GC77: The Episcopal Church authorizes provisional rites for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships

In a strong mandate vote, the House of Deputies concurred with the House of Bishops and passed Resolution A049: Authorizing Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships.

The voting was done by orders (meaning the votes were counted separately between the Lay Deputies and the Clergy Deputies in the House). The results were as follows:

Order	Yes	No	Divided	%
Lay	86	19	5	78%
Clergy	85	22	4	76%

The proceedings were governed by the special resolution X023 which explained the way in which the debate and voting would be carried out. Specifically,

• Following the introduction of the legislation by the Committee (done by Ruth Meyers), a minority report shall be presented lasting no longer than four minutes. After which, debate shall be limited to 30 minutes.
• Each speaker shall be limited to two (2) minutes
• To the extent practicable the Chair shall recognize speakers of opposite views in alternate succession
• No procedural motion or ammendments shall be in order during the first 15 minutes of debate

A049 had already been debated and passed in the House of Bishops yesterday. All legislation before General Convention must be passed by both Houses in order for it to become law in our Church. So it was time for the House of Deputies to take on this matter and decide for the Church whether or not rites for the blessing of same-gender relationships would be permitted.

Many Deputies, both for and against, spoke before the House. It was pretty amazing to see the decorum displayed among the House as people spoke passionately, yet respectfully, to one another.

Ian Hallas, a Deputy from the Chicago Deputation, made an impassioned plea for passage of this resolution because "his sister deserves the same love that he receives from the Church" (referring to his sister's impending civil union and blessing).

Before we got to the actual vote, there were several procedural requests made which threatened to eat up so much time that the legislative session would have expired without a vote. It was agreed to vote by 'orders', and it was proposed that the various 'resolves' that were included in the Resolution be voted upon separately (which provides for a type of line item veto). But in the end, the Resolution was voted for in its entirety.

The vote results were announced right before the House was called to recess for the day. House members were quiet as the decision was read out. There were no shouts or clapping, nor any outburst that would have been considered insensitive or inappropriate to those present who may not have been in agreement with the outcome. I was very proud of my Church today.

So now the three-year provisional period begins. It will be very interesting to see how the larger Church responds to this. I am very grateful that our General Convention has taken this important step to truly living up to the statement "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!"

The 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church

Yes, it is that time once again, when literally thousands of representatives from the 110 dioceses that make up The Episcopal Church convene to discuss matters, both sacred and secular, that impact the spiritual and daily lives of Episcopalians across the globe.

And in addition to those representatives, whom we refer to as Deputies (and Alternate Deputies) and Bishops, are thousands of fellow church members who gather to participate in committee meetings and hearings, and watch the legislative process of our Church as we make decisions on Canon Law, church structure, liturgy, worship, ministries, and our common life together.

I will be attending as the First Alternate Lay Deputy for the Diocese of Chicago. I am very honored to have been elected to this responsibility and will be very engaged in the events and legislative process of the next two weeks. I am also very excited about the chance to worship with such a large body of the Faithful, as I know from past experience that the daily Eucharist is always a special time of connection with The Holy and with those in attendance.

It is also a wonderful time for fellowship and reunions, as we see old friends from across the globe and meet new friends as well. My mother used to be the priest at a parish in Indy, and she will be coming to spend time here. I am looking forward to seeing her and my aunt!

I will be posting my thoughts and reflections about the goings-on during General Convention. I do not pretend to be a liturgical, biblical, or legislative scholar. Just an Episcopalian with a sincere interest in the continuing ministry, witness, worship, and outreach by the members of this Christian body to the world as decreed by our Baptismal Covenant.

Stay tuned and we will travel this journey together. Feel free to respond to my posts and I will try to provide you with intelligent and cogent responses.

The Episcopal Youth Event 2011!

Every three years, the Episcopal Church hosts the Episcopal Youth Event (EYE). This youth conference is attended by youth from across the United States as well as many international churches who belong to the Episcopal Church (Taiwan, Haiti, Virgin Islands, Navajoland, Paris, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Honduras, among others). This usually means that between 1100-1500 youth and their adult leaders come together to work on leadership development, program and curriculum, mission opportunities, and experience amazing worship and engaging fellowship.

This year, the conference was held in Bethel University in Minneapolis, MN on June 22-26. And after the formal conference concluded, there was an additional 3-day mission trip opportunity for those who wished to participate. And during the conference itself, many attendees helped to build an energy self-sustaining house for a family in the city. It was designed with solar panels to generate more energy than was consumed by the homeowner. We worked with Habitat for Humanity on this project. What an awesome ministry to be a part of.

For me, it was such a treat, and something I had been waiting for since the last "EYE" back in 2008. It is a chance to reconnect with youth and adults involved in youth ministry from all over the place. The chance to see friends from other dioceses that I only get to see every couple of years is just priceless. And you learn so much from just talking and sharing stories and ideas! The workshops were numerous and I attended many of them. I particularly enjoyed the workshops on game leadership and 'dorky dancing' (yeah, it sounds funny but it was an awesome workshop on movement and engaging youth in fun activities that build community). These kinds of events really recharge my batteries for mission and remind me why I love Youth Ministry and the Episcopal Church.

The Diocese of Chicago brought a group of 11 to the conference this year, along with several others who were there serving in staff roles for the event. The Bishop of Chicago, the Rt. Reverend Jeffrey Lee was also with us -- how cool is that!! But more than anything, I love the young people that came on this trip. They are fun, smart, crazy, faith-filled, and amazing! And, we were lucky enough to pick up youth from the Diocese of Milwaukee on our way so the bus was full of cool people!

We got there on Wednesday the 22nd, just in time for dinner. Our first 'adventure' was at 2AM on Thursday, when the fire alarm in our building/dorm went off. We did not know it at the time, but a tree had fallen outside the building and hit an external gas line. Some kids smelled gas and the staff immediately went into action, getting everyone out of the building and alterting the fire department/police. The end result was that no one was hurt and after 1.5 bours, we were allowed to return to our beds and try to get some sleep. Sleep was fleeting; so Thursday was tough since I hadn't gotten enough sleep, AND, I ran 2.5 miles in the early morning before breakfast. (The campus at Bethel is beautiful; with running paths through green grass, tall trees, and besides a lake. It was a nice run. In fact, I ran another 3.5 miles on Saturday just because it was such a relaxing location.)

Our opening Worship on Thursday morning was celebrated by our Presiding Bishop. the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori. Her sermon was inspiring and her presence among us just electrified the entire community. The cool thing about our worship together was that all the services were fantastic! The music was awesome! What a music team! And the speakers were all great, especially Rodger Nishioka who spoke on Friday and really energized the faithful!

On Saturday, we enjoyed an outdoor cookout for dinner, followed by the Episcopal Olympics. I have to admit that by Saturday evening, I was really tired so I opted to take a little nap while everyone else jumped into the games. I wanted to be awake for the closing liturgy that night. And it did not disappoint. Wow!! I have a bunch of video from the worship services which I will work on getting published on my YouTube channel and FaceBook when I can find a good chunk of editing time. I also have around 600 photos to weed through so I can put together a nice photo album on FaceBook for everyone to enjoy.

The bus ride home was fun but a bit subdued. Everyone was tired and little sad that we were leaving all the friends that we had made during the conference. Most of the youth were staying and working at our Diocesan Summer Camp so that was something they were looking forward to (the bus was taking us to the Camp).

EYE was exciting, exhausting, energizing, and enriching! I cannot WAIT for EYE 2014!! No date or location have been announced yet but I plan on being there!

Holy Baptism Episcopal-style

I listened to my friend Rick Moyer's podcast this week called "Take Him With You". He is doing a multi-part segment called "Spiritual Bootcamp" where he explains the key tenants of the Christian Faith. The podcast is focused towards the unchurched where he shares his faith and discusses Spirituality in a non-threatening, non-preachy, and non 'religious' way.

This week he was talking about Baptism. He explained some of the origins of Baptism, where it is referred to in the Bible, and drilled down to the essentials of its importance. He talked a bit about Episcopalians in the podcast and suggested that I send in an audio comment explaining Baptism in the Episcopal Church. So I did! Below is what I sent him (note: I am no theologian so hopefully I did not misrepresent anything):

Holy Baptism was instituted by Jesus after His resurrection, when He appeared to His disciples and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:18-20). He went on to say “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

Another important Scripture verse that addresses Baptism is in John 3:5 where Jesus says to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” All of these actions by Jesus are why we see Holy Baptism as a Sacrament within the Church, just like the Eucharist or Holy Communion. In fact, these are the two major Sacraments in the Episcopal Church. (There are five other Sacraments).

We believe that one is only baptized once as a Christian. It does not matter which faith tradition baptized you. Once you are part of the Body of Christ, there is no further need to ‘redo’ that membership. For those who wish to formally join the Episcopal Church from another tradition, we ‘receive’ them into the church as opposed to baptizing them.

We baptize people of all ages when they request it. It is true that it is our tradition to baptize babies into the Body of Christ. This is done so that they can share in the New Covenant, in membership in the Body of Christ, and receive redemption by God (the whole original sin concept). During the service, promises are made on their behalf by their parents and sponsors (godparents), who guarantee that the infants will be brought up within the Church, to know Christ and be able to follow him.

Then later, as you stated, when youth are old enough to make their own faith affirmation, there is a separate process called Confirmation, where they profess their belief in Jesus Christ as their Savior in front of the church and usually a Bishop.

During a Baptism, the person being baptized states their faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they renounce Evil and the Devil, and they commit themselves to following God’s will. Then, using water, the person is either immersed or sprinkled three times, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus instructed in Matthew. Then the person is anointed with Holy Oil marking them as God’s child forever. And then we pray for the newly baptized.

It is a very powerful service, and the community witnessing baptism is encouraged to recommit themselves as it reminds us all of our responsibilities as Christians in this world.

I wanted to share with you part of the prayers that are said towards the beginning of the service. I think they are pretty cool and explain why water is such an important symbol in Christianity as a whole.

“We thank you, Almighty God, for the gift of water. Over it the Holy Spirit moved in the beginning of creation. Through it you led the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt into the land of promise. In it your Son Jesus received the baptism of John and was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah, the Christ, to lead us, through his death and resurrection, from the bondage of sin into everlasting life.

We thank you, Father, for the water of Baptism. In it we are buried with Christ in his death. By it we share in his resurrection. Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit. Therefore in joyful obedience to your Son, we bring into his fellowship those who come to him in faith, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Now sanctify this water, we pray you, by the power of your Holy Spirit, that those who here are cleansed from sin and born again may continue for ever in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Anyway, I hope I wasn’t too wordy here. I hope this provides a little clarity around how the more mainline Christian denominations like the Episcopal Church view Holy Baptism. Thanks for allowing me to share this.

I wish all of you a meaningful Holy Week and a joyous Easter as we celebrate the Resurrection and New Life in Jesus Christ.

The Episcopal Church leads the way

I saw this article in The Episcopal Cafe and just had to repost it...

Marion Hatchett, a beloved professor of liturgics at Sewanee and a key figure in the development of the 1979 Prayer book and the 1982 Hymnal has some words of exhortation for the Episcopal Church.

Quoting a speech he gave at General Seminary earlier this year:

"The American Church jumped way out ahead of the Church of England and other sister churches in a number of respects. One was in giving voice to priests and deacons and to laity (as well as bishops and secular government officials) in the governance of the national church and of dioceses and of parishes. The early American Church revised the Prayer Book in a way that went far beyond revisions necessitated by the new independence of the states.

At its beginning the American Church legalized the use of hymnody along with metrical psalmody more than a generation before use of 'hymns of human composure' became legal in the Church of England. At an early stage the American Church gave recognition to critical biblical scholarship.

The American Church eventually gave a place to women in various aspects of the life of the church including its ordained ministry. The American Church began to speak out against discrimination against those of same-sex orientation, and the American Church began to make moves in establishing full communion with other branches of Christendom.

Historically the American Church has been the flag-ship in the Anglican armada. It has been first among the provinces of the Anglican Communion to take forward steps on issue after issue, and on some of those issues other provinces of Anglicanism have eventually fallen in line behind the American Church. My prayer is that the American Church will be able to retain its self-esteem and to stand firm and resist some current movements which seem to me to be contrary to the principles of historic Anglicanism and to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures."
---------

I am proud of the leadership my church continually offers to the larger Anglican (and Christian) community.

Ubuntu, Odds n Ends, and Farewell

Well today was a busy one! Pat Abrams let me be a "Deputy for the Day" and it was really a cool thing to be on the floor of the House of Deputies, working through the budget, voting on lots of resolutions, electing people to offices within the Church, etc. We had two sessions today (thankfully a third 'evening' session was not required). And afterwards, I enjoyed dinner at an Indian restaurant, followed by a U2charist. We ended the day at our deputation meeting room where we debriefed 'our day', ate some munchies, and sang some 'creative' renditions of songs with an 'Ubuntu' flavor.

All in all, it was a great but tiring full day of Convention. Tomorrow, I will return to my Alternate status and sit for the morning legislative session with my fellow alternates while the House of Deputies debating Resolution C056 regarding same-gender blessings, which was passed by the House of Bishops on Wednesday. Then I take my leave of Anaheim and return to Illinois where seeing my family (a nice rest in my own bed) will be most welcome.

I want to thank the Diocese of Chicago for electing me as an Alternate Deputy to General Convention. It has been a blessed honor to serve.

Final Thoughts

Ubuntu!! "You in me and I in You." The theme for our Convention. A statement about our connectedness as human beings, as children of God, as fellow Episcopalians, as part of God's creation, as companions in Mission.

Our deputation has really gotten into Ubuntu (and I suppose Ubuntu has gotten into us as well). We have had a lot of fun together as we worked long hours for the past ten days. We have supported one another, laughed together, broken bread together, sang songs together. And I for one will really miss the camaraderie and the sense of community that we have developed.

This Convention has been full of experiences of Ubuntu. Sharing ministry stories with folks from Chicago. Discussing legislation and the state of our Church with my fellow Alternate Deputies at our 'table'. Having breakfasts with my mother, aunt, and cousin. Hanging out with youth from Western Michigan, Oregon, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Experiencing the daily Eucharist with thousands of Episcopalians. Sharing some 'Harry Potter love' at a midnight showing with friends. Reconnecting with friends that I probably wouldn't otherwise see if it weren't for General Convention.

I learned a lot. I learned more about the Church that I love -- its successes and its challenges. I have also gained greater insight into what makes me excited about ministry, and have seen that the Love of Jesus Christ is alive and well in the Episcopal Church. But mostly, I have learned that the Spirit does work in community and we can move forward in faith knowing that God is with us.

Got Ubuntu? The Diocese of Chicago does!

Bishops pass same-gender blessings resolution

In their afternoon legislative session yesterday, 104 bishops voted to begin the development and collection of resources same-gender blessings (30 bishops voted No and 1 abstained). They amended the original text of the resoluton (Resolution C056) that was crafted within the Prayer Book, Liturgy, and Music committee. Now it is up to the House of Deputies to concur or reject the resolution. The House is scheduled to act upon the resolution in their Friday morning session.

Part of the amended text of the resolution includes wording to provide 'pastoral generosity' towards bishops of dioceses which cover states that have legalized same-gender marriage so that they can provide pastoral care for LGBT parshioners who have married in a civil ceremony. This addition to the resolution may make Resolution D012, which made this very request, no longer necessary if C056 passes without modification in the House of Deputies.

Many amendments were considered and rejected, including a motion to throw the entire Resolution out. But given the 3-to-1 postive vote, it seems clear that the bishops ar ready to seriously investigate ways of responding to the call for blessings between LGBT couples in lifelong, committed relationship that reflec the Love of Jesus Christ.

Note that passage of this resolution does not specifically authorize the adoption of same-gender blessings, just the process of gathering and reviewing such rites. What is gathered/developed will then be distilled into proposals for the next General Convention to consider. (Those dioceses in states that have legalized same-gender marriage will have some flexibility in responding to their specific pastoral situations.)

Click here to view the amended Resolution. You will be able to see the strikeouts in order to appreciate which sections of the original resolution were modified by the House of Bishops.

Budget revealed -- the challenge is before us

The challenge to move forward in faith, utilizing the resources we have wisely in time, talent, and treasure to fulfill our mission priorities over the next triennium.

The budget committee shared an opening statement to a joint session of both Houses on Wednesday at 2:30pm that summarized the focus and motivation behind the recently released budget for the Episcopal Church for 2010-2012. The total budget comes to $140M (which is down from the $163M that was originally estimated).

For me, the key paragraph that cuts to the chase was, "For each new challenge, there is a new opportunity. The economic environment and its effects on the financial resources available to the Budget for the next Triennium call the Church to take a very close look at all that we do, how and where we do it, whether or not certain activities should continue, and how programs might be done more effectively by a network of service organizations. This work was hard, and more often than not, painful."

It is painful. The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance (PB&F) had a difficult task, and the results were not totally unexpected. Programs have had their funding reduced or cut altogether. Significant staff reductions -- some estimate around 30 -- at the national church offices corresponding with those cuts are happening. I do not think there is anyone who is not going to be affected by the fiscal reality we are going to live with for the next three years.

The Budget committee was very clear to state that while these changes will cause us to become more efficient in the ways we move forward in mission, they are NOT 'value statements' about the quality or efficacy of those programs that have been cut or reduced.

Some positive things listed in the budget were:

The Millenium Development Goals have been restored in the budget, with .07% allocated to address poverty

Seed money was allocated in support of Hispanic communities

$200,000 was earmarked to assist seminarians with debt relief

$3 million was allocated for legal fees associated with property protection for dioceses

Some painful cuts listed included:

Funding for General Convention was reduced by almost $2 million

Womens Ministries was cut from the budget entirely

Lay Ministry was cut from the budget entirely

Anti-Racism and Racial/Gender Justice and Equailty was reduced by $800,000

Evangelism & Congregational Life was reduced by $5 million

National Church Center services/functions were reduced by $9 million

The Diocesan 'asking' -- what dioceses are asked to give to the National Church -- is going to be reduced over a three year period. Year 1 will remain at the current 21% level. Year 2 will be lowered to 20%. Year 3 will be lowered to 19%. It is hoped that this will help the dioceses.

The committee suggested some 'out of the box' thinking when it comes to General Convention and the various committees that meet during the period between Conventions. Travel expenses have been reduced for CCABs to cover only 2 face-to-face meetings so the use of conference calling, video conferencing over the Internet, etc. is going to be encouraged. Some other items include:

The 77th General Convention will be reduced from 10 days to only 8 days to help save on expenses at both the Diocesan and National level.

The 'Blue Book' containing resolutins, committee reports, etc. will only be made available online

Free Wifi will be made available during General Convention

A strong push for a 'paperless' Convention will be encouraged

On Thursday, deputies will be able to request for changes to the budget. The catch is: for every dollar you request be added in one area, you will also have to identify where those dollars are coming from elsewhere in the budget. There is no extra money laying around and the budget must be balanced. So while the discussions on the floor will likely demonstrate the pain people will be feeling, I am highly doubtful that anything in the budget will be changed.

The budget should be published on the Episcopal Church website at some point in the near future (probably after tomorrow's debate is finished and the budget is passed in both Houses).

Church passes Denominational Health Plan

The General Convention just passed resolution A177 calling for the establishment of a Denominational Health Plan that would be mandatory for all dioceses, covering both lay and clergy employees. This implementation will follow a 3-year transition plan so that in the end, all dioceses will offer this one plan for medical coverage. This plan will be managed by the Church Pension Fund which has continually demonstrated its ability to handle financial dealings of the Church most effectively. (Click here for more details)

The mandatory nature of this plan is important from a cost perspective. The higher the participation level, the better the rates will be for both the Church and its employees in the plan. Things like plan deductibles, monthly fees, and details around what types of services are covered can be significantly affected by the number of people enrolled in the plan.

I am definitely not a Healthcare specialist. But having worked closely with the Human Resources department at my company, I can tell you that the Church Pension Fund will be quite busy as the plan manager for this Health Plan. One of the things I would be most concerned about are the cost of the plan, the benefits it actually covers, how pre-existing conditions are handled, how many doctors/hospitals accept the plan, and how emergency care is handled. I have not seen a Summary Plan Document (SPD) and without that, these questions remained unanswered for me. (Perhaps the Deputies received this document and not the Alternates).

Overall, I like the 'idea' of this plan but without having the details in front of me, it is difficult to get too excited at this point.

Chicago youth travel to Anaheim

Last Friday, a group of 13 young people and their youth ministers descended upon the Anaheim Convention center. The Diocese of Chicago has always found ways to support youth who demonstrate an interest in the church, its beliefs, and its polity. Chicago youth have been to the last three General Conventions attending legislative sessions, testifying at committee hearings, and discussing issues with deputies and bishops.

Sue Cromer, Canon for Youth, Young Adult, Campus Ministries, and Summer Camp for the Diocese of Chicago is responsible for making these and other leadership development opportunities available to the youth of our Diocese.

When they arrived, they spent time with the Chicago Deputation to gain a sense of what had already transpired at Convention and what hearings and legislation were likely to surface while they were here. They wasted no time getting 'plugged in.'

It wasn't all business, however. They also spent time in fellowship with the Official Youth Presence and other young people at Convention. They attended the big Sunday Eucharist celebrated by the Presiding Bishop. And they participated in a Latin Festival being held in Anaheim, enjoying a variety of food, music, and cultural events.

Because most of the youth are also on camp staff at the Diocesan 'Camp Chicago' Summer Camp program, they left for Illinois Monday morning -- bringing stories to share with the campers coming to camp tomorrow.

Episcopal Church a step closer to full inclusion!

The last few days have been very eventful. It started in the House of Deputies on Sunday afternoon when in a vote by orders (meaning votes were counted by diocese, lay and clergy) resulted in the passing of Resolution D025: Commitment and Witness to Anglican Communion.

This resolution (text can be found here) affirms our relationship with the Anglican Communion. It also affirms the reality of gay and lesbian members of our community living in lifelong committed relationships, and, affirms that God has called and may call such individuals to any ordained ministry in the Church.

The voting in the House of Deputies was:
In the laity, 50 votes required for passage. 77 voted for, 31 voted against.
In the clergy, 49 votes required for passage, 74 voted for, 35 voted against.

On Monday afternoon, the resolution was discussed in the House of Bishops. The bishops made an amendment to the resolution, and in a bold move, passed the resolution! The voting in the House of Bishops was 99 bishops in favor, 45 bishop dissenting, and 2 bishops abstaining. The social networking service Twitter was ablaze with the news. This occurred towards the end of the legislative seesion in the House of Deputies so news traveled quickly to the larger House.

The amended resolution will now be referred back to the House of Deputies where they will have to review the amendment and vote to "Concur" or "Reject". So the final decision is in the hands of the House of Deputies. If the amended resolution passes, then this will effectively nullify the 2006 Resolution B033 (which issued a moratorium on the consecration of gay/lesbian bishops).

Stay tuned!

Youth make themselves heard!

The President of the House of Deputies, Bonnie Anderson, gave us some sobering statistics about the membership of our house. Some of interest were that about 80% of the deputies in the House were age 65 or more. Less than 3% were under the age of 35. Even less than that -- 2% -- were less than age 25. That is not a good indication of how involved youth and young adults are in the legislative process of our church.

But that 2% are doing all that they can and people are paying attention!

Last General Convention, Mr. Ian Hallas was the first youth elected Alternate Deputy for the Diocese of Chicago. This time, he is the second youngest full Deputy at Convention. The youngest deputy is a friend of mine, Olivia Adams, in the Diocese of Western Michigan (also in Province V). Ian and Olivia are fine examples of the kind of energy, intelligence, and passion that our church needs to move forward and keep the Episcopal Church relevant both now and into the future.

In addition to youth deputies sprinkled throughout the House, the Official Youth Presence (made up of two young adults from each Province) is also on the floor of Convention. While they have seat and voice, they do not yet have vote in the House. Resolution D066 hopes to change that. If passed in both Houses (in two consecutive General Conventions), it will grant the Youth Presence vote.

Other resolutions regarding young people in the church are:

B003: Camping Ministries
This resolution would direct the Youth Formation Area of the Evangelism and Congregational Life Center to help dioceses to develop currciulum, training, and resources for camp programs. Chicago has been fortunate to have a wonderful Summer Camp program in place for many years.

D064: Youth Meeting in Europe
This resolution includes many young adults actions including recommending 30 young adults make a pilgrimage to Geneva Switzerland to engage with organizations like the World Council of Churches and the World Health Organization in implementing the Millenium Development Goals. All activities are designed to help build leadership skills and a deepening of faith through engagements in the work of the Church.

D065: Youth Seat, Voice, and Vote on Vestry
This resolution directs that each congregation create at least one youth seat on their Vestry or Bishop's Committee. This seat(s) would include voice and vote for a one year term for a youth between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. Here in the Diocese of Chicago, we wrote and passed a similar resolution and have authorized youth on Vestry for over five years now.


At Monday's morning legislative session, Mr. Zach Brown and Ms. Carolyn Chu addressed the House of Deputies with empassioned speeached on the vitality and importance of youth and young adult participation in the life of the Church. One quote I particularly liked was "It's our job to show you our interest; it's your job to give us the opportunity."

Young people have been showing their love and dedication to the Episcopal Church during this Convention. The other 80% of the House is taking notice. This is a good thing! Let's work to empower more youth to get engaged in mission and involved in the life of our church -- at the parish, diocesan, and national levels!

Budget cuts expected to be 'draconian'

At the afternoon Legislative Session, a letter from the Program, Budget, and Finance (PB&F) was read aloud to the House of Deputies. It was reported that the actual budget shortfall is closer to $14 million and that significant cuts will be made across the spectrum of the budget.

It was also suggested that the 'diocesan asking' may be reduced (the amount each diocese is asked to contribute to the church) in hopes that a lower 'asking' might result in more dioceses actually paying it in full. This diocesan asking is the primary source of income for the national church.

The budget committee is digging in deep, working well past midnight to come up with the budget that they plan to announce to a joint session of the House of Deputies/Bishops on Wednesday's afternoon Legislative Session. In fact, the budget has been completed and is now being printed in preparation for Wednesday. In addition to broad cuts, it is likely to contain 'creative proposals' for reducing the costs of the next General Convention as well as the expenses associated with the various committess and task forces that will meet over the next three years.

After the budget is announced on Wednesday, we will all know and feel the pain that these economic times, and the impact of reduced giving and membership, have wrought. I doubt anyone will come out unaffected. Lack of funds will certainly impact resolutions with financial implications, which in turn will impact the way we fulfill out mission in the next three years.

The rubber is about to hit the road.

And so it begins!

Wednesday was the first official day of General Convention. We had a short Legislative Session in the morning where the House got itself organized and ready to conduct business. Then we went to the daily Eucharist which was led by the Presiding Bishop who gave a very good sermon.

I ran into Bishop Persell and Nancy at the service. They were looking very well and happy to be part of the Convention. I also ran into another good friend from the past -- Fr. Jim Friedrich and his wife. Jim is well known for his work with Cathedral Films but my favorite memories are of him are as one of the assistants at St. Johns in Los Angeles, my home parish as a child.

Highlights for me

Budget Priorities

The House of Deputies approved the mission priorities for the Church which will guide the Budget allocations during Convention. These priorities are:

• Networking the members of the body of Christ


• Alleviating poverty and injustice


• Claiming our identity


• Growing congregations and the next generations of faith


• Strengthening governance and foundations for ministry

Now it goes to the House of Bishops for their consideration. A full description of each priority can be found here.

The Archbishop of Canterbury speaks to Convention

The opportunity to hear from the Archbishop of Canterbury who gave an insightful assessment of our world today -- we are in a crisis of truthfulness. We all need to get back to a place where our actions and behaviors are based on 'mutual attention' to the truths in our relationships, to the world we live in, and to the 'Common Good'. We, the Body of Christ, were made so that what is given to us is then given to others in turn.

Hearing on Resolution B012

At 2pm today, testimony was heard during the hearing for Resolution B012: Pastoral Generosity. This resolution is in response to recent State Supreme Court decisions legalizing marriage between same-sex couples. This has been done in six states thus far, with more states expected to follow suit in the near future.

Bishops in these dioceses are asking the church for 'pastoral generosity' to give them permission to authorize marriage rites for LGBT couples who have entered into civil marriage and would like to have their marriages recognized and celebrated in their church. Without passage of this resolution, priests and bishops face a serious pastoral challenge in responding to their parishioners. How can they discriminate against a segment of their communities of faith when it comes to the Sacrament of Marriage?

Hundreds of people showed up for the hearing. Many, like myself, had to stand outside the meeting room and strain to listen to the testimonies. Laypersons, priests, and bishops -- including Bishop Gene Robinson -- spoke in favor of the resolution. Many shared the pain they have endured as a result of not being able to celebrate their bond of matrimony in and with their church communities.

Concerns on my mind

1. We have a $9M shortfall in the budget. This means drastic cuts. The question will be 'where' the cuts will be reflected. One area I worry about? The draft budget proposal has cut all financial support for black colleges that the church helped to establish long ago. These colleges, like St. Pauls College, Voorhees College, and St. Augustine have been hard hit by the economic crisis. State funding has dried up or been drastically reduced while demand for improved curriculum, higher enrollments, and operating costs have increased. Given the church's mission priorities, it seems inconsistent that we would cease to fund educational institutions that help people escape the bonds of poverty and despair. I believe funding needs to be reinstated and even increased if possible.


2. We need to recommit ourselves as a Diocese and as a Church to eliminate institutional racism. We need to dedicate the time, talent, and treasure required to continue moving forward in this very important goal and to show others how to do the same.


3. We need to ensure the equal access for all the children of God to all Sacraments of the Church. How can the church call upon its clergy to discriminate against a segment of their congregations by denying them the Sacrament of Marriage? All people are created in the image of God. I liked Bishop Gene Robinson's comment during the hearing today, "Marriage equality is a reality coming to a state near you."

It's all about Ubuntu!

Yesterday I got on a plane and flew to Anaheim, CA in preparation for the upcoming 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church. General Convention meets every three years and is the legislative body that votes on the Canons and laws that govern the church. General Convention is similar to the United States government in structure -- two houses -- where votes are cast for legislation. There is the House of Deputies (with both clergy and lay deputies) and the House of Bishops. Legislation must be passed by both houses in order to become law. Our governing body is widely considered to be the largest in the world with over 1000 deputies.

So anyways, yesterday was mostly a day of fellowship, reconnecting with friends, and preparing for the days ahead. It was also the first day of Registration for deputies and bishops. So after getting my badge, document binder, and other materials, I spent most of the day reading and getting my schedule entered into my iPhone.

Today was the Opening Day for Convention. Legislative Committees are already meeting. I attended the Prayer Book, Liturgies, and Music committee meeting in the morning. One of the main decisions made today was the date for the Hearings on resolutions pertaining to Same Sex Blessings. It appears that these will take place on Thursday at 2pm. It is anticipated to take the entire two-hour period allocated.

Also interesting is that the Hearings on the resolutions pertaining to Resolution B033: Exercise Restraint in Consecrating Candidates (from the last General Convention in 2006) are scheduled on the same day -- Thursday evening at 8pm. It is going to be a very busy day on Thursday indeed!

This afternoon, Convention opened with addresses by the Presiding Bishop Schori and the President of the House of Deputies, Bonnie Anderson. We were introduced to the theme of Convention: Ubuntu.

ArchBishop Desmond Tutu, when speaking of Ubuntu, said "One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity."

Then we received an introduction to Public Narratives -- a participatory, vision-focused dialogue on the Mission of the Church which was directed by the last General Convention in Resolution D043. These Mission Conversations are designed to help articulate our commitment to mission by sharing a person's individual faith journey, the values of our community, and how we choose to 'act' in response. During this Convention, all deputies will learn this method of 'sharing our story' as well as how to help others articulate their own stories.

Tonight, there will be more Legislative Committee meetings. I haven't yet decided which one I will attend. Lastly, there is a meeting for Deputies of Color which I will attend -- where we discuss legislation that may have important impacts upon minority ministries, issues of social justice, and progress towards anti-racism within the Church. It will also be nice to meet up with old friends.

Tomorrow will be our first FULL day of committees, legislative sessions, etc. More then!