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Grace and peace,
Michael Burke
David has posted his General Convention wrap-up here:
We are well in the home stretch, and from the House of Deputies, I will be leaving to head right out to the airport for the journey home.
I have been blessed to be able to be a deputy from the great diocese of Alaska, and have been honored and enriched by the opportunity to serve here with my fellow deputies: Becky Snow, Stacy Thorpe, Mary Margaret Davis, Clarence Bolden, Bessie Titus, David Blanchett, and Dave Elsensohn.
Each of them has engaged the process of discernment here in a prayerful way. All our deputies are faithful in work and worship, and attentive in listening to others with whom they disagree.
I have now been to five General Conventions, and this is by far the Convention that been most successful in bringing people from various perspectives and experiences together. The spirit of cooperation, generosity, and compromise led us to decisions that are the clear will of the majority, but deeply respectful of those of our family who conscientiously hold different views.
The House of Deputies and Bishops worked hard to make space for ALL at the table, where each could have the respect and freedom to honestly be who they are, while simultaneously recognizing that everyone else is to be invited and respected there as well. This is no “soft” or “mushy middle,” but a deeply prayerful and holy comprehensiveness. It is, I believe, thoroughly Anglican, in the richest mainstream of our historic Anglican theology.
Our Episcopal Church has largely embraced the principle that we will not all understand things in the same way, and that Christians of differing views can, and will hold one another closely in the love of Christ. We have allowed for local communities and dioceses to live out the implications of the Gospel in ways that fit their context and mission strategy, informed by their careful reading of Scripture, and guided by their own prayerful discernment of the Holy Spirit.
There will, of course, be those outside the mainstream of The Episcopal Church who cannot abide by any compromise or comprehension that permits legitimacy for those viewpoints they disagree with, and we hold them in our love and prayers as well, as they seek a different path to be faithful to the Lord as they understand his will and Word.
Some will be disappointed and hurt that we the church did not, in their opinion, go “far enough” in addressing the concerns they hold most dear. Others will see the actions and deliberations of General Convention as driving them further away from their historic connections. There is no doubt that the actions of this General Convention will be mischaracterized by some, but not all, of those with their own agendas, who in most cases were not present here among us. There will be reports characterized by anxiety and alarm, predicting terrible things to come. We have heard these expressions for many years now, and we will need to live with them, and love them, for they too are part of the body of Christ.
We do not need, however, to be reactive or fearful about the way in which Christ has called us to walk.
My blessings to all of you, the people of the diocese of Alaska, for your prayers over these past two weeks. I invite your ongoing conversation and dialogue about all the topics we’ve been working with these past weeks. At Convention in October, we your deputies will all try to be available for as much conversation about these matters as you all wish…
Grace and peace,
Michael Burke, chair of the Alaska deputation
(re-edited 7/18/09) mb
This convention I have been frantically busy as the chair of the Committee on national and International Concerns. This Committee had 53 resolutions covering issues from support of fellow Anglicans in countries as diverse as Pakistan, Sudan, and Honduras, to civil rights at home and abroad to environmental issues. We had 28 hours over 7 days of open hearings on the resolutions, and then tweak or rewrite them for presentation to the whole convention.
As of the end of the morning of the last day all of our resolutions will have been heard by the Deputies or Bishops, so we have high hopes for final action on all, by the end of convention. But getting them through does not necessarily mean the statements have had adequate discussion in both houses for full educational value, or to “perfect” them all.
Listening to the witnesses and the knowledgeable people on our committee taught me a great deal about many subjects I had only passing acquaintance with. Two stand out: the discussion of the environmental problems with bottled water – not just the question of the energy consumed in making the bottles, or transporattion for sale, or trash piling up after.. But even more alarming, the practice of multi-national corporations buying up aquifers and draining them in the process of providing their products. Water is not such a renewable resource.
[I also learned a great deal about] transgendered persons – I have little experience with any transgendered persons, so I was ignorant of the hostility and brutality they regularly face, whether they are walking down the street, at school, or in trying to find work or a place to live. Once again, with blinders removed, I’ve learned to be alert for man’s inhumanity to man, – for ways in which the baptismal promise “to respect the dignity of every person” is being violated.
Our daily worlds are so small and protected. What does it take to give us the eyes and heart of the Samaritan?
– Becky Snow, Alaska
A word from Bishop Kimsey.......... Gretchen and I are about to leave Anaheim and return to Oregon and Alaska is very much in my heart and mind. I have a few thoughts for you. You should be very proud of the deputies and visitors from Alaska who represented our Diocese so well. The energy, devotion, mirth, thoughtfulness and faithfulness they gave to this very intense Convention was awesome. Gretchen and I were very honored to be identified as one of them and representing you, the people of Alaska. The tee shirts worn by us all publicized our search for a bishop and many names were gathered as potential candidates for our future leadership. We all should be proud to be members of a Church that seeks the mind of Christ through what I believe to be the most democratic process of any faith community in Christianity. Immersed in prayer and helpful information, the dialogues, debates, reflections and decisions are impressive in their scope and in their seeking to honor Jesus. There are few issues of human existence that are not touched upon by our deliberations, and I was reminded time and again that this Church of ours begins with an openness and a hospitality for people and issues that is positive, optimistic and hopeful. I believe we begin our entry into life's situations with an attitude that must have been in the mind and heart of Christ as he came out of the waters of the Jordan, his baptismal waters yet embracing him and the words of his belovedness yet echoing in his soul....that his ministry was to assure all humankind of God's presence and love. General Convention is a gathering of committed Christians who desire to make that Gospel news reflected life as we know it. I was honored to be a part of that effort. Faithfully, in Christ, Rustin, Assisting Bishop for Alaska
We joined hands and prayed for Linda on the floor of the House of Deputies, earlier this morning. Our prayers are with you all,
Michael Burke, still in Anaheim
[Episcopal News Service] During the Episcopal Church’s General Convention July 8-17 in Anaheim, California, Episcopal Life is producing a daily newspaper offering in-depth coverage of the triennial gathering. The Daily also includes Perspectivas Latinas, offering news in Spanish, and Triennial Today, featuring news of the Episcopal Church Women meeting, which runs concurrently with General Convention.
The pdf file of The Daily for Friday, July 17 is available here. All editions of The Daily are available here.
By Pat McCaughan, July 07, 2009 [Episcopal News Service – Anaheim, California] Bishops and deputies from four continuing Episcopal dioceses shared stories of energetic mission and renewal, transformation and evangelism during a July 7 live webcast from the 76th General Convention.
The representatives, from the dioceses of Pittsburgh, the Peoria, Illinois-based Quincy, Fort Worth (Texas) and Stockton, California-based San Joaquin, also described warm welcomes at convention and gratefulness for the church’s support during their reorganizations.
Another deputy stopped the Rev. Dr. Jim Simons, a seven-time deputy and chair of the committee on dispatch of business, from Pittsburgh, in a convention hallway. “He said I know we disagree on a lot of things, but I’m so glad you’re here. I need you in my church.”
For others, like the Rev. David Madison, a first-time deputy from Fort Worth, there were “tangible acts of love, and support” such as gift bags and notes from the Diocese of Rochester, reminders that “we’re in their prayers and encouraging us for the work we’re doing. That’s very important to us”
The webcast is available on: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/gchub
Katie Sherrod, a first-time deputy and communications director for the Fort Worth diocese said a journey that “began in heartbreak is moving toward joy every day. We are free now to do the kind of mission and ministry” desired. She acknowledged some residual feelings of grief, loss and anger but added that Ted Gulick, Bishop of Kentucky who is also serving as provisional Fort Worth bishop, is “loving us into health.”
Bob Johnson, assisting bishop in Pittsburgh, said the diocese has embarked on monthly “leadership days … (which) strengthen us to reclaim our rightful position in ministry as Episcopalians who love to be Episcopalians and are following the mission of Christ in our church.”
Bishop Jerry Lamb of San Joaquin told the gathering that he ordained the first woman priest in the Central California Valley diocese a week ago.
The Rev. Suzanne Ward was ordained to the priesthood on June 27; the preacher at her ordination was Bishop Edna Bavi “Nedi” Rivera, whose father, Bishop Victor Manuel Rivera had served as bishop of San Joaquin.
Four other women who were ordained elsewhere are also serving in the diocese, which had previously refused to ordain women, he said. Additionally, St. Paul’s Church in Modesto was recently returned to the diocese by a disaffiliated congregation that had sought to retain the property.
“We had a wonderful service on Sunday (July 5) with 220 people” at St. Paul’s. It was an absolutely glorious day,” he said. “At the end of the service we went outside and put the Episcopal flag back up on the flagpole.”
John Buchanan, provisional bishop of Quincy, described it as “small but beautiful” with about 21 congregations. I am discovering the enthusiasm people have for mission and ministry of the church.”
Jan Dunlap, a lay deputy from San Joaquin, said her congregation, Grace Church in Bakersfield, California began as “12 library disciples” or twelve people who met in a library but grew large enough to enter into a relationship with a local congregational church.
“Most of us were those who were not included or invited to participate in any past parishes and we were getting an opportunity to do ministry in a different way. It was extremely liberating. It is extremely exciting.”
Sherrod of Fort Worth said the group has gifts to share with convention. “All of us at this table know a lot about exclusion. There are no asterisks by baptisms for us anymore,” she said, adding that everyone is welcome. “It’s a gift we can bring to convention.”
She described seeing a woman burst into tears at the sight of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori in procession during a worship service in the diocese. The presiding bishop stopped the procession to hug the woman and reassure her that “everything is going to be all right, and it is,” said an emotional Sherrod.
Gulick made a “shameless commercial” saying he need to hire clergy in Fort Worth for as many as seven parishes in the next few years. “We are looking for mission-hearted and generous-hearted people to help us rebuild.”
Reposted from episcopal Life Online. — The Rev. Pat McCaughan is Episcopal Life Media correspondent for Provinces VII and VIII and the House of Bishops. She is based in Los Angeles.
