June 19, 2006
The 75th General Convention in Columbus is now more than half-way past and I wanted to take this opportunity to offer a few reflections on our work here.
For the past week, I and the clergy and lay deputies, The Rev. Rick Westbury, The Very Rev. Edward Harrison, The Rev. George Young, III, and The Rev. John Palarine; Fred Isaac, Debby Melnyk, Sue Carmichael, and Jack Tull, together with alternates, The Rev. Bob Marsh, The Rev. Canon Bud Froehlich, The Rev. Canon Patricia Turk; Marshall Howell and Nell Toensmann, have been working hard in our respective houses. Each day begins with Eucharist, often attended by over 3,000 people. Plenary legislative sessions follow until about 6:00 pm, with committee work continuing after dinner.
House of Bishops
As most of you probably know by now, the current news is that yesterday at about 3 pm, The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected the 26th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church. Her election was a surprise to most, including me. Once a new Presiding Bishop is elected, the election must be confirmed by the House of Deputies and our delegation unanimously supported her confirmation. I look forward to working with her. Our new Presiding Bishop has many gifts, particularly related to small church and rural ministry, demographics which make up the majority of The Episcopal Church. I have already spoken with Bishop Jefferts Schori and offered to personally host her first visitation as Presiding Bishop to our diocese. Please join me in praying for her as she begins this important work in our church.
You can read more about Bishop Jefferts Schori’s election at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_76174_ENG_HTM.htm
House of Deputies
This week, the House of Deputies prepares to spend considerable time addressing our Episcopal Church’s response to The Windsor Report. Over a dozen resolutions on many aspects of our common life together have been proposed and, already, some very fine responses passed. I am confident that as the next three days unfold, our deputies and the entire House will attempt to faithfully respond to The Windsor Report. I look forward to doing the same in the House of Bishops. The legislation has been very slow in coming to us out of the Special Committee where it is being prepared, so both the House of Bishops and House of Deputies are eager to move along with consideration. Kudos and gratitude to our Debby Melnyk who has been putting in 18 hour days on the Special Windsor Report Committee.
Episcopal Church Women Triennial Convention
The national convention of the Episcopal Church Women has also been meeting in Columbus this week. The Diocese of Florida ECW has been well represented by ECW President Marianne O’Neill, past-president Jan Walker, president-elect Linda Baker, and UTO Coordinator Jeanette Brode. One of the highlights of the ECW convention was the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ordination of women in the Episcopal Church. Each delegation contributed a list of all women ordained in its diocese over the past 30 years - 32 in the Diocese of Florida - and a bright paper chain was created with each link bearing one of these names. The chain encircled the entire ECW meeting space.
The ECW delegates heard Bishop Duncan Gray and Bishop Charles Jenkins speak Thursday on “Darkness Into Day,” their joint $6.5 million campaign for restoration of church infrastructure in the dioceses of Mississippi and Louisiana. Responding over the next ten minutes to a challenge from their national board, the assembled ECW delegates contributed $5,026 within ten minutes; matched by their board the gifts became $10,052. Triennial delegates urged Bishops Gray and Jenkins to challenge both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies to match the Triennial’s donation, to reach a $30,000 total.
In a related ECW matter, I recently learned that one of the two diocesan grant requests for United Thank Offering’s worldwide grants was awarded to St. Mary’s Outreach in Jacksonville. St. Mary’s will receive $20,000 toward purchase of a van to carry out its mission and ministry in Springfield. When distributed in your congregations, please remember the little blue boxes and the ministry they enable.
Closing Remarks
In closing, let me share one aspect of our lives together which has become particularly poignant during this General Convention.
In attending Eucharist every morning with over 3,000 faithful fellow Christians, sitting with almost 200 of my brother and sister bishops in the House of Bishops, watching the work of the almost-1,000 lay and clergy deputies, hearing about the week the 200+ ECW delegates spent together in meetings and worship, and being immersed with thousands upon thousands of Episcopalian and ecumenical visitors at this General Convention, I am struck by the fact that I have rarely been alone this week. Not simply “alone” in lacking personal company or the constant presence of others, but never alone in the spiritual sense. The vast numbers of the faithful here gathered makes The Body of Christ, our Church, palpably present.
No one of us can know everything about everything or everyone. I am learning - particularly at this General Convention - that I must rely on my colleagues in the House of Bishops and brothers and sisters in Christ in the House of Deputies. To paraphrase one of our delegates quoted several days ago in a local newspaper, I am comforted by the fact that I am not alone in this process. God is working in me and over 1,300 people simultaneously. Knowing that we, here in Columbus on behalf of the Diocese of Florida, are not alone but supported by prayer from 30,000 of you in the 25 North Florida counties which make up the Diocese of Florida is a deeply abiding comfort.
Know you are all carried in my prayers and I look forward to speaking with many of you and reporting on General Convention over the next several weeks.
Blessings,
