Convention Post Script

One last PS from General Convention.

I'd like to give you links to the sermon by Jenny Te Paa to the UTO Eucharist. I thought it was exceptional.
Warning: she is a theologian; seminary dean from New Zealand; it is a fairly dense piece of preaching.
To read or download her sermon, go to: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/75383_76154_ENG_HTM.htm

The other sermon I'd like to promote is Presiding Bishop Elect Katharine Jeffort Schori's sermon at the final Eucharist.
To read or download her sermon, go to: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/75383_76300_ENG_HTM.htm

Beginning tomorrow, I'll resume sending my Morning Reflections based on the readings from the day's Daily Office.
It will be sent to the same email address that I've used for the General Convention reports.

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Lowell

P.S. Here are a few responses to the B033 resolution calling for restraint in episcopal elections. I was particularly interested in Gene Robinson's thoughts:

Bishop Dorsey Henderson of Upper South Carolina, co-chair of the Special Committee on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, described the resolution as "an appropriate and blessed way forward, strengthening the Episcopal Church, strengthening the Anglican Communion, without closing any doors unnecessarily."

Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island, a member of the committee, said it is "the best that we can do," conveying hope that the Anglican Communion realizes the process has been the result of a compromise.

"It's a relief to me because my hope is that we can stay in communion and continue the conversation and affirm the Windsor process," she said. "Having this vote in both houses says to the Anglican Communion that we are very serious about our relationship."

Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire expressed some disappointment with the resolution because it does not affirm the role of gay and lesbian people in the church, but seemed encouraged by the seriousness with which the Episcopal Church has grappled with the issues in public.

"The church has a picture of the wide diversity in this church and people have been remarkably honest and loving in all of this," he said in an interview after the vote. "I have been approached by all kinds of people who have felt called to vote for this resolution in order for us to continue the conversation with the Anglican Communion."

Robinson encouraged support for Presiding Bishop-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori "in every way possible...to give her everything that she can have in her pocket to go to the primates meeting, to go to the rest of the Communion," he said. "In some sense, having given the Anglican Communion what it asked for regarding gay and lesbian members of this church, we'll be looking to them to see if they were serious about wanting to be in conversation about this, or whether they wanted this to end the conversation."

Describing the process as a journey, Robinson acknowledged that there will be bumps in the road.

"This is not what we hoped for, but it's what we have, so I'm much more interested in talking about tomorrow than I am about today or yesterday," he said.

Bishop Mano Rumalshah of Peshawar in Pakistan, one of more than 60 international visitors at General Convention, said the resolution represents the best response given the circumstances.

"It could have been much more but at least it keeps the door open and allows the dialogue to continue and let's rejoice in that," he said. "Let's not give up. Let's not draw the lines too hard. Let's continue to have hope in humanity and each other and in God's spirit that, yes, things can go on."

PPS: Thanks to everyone who read all these reports and thanks for all of your prayers.

Lowell

The Final Afternoon

Wednesday afternoon -- the passage toward adjournment

The afternoon session is a calmer house, looking to take care of as many resolutions as possible. Many of these are significant.

We passed a resolution about Iraq, one crafted with the support of the Bishop for the Armed Services, asking our government to "develop for implementation a plan for the stabilization of Iraq, to be followed by the prompt withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces."

We have a series of resolutions acknowledging the sin of slavery, our church's complicity and economic benefits gained because of slavery, an apology, and an agreement to a journey of reconciliation. We are called to think about what we should do and report back to the 76th Convention. Part of the moving testimony included a quote from a prayer by a 19th century Bishop of Virginia who led a prayer among a group of slaves commending them for accepting their role of service and sacrifice as God's will for them in this life. I asked the deputy for the book so I can look it up. The quote was from Harold Lewis' book "Yet With A Steady Beat" p. 43.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has sent a response to our passage of B-033
"There is much to appreciate in the hard and devoted work done by General Convention and before that by the Special Commission on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion in the crafting the resolutions. This and the actions taken today show how strong is their concern to seek reconciliation and conversation with the rest of the Communion.

"It is not yet clear how far the resolutions passed this week and today represent the adoption by the Episcopal Church of all the proposals set out in the Windsor Report. The wider Communion will therefore need to reflect carefully on the significance of what has been decided before we respond more fully."

We've continued to pass more legislation in concurrence with the House of Bishops. Including the Liturgies for Transitions that our Prayer Book Committee worked on so hard. We've referred a bunch of stuff to the Executive Committee for their action. We've added some Lesser Feasts for trial use. We passed money and program for rebuilding in Louisiana. We passed a study about seminarian debt. We passed another piece of our response to the Windsor Report, affirming a listening process.

I know some parishioners will be pleased to know we passed a resolution about creation and evolution:
"That the 75th General Convention affirm that God is Creator, in accordance with the witness of Scripture and the ancient Creeds of the Church, and be it further,
Resolved, that the theory of evolution provides a fruitful and unifying scientific explanation for the emergence of life on earth, that many theological interpretations of origins can readily embrace an evolutionary outlook, and that an acceptance of evolution is entirely compatible with an authentic and living Christian faith; and be it further,
Resolved, that Episcopalians strongly encourage state legislatures and state and local boards of education to establish standards for science education based on the best available scientific knowledge as accepted by a consensus of the scientific community; and be it further
Resolved, That Episcopal dioceses and congregations seek the assistance of scientists and science educators in understanding what constitutes reliable scientific knowledge."

We passed recommendations for Nonviolence Training and for Reconciliation Training. Kathy will be pleased with a resolution supporting efforts to achieve accessible, affordable, high quality, universal health care and commending organizations such as our own Community Clinic at St. Francis House.

We authorized Interim Eucharistic Sharing with the United Methodist Church, recognizing that the UMC is "a member of the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church in which the Gospel is rightly preached and taught" and encouraging our mutual prayer, common study, joint programed and mission. We welcome members of the UMC to receive Communion in Episcopal Churches. It also set up policies for the sharing of worship and Interim Sharing of the Eucharist as well as future dialogue. I am told that this policy has already passed in the Methodist Church.

We ran out of time before being able to deal with some resolutions concerning Israel and Palestine.

We closed with George Werner leading us in the Prayer of St. Francis, his voice breaking as he finishes his service in this office for the church he loves so much.

We are adjourned!
Thanks be to God!

Lowell

The Last Day -- The Big Decision

Wednesday, June 21 -- the last day of General Convention

Presiding Bishop Griswold celebrated and PB-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori preached for our final Eucharist this morning. Our own Cindy Fribourgh was the Deacon for the service.

Bishop Schori's sermon was as good as any sermon we've heard during this Convention. I'll send either the text or the web link once it is posted on the Episcopal Church site.

She spoke of her awaking early Sunday morning before sunrise, the morning after her election. It is an overcast day, with rain in the forecast. As light was beginning, she went out to run. She told of meeting or passing by various people -- hotel workers, newspaper deliverer, street person, two business people going to work, another runner, etc. And a rabbit. She greeted each of these in some way. In each of these meetings, she said, there was some degree of wariness, however. She invited us to dream of a world in which all human and other creatures meet in such a way that their meetings are not tinged with fear.

Jesus said, "my Kingdom is not of this world." Jesus' kingdom is a kingdom in which there is no fear. Fear has no impact in the presence of the cross. Jesus calls us friends, not agents of friends.

We will not be fearless until we find ourselves rooted in the soil of internal peace, planted in the infinite love of God. Fear really is our idolatries of self-interest. We say, "that's mine; you can't take it, because I can't live without it." If you threaten my self-interest, I will respond with fear. Unless we can respond like Jesus, who brings us peace through the blood of the cross.

The Godly messengers always say to us, "Fear not." When we know ourselves to be God's Beloved, we are then able to recognize another as Beloved as well, and we can reach beyond our defenses toward the other. We can lay down our sword and shield, and seek the image of God especially in those we find hardest to love. We need to lay down our need for power and control and see Jesus in the weakest and poorest.

I'll send a link or text of the complete sermon.
__________

We entered the legislative hall for a Joint Session of both the House of Deputies and House of Bishops.

As the Presiding Bishop said, "Would the deputies and bishops please take their places," there was a five-second sound of rolling thunder from the storm that is passing by outside.

Bishop Griswold said that when he was elected as Presiding Bishop eight and one-half years ago, he called the church to the costly discipline of conversion. He said then that the words conversation and conversion come from the same root. Conversion is a new way of seeing one another, seeing Christ in one another. It is less a change of mind and more a change of heart.

Our Convention has passed two resolutions indicating our desire to commit to the Anglican Communion and to be in the conversation about a possible Anglican Covenant, but we communicate to our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Communion that they have been taken seriously, our further conversation is threatened and our bonds of affection will be further strained. For our voices to be heard, we must communicate clearly that we have not ignored those who sincerely cannot understand our actions.

"Conversation works," said Bishop Griswold. He spoke of his experience at the Primate's meetings, which have often been difficult. Sometimes he's had to receive quite a bit before he was able to give. Humility and restraint are necessary precursors to conversation. Sometimes it appears that we are taking a step backward, but that step may be necessary before we may go backward.

We have very different views in this church. Many believe that an expression of restraint constitutes a betrayal of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, and have opposed the earlier resolutions. Others are looking for justification for their intention to walk away, and have also opposed the proposed expressions of restraint. We have had an odd joining of opposite ends to resist our making a statement of restraint. Bishop Griswold urged the great middle to express itself so that we don't avoid taking steps that preclude conversation. Bishop Griswold looked toward Bishop Schori and said, "Give the 26th Presiding Bishop a chance to be at the table."

What we yearn for has not yet been enacted. The Presiding Bishop asked both houses to consider the following resolution, B-033 (starting in the House of Bishops):
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, that the 75th General Convention receive and embrace the Windsor Report's invitation to engage in a process of healing and reconciliation; and be it further
Resolved, that this Convention therefore call upon Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting 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.

The Bishops left to begin their consideration of this resolution.
_________

Our House began to work through a prioritized series of resolutions. Most of the first ones have to do with our structure and organization, how we do our business.

We're working pretty efficiently through our business.
One of the good pieces of work is the creation of a new Standing Commission on Lifelong Christian Education and Formation to develop and recommend comprehensive and coordinated policies for children, youth, adults, and seniors for lifelong Christian formation.

At 11:50 a bunch of bishops started walking into the visitor's section. They've obviously finished their work on B-033. The rain has increased and provides an intense, roaring background for our conversation. It is getting more difficult to hear.

Rumor has it that there was a failed attempt in the House of Bishop to amend B-033.

After noonday prayers, we are moving to suspend our rules in order to allow B-033 to be returned to the house. The rain outside has silenced.

A series of deputies from conservative dioceses are trying under the Robert's Rules to prevent our consideration of the resolution on the grounds that we have already voted not to reconsider a similar resolution. To my mind, this is an attempt to sabotage the Episcopal Church by preventing us from making a statement to the Anglican Communion. If we don't pass anything, they can then justify their attempts to deconstruct the Episcopal Church.

We passed the special order to allow the House to consider B-033.

Presiding Bishop Elect Schori has asked permission to speak to the house. We have granted that permission.

We are debating. Louie Crew, the founder of Integrity, has said that this resolution would "cut the tongue out of the Holy Spirit." As we talk, it is becoming clear that there are liberal/progressive members who do not like this resolution but will vote for it for the sake of our engagement of conversation with the Anglican Communion. One who called himself part of the "mushy middle" said that he is troubled by the pull from the edges.

She spoke of living in a church with two minds. She offered an image of conjoined twins -- parts of two bodies united in one being. When physicians/ethicists worry about separating those twins, they worry that it is wrong to separate those twins unless they are both able to live. Our church is not really one and is not really two. This resolution is far from adequate, she said. The language is extremely challenging, but it's probably as good as we can do today. She said she is fully supportive of the place of gay and lesbians in our community. This is not slamming the door. But this is probably the best we can manage at this point in our history.

South Carolina, Quincy, Fort Worth, and Central Florida have asked for a vote by orders.

Sally Johnson, chair of Constitutions and Canons, a grounded progressive said, "This resolution tears me apart. It goes against everything in my very being. And as a gift to the Presiding Bishop Elect, I think we should give it to her." Another progressive said that this is a resolution that gives in to the spirits of fear and timidity. A conservative said that we need to sacrifice our personal needs for the sake of the whole church and approve the resolution. Another conservative objects because this resolution is less than what we can do; send it back to the Bishops. A deputy from Virginia said we have embraced a listening process, and this resolution will help keep us at the table, in part, so that the voices of gay and lesbian Christians can be heard. A conservative said that this resolution is tossing a half a carrot to the rest of the communion, defeat it. Another conservative spoke of his shame yesterday when we refused to be humble enough to speak to our brothers and sisters Anglican Communion; we need to adopt this to say that we are listening.

The first amendment has been proposed to add the words "until the General Convention 2009" in order to give a time limit to this commitment of restraint in episcopal elections.

Frank Wade, the chair of the Special Committee, said that the acts of one General Convention cannot bind another General Convention. We could add these words to every resolution the house passes. This amendment doesn't add anything and complicates much. A liberal deputy expressed his frustration that those who have been so critical of the actions of our Convention have not been willing to be in conversation with us.

The amendment was defeated on a voice vote. The chaplain came forward to lead us in prayer before the vote on the main resolution.

For me (and for most of us) this is a difficult and conflictive vote. For the sake of remaining in conversation with the full Anglican Communion, we are denying some of the gifts that are ours and the potential for leadership from some of our gay and lesbian leaders. If we pass this, we do so on the backs of some of my friends; some of the priests who I hold in highest regard and hope one day may be bishops among us. I voted "yes" along with the rest of the Arkansas deputation, but I felt my throat choke as I cast my vote.

The Electronic results of our vote by orders is:

Needed to pass:
Lay: 72, yes; //21,no // 11 divided -- Yes 72 // 32 No & Divided 77%
Clerical: 75, yes; // 24,no // 10 divided -- Yes 75 // 32 No & Divided 76%
The resolution carried.

Lowell

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Tuesday, June 20, afternoon & evening

Tuesday Afternoon

We've tried unsuccessfully a couple of times to reintroduce A161 (the Election of Bishops) to give the house a chance to consider (for the first time) the wording as it was originally offered from the Special Commission. Rumor around here has it that we'll get a chance to add it as an amendment to another resolution from the Special Committee.

We've made some progress on a resolutions calendar that is far behind. Dispatch of Business will have to work up a list of resolutions that will take priority since we are unlikely to be able to act on all of the matters that have been filed.

After lengthy discussion the deputies concurred with the bishops to confirm Barry Beisner who was elected Bishop by the Diocese of Northern California. Beisner has been divorced twice and married three times. Although that was not an issue in his diocesan election, it has been heatedly debated at General Convention. His election was confirmed, but not without considerable dissent.

We passed the Budget.

We concurred with the House of Bishops on a first reading of the Constitutional change that would give all bishops voice in the House of Bishops but give vote only to bishops having jurisdiction and bishops holding an office created by General Convention. It also defines a quorum as a majority of all Bishops entitled to vote. There have been times when the House of Bishops has had trouble getting a majority vote because of the large number of retired bishops who are absent but who are counted for a quorum.

We adjourned at 6:00 p.m. and returned for an evening session at 7:30.

_________________________________________________

Tuesday Evening

The chair announced that the Presiding Bishop has called for a joint session of both houses tomorrow morning. The assumption is that Bishop Griswold wants the houses to work together on our response to the Windsor Report. The Special Committee is working with the Presiding Bishop and other leaders to perfect some alternative language for us to consider tomorrow. I assume we would have to suspend the rules in order to do that. Some powerful negotiating is going on.

Our first consideration tonight is A159 -- Anglican Communion: Commitment to Interdependence in the Anglican Communion
This resolution reaffirms "the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of church that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible..." Our house had already passed this resolution on June 14. It was amended by the House of Bishops in a way the bishops felt protected our autonomy. The Committee believed that the Bishop's insertion sent conflicting messages. A conference committee re-wrote A159, and we now are considering that substitute resolution. The intent of the resolution is to say we have a basic commitment to the Anglican Communion. The voice vote to affirm our commitment to the Anglican Communion sounded unanimous. Amazing!

The next resolution is the more controversial "Anglican Covenant Development Process" resolution. It is imagined that a Covenant process would take nine years in taking form. There are at least three possible forms of Covenant that have been imagined -- theological, canonical, or relational. This resolution only asks us to support the idea, follow it, and report back. It is not a commitment to a form of covenant or to accept whatever may be proposed. There is some suspicion that this is a "blank check" resolution. Will we be included the process of the creation of a Covenant? There is nervousness that we will be committing ourselves to something about which we will have little influence. The resolution is carefully crafted so as not to commit us to a Covenant but rather to get us in the conversation about whatever Covenant might be developed within the Anglican Communion. The house voted overwhelmingly in favor of the un-amended resolution. There is some momentum building.

We've just extended the time of adjournment. It is ten minutes until 9:00 p.m. We want to take on the major work of amending the Canon III ordination canons. This is big work to try to make the processes for ordination for deacons and priests more similar, and to delineate the formation processes more clearly. This is a 38 page resolution. It's been a hot topic of conversation and study. There are new policies for receiving and forming clergy being received from another denomination. The excellent work of the committee was rewarded. At 9:20 p.m. we passed the Canonical changes without amendment. We're cooking!

We'll start a little earlier tomorrow.

Lowell

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

Tuesday, June 20

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

All Day Monday, June 19, the 7th Day

General Convention, Monday, June 19 --

Whew. It's been a full day.
This is a long email (I couldn't get to a pause long enough to get an earlier email sent). The "hottest" stuff is toward the end.

Picking up on something from yesterday. The Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary general of the Anglican communion spoke to Convention yesterday. He spoke of the four strands of the Windsor process: (1) the Panel of Reference, to offer slow, careful consideration of the relationships in communion; (2) the Small Group which is assessing the Episcopal Church response; (3) the Listening Process which began last January, to monitor and share information about local listening processes; (4) the Anglican Covenant, there is interest in the possibility of an Anglican Covenant (although there is little interest in the text about the covenant in the Windsor Report). He imagines a 6 to 9 year consultative process to create such a Covenant.
__________

Also yesterday, the House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops recommending some fundamental principles on immigration, following the recommendations of the report "The Alien Among You" as the policy of the Episcopal Church:

1. Undocumented aliens should have reasonable opportunity to pursue permanent residence.
2 Legal workers should be allowed to enter the United States to respond to recognized labor force needs.
3. Close family members should be allowed to reunite without undue delay with individuals lawfully present in the United State.
4. Fundamental U.S. principles of legal due process should be granted all persons.
5. Enforcement of national borders and immigration policies should be proportional and humane.

And we further resolved that the Episcopal Church deplores any action by the Government of the US which unduly emphasizes enforcement, including militarization of the border between the US and Mexico, as the primary response to immigrants entering the US to work. There were two other resolves connected with this resolution.

The issue and policies became more personal with the story told by Dianne Aid. Her home parish was very excited a little over a year ago when they were able to hire a Hispanic/Latino Missioner and Youth Director. Juan is Mexican born and has lived in the U.S. for 20 years (originally coming as an undocumented 14 year old). He was adopted by an Episcopal priest and his wife, an ESL teacher. He graduated from a U.S. college, English became his dominant language and U.S. culture his dominant culture. In the late 90's, Juan gained legal status through a religious worker visa. Due to a paperwork glitch and a lost in the mail application for an extension, Juan's visa lapsed. Their parish re-petitioned -- Juan left in December for his visa interview. Six months and $8,000 in attorney fees later, he is stuck in Mexico while U.S. immigration sits on his request for a waiver. Juan is one individual of millions separated from family, his job and community by our broken immigration system.
__________

Picking up with today (Monday), our Prayer Book and Liturgy Committee believes we finished all of our work during this morning's session. We approved a resolution that would urge development of a pastoral plan for future revisions of the Book of Common Prayer; we simplified a resolution acknowledging the authority of the Triune God as exercised through scripture; we passed a resolution authorizing beginning a discussion about the relationship between baptism and Eucharist, recognizing the canons that prohibit communion to the un-baptized and the wide practice of ignoring of that canon in congregations and dioceses who promote an open communion; we passed a request to create prayers for the death of a companion animal. All of these resolutions will now go to the House of Bishops for action before coming to the House of Deputies.
__________

When we reconvened, the Diocese of Fort Worth made a formal appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion requesting alternative oversight following the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop. Bishop Iker of Fort Worth has left the convention.

I've had a chance to talk to several friends who are bishops, and each of them said they were surprised by her election. There was no "campaigning" or "politicking" they said, but a slow rising tide of quiet consensus kept growing. Each of them said that it felt like the Spirit was truly at work. I sensed among them a feeling of awe and gratefulness about how their voting process evolved. One bishop said it was as if this was the first time (in a long time) that they simply voted their hearts rather than strategizing and thinking politically.

__________

This afternoon began with the presentation from Program, Budget and Finance. Pan Adams is the chair of PB&F and lead that presentation. If I'm reading the budgetary stuff correctly, we have a budget of over $152 million. To balance the budget, the church management will have to effect staff cost reductions of $825,000 through attrition and retirement. If every diocese gave their asking, we'd have over $8 million more. Quite a number of dioceses contribute little or nothing to the Episcopal Church budget, including Dallas, 0%; Quincy, 0%; West Texas, 1.2%; Central Florida, 1.9%; Tennessee, 1.9%; Navajoland Mission, 2.1%; Fort Worth, 3.2%; and the following dioceses did not provide their diocesan reports and no pledge was listed: Western Kansas, South Carolina, Springfield.

Our largest increase in spending during the next triennium will be with Millennium Development Goal related projects of several kinds.
__________

Late this afternoon we began to take up two of the resolutions from the Special Committee #26 (I think I referred to it incorrectly as #25 in earlier emails) on the Episcopal Church's response to the Windsor Report. There is more energy around these resolutions than anything else that we've considered.

The first resolution A160 is titled "Expression of Regret." Here is the resolution that passed with 68% of the vote:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, that the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, mindful of "the repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation enjoined on us by Christ" (Windsor Report, paragraph 134), express its regret for straining the bonds of affection in the events surrounding the General Convention of 2003 and the consequences which followed; offer its sincerest apology to those within our Anglican Communion who are offended by our failure to accord sufficient importance to the impact of our actions on our church and other parts of the Communion; and ask forgiveness as we seek to live into deeper levels of communion with one another.

After lengthy discussion, the final wording above included substituting the word "straining" for the committee's proposed phrase "breaching the proper constraints of."

We were unable to finish debate and take up possible amendments to the next resolution from the Special Committee, the Election of Bishops, A161.

I am unhappy with the first resolve in this resolution, and especially the changes that the committee made to the original wording from the Special Commission.

Here's the text as it is now proposed:
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, that the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church regrets the extent to which we have, by action and inaction, contributed to strains on communion and caused deep offense to many faithful Anglican Christians as we consented to the consecration of a bishop living openly in a same-gender union. Accordingly, we are obliged to urge nominating committees, electing conventions, Standing Committees, and bishops with jurisdiction to refrain from the nomination, election, consent to, and consecration of bishops whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion, and be it further
Resolved that this General Convention not proceed to to develop or authorize Rites for the Blessing of same-sex unions at this time, thereby concurring with the Windsor Report in its exhortation to bishops of the Anglican Communion to honor the Primates' Pastoral Letter of May 2003; and be it further
Resolved that this General Convention affirm the need to maintain a breadth of responses to situations of pastoral care for gay and lesbian Christians in this Church.
Resolved that this General Convention apologize to those gay and lesbian Episcopalians and their supporters hurt by these decisions.

We extended the afternoon session to almost 7:30 to finish the opening debate on this resolution. We'll begin with it tomorrow, hearing proposed amendments.

Two changes from the original wording proposed by the Commission have damaged this resolution in my mind. In the first resolve, the previous version read "we urge nominating committees, electing conventions, Standing Committees, and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise very considerable caution in the nomination, etc..." I might have lived with that. But the new "refrain from" language bothers me. I keep thinking of Martin Luther King's letter from the Birmingham Jail written to those moderate, compromising clergy who were saying "now is not the time, please stop agitating, we're not ready yet." Let the Holy Spirit constrain us, if we must be constrained -- as seems to have happened in the recent election in California -- but I do not like constraining the Holy Spirit through this kind of external legislative process.

Our debate was hampered by a malfunctioning automated system for tracking the order of speakers. That was frustrating to all. We'll pick back up with A161 "Election of Bishops" tomorrow when we reconvene at 10:45 following the Eucharist. Since our committee finished its work, I can sleep late tomorrow! Thanks be to God.

Lowell

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A quick reflection on woman PB

Sunday later

The election of a woman as the Presiding Bishop has prompted both celebration and wonder. Beside the usual questions -- how will this play in...? One thing I noticed. There were no sad faces among the youth. The kids here were all very excited. How cool! We've got a woman PB, they were saying. This will play well among young people, they are saying, especially for those who think of the church as woefully square and old-mannish.

We passed major legislation in support of MDG (Millennium Development Goals) late in the day.

Lowell

New Presiding Bishop Elected

As we reconvened we received the results of the earlier vote by order. The resolution for Delegated Pastoral Oversight passed overwhelmingly.

The worship resources Enhancing Our Worship was encouraged for us, including on Sundays.

A wonderful new service for Renewal of Ministry with the Welcoming of a New Rector passed. It's a great improvement to the Prayer Book Celebration for New Ministry.

We also added some fine resources and additional rites following death.

We passed a resolution of pastoral concern for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families.

We passed a resolution encourage the appointment and nomination of young persons ages 16-30 to serve in leadership.

The announcement of the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop of Nevada who was elected by the House of Bishops on the 5th ballot. The House of Deputies is required to consent.

Bishop Jefferts Schori was on the Special Commission on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, on the board of the CDSP Seminary. She's been a college professor. Our vote whether to consent or not to consent was be a vote by orders. The vote was: Lay Order -- yes, 93 / no, 8 / divided, 7; Clerical Order -- 94/10/4

___________________________________

Lowell

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

Sunday Morning

Sunday, June 18, Day 6

At 11:08 we went into silence before beginning consideration of the first resolution to make it to the floor from the Special Committee #25 charged with consideration of the resolutions prompted by our opportunity to respond to the Windsor Report. A163 is a resolution providing for Delegated Pastoral Oversight to allow congregations "who do not feel able to receive appropriate pastoral care from their own bishops" to delegate another bishop to provide oversight; it reconfirms "maintenance of historic diocesan boundaries, the authority of the diocesan bishop, and respect for the historic relationships of the separate and autonomous Provinces of the Anglican Communion." The argument in the house centered on the phrase "when requested in good faith" as a characteristic for a request for delegated oversight. The phrase was retained. Portions or all of the deputations from South Carolina, Fort Worth, Quincy and Central Florida called for a vote by orders.

Going back to Friday, something I didn't report earlier. The secretary general of the Anglican Communion commended the Episcopal Church for the way we have responded to the recommendations of the Windsor Report. "General Convention is a very careful body. I commend the Episcopal Church for the way it has taken seriously the requests of the Windsor Report, and you see this seriousness in the way that business is being conducted on this particular issue at Convention. ...We need to remember the Listening Process is a mutual process."

Another event that has set up some buzz around the convention is the screening of a rough cut of a movie, "Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North." This documentary tells the story of the DeWolfs, the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. The DeWolfs are also a prominent part of the Episcopal Church in Rhode Island. James DeWolf Perry was the 18th Presiding Bishop. The film is produced and directed by a DeWolf descendant, Katrina Browne. She and nine other family members retraced the route of the "Triangle Trade" in slaves, rum, sugar, and other goods as the family addressed complex issues of atonement and reconciliation. It is hoped that the completed documentary will be shown on PSB eventually.

One of the things that troubles me is the selective way that some dioceses choose to participate in the General Convention and the Triennial Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW). Yesterday when the dioceses of the church presented their United Thank Offering gifts at the big service (some said more than 5,000 attended), it was pretty awkward when our Province presented our UTO checks. Arkansas went first, then Dallas and Fort Worth were announced, and no one went forward. According to our ECW Triennial participants, the bishops of both of those dioceses have told their women not to participate in the ECW.

It does seem encouraging that several diocesan bishops are present for this meeting who do not regularly participate in other House of Bishops meetings. It is discouraging, however, that once again at this General Convention, whenever there is a Convention Eucharist scheduled, there is another Eucharist occurring simultaneously nearby for those members of Convention (deputies, bishops and others) who do not feel that they can share communion with the rest of the Convention. I believe that has been happening ever since the ordination of women, though I could be mistaken. That saddens me, but it is a long-standing reality of our church.

There is something else that doesn't sadden me but makes me mad. A number of dioceses have chosen not to contribute financially toward their apportionment for the work of the Episcopal Church, They do not contribute, or do so minimally, to the general budget of the Episcopal Church. (Some individuals in many of those diocese do send offerings to the budget as a sign of their disagreement with their diocesan policy.) I got real irritated yesterday when an outspoken deputy from one of those dioceses that does not contribute to the church's budget went to the floor to support a funding proposal. This was a proposal that had not been through our budgeting process and seemed to me to be a financially irresponsible overspending. It really bugged me when a deputy from diocese that has no money in the budget is arguing that we should be spending more for something he supports. I'd like these dioceses to put their money up if that's where their mouths are going to be. Thus endeth the rant.

The House of Bishops is sequestered at Trinity Church nearby for the election of the new Presiding Bishop, who if confirmed would become the 26th PB. They are in our prayers.

Yesterday the convention had events to honor, and roast, the outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and the outgoing President of the House of Deputies, George Werner. Our new president of the House will be Bonnie Anderson. Yesterday we elected a new Vice-President, Brion Prior of Spokane. He was chaplain of the previous Convention, serves on the national Executive Council, and is noted for his work with youth.

We have adjourned early, not having heard from the House of Bishops about their election. (They were supposed to call after their third ballot.)

1:15 p.m. Sunday
___________________________________

Lowell

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Saturday Morning

Saturday Morning; Day 5; June 17

The Confession of Martha --
One of the well known feasts of our calendar is the Confession of St. Peter, remembering when Jesus asks the disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" and Peter responds, "You are the Christ..." The annual Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity occurs between the feasts of the Confession of St. Peter and the Conversion of St. Paul. There is a lesser observed confession in the Gospel which we noted by resolution yesterday, the Confession of Martha. In John 10, after Lazarus has died, Jesus returns, albeit delayed, to Bethany, to a scene of great grief. Martha greets him, "Lord if you had been here..." Jesus said to her, "'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.'"

I don't have the resolution in front of me, but my recollection is that we approved referring the feast of the Confession of Martha to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music with the hope that it will be included in the upcoming revision of our Lesser Feasts and Fasts (LFF). Another note about LFF. One of the important considerations that is part of the evaluation of any proposed addition to the LFF calendar is any local tradition of observance of a notable person or event. There is interest in the possibility of adding the late Justice Thurgood Marshall to the calendar. He was an active Episcopalian, the chief attorney who argued the famous Brown vs. Board of Education decision, and was the first African American Justice on the Supreme Court (I think my history is correct). We typically do not add someone to the calendar until that person has been dead for 50 years (there are exceptions). It would strengthen Justice Marshall's cause if, for instance, the parishes he served celebrated a feast in his honor, or, for instance, there were an observance of the Brown vs. Board decision in Arkansas churches. Just a thought.

Committees met again this morning at 7:30. We made some significant progress in Prayer Book and Liturgy. We finally perfected the Liturgies for Rites of Passage. This is material intended for the Book of Occasional Services. It includes Prayers for the Transitions of Childhood, Prayers and Rites for the Transitions of Young Adulthood, Prayers and a Rite for the Transitions of Midlife, Prayers and Rites for the Transitions of Elders, Prayers for National Service (primarily military), Prayers and a Rite for Remembering the Dead. Included in our work was an entire re-write of several prayers, including a rite of betrothal, and the creation of the series of prayers for national service. In the "Blue Book" this material is over 80 pages.

Just before we voted, I offered one more prayer (tongue-in-cheek) to be added in the section of prayers for Transitions of Young Adulthood, just following the prayer After Moving From the Family Home. My addition was a prayer For the Return Home of an Adult Child:
O God!
Bubba is back.
Increase the space between us.
May the work of his hands bring him satisfaction..., with insurance,
as we give you thanks again for regular lawn care. Amen.

The prayer was energetically received.

The committee also passed a significant resolution affirming that baptism is full initiation. Our resolutions, once they have been acted upon by our committee, then go to the House of Bishops. From there they may be amended or approved or rejected. They then return to the committee (if amended) or to the House of Deputies if approved.

Following the committee meetings we had the annual United Thank Offering Eucharist including the UTO ingathering. It looked like a congregation of 4,000 filled the worship space. The sermon was given by Jenny Te Paa of New Zealand, Dean of their seminary and a member of the Windsor Commission, as I understand. Her sermon was a seminal bit of preaching. I can't do it justice with some sound byte quotes. I'm sure it will be posted on line. I'll send a link or the text when that happens. It was a significant sermon, beautifully presented.

I am taking the afternoon off. Kathy is here and we're visiting with a seminary classmate who lives nearby.

Lowell

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

Friday @ General Convention

Friday Morning

At 7:30 a.m. committees got to work. We now have passed the 50-resolutions mark referred to the Prayer Book & Liturgy Committee. We've still got tons of work to do. But Pan's job at PB&F is harder. She needs $5 million more to meet all of the program requests presented to the appropriations committee of the church. We had hearings on two new resolutions presented to us. One resolution directs the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to prepare rites for the loss of a domestic animal. I'm for it. The other is a resolution acknowledging "that the Bible has always been at the centre of Anglican belief and life" and declaring that "Scripture is the Church's supreme authority." (language from paragraph 53 of Windsor Report) We had a lively and nuanced series of Q & A with the sponsor of the bill, one of my favorite deputies Kendall Harmon. Kendall was on our committee last year and is one of the most articulate conservative theologians in the church. He resisted amendments such as adding "Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture is the Church's supreme authority" and other such suggestions. It was also suggested that the resolution might add language from the next paragraph 54 of Windsor. The question Kendall's resolution raises concerns the relationship of the authority of scripture to the authority of God. It'll be a fine debate.

Our preacher for today's Eucharist was Martha Horne the Dean of the Virginia Seminary. She did a lovely job dancing with the oddly coupled themes of the feast of Joseph Butler and a Day of Celebration of Women's ministry. She created a complementary tent enclosing law and love, reason and inspiration, male and female. Our music was led by a tight rock/jazz combo who offered creative settings for plainsong, hymns and Eucharistic settings. It really worked! Put some ideas in my mind for some creative worship.

At our table, one of our members talked about a parish group for elders at her church called "Wisdom Gifts." The participants tell their stories, and in doing so they are better able to see how these are gifts from our "wisdom people."

When the legislative session resumed, yesterday's vote by orders was reported. A proposal to cease the practice that requires anyone elected bishop within 3 months of General Convention to be confirmed by General Convention was defeated by one vote in each order, which means we will continue that tradition of voting confirmations.

A word about a vote by orders. The General Convention is a structurally conservative institution. Whenever anything controversial (and some substantive things that may not be controversial) are to be decided, we will vote by orders. Here's how it works. Each diocese has one vote in the clerical and one vote in the lay order. Adoption requires a majority of dioceses voting in the affirmative in both orders. We poll the four members of each order to determine the diocesan vote. A 3-1 or 4-0 vote is "yes." A 1-3 or 0-4 vote is "no." A 2-2 is a divided vote and is counted as a "no." Therefore, it takes considerably more than a majority to pass any vote by orders.

Friday afternoon

This afternoon (Friday) we had another vote by orders on the question of whether the church will adopt the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary as the lectionary of the church, with the current Book of Common Prayer Lectionary available as an alternative until 2010. The RCL passed overwhelmingly on a vote by order (Lay - 77 yes / 32 no & divided; Clerical - 77 / 33. The RCL is our official lectionary effective on the First Sunday of Advent, 2007.

Earlier today I took the morning off the floor and was able to go through the Convention Exhibit hall. Every three years I order new clergy shirts and black suits during convention, taking advantage of Whipple's 15% off convention discount. In the exhibits area I saw Madge Brown of Little Rock who is the primary exhibitor at the Community of Hope booth. I went by the American Anglican Musician's booth where they were playing a DVD of the Arkansas Choir Camp at Subiaco that Charlie Rigsby of St. Paul's directs. On the video I saw Linda Kelly directing a choir, and I recognized lots of the children singing. Great fun.

Two other things in the air. We will be considering establishing interim Eucharistic sharing with the United Methodist Church. Interim sharing means that we stand together with ordained members of both churches at the table in order to learn more about each other. We spent many years of interim sharing with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America before moving toward mutual recognition and intercommunion. Also in the air, confirmation of the election of the Rev. Barry Beisner as bishop coadjutor of Northern California is being questioned because he has been divorced twice and married three times. That fact was not an issue during the election, but has been raised since by people outside the diocese.

We threw/invested (you interpret) a bunch of money in church plants. There was some division in the deputation whether that was a good idea. We'll let everybody defend themselves when when they get home. Sandy Powers was elected to the ECW National Board as the Province 7 representative. Mandy Alford is the "honored woman" from the Diocese of Arkansas. Seminarian Terri Daily is 40 today. Linda Nelson cam by the Arkansas room for a visit. Kathy's plane is delayed, and I'm not happy about that.

Lowell

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

Thursday night

It is actually Friday morning. I ate a light meal and went to bed early last night. Feel much more rested.

I missed the forum on reconciliation last night, so I've included the Episcopal News Service report about it below.

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Episcopal News Service
Thursday, June 15, 2006

Danforth challenges Church to a "higher calling" of reconciliation
"Toward a Reconciled World" is theme of Presiding Bishop's Forum

By Matthew Davies

[ENS] The Rev. John Danforth, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, challenged the Episcopal Church to a "higher calling" of reconciliation during Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold's forum: "Toward a Reconciled World."

The forum drew an audience of more than 500 people to the Greater Columbus Convention Center at 8 p.m. on June 15.

Setting the context for the evening, which formed part of the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, Griswold explained that God's concern is the world and not the Church.

An Episcopal priest and former U.S. senator from Missouri, Danforth said that the center of American politics has eroded and "the common ground has been cut out because the most active and articulate people representing the political parties are on the fringes."

A first-timer to General Convention, Danforth offered an "outsider's perspective," observing that virtually all the public attention directed at General Convention had been on the issue of sexual orientation.

"I don't want to downplay the issues ... but I want to raise the basic question of whether that issue is the centerpiece of the Episcopal Church," he said. "I believe that we have a higher calling, a more central message ... ours is a special calling to the ministry of reconciliation."

Danforth said that the Episcopal Church has always represented the middle way, "where all sorts of people can come together around the altar ... and have all sorts of different views.

"If God calls us to a ministry of reconciliation, how you conduct yourselves at this General Convention is very important because it would be very hard for our church to offer ourselves as the broken answer to the world.

"A broken church is a sad church. If we can't exchange the peace with one another it's hard to explain to people how we purport to be agents of peace.

"I plead with you to figure out a way to hold this together and put whatever you can into context of a higher calling."

Griswold honored Danforth with the Presiding Bishop's Award for Faith and Public Service.

Dr. Jenny Plane Te Paa, dean of the Anglican Theological College in Auckland, New Zealand, urged the Episcopal Church to create a safe and inclusive space in which it might "consciously endeavor to engage public discourse," noting that "God's reconciling work still happens best between human beings who are fully present, full visible and fully vulnerable in the encounter."

Malaika Kamunanwire, director of communications for Episcopal Relief and Development, spoke about the church's response to "healing the brokenness that comes from disaster, disease, chronic hunger and poverty."

Alex Baumgarten, international policy analyst for the Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations, spoke about advocacy as a tool of reconciliation.

"The world possesses the knowledge, the resources and the strategies to end global poverty altogether. All it lacks is the political will," Baumgarten said, referring to the Millennium Development Goals that "recognize all of humanity's problems." He also  acknowledged the ONE Campaign, with which the Episcopal Church has partnered to establish ONE Episcopalian.

"Finding the heart of God" was the theme of an address by Bishop Thomas Shaw of Massachusetts, during which he described the witness of the Anglican Communion and "the reality that no one is alone. No one is isolated in God's gift of the worldwide Church."

He reminded the forum of the millions of Anglicans throughout the world, "who every day are making the heart of God a reality for serving and inspiring one another."

Music was provided by Isaac Everett, Stephen Hoevertz and Miles Kennedy.

-- Matthew Davies is international correspondent for the Episcopal News Service.

Lowell

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

Thursday morning thru 4:30

Thursday, June 15; Day 3; Morning through 4:30 p.m.

While over 1,000 people packed the hall to participate in last night's hearing about the Special Commission's report in response to the Windsor document, Pan Adams was chairing the Program, Budget & Finance (PB&F) spending hearings. Almost 150 people attended; 51 spoke addressing 28 different ministries over a 2 1/2 hour session. Tonight, PB&F will have a funding hearing to listen to how the church might fund its mission.

Our Prayer Book and Liturgy Committee hosted a hearing on resolutions that intend to reaffirm the words of the Prayer Book that Baptism is full initiation in the church. The intention is to bring together over the next three years a diverse forum of scholars and others to clarify the canons and constitutions and to promote a coherent model for lifelong formation, education and training for growth in faith.

The issue is that Baptism is the initiatory rite of the Church and Confirmation is a pastoral rite. A pastoral rite is not a credential rite, i.e. it is argued that it is inappropriate that one would be confirmed in order to do something that you couldn't do if you were not confirmed (like serve on the Vestry, be a Lay Eucharistic Minister, etc.)

Speaking in support of the resolution were three giants of liturgical scholarship, Louis Weil, Lionel Mitchell and John Westerhoff.

Dr. Weil said that we are still living into the theology of the Baptismal rite and Baptismal covenant which was fundamental to the creation of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Confirmation classes are too limited in scope to meet the lifelong need for formation. Formation needs a greater context. Too many people jump through the hoop to "get confirmed" and then graduate from continuing education and formation.

Hearing Dr. Mitchell trace the history of the development of the church's initiation rites was like listening to Thomas Jefferson talk about the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. He is concerned first that we confirm the integrity of the sacrament of baptism -- it is sufficient, says Mitchell.

Dr. Westerhoff says that Confirmation has been carrying too heavy a burden. A ritual should be focused -- to do one thing and to have related catechesis about that one thing. Confirmation has been used as the rite that is used (1) for a person to become an Episcopalian, (2) as a rite of passage into adult responsibility for a youth's faith, and (3) the completion of initiation. That's too much.

Then he gave us a quick teaching about catechesis (what we used to call "teaching" / the word means "christening"). Catechesis needs to be 3 things -- intentional, life-long, and related to rites of the church. There are three kinds of catechesis. (1) Formation (or Nuture) -- a natural process; we all learn one way or another. Formation is our participation and practice in our particular way of life. We we be formed in faith? How faithful will our formation be? (2) Education is critical reflection / self-critical reflection. Education demands change, and can be transforming. (3) Instruction or training, which gives us skills. Training is how we acquire knowledge (or credentials for tasks). We need all three in our life-long teaching and learning in the church.
___________________

At our morning Eucharist, Presiding Bishop Griswold preached on the feast of Evelyn Underwood. When he was 15, a priest lent him her book "The Life of Christ" which opened Frank's eyes to the interior life that energizes and sustains our life in the world. Underwood's study "Practical Mysticism" argued that all Christians are called to intimacy with Christ, not because it is what we want, but intimacy is what Christ wants. It is a misconception to equate mysticism only with visions or dramatic emotions. Everyone can be a mystic. Mysticism is our call to a relationship of reunion with Christ and with other Christians in the Holy Spirit, fostered in prayer. Our reading from Wisdom spoke of Wisdom not as a body of information, but a person, an embodied relationship pressing into "holy souls" which "makes them friends of God." Paul says that Christ is the Wisdom of God. John invites us into relationship with Christ -- abide wit me and I in you. In that same passage Jesus calls us friends. The Spirit draws us together as friends and as friends of God. How does that prepare us to be eager to serve the world in his name.

From noonday prayers meditation: "If you really want to know a people, you need to know for what they hope."
____________________

We've resumed legislative activity. So far pretty routine stuff. The most heat generated today is about a resolution calling for the development of materials "to assist the church to address anti-Jewish prejudice expressed in and stirred by portions of Christian scriptures and liturgical texts..." A substitute amendment was offered to omit the reference to scripture so as not to infer that there is any anti-Semitism in scripture. It was pointed out that we have a history of interpreting some scriptural passages in an anti-Semitic manner. We concurred with the House of Bishops' resolution that included the consideration of interpretations of scripture in those materials by a 68% to 32% margin.

Lunch break. First good sit-down meal I've had since I've been here.

We passed the first of the resolutions from the Special Committee #25 concerning our response to the Windsor Report. This resolution reaffirms that the Episcopal Church is a "constituent member of the Anglican Communion... making a commitment to the vision of interdependent life in Christ, characterized by forbearance, trust, and respect and commends the ideal expressed in Sections A and B of the Windsor Report as a means of deepening our understanding of that commitment."

Some statistics on the number of resolutions at this convention compared with 2003. We had 336 resolutions in 2003, 332 in 2006.

I'm going to take advantage of a break to send this email.

Lowell

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Wednesday Afternoon (this is out of chronological order)

Wednesday afternoon;
The next blog entry is about Wednesday night's hearing and is more recent. Sorry.



Ooops. I don't care for facts very much. (Myers-Briggs ENFP) I told our deputation about the hearing our committee was having with the fab four liturgists testifying. This was the John, Paul, George and Ringo of liturgy -- Weil, Hatchett, Mitchell and Westerhoff at 2:00. So Bishop Maze and about half our our deputation showed up in a nearly empty room. Wrong day. Wrong time. They'll be here tomorrow morning at 7:30. Did I say how far you have to walk to get to the Convention meeting locations? Or how slow the elevators are? Dennis Campbell said it took 10 minutes to get to the Hotel (they are a mile away); it took him 12 minutes to get to the Arkansas deputation room via elevator.

Our committee did some outstanding work to re-write the proposed betrothal/engagement ritual and replace a single proposed prayer with a whole group of prayers for persons serving in the military and a couple of prayers for those who are conscientious objectors.
We're voting for 12 persons to be elected to the Church Pension Fund. We have new electronic remote voting units. So far the error rate is nearly 20%. We're longing for good ole paper hanging chads. Great confusion. 800 strong willed persons trying to work something a little less complicated than your TV/DVD/CD/VCR remote.
We finally finished the vote after about 45 minutes of semi-chaos. After all of that, 96 of the 829 ballots were disqualified, so by our rules, we'll have a paper vote tomorrow. (Jesus didn't pick his 12 this way. Or... maybe that explains Judas?)

The leader of the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund gave us a moving presentation of the needs and possibilities for responding to the challenges of poverty, disaster and illness in the world. I'm hoping I can get a copy of his speech and some of the statistics. Compelling stuff.

In our most substantive action thus far, Pan Adams, the chair of the Program, Budget & Finance Commission presented the mission priorities for the church in the upcoming triennium. PB&F ranked the priorities in the following order:
1. JUSTICE AND PEACE: Promoting justice and peace for all of God's creation and continuing and accelerating the leadership role and programs of the Episcopal Church, which support the eight Millennium Development Goals in the dioceses of the Episcopal Church and in the world.
2. YOUNG ADULTS, YOUTH AND CHILDREN: Reaching out to young adults, youth and children through intentional inclusion and full incorporation in the thinking, work, worship and structure of the Church.
3. RECONCILIATION AND EVANGELISM: Reconciling and engaging those who do not know Christ by participating in God's mission of reconciling all things to Christ and proclaiming the Gospel to those who are not yet members of the church.
4. CONGREGATIONAL TRANSFORMATION: Revitalizing and transforming congregations through commitment to leadership development, spiritual growth, lifelong learning, dynamic and inclusive worship, greater diversity, and mission.
5. PARTNERSHIPS: Reaffirming the importance of our partnerships with provinces of the Anglican Communion and beyond and our relationships with ecumenical interfaith partners.

Wednesday Evening Hearing

Tonight was the big hearing for the Special Committee that is charged with crafting resolutions of response to the Windsor Report. The crowd was too large for the largest ballroom at the Hyatt Convention Hotel. Each diocese got five tickets for a reserved section. Most of the seats were "general admission." Many people could not get in.

My overall impression was to note that we may have a compromise that can stand up in the form of the report of the special commission. There was vigorous opposition from both sides of the debate. "Conservatives" complained that the language was unclear and should embody an unequivocal repentance and compliance with a conservative interpretation of the Windsor Report. "Liberals" complained that the recommendations are part of a conversation that has excluded the voices of gay and lesbian Anglicans and do not represent the testimony of the Holy Spirit. There were people from both "sides" who commended the report as a comprehensive compromise.

The report of the Commission was the result of much work and prayer by a diverse group that worked together to craft resolutions to consider in our response to Windsor. The report came out with unanimous support from that commission.

The resolutions that we were taking comment on tonight include these features:

We declare our intention to live into the highest degree of communion possible with the Anglican Communion and commit to interdependence.
We express "our own deep regret for the pain that others have experienced with respect to our actions at the General Convention of 2003 and we offer our sincerest apology and repentance for having breached the bonds of affection in the Anglican Communion by any failure to consult adequately with our Anglican partners before taking these actions."
"...the Episcopal Church regrets the extent to which we have ...contributed to strains on communion and caused deep offense to many faithful Anglican Christians as we consented to the consecration of a bishop living openly in a same-gender union. Accordingly we urge nominating committees, electing conventions, Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise very considerable caution in the nomination, election, consent to, and consecration of bishops whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."
We "affirm the need to maintain a breadth of private responses to situations of individual pastoral care for gay and lesbian Christians."
We "concur with the ...exhortation to bishops" not to "authorize public Rites of Blessing for same-sex unions, until some broader consensus in the Anglican Communion emerges."
Bishops who have authorized public diocesan rites are invited "to express regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached by such authorization.

(We didn't discuss the plan for delegated Episcopal pastoral oversight for congregations who are at odds with their own bishop. Nor the support of the Millennium Development Goals as part of our joint mission in the Anglican Communion. Nor did we directly address the commitment to an ongoing listening process or the possibility of the development of an Anglican Covenant. Nor a recommitment to several "full and equal claim" resolutions from previous General Conventions. Nor a resolution stating that "homosexual persons are entitled to equal protection of the laws with all other citizens." Those hearings were at another time. I'll try to get some reports.)

The chair Frank Wade opened the evening saying that our main activity would be listening. Our norms: respectful listening, undivided attention, no demonstrations of support or opposition, and the creation of a hospitable space. He quoted an old saying: "If two people agree on everything, one of them is not necessary.
_____________________________________________

Some comments from those who testified:

In 2003 the General Convention created a classical Anglican solution, incorporating compassion and compromise. It was a both/and policy rather than a parliamentary either/or. Take care not to abandon that.

Windsor said in clear language "stop." Our language saying "exercise considerable caution" is unclear.

Quoting Frank Wade -- We do need each other, and the Anglican Communion needs us to do more than simply say the same thing the Windsor Report is saying in a compliant single voice. Gay voices have been systematically excluded from every Anglican Communion forum for thirty years. When the primate of South Africa invited gay Anglicans to speak to Lambeth, they were not allowed. We need two voices to have conversation, not just compliance.

This set of resolutions is not perfect, but is comprehensive. It has unanimous support from a very diverse group. (comment from an openly gay deputy)

Saying that we regret our failure to consult the Anglican Communion is not the same as saying we regret our decision. We should say we regret our decisions in 2003.

We should have three more years of a moratorium on the consecration of new bishops. That will show how serious we are.

The motive of those who voted to consecrate Gene Robinson and to permit same-gender blessings was the movement of the Holy Spirit. To say that we regret such decisions would be to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, the only unforgivable sin.

One who had visited in Africa told of how hurt our brothers and sisters there were. But they appreciated our presence and our expressions of regret.

We should not repent of opposing oppression any more than Galileo should repent that the earth revolves around the sun or of the church's support of integration or women's equality.

Bob Duncan, the Bishop who heads the Network, said that we have come to an impossible place. There can be no resolution. Unless we comply fully with Windsor there must be a division. He and others will walk away. It is "comply or good bye."

Gene Robinson said the question is, do we recognize the light of Christ and the face of the creator in gay and lesbian Christians or do we not see in them, like we have come to see in black and women Christians, the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

A person with connections with the Anglican Consultative Council said that her contact believes that the Special Commission report fulfills the expectations of the Windsor Report and that it is an impressive balance of concerns which will be received positively overseas.

It is a good balance. It shies away from naming a moratorium on incorporation of gay people until a consensus occurs in the Anglican Communion, which means "never." And it shies away from saying that the Episcopal Church will simply go our own way. That path is the path of conversation.

In 2003 we acted as we sometimes criticize our government of doing, we acted unilaterally. It is hubris to declare that our understanding of the Gospel is superior to others.

The Windsor Report was prepared without the input of a single gay or lesbian voice. We were silenced.

For a true conversation to take place, Rabbi Ed Friedman said that you need three things: 1. Two people must face one another. 2. They must have some distance between them so that they can be heard. 3. Static must be minimized. There is nuance in both the Windsor Report and the Special Commission's report, and this responsible nuance creates space which allows conversation.
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The forum was handled in an atmosphere of respectful listening with the true sense that good committed Episcopalians come to very different conclusions about these important matters. There were no personal attacks nor was there anything that I heard that seemed inappropriate or unseemly. It was strong, passionate debate of the highest order.

Funny. We fell into chaos trying to operate voting instruments that were not much more complicated than a TV remote this afternoon. Then we stood up to the highest standards of truth-telling and respectful, passionate debate this evening.

Lowell

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

Tuesday nite & Wed morning, June 13-14

Tuesday evening, June 13

The House adjourned at 6:15 p.m.; some committees, including mine, began meeting at 7:00. Dinner was bourbon and cheetoes in the diocesan hospitality room (didn't get to go to U2 Eucharist)

The Prayer Book & Liturgy Committee debated the use of the Revised Common Lectionary becoming the Lectionary of the Episcopal Church by Advent, 2010. There is strong support for the use of the RCL because of its ecumenical nature, because most liturgical study resources are keyed to the RCL, because it includes more readings that focus on the stories of women in the Bible, because the Epistle readings are more coherent and divided in a more understandable manner, and because there is less material that can be interpreted as anti-Semetic. Our committee will move its adoption. (Our parish has been using RCL for some time; I personally prefer it.)

We also did almost two hours of creative work to edit and perfect a whole series of liturgical resources and prayers for pastoral purposes during life transitions. We also formed three sub-committees to work on areas that needed a little more attention. I am knocked out by the talent and breadth of knowledge and experience of the people on this committee. Good work. We finished about 9 p.m. The subcommittees will meet between then and 7:30 in the morning.

Earlier in the day, the Archbishop of Canterbury conveyed a message of greeting, assuring us of the prayers of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. He thanked us for the work our Commissions and Comittees have done in responding to the Windsor Process and encouraged us to work to find some "common convictions about what it is to live and into make decisions as the Body of Christ."

Public hearings about the Title IV disciplinary canon revisions are generating a great deal of hesitancy and argument. There is a great deal of energy in support of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals.
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Day 2, Wednesday, June 14 -- AM

7:30 a.m. legislative committees resume. Our committee took up the additions to Lesser Feasts and Fasts. I was particularly taken with origin of the nomination of Bertha & Ethelbert to the calendar. It is the result of a pilgrimage made by a group of young people to Canterbury Cathedral from their church in Frankfurt, Germany. The youth were so taken with the story of the French woman Bertha who established a chapel in Canterbury and then helped lead her husband Ethelbert to baptism, that the kids came home to write and perform a "rap" version of that story for their diocese. It is their diocese that has moved the adoption of the feast.

Except for the feasts that were approved at the previous Convention (Florence Li Tim-Oi, Janani Luwum, Philander Chase, William Temple, and Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis), all of the nominated feasts will be referred to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. That Commission is half-way through a full-scale revision of Lesser Feasts and Fasts. We approved the principles for the revision process.
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The morning Eucharist was celebrated partially in Spanish and partially in English, with music by a wind quartet (and organ) and once again a compelling series of projected images of art. Our feast is Basil of Caesearea. The preacher, the Rev. Miguelina Espinal picked up the themes from the reading from 1 Corinthians 2 -- "I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom... I came to you in weakness and fear... My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power." Rev. Espinal said that "our capacity to reason is weak and leads us to uncertainty." She said, "According to Jesus, this joy and wisdom which comes from the Holy Spirit is given to those who have simple and humble hearts. Jesus tells us that those with a humble heart recognize that they need God. The Gospel of Luke tells us that the poor are those with the simple and humble hearts. A humble person is one who has the capacity to maintain a spirit of kneeling before the Lord even though they are standing up right."

She reminded us that St. Paul's told us if we have all the knowledge in the world but do not have love we have nothing. Keep the message simple. She concluded with a story:

Diego had never been to the sea. His father, Santiago, took him on a journey to discover it. They traveled south. The sea was beyond the tall sand dunes, waiting for them. When the boy and his father finally stood at the peak of the tallest sand dune, the sea exploded before their eyes. The sea's vastness, beauty, and brilliance were so great, that the boy became silent. When he finally spoke he was so overwhelmed that he said to his dad, "Help me to see."

When we see the vastness of God's wisdom and love for us our natural response is to say to God, help us to see and understand.

During our table conversation, one person told a story about simple and humble hearts. A famous American scholar-theologian went to the East to learn of their wisdom. He went to the home of a guru to tell him of his purpose. The teacher invited him to tea. Silently the teacher began to pour the tea into the theologian's cup. Half full. Full. Then to the brim, as he continued to pour as tea, spilling over the edge and onto the tray. The theologian looked shocked. The teacher said, "You have come to me saying you wish to learn from me, but you come with your head full of your own ideas and opinions. Unless you can empty your own cup, there is no room in you for my teaching."
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As our morning Legislative Session opened, President Werner reminded us that this House does not do business as usual. We pause from time to time for silence and prayer. Applause is prohibited. There is no show of celebration overe the votes and decisions that we make, for as you walk from here, the person next to you may feel exactly the opposite from you, and that person is your brother/sister.

We passed a series of resolutions and funding to support World Mission pilgrimages, education materials and missionaries.

The chaplain's meditation was a timely one, telling a story of a youth mission trip. The group was rebuilding a porch for an elderly woman named Dorothy Williams. They rebuilt and painted her porch. When it was done, he noticed they had missed a spot on the inside corner of the porch. The only way to reach the spot was on his knees. He finished with two green knees. Not just any green, but outdoor, all weather, oil based green paint. Dorothy Williams saw his knees and said "wait." She brought baby oil and a rough cloth. Carefully, painfully kneeling on her own knees, the elderly woman scrubbed his knees clean -- an icon of caring service.

He quoted from St. Basil -- "If you seek to pursue the spiritual path independently, how can you show compassion, how can you show patience, how can you exercise humility." That's why being in church is better than taking a walk on Sunday morning, he said.
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We elected Bonnie Anderson to become the new President of the House of Deputies at the end of this General Convention.

We've adjourned for lunch. Our committee has a major open hearing with presentations from four of the church's great liturgical theologians at 2:00 -- Marion Hatchett, Lionel Mitchell, Louis Weil, and Carolyln Westerhoff talking about a resolution to define baptism as full initiation. That conversation raises the question -- what is the meaning of Confirmation? Rumor has it that these liturgical giants have very different approaches to the question.

Most of the legislation is still in committee, so work on the floor is slow. As the committees bring their reports, business will accelerate.

Tuesday; 1:15 p.m.


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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention

Tuesday, June 13; afternoon

Legislative committees reconvened at 2:00. We worked until 4:00 when the Houses reconvened in legislative sessions.

Our Liturgy and Prayer Book Committee had vigorous conversation about a creative series of liturgies and prayers for transitional passages in life. We couldn't quite finish our consideration in the time frame. A sub committee will be working to enhance one series of prayers. This is going to be some material that will be welcomed and used. Especially interesting is a Rite of Passage for a Significant Birthday which is informed by the Hispanic tradition of Qinceaneara (a girl's 15th birthday) and Fiesta Clavel (a boy's 15th birthday). There is also a fine liturgy for honoring elders.

I hear that there is energetic debate about some new disciplinary canons that would establish procedures which could include laity under these canons.

In a committee hearing about the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the invitation to encourage our institutions and individuals to commit to contribute 0.7%, a friend of mine, the Rev. Michael Russell, rector of All Souls' Church in San Diego, said there is "nobody more generous than poor people in Kenya, and every time we walked into their homes they fed us with hard boiled eggs -- the best food available to them. The question is: are we going to put the best food we have on the table?"

We had a cordial visit from the Archbishop of York, who is originally from Uganda. I'll try to find a copy of a fetching quote that he had, but was too long for me to take notes on it.

An hour of incredibly boring debate about Structure stuff. This is not a place for people with Type A personalities, ADHD, or behavior problems when they were in fifth grade. Perfectionists with high control needs are not helpful either on the big floor. They are very helpful in committee.

There are fifteen national flags behind the podium representing the nations that are part of the Episcopal Church. This is more than a national church. We are one of the most international provinces in the Anglican Communion.

I hoped to attend a "U2 Eucharist" sponsored by the Episcopalians for Global Relief this evening, but our committee is behind now, and we'll have to meet at 7 p.m. to get our resolution to the floor. I probably won't write again today unless something interesting happens. (or unless I get to go to the U2 Eucharist)


Lowell

Tue AM 1st Eucharist , 1st Session

Tuesday, June 13, Day 2, 12:30 a.m

Committee meetings began at 7:30 this morning. Our Prayer Book and Liturgy Committee polished a fine alternative to the Prayer Book's Celebration of New Ministry reflecting a the shared ministry of all the baptized as we welcome a new rector or other congregational leader. If passed the rite will be in the Enriching Our Worship under the title The Renewal of Ministry with the Welcoming of a New Rector (and "Rector" is in quotes, so it can be used flexibly).

The opening Eucharist of Convention began at 9:30. We used the lections for the Holy Spirit. Presiding Bishop Griswold preached.

Bishop Griswold opened with the express desire that we seek the mind of Christ. "It is dangerous to invoke the Holy Spirit. What if we were taken seriously?" he said. It may be that the Spirit may ask us for more than we want to give. After Jesus' baptism, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. In that place, Jesus said that his food would be to do the will of God. With that he initiated his ministry of reconciliation, which led him to the costly place of the cross. From the cross, Jesus holds us in an "unrelenting cosmic embrace."

Our Gospel was Luke's "ask, seek, knock" passage, which concludes "how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" Ask, seek, knock, said the Presiding Bishop. "How much more will God give the Holy Spirit? How much more will God give us unfolding truth. How much more will God give us unbounded love." (may not be an exact quote) He quoted the Galatians "fruit of the spirit" and challenged us, "How much more of the fruits of the Holy Spirit will we be able to bear?"

The Bishop wondered, when the prophet Isaiah announced "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me," might Isaiah have felt uncomfortable about what the Spirit was calling him to. Did he welcome the call to "bring good news to the oppressed." Possibly it was the Spirit pushing him toward the new demands of the Spirit. Jeremiah complained to God, "You have overpowered me!"

At this convention we have many points of view, many different hopes, and many who carry anxiety. We say that whatever that may be, these are expressions of Christ.

Bernard of Clairvaux taught that we must study "both the book of Scripture and the book of experience to read the marks of the Spirit." When we read these two books, we discover tensions. That reality means that we must exercise patience and generosity of spirit. Persons of genuine faith can disagree, yet we can maintain "the unity of spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians)

Bishop Griswold invoked the Holy Spirit, inviting each of us to invoke the Spirit to ask "what do I bring to this convention? What attitudes, opinions...?" We can we driven by urgencies that are unconscious. Ask the Spirit to raise these urgencies to our consciousness. Ask the Spirit for deeper knowledge. We will be given by the Spirit greater awareness, especially greater awareness of the gifts each of us bring. What gifts do I bring to this convention? Finally, the Bishop asked us to place what the Spirit gives us in our hands, and to extend our hands in offering to God.
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Following the sermon, we had a Bible Conversation Time at the tables. Part of what I shared referenced the reading from Isaiah 61, which speaks of "good news to the oppressed," and binding up "the brokenhearted." As we read those words, two groups of friends, with real names and faces, came to my mind. Among those feeling oppressed and brokenhearted are friends who feel like their church has left them, that it has abandoned the orthodox faith and abused the Anglican Communion. Also among those who have felt oppression and broken heartedness within the church for their whole lives are many gay and lesbian friends. What I want is for both of those groups to be bound together in the Good News.
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It is a wonderful thing to celebrate in Eucharistic worship with over 2,000 people. I found myself moved as we sang together. There was a Spirit of such earnestness and affection present. A solo violin played during part of the communion. Evocative projection pictures of images of original art works stimulated a sense of the Spirit as imagined in paint, sculpture, and glass. It was beautiful. I wondered. How hard might it be for those who intend to leave this beautiful church to be here touched by the liturgy and art of our shared worship. Our love of this church is deeply rooted. As has been the case for several conventions, there are some members of convention who do not participate in the convention Eucharists. They conduct an alternative service which is structured to be more consistent with their beliefs. For those who are there rather than here, especially those who plan to leave this communion, their absence would spare them pain, I can imagine. And yet, I also wondered, were they here, might the compelling power of the Eucharist be an opening for the movement of the Spirit toward reunion?
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Just after 11:15 the House of Deputies convened for the first time. The first orders of business are procedural and organizational.
Among the first dignitaries who had a role in the organizing were Pan Adams, chair of PB&F to move one election, and our won Harriet Neer, President of the Episcopal Church Women who are meeting nearby in their Triennial.

We've got the best seats in the enormous hall. One the back row, next to the water cooler and nearest to the bathrooms. We're also the closest delegation to the exit for quick getaways and early positions in lunch lines, and sitting next to the Youth delegation with their alternating bursts of energy and strained expressions of boredom. Great place to be.

Lowell


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At the bottom of each of these emails is a "comment" link. Click it and post your comment.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Keep us in your prayers.

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Clergy Deputy to General Convention