ONLY ONE DAY LEFT

DAY 9 – Thursday, July 16

One more day to go and still a fair amount of legislation to complete.  We did not have the extra session tentatively placed in the schedule this evening so there must be some hope that we will be able to complete all or most yet to be considered.

I did have an afternoon session on the floor a few days ago thanks to deputy Barb Cavin and otherwise the seat in the alternate area is excellent for access to the proceedings.  We are given the same print materials as deputies and I’ve had a good time meeting those seated close to me.  Getting to know an alternate from Texas has been a window into the experience of someone from a very different diocese and social atmosphere related to the issues I follow closely.  We’ve decided to connect on Facebook as well.

As an aside, these two weeks have provided major educational leaps into the technology present.  Those including learning how to google from my phone, how to send photos from the phone, and a longer list related to the many functions available on both the phone and netbook previously unknown.

This afternoon the legislation before us included the budget for the next 3 years, and then a number of reports and resolutions on issues that reflect our diaconal bridge between the church and the wider community.  Here are some that we passed :

D048 – Calling for adoption of a single payer universal health care system in this country. 

C020 – Human Rights : Condemnation of Torture

C023 – Calling for the Repeal of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)

D096 – Prevention of Domestic Violence

B031 – Hope for Reconciliaton in Honduras

D047 – Support and Expansion of Episcopal Service Corps

Hopefully in addition to the progress made on full inclusion issues, these help show a church in action beyond itself.

The worship services continue to be a high point for me personally, especially in meeting deacons from all over the country.   Bishop Steven Charleston’s sermon yesterday is available at the Episcopal News website and is well worth the time viewing it.  It’s the only one so far drawing a standing ovation, although all have had significant impact.

More alleluias!

Thalia Johnson

The Pressure is On

Today is Tuesday. We adjourn Friday. The House of Deputies finally made it out of Legislative Calendar Day 4  and into Day 5. If you’re keeping track, we’re now (just) beginning to work on legislation that was scheduled for Sunday. That is not unusual for General Convention – with over eight hundred deputies and a bunch of bishops.

Folks are getting a bit testy.

President of the House of Deputies, Bonnie Anderson, said the chair is getting tired of time-wasting activities like points of inquiry about things that a deputy could find out about from a senior deputy (or reading the constitution, canons or rules of order — or just thinking), points of order, points of personal privilege et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Body parts are beginning to complain. The pedal extremities are loudest at the moment. Gluteus maximus is not far behind (pun intended). And the list goes on.

What’s happening? Yesterday, the House of Deputies passed and sent to the House of Bishops a resolution crafted by Deputies Rebecca Snow (Alaska) and Ruth Myers (Chicago). The resolution goes by the moniker “D025″ (the “D” stands for a resolution proposed by a Deputy). The resolution is widely touted as being the answer to the last minute action in 2006 in Columbus known as B033. (At the end of this post, I’ll list some web addresses where you can look up the texts of current and past resolutions. The current session’s resolutions are actually updated – almost in real time – as they are acted upon.)

The House of Bishops amended resolution D025 and sent it back to the House of Deputies. The House of Deputies concurred with the amended resolution on a vote by orders. (It only takes three deputations – say Michigan, Northern Michgan and Eastern Michigan – agreeing to force a vote by orders.) That means that the four lay deputies and the four clergy deputies in each deputation vote separately (full disclosure: some dioceses  – particularly off shore dioceses – do not send all eight deputeis, so numbers vary). It takes one more than half the votes votes in an order to reach a decision; otherwise it is a divided vote. Divided votes count as negative votes. Consequently it is significantly more difficult to pass a resolution under a vote by orders.

On D025, the vote in the lay order was 77 yes, 21 no and 9 divided. The motion passed in the lay order by 72 percent. In the clergy order the vote was 77 yes, 19 no, and 11 divided. The motion also passed in the clergy order by 72 percent. For those who have been waiting for some recognition that all God’s baptized children deserve access to all the sacraments (even, if elected, consecration as a bishop) this was a momentous step forward.

Holy Women and Holy Men, a trial liturgy that includes a big bunch of new saints, is making its way through the legislative process. Those resolutions started in the House of Bishops and are just now making it to the House of Deputies. For the most part they are moving along fairly smoothly. One resolution on propers was amended so it has to go back to the House of Bishops, but it is reasonably likely it will be fast-tracked in order to make it back through the House of Deputies by the end of business, Friday.

So, I promised you some links. Here‘s the link to this General Convention’s legislation. Here‘s a place you can search for past legislative acts taken by general convention. To find B033, enter “2006-B033″ in the search box.

This is my final post in this forum, but you can follow my personal blog here.

Peace,

Pete Ross, Lay Deputy Number 4, Diocese of Michigan

From Jo Hardy,
Diocesan Administrator
working with the House of Bishops Secretariat
“It is good that one should both hope and quietly wait…” Lamentations 3:26

And so my time began a member of the secretariat in the House of Bishops.  There are 12 of us who support the work of the House of Bishops from the initial submission of proposed legislation into the legislative database, through the final publication and distribution of the Convention Journal. In other words, we record minutes, type, enter into a database, copy, track the progress of resolutions and prepare the final documents that are ultimately recorded in the archives of the Episcopal Church.  One person and an assistant on the platform of the House take the minutes and records the actions of the house.  Another duo actually transcribes the notes.  Although all of the modern technologies are still incorporated into synchronizing all of this, I was amazed to know that some of the staff use shorthand!  There are also similar secretariats for the House of Deputies and the General Convention office.

My responsibilities including keeping track of the progress of legislation in the House of Bishops and communicating that information to the appropriate committee chair and the House of Deputies.  This is done via a legislative data base, which like all computer systems, has frequent “glitches” which call for repeated intervention by the IT staff. When the houses are in session, it is amazingly busy here in the office, and I like the idea of my small participation in this process actually being part of the permanent record of the Episcopal Church.  When the session rooms are quiet, I sit here and wonder if this would have been a good time to write my memoirs!  I am learning the art of quiet waiting, and continue to work on turning these times into a spiritual discipline.   This time of waiting does indeed heighten my expectation for some lively debate on the floor!

It is extremely interesting to watch the live feeds from both houses.  My ears perk up when I hear discussions about the resolutions that affect lay pensions or the proposed denominational health care plan.  I just heard over the feed that Resolution A138 – Support Lay Employees’ Pensions was just adopted by the House of Bishops.  The resolution would establish mandatory lay employee pension system for employees who work a minimum of 1,000 hours a year.  The Diocese of Michigan, unlike many other dioceses in the church, chose to participate in the lay pension plan back in 1991 when the original Resolution D165a was passed suggesting participation, but not making it mandatory.  It will be interesting to see what happens in the House of Deputies.

Earlier in the Convention, I had the opportunity to attend the Eucharist sponsored Integrity.  I especially wanted to hear Bishop Barbara Harris preach, and was not disappointed by her fiery sermon.  It was a beautiful service and very well attended.  I understand that this service is customarily one of the highlights of the convention.  I definitely understand why.

I do not have much time to spend with our deputation or bishop, but am delighted when I bump into someone from home when I travel from the hotel to the deputation office.  I have also seen so many people that I have met at other meetings within the church, and through my association with CREDO.  It really is a homecoming – lots of hugs and enthusiastic greetings, so much like our diocesan convention. Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody that they know.  It really is not take six degrees of separation here – it is really only one or two!

On the first Thursday, I started to do battle with a terrible head cold, fever, chills and all of the accompanying miseries.  My immediate recourse for medication was the hotel gift shop – not necessarily a good plan, but the certainly the most expedient one.  The financial toll of using a hotel gift shop as a CVS was a great learning experience:  $11.99 for 6 doses of Dayquil, and another $10.99 for a bottle of 16 Advil!  A much coveted and now rationed bag of Halls natural cough drops was $4.99 and not likely to be shared.  It was expensive lesson, but I am grateful that I am feeling quite human today. Note to self:  Don’t leave home without emergency meds!

It’s 11:15 a.m., and both houses have adjourned and will resume legislation at 2:00 p.m.  I have some reports to file, then I am will resume my time of expectation, back to my quiet, hopeful waiting…

Honesty and Integrity

Day 4,5,6,7???  The schedule for General Convention can become so intense and eventually repetitive that one can lose sense of when and where we are on the matters facing us.  But yet in the early stages of our legislative time in the House of Deputies we stared down the one piece of legislation which everyone knew would be the talk of the 76th General Convention of the Church – D025 “Commitment and Witness to the Anglican Communion” This attached link is the House of Bishop’s amended version of the original.  The House of Deputies will now put this amended version on our calendar to address.  With me so  far?

This resolution, which will be closely read by members of our own Church and by those of the Anglican Communion states with honesty and integrity where we are as a body of Christ today.  I was very proud to support this resolution and feel it is the appropriate response to 2006 BO33.  I am proud of our House of Bishops as they took this initial step to join the overwhelming voice of the House of Deputies.  I am proud of the deputation of Michigan for being fully supportive.  

But mostly I am proud of my home parish for who they have been for the past six years.  We faced this issue in person and not in theory.  We took on the hard work of honesty and integrity.  Some decided to step away from us and I regret their decisions.  But even more came and joined us very simply for our willingness to be who God has called us to be.  Christ Church Grosse Pointe is an amazing place filled with amazing people who have striven with the Holy Spirit, with one another, and with themselves.  We are made holy because of this work and God has blessed us for it.

Keep in touch with what is happening from the best news source and remember that the secular press often does not understand our polity or our history.  Episcopal Life 

Continue to pray for us here in Anaheim as we work out this expression of the Church’s evangelism to the world.

Peace,

Brad

DAY 2 WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2009

This is a snippet report – snippets from the day of an alternate deputy. 

1.   One of my opportunities is to help organize the 10 deacons serving at each of the communion stations for the daily Eucharist – along with a much more experienced deacon from Alabama.  There are 12 volunteer eucharistic ministers at each station, a table host and then the deacon who makes sure the ministers have enough bread and wine.  All went well today and the procession bringing the elements up to the altar during the offeratory was led by a deacon – and Emily, her leader dog in training.  Emily was liturgically skilled in her ministry of the day and certainly diaconal in witnessing to the 3,000 gathered, her preparation for ministry in the community beyond.

 

2.  This is the first General Convention with both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops chaired and guided by women.  While there has been a laywoman as President of the House of Deputies before, there has not been one from Michigan and this is the first to have a female Presiding Bishop.  It has not been mentioned, at least that I’ve heard, and it feels absolutely natural, appropriate, and nothing out of the ordinary.  And yet having attended 26 diocesan conventions and either all or parts of 6 general conventions now since 1985 it is incredibly significant to me.  Change does happen, the gifts and acquired skills of another half of humanity are being used, and it gives more hope that Transgender,Bisexual,Lesbian and Gay Episcopalians will have full access to all the sacraments before another 30 years pass.

 

3.  Herb Gunn has provided a virtual opportunity for your deputation to be in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the photo at the top of this blog.  He did the same thing several years ago enabling the Archbishop to attend a wild game dinner at St. Michael and All Angels, .Cambridge Junction.  Tonight we all had the opportunity to see and hear the Archbishop in person.at a Forum on the world economic crisis.  He spoke of the need for transparency, truthfulness and trustworthiness in a world where there is nothing that is “normal” in finances anymore.  He had several key points that will be covered by Episcopal Life and other news sources.  His presentation was marvelously enhanced by the stories of three people in ministry at grass roots levels.  One was a young woman from a Lakota reservation here in the US, one was a young man working in his home area dealing with severe pollution issues, and the third was a young doctor from Africa who now directs the Episcopal Nets for Life program helping to eradicate Malaria.  President Bonnie Anderson skillfully moderated the panel and Presiding Bishop Katherine spoke eloquently introducing Archbishop Williams.  Response to his presence among us was warm and enthusiastic.

There are other snippets and yet these three reflect the diversity, breadth and depth of the experience here so far.  Alleluias abound.

Thalia Johnson, Deacon – clergy alternate

Getting Down to Business

Today was the first day “cognate committees” met. There are legislative committees for the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies. Technically they are separate committees, but have chosen to meet together. Even so, they vote separtely. In practical application, members vote on paper ballots and mark the ballot either “bishop” or “deputy.” The ballots are then separated and counted separately. These committees are working hard to deal with resolutions that have already been filed (see here) in order to provide the convention with something to do tomorrow when convention convenes its first legislative session tomorrow at 8:00 AM.

The theme for the convention is “ubuntu – I in you and you in me.” The term is from the African family of languages known as Bantu and means that my personhood is  dependent upon you – no one can experience personhood in isolation. Application of this concept is highly advocated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You can find more information here.

Today, in addition to attending committee hearings, Deputies and Bishops were introduced to the process known as Public Narrative (see here). Your Michigan Deputies should be well versed in the process and able to facilitate training in the process when we return.

We are all looking forward to the appearance, tomorrow evening, of the Arch Bishop of Canterbury. He will have some remarks and then facilitate a panel discussion. Later this week he will lead a Bible study during one of the daily eucharists.

Weather in Anaheim, today, was delightful (we did have a few minutes to go outside). Although it was very warm in the direct sun, in the shade there was a cool sea breeze under bright blue skies. The smog I remember from my childhood was nowhere to be seen.

Peace to you from Anaheim!

For the Deputation, Pete Ross

Hello from Anaheim!

Hello from Anaheim, CA and the 76^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church. And welcome to the blog of the Deputation of Michigan. As the first deputy to officially post a message on our deputation’s blog, I thought it might be helpful for you to get a sense of what we will be up to for the next 12 days.  For a glance at the present schedule click http://ecusa.anglican.org/documents/GC2009ScheduleDraft10(1).pdf  As you can see, I doubt we will be spending much time poolside or at Disneyland.  (Although convention can often feel a bit Mickey Mouse-ish!).  The home site for the office of General Convention can be found here http://www.episcopalchurch.org/gc.htm?menu=menu96625  And a source for the “Blue Book” which contains all of the pre-filed resolutions which will be addressed is available at http://ecusa.anglican.org/gc2009_106480_ENG_HTM.htm  

Now all of this is probably more than you were originally looking for.  But, it is a testimony to the legislative process by which the Church tries to do one portion of its work.  Hopefully and prayerfully this work will provide a witness to the wider community about how we see God active in the world.

I hope you will pray for your deputation from Michigan and for our Bishops.  Come back daily as a different deputy will be writing a post on the blog.

Peace 

The Rev. Brad Whitaker