GC 2009 is almost done. This morning the debate will center on Same Sex Blessings. The Bishops passed a greatly modified resolution from what the committee sent them, that does not authorize official blessing liturgies, but asks for study and collection of those for future consideration. The resolution also recognizes that in some states civil same-sex marriages are legal, and that a pastoral response to those is needed by the church.
The full text can be found HERE.
By the way, the evangelism resolution that was defeated, C069, is HERE. I have spoken to some committee members to pass on my great disappointment. They felt the reason for recommending rejection had to do with the resolution using a report done by the Church of England, but no one had access to the report. I told them I thought that was pretty lame excuse, because all the resolution does is ask our House of Bishops theology committee to study the how we can evangelize and recognize the uniqueness of Christ in a multi-faith society, and mentions the C of E report as a way the C of E addressed this issue.
I am happy to report, though, that a signficant document and resolution on inter-religious work was passed by both houses. In that document, found HERE, we very clearly state our belief in Jesus as Lord, reaffirm the Creeds and quadrilateral. The document and resolution are addressing how to live in this world of multi-faith, multi-religions and I think is an excellent resource. Now mind you, I haven’t read the entire thing (it’s big) but skimming the surface this is something I can support.
We trimmed the budget by 23 million dollars yesterday, and even reduced the asking of dioceses, recognizing the tough economic times (and shrinking of our church). I thought the budget committee did phenomonal work. A lot of “sacred cows” had huge reductions in funding, and it calls us to really look hard at what should take place at a “national church” (I know, I am not supposed to use that term, but whatever) level vs. at diocesan and parish levels. Makes sense to me. We need a mean and lean 815 (HA – that rhymed) and this is a good start.
Off to the debate. I will probably have another post or two. I owe you one on my observation and belief about how things are manipulated here by the President of the HoD and others, who are supposed to be “agenda free”. Just one man’s opinion!
I do thank the Diocese of Mississippi for the privilege to serve you all as a member of our deputation. And I must say that Eucharist every day has been amazing – incredible music and wonderful preaching.
Peace….

I know you are probably looking for comments on D025. I was not surprised it passed the House of Deputies, but I was profoundly shocked that it passed in the House of Bishops, especially by a huge margin.
The resolution, which really is very well written (please read the whole thing HERE before making judgments), is being interpreted by some as repealing the moratorium on consecration of gay Bishops, but by many others as not doing so. It basically affirms our commitment to the Anglican Communion and recognizes we have canonical processes in place that we must follow in approving candidates for holy orders, including bishops.
In our own deputation, some who voted in favor were adamant that they didn’t see it as overturning B033, one of the committee members who worked on it told me explicitly that was not the intent.
However, the early “play” on this outside of GC is that it did just that. But several bishops I talked to said the moratorium was in place, and would be until a gay bishop is consecrated – whatever that means. Here I quote deputy Stephen Horst of Connecticut –

“Ultimately, it does not matter what anyone thinks apart from Canon Theologians.
The opinions of the authors don’t matter.
The opinions of those who want the legislation to mean this or that don’t matter.
Of course, in another sense, there are opinions that matter….
On the one hand, the LBGT community, who now feels affirmed by this Church, matters enormously. Indeed, they matter infinitely, both as individuals and collectively. (This is one part of why I voted FOR this resolution!!)
But by the same token, the opinion of the wider Anglican Communion matters. And I would strongly urge them to take the view that this legislation CHANGES NOTHING in our Canons or Discipline, as was urged by both the authors and the Presiding Bishop, in addition to speakers in both Houses
I certainly admit that there are parties in both Houses who wish to claim that this legislation renounces B033. Yet I submit that this is not so, as D025 makes no normative claims, but merely cliaims FACT.
Legislatively, we are left with the implications of existing canons, and of course with the deeper responsibilities to Scripture, Reason and Tradition. (And additionally to Experience for those of us within the Wesleyan tradition, to which I would solemnly commend the reader, with the admonition that s/he be careful to distinguish that Rev. Wesley meant by “experience” from what the reader might mean by the same expression)”.
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Needless to say, it was a long day at GC. It started with something that really irritated me, a recommendation by the Evangelism committee to reject a resolution asking the Bishops Theology Committee to report back on ways we can talk about the uniqueness of Christ in our multi-faith world. This committee amazes me at times, as a similar resolution in 2006 was rejected by the committee. It’s like we are afraid to say we believe in Jesus, that it would be rude to say what we believe, and to whom we belong. Folks, we have a lot to learn about evangelism, but meanwhile, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Some deputy “called the question” on this before more than one speaker could even protest the recommendation to reject, and debate ended then, before I could get to a microphone myself.
However, evangelism rallied with several other resolutions that passed, including some focus on church planting. I was pleased with those resolutions.
I am off the floor today, and I may wander up to the Bishops meeting to see what they are up to this morning. More later – I do hope you are praying for us all.

HA! I know I mixed “sayings” in the title – what do you expect, I’m not a Rocket Surgeon!

The title does speak to my continued frustration. Our Blue Book (which has the reports from all the Commissions, Committees, Agencies, and Boards (CCABs) as well as pre-filed resolutions) sent to all deputies before GC has an eye opening report from the “State of the Church” standing committee. In it they honestly report on decline in membership and attendance of the Episcopal church (which echoes that of other mainline denominations). It is a very sobering look at the “facts”, the real data, and calls us to WAKE UP and deal with this reality. Yet there is no question here that all the time and energy is spent, still, on issues dealing with sexuality.
Which I am not going to talk about, today, on here. For a very balanced and well thought out post on this, see David Johnson’s blog here.
We did pass, in the House of Deputies, a brilliant strategic plan put forth by the office for Latino/Hispanic ministry, asking for 3.5 million dollars to fund a plan to reach out to Hispanics in our country, with materials to help, best practices, church plant funding, education and training – it is very well done. You can read it online here.
This is the kind of thinking we need and the kind of project I can support. Yes, it was passed in the HoD, but with very little fanfare or discussion, other than several deputies who testified how badly we need it. I would love to see this same kind of plan for mission, evangelism, and growth for the whole church, not just “targeting” the Latino/Hispanic community (which I support), but a large coordinated well planned effort to grow all of our church as well.
I say that not only, or even mostly, because we are shrinking along with the other mainlines. But because Jesus gave us the Great Commission, to go and baptize and teach and make disciples, and when we are distracted from that work, when we spend way more time on insular fighting, we lose our witness to a hurting world. We have something profoundly wonderful to offer, let’s talk about how to do that across the church.
Next post I will have some comments about how things run (or don’t) around here. I am a little disturbed by how committee assignments are made, the way certain visitors are allowed to address the HoD (with certain opinions on the hot issues, without the balance of other opinions being offered), etc. Meanwhile, please, please keep praying for all of us – lots of difficult stuff yet to come.

This morning I attended the main Eucharist of GC – I was told over 9000 people were there! It was a wonderful service with fantastic music and singing. The ECW reps presented their UTO offerings, and the PB preached an excellent sermon about traveling light, but remembering to bring with us the sacrament of the reign of God. She was joined at the altar by the two previous Presiding Bishops – Frank Griswold and Ed Browning, a nice touch.
On Sunday there are no legislative committee meetings, but we do go back into legislative session in the House of Deputies later this afternoon. I am the floor again (as the only clergy alternate I am getting plenty of floor time). I am thrilled over some of the Evangelism resolutions coming up and hope they will be passed. They call us to develop real plans for new church plants, and for assistance for all our people in being evangelists to a multi-cultural, multi-faith world. We can NOT afford to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and with the decline we have been experiencing it’s high time we really focused on how to tell our story – which is a good story with amazing things to share in how we pray, how we worship, the sacraments, etc.
Tonight is a special ECW event with Elisabeth Von Trapp playing and singing, it benefits the Jericho Road housing intiative in New Orleans established by the Diocese of Louisiana after Katrina – a wonderful program.
More later…….

The legislative “stuff” continues to move at a snail’s pace. We are a little behind where we should be right now, but it will catch up.
On the 2nd try our deputies (826 of them) finally were able to use electronic “doo-hickeys” to vote in an election process. I am so proud of them! If you want to be a little afraid for the future of our church, watch the House of Deputies struggle to press a button and hit send – it’s very, very scary. I was on the floor this afternoon, so I saw it with my own eyes! Way to go HoD!
Yesterday and today the “Committee of the Whole” spent time listening, first one-on-one with people near our tables, and later via a lottery that selected who could speak for 2 minutes each, to opinions regarding B033 from 2006 – the last minute resolution passed to uphold a moratorium on approving any more gay bishops (the wording is different – but that’s what it was about). Soon the committee responsible for that issue (World Mission) will craft a resolution for us to deal with legislatively on the floor. Should be fun!
Like many here, I am truly torn over what to do with this. I worry if we remove the moratorium we will be asked out of the Anglican Communion – a real fear. Or at least put on some sort of 2nd level group. Also, should we remove the moratorium, are we missing a chance to continue to witness and listen and debate and learn from each other on both sides of the issue? Jesus talked a lot about unity – how far are we willing to go? But at what price to go there?
The Archbishop of Canterbury, before his Bible study mediation (which ROCKED by the way, see David Johnson’s comments here), basically asked us to be patient. He said the communion really needed us and valued us, but warned us against going too far, so that our voice would be left outside the circle.
That’s the balance – between asking a certain group of our church to continue to be treated as if they were NOT also baptized, and asking the communion to keep us in the fold if we do lift the moratorium. It’s really hard work, and I am in constant prayer about how to respond. It will be an interesting convention.
Meanwhile – WHAT ABOUT GROWING THE CHURCH? I am sad to report that the only committee that has completed its work is the Evangelism committee. What does that say about what we value, what we want to put time and money into? They have some pretty interesting resolutions coming to the floor soon, and hopefully they will capture the attention of the house and the resources they need, but please people – we HAVE to turn this ship around! Instead we spend an hour arguing the syntax of a resolution designed to keep some committees afloat that, in my opinion, have little to do with what a church should be focusing on.
The truth is, GC is a huge bureaucracy. The President of the HoD bragged we were the 2nd largest bicameral legislative body in the world. We should be embarrassed about that, not proud of it! And it feeds itself. All the resolutions passed must be responded to by Executive Council or by various CCABs (Commissions, Committees, Agencies, and Boards). When you suggest to a CCAB member that they need to cut their expenses and maybe use electronic means of communicating on a regular basis, they are (some are) appalled. “How can we do our work that way”? they ask. I think the better question is – what is your work? Why are you doing it? Is it really necessary to upholding the gospel and growing the church and serving the local parishes? If not, let’s quit doing it!
And how do you get on a CCAB? Most are appointed by the President of the HoD or by Executive Council. Appointment implies you are someone who can take off work and travel a few times a year, some more than others. Doesn’t that limit the voices we need on these things?
Why don’t we change GC so that this self preservation can cease and desist and we can get mean and lean at a national level, supporting the dioceses and parishes in their mission work? Well, I guess you would have to be on the Commission on Structure or something like that to have a shot at changing any thing. Something tells me an appointment is not forth coming!
OK, enough soap box for one night. More soon. Be sure to go to dioms.org and check out other links, news items, etc. We have a long way to go, and we need all your prayers.