clergy 74/25 for upholding D025, essentially calling to wipe out B033. It means that the listening process with gay and lesbian people resulted in the recognizing of same-sex relationships and acknowledgingthat God may call any individual to the Church to any ordained ministry in the Church.

This resolution still has to pass the House of Bishops before it is formally adopted. It really could go either way.

The resolution also acknowledges that the Anglican Communion is not of one mind and allows the ECUSA to disagree on some matters. The debate was long and trying; the discussion from the floor was comprised of moving testimony.

The deputation from the Diocese of Tennessee was solidly against Resolution D025 and its passing left of with an empty feeling.

The other piece of legislation I want to tell you about was Resolution D038, a commitment to strategic vision for the latino/hispanic population. A request for $3.5 million was passed.

This convention seems to be all about reaching out to the marginalized individuals in the Episcopal Church. Overall, it has been an interesting week.

The Daily, No. 5

The Daily, has been posted by Episcopal Life Online. It includes stories on Resolution B033, the Bishop’s vote on the lay pension plan and call for transparency.