The Episcopal Church 2009 General Convention

U2charist

2009-07-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

What can I say about a U2charist? It's loud and active, crazy and fun, different and exciting. This year we had a Bono impersonator and a real band, a sermon from the Rev. Mike Kinnon, former CEO of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation who spoke about having a restless heart and choosing Jesus sense over common sense, and eucharist celebrated by Bishop Mark Andrus of California. I've attached some pictures Barbara Losse took. Beyond that, I have no words to describe it!

From Barbara Losse, St. Mark's SLC

2009-07-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

I was assigned to a committee for the first time this Convention and appointed its secretary. Arriving in time for the Legislative Committee Officers’ Orientation on Monday, I met Dave from the Diocese of North Dakota and the chair of Committee 21 - Privilege and Courtesy. He had attended the staff and chair meeting a few months ago. As we listened to the Convention Secretary, Gregory Straub - he of the many colored sport coats, if you haven’t already heard - Dave leaned over to say things such as “we don’t need to do that”, or “that doesn’t apply to us”, or “don’t worry about that one”.

Important as saying “thank you” is, P & C operates independently of the committee system at General Convention. We had committee members from both Houses, an assigned meeting room, pre-filed resolutions, forms to fill out and a thumb drive, but didn’t meet as a committee until Monday of the 2nd week when fewer than half of us were available. Dave and I were the only members of the committee whose sole assignment was P & C, which meant that the others were heavily scheduled the 1st week with meetings and hearings.

Meanwhile, Dave had assigned each of the deputies to draft one text of the resolutions we were likely to need such as an appreciation for the Archbishop of Canterbury’s visit and recognition to leadership of the Houses and the staff who made it all work. Hearings were unnecessary although an interested deputy stopped by to ask if we could keep his pre-filed resolution off the Consent Calendar and have it placed on the regular daily calendar. We could request it, but Dispatch of Business makes those decisions and as time dwindles, the likelihood is that the bulk of our resolutions will land on the consent calendar.

We met Monday, yesterday and today before the morning legislative session to review the drafts, decide whether they ought to be forwarded to the Houses, and then edit them for syntax, grammar, and general wordsmithing. Sound mundane? Well, maybe, but it was still kind of exciting when we got the Daily Calendar with our resolutions on it - not even on the consent calendar, and someone rose to speak to one of them!

Happy 64! - Susan Wiltsey Smith, St. Jude's Cedar City

2009-07-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Experiencing General Convention is both exhilarating and exhausting and at the same time endlessly addicting. I want to rest and can’t wait for the next committee meeting or legislation session to begin. As an endlessly happy shopper I also want to go to the exhibit hall and brouse through booths that speak to all my interests except Shakespeare. As an alternate deputy I have more freedom of how to use my time, but still go to as many committee hearings and legislative sessions as I possibly can.

What is best is experiencing our whole church, which we can only do at General Convention. Whatever is happening, there is a deep connection as though I have known these people as close friends my whole life. To feel our deep connection as joy and prayer and laughter is worth more than I can say. Everyone from deputies, volunteers, exhibitors, ECW women, visitors, fellow deputies, the secretary, the parliamentarian, and presiders of both houses – Pres Bonnie Anderson and the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Shori – have been gracious, sincere, and funny.

It has been a real pleasure to experience this church. I love the sense of mission, the prayerful way we handle anything, the humanity of the laughter, the way that we are human and seeking rather than pious, not taking ourselves too seriously. That interesting authenticity of being God-centered followers of Jesus, while never losing sight of our human foibles. I am grateful and humble to be calling The Episcopal Church mine.

With blessings and peace, Susan Wiltsey Smith on the morning of my 64th birthday!

The Home Stretch - Steve Keplinger, St. David's Page

2009-07-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
We are coming down the home stretch here in Anaheim. So much happens every few hours here, it is difficult to give you anything but the highlights as I see them and the things I think might be most important to all of you. That is particularly true now that we are in the last two days of legislation, when the large majority of resolutions come flying at us all at once. I urge all of you to read the daily reports and Toni Marie Sutliff's blog too.

Here are the items that stand out for me in the last few days:
1) We passed final approval of adding half a dozen new people into Lesser Feasts and Fasts. The list includes Frances Joseph Gaudet and Oscar Romero.
2) We also approved for trial use for the next three years of a gigantic list of other people to add to our Holy Women, Holy Men list. Our list of honored people is beginning to look like the saints painted on the wall at St. Gregory's of Nyssa in San Francisco, and I personally think that is a good thing.
3) We passed resolution C014, which says we will do a new theological study of Christian marriage and what that means in our present world.
4) We adopted D015, a resolution for merciful and humane treatement of God's creatures.
5) D025, the big legislation regarding where we stand in the Anglican Communion and our statement that all baptized persons can serve in all ways in the Episcopal Church, passed The House of Bishops with an amendment adding a line about the ways of the Holy Spirit being a mystery. In the House of Deputies, we approved the amendment by a huge margin.
6) Speaking of the Holy Spirit, we all have seen Her flying in the hall of the House of Deputies, though some spoil sports suggested that it was actually a pigeon.
7) There have been lots of ecumenical resolutions too, including A075, an agreement to Eucharistic hospitality and joint mission with the Presbyterian Church USA. The Presbyterians already approved this at their General Assembly in 2008, so with our adoption it is now official.
Our agreement with the United Methodist Church continues, not yet full communion, but getting closer. We are now in full comunion with the Moravian church and we are beginning such discourse with the various African Methodist and AME churches.
8) Back to the environment, we adopted C070, signing on to The Genesis Covenant, which is about reducing greenhouse emissions at least 50% in the next ten years.
9) We passed a health care package for all full time lay and clerical employees of the church. Jody Gebhardt will also be excited to learn that we passed a new pension plan that makes her eligible to be in the system. She works just a hair over the number of hours necessary to be eligible.
10) Not just concerned about justice for our own, we also walked in protest with Disney hotel employees, whose health care benefits are in jeopardy of being taken away.
11) Our friends at Page Regional Domestic Violence will be happy to know that we passed D096, a resolution about prevention of domestic violence and educating our clergy more about how to handle it.
12) Mike Atkinson will be happy to know that we passed A142, the anti-racism resolution too.
13) We also passed a new budget for the next three years that takes into account the state of the economy and the difficulties will be facing. It included cuts of 23 million dollars, which means that this is going to become much more of a bottom up church, with it being up to us at the local level to make things happen.

Time and again throughout this Convention, it has become clear what it is that we want to make happen as a church. In two words, it is mission and evangelism. For example, while most everything else was cut, our commitment to the Millenium Development Goals stayed totally intact. Our desire to care for those in need and spread God's love to all is the will of this church. It was so heartening to me to hear the entire church supporting just what we have been doing at St. David's.

There are hundreds more, but these stand out for me.
In addition to the legislation, General Convention offers myriad opportunities to experience worship and preaching and prayer in so many forms. I have been particularly moved by these events:
Every day of Convention, we have Eucharist between legislative sessions at mid-day. We have been exposed to a great variety of fantastic music, from African to Hispanic to Native American to European. Almost all of it came from our many Hymnals and I have lots of challenges for Mary and Virgil and all of us to try, if you are game.

On July 14, The House of Deputies was visited by interfaith guests from over 30 faith traditions. They concluded their time with us by three of the group, a Jewish, Muslim and Episcopal cantor all chanting for us. The Jewish cantor began and after they all prayed solo, the the three canted together. Three Abrahamic traditions with three very different melodies, but together they were amazingly beautiful, a great metaphor for what we can all be when we honor and care for each other.

Many evenings, we also have various Eucharists. I was particularly moved by the Integrity Eucharist, where The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson presided and The Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris preached. Her sermon was delivered in typical Bishop Harris fashion, where she never pulled a single punch. "If you don't want GLBT folks as Bishops, don't ordain them as Deacons. Better yet, be honest and say. 'We don't want you, you don't belong here,' and don't bestow on them the sacrament of baptism to begin with." Then to thunderous applause, she exclaimed, "How can you initiate someone and then treat them like they are half-assed baptized?" Jean and I just spoke to Bishop Harris in the hallway and I told her how much that sermon moved me. "If you're not going to preach the truth," she said to me, "why bother?" Amen, sister...I mean Bishop.

Last night, Jean and I went to an emerging church service in the LA arena, hosted by the Diocese of Los Angeles. We broke open light sticks instead of using candles and watched a magnificent painter form each theme of the evening, while videos showed in the background and a band played on. It was not liturgy in my sense of the word, but it certainly showed us a way to reach Gen X and Y folk who have had little exposure to church. The sermon that night was by Brian McLaren, whose Jesus Creed we have used a few times at St. David's. In it, he suggested that sin occurs whenever we break the connection we have with each other and all the world, any violation of the wholeness of God's creation. Salvation then, is the restoration of that wholeness and is what Jesus does throughout the Gospels. Sounded just like something we might hear at St. David's, but in a way I had never quite heard before.

Tomorrow is the last day, which means we will be inundated with legislation. We are still hoping that the companion animal resolution makes it to the floor, as well as some other creation oriented resolutions.

Overall, this has been an amazing experience for me. I have been challenged, moved, inspired and exhausted by it all.
Blessings to each of you.
Steve+

The Sounds of General Convention - Mary June Nestler, Diocesan Staff

2009-07-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

At last I've come up for air! It's the next-to-last day of General Convention, and I turn to this wonderful blog for the first time. It's been a great privilege to be here with the Utah deputation, whose members are so involved in nearly every aspect of what's going on.
I've been working hard as Secretary of Legislative Committee 14 on Ministry. Legislative committees receive resolutions as they are filed and perfect them before they go out onto the floor of the House of Bishops or House of Deputies. My committee was particularly busy this convention. We had meetings nearly every day at 7:00 or 7:30 a.m., when 38 bleary-eyed people gathered to hear testimony about the resolutions assigned to us and to craft the final versions. It's my job to take the minutes and to assist in the paperwork of moving the various resolutions through the legislative process so that eventually they wind up on the floor of the House of Deputies. Tonight I'll begin the work of editing a hundred pages of minutes so someone besides myself can make sense of them.
When not in committee, I take my place with the other seven Utah deputies on the floor of the House of Deputies, a vast hall seating more than 800 deputies, alternates, visitors' gallery, and press area. How wonderful it is to see old friends! We all greet one another as if the last General Convention were just last month, not three years ago.
Slow or fast, complicated or simple--the resolutions come. We do our best to find the page it's on in our very fat notebooks in time to vote on it. We're doing good work in what has been described by many as an amazing different tenor since 2006. Perhaps that has something to do with the departure from our Church of persons who felt themselves so disaffected with the direction we have been taking. As much as I hate to see any diocese leave us, I must say one positive result is a renewed sense of mission and ministry across the Church, and a kinder, gentler convention.
Here's what I love best about General Convention: The power of corporate prayer with several thousand of your Church brothers and sisters, and the sheer joy of raising our voices in song with Episcopalians and their guests from everwhere on the globe. The music at our daily eucharists has been terrific, with everything from our familiar hymns to the newest settings of spirituals. At the first eucharist I slid into a table at the back of the room and next to me were the Primate of Canada (equivalent to our Presiding Bishop), The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, and a representative of the Episcopal Church of Scotland. A young person joined us, and another person from the Church Publishing Corporation. The five of us made an impromptu choir, singing in parts as if our lives depended on it. And the whole room of some two or three thousand people sang with feet moving and arms raising and faces smiling too. It's singing you can feel in your bones.
Sometimes we sing in the House of Deputies when we need a good stretch. A thousand people manage to remember the harmonies (we have only the words on screens), and I'm sure the heavenly choirs of angels stop to listen to us. I'm absolutely convinced that we'd have no more church dissension if we'd just sing together until our harmony turns into the truest harmony of all, the sweet music of the Holy Spirit.
The singing is great, but so is the silence. There's nothing more powerful than those moments a great hall falls quiet. Today a deputy spoke of the murder of her daughter by her son-in-law as she addressed a resolution on domestic violence. You could have heard a pin drop as her heartsick words were uttered into the microphone, whose amplification made them all the more heavy. Our chaplain, The Rev. Frank Wade, knows how to pray, leaving us in silence when that is right, voicing our prayers into a quiet House over us so they rest quietly on us. At times we simply are in silence, and the breath of the Tennessee deputation behind us becomes our breath, breathed into the heart of God.
The singing and the silence punctuate our business. The sheer size of this convention reminds us that we are a Church beyond ourselves. We hear stories of ministries that hold up the world, and we are encouraged to recommit ourselves to the healing our world so desperately needs. That's what General Convention is! A giant pep rally, where the spirit is the Spirit.
Some of our Utah folk are at the U2charist tonight. I'm going to post this blog and head for the computer in my room, where committee minutes are waiting for me. Thanks so much to all of you who have been reading and responding to posts, and most especially for your prayers.
One more day to go! Mary June Nestler

An Episcopalian Anthropologist Among the Episcopalians: Matt Seddon, St. Paul’s-Salt Lake City

2009-07-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

Although I’m trained primarily as an archaeologist, all archaeologists are trained in Anthropology, the study of people and culture. I thought I would offer a few observations on the culture of General Convention made whilst wearing my other hat.

Here are a few aspects of our culture, the unspoken norms, associations, beliefs, and conventions which structure all our interactions.

1. The floor of the House of Deputies (HoD) does not like amendments.

2. The floor of the HoD does like motions to limit or end debate. Likes them very, very much.

3. You can put Episcopalians at circular tables for worship, but they will still treat them like pews. Do not wander far from your pew......

4. We may believe in the Via Media, the middle way, but that doesn’t apply when jamming buttons all over name badges.

5. Deputies will happily pass all kinds of theologically complex resolutions by voice vote with minimal discussion, but if the church budget affects the Episcopal Life newspaper, they will come to the microphone in droves.

6. We are amused by our own strict reliance on Robert's Rules of Order (as modified by General Convention by-laws, the Constitution, Canons, etc., etc.). Like many things in our Church, we don’t know why we do it, but we’ve always done it, it is in a series of books, so we will keep doing it.

7. Spend enough time in the HoD and the phrasing of Robert’s Rules will roll off of your tongue as easily as Eucharistic Prayer A. If you’re not careful, it will spill out in your daily life. “I make a motion to go to dinner at Chili’s, and, if seconded, I would like to speak to this motion.”

8. We will, with one exception, diligently print a service bulletin for every Eucharist. We will, as always, not actually include all the details of the service in said bulletin.

9. We cannot clap during a hymn to save our lives.

10. Despite our reputation for being the spiritually bereft “frozen chosen,” we surround our deliberations with prayer, song, praise, reflection, and joy. We are not just another non-profit. Thanks be to God.

ECW Update, 17 Jul 09 - Laura Orcutt

2009-07-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was exciting. At the Prvoince VIII ECW breakfast, Linda, Isabel, and Laura were welcomed, offered a pilgrimage to the National Cathedral and training and support as needed. The United Thank Offering (UTO) gave a presentation on the study of UTO to see where it should be properly aligned in relation to 501(c) status, in relationship to Emergency Relief and Development (ERD), and the proper placement of UTO's money. As a result, a resolution was placed on the floor to have 2 ECW representatives and an additional UTO representative on the Study Committee INC055 for voice and experience on the issue of UTO's status. Two other resolutions came forth the following day, one to reactivate their liaison representation on the UTO board and ECW National board in order to uphold current by-laws of the respective organizations and the other to have an ECW member on the Status of Women committee.

On Thursday, we had a closing celebration filled with song and thanks for a very holistic Triennial that incorporated mind, spirit, and soul in action and in prayer. The current ECW board was farewelled and the new ECW board was installed. Province IX, a new province, selected a president and representative to the ECW National board. The 2009 Triennial adjouned shortly before 4 pm.

We (Linda, Isabel, and Laura) received wonderful support from Province VIII ECW leadership to move forward with a diocean ECW board. We have developed an initial plan that we are excited to share. We are very grateful for the opportunity to have come as Triennial delegates and fell encouraged and strengthened in mind and spirit.

Reflections on Joy, Jay Stretch, Good Shepherd, Ogden

2009-07-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

The Rev. Peter Rood of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Nativity, Mu’athin Ben Yousef of the Islamic Center of Southern California and Cantor Mark Saltzman of Congregation Kol Ami in Los Angeles sing blessings to the House of Deputies July 14. Each of the singers in turn offered a prayer and then combined their voices into what was called “a sung Abrahamic blessing to this house.” Christianity, Judaism and Islam all trace their roots to the biblical prophet Abraham.

This, the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, has found something that was noticeably missing from the 75th - Joy. There were not many smiling faces as we left Columbus three years ago. Now upturned mouths and warm greetings are the norm. This is not to say that there aren't differences, some small, others signifiant. What has changed is that there is a determined effort to move ahead, together. Opinions vary, though perhaps the spectrum has shrunk somewhat at the extremes. But then, if we all thought pretty much the same we wouldn't be Episcopalians, would we?

Perhaps yesterday's introduction of the Ecumenical Visitors to the House of Deputies presented a powerful image of where we can go when we choose to go there together. At the end of their presentation, three of the visitors stood together on the platform and sang in his own faith and manner to the peace and glory of God. Starting separately and alone, the Imam, Cantor, and Episcopal priest soon melded into wonderful harmony - each still in hisown way, but united in God's grace. Oh that the world could follow in their places.

Thoughts on our Youth Delegation, by Matt Seddon, St. Paul's SLC

2009-07-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

Although I’ve been a second alternate lay deputy since the beginning of Convention, I only joined the delegation full time yesterday morning. Since the opening of Convention, I had been one of the adult leaders for the Anaheim Adventure, a visit of Diocesan youth to Anaheim and General Convention. It was interesting to straddle both roles, to see convention through my own eyes and through the eyes of our youth. I think the journey transformed us all.

Karen Van Winkle, our amazing Diocesan youth coordinator organized the trip. Nine adults joined 38 high school students-ranging from entering freshmen to graduated seniors getting ready for college-on a 14 hour bus ride from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. Once here, we crashed at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Glendale, sleeping on their parish hall floor and generally creating chaos in a lovely church. Their youth director, Rev. Earl Gibson, was an outstanding host, making sure that everyone was having fun and that the slushee machine was always full!

New Insight #1: Every parish should have a slushee machine.

The trip was a combination of service, learning, worship, and fun. We spent time volunteering at two area food banks (LA and Orange County) and put the kids to work! We also helped beautify a youth leader and retreat house for the local Diocese. We spent several half days at General Convention. Our youth were able to watch debate in the House of Deputies on Resolution D025, as well as discussions in the House of Bishops, they volunteered for the United Thank Offering crew, and they had a ball collecting pins and browsing Episcopal material culture in the exhibition hall. A number of them covered their shirts with buttons, making a kind of Episcopal armor. We attended the huge Sunday Eucharist at convention, and many of our youth attended Morning Prayer at St. Mark’s and our own occasional Compline services. We also had time for a beach party with fish (and other) tacos, and, of course, a day at Disneyland!

New Insight #2: Sand is an interesting condiment.

There was lots of time for learning. Many students had never witnessed parliamentary procedure before, which made for a number of interesting conversations with us adults. Myself, I’ve seen parliamentary procedure, but never run as precisely as here. We desperately tried to understand the arcane communication style and explain it to our youth. I think most were stunned (and probably bored) by the slow, painful, but necessary and important way that large communities conduct fair deliberations and make collective decisions. It was good for them to be introduced to this fundamental process of our church. My impression was that they all had strong feelings about the inclusion of LGBT members in our church, and they were very interested and engaged in the debate on Resolution D025. They live in a world where argument is highly valued, and I think it was good for them to see both the argument and the emotions that surround this particular issue. We had good conversations about how assumptions and belief shape ideas. It was also good for them to see and hear that there are others who do not share their views.

New Insight #3: Nothing makes a room full of people groan like “Madame Chair, I rise to offer an amendment to the amendment.”

The overall experience clearly made an impression on them all. We had a group debriefing in the choir of St. Mark’s Glendale on Sunday night. We asked them for their high and low points, and I was touched by how many found the Convention, and particularly the Sunday Eucharist the high point, beating out the beach! I think they all grew and learned from the experience.

I also learned from our youth. I was inspired by their fierce sense of justice and equality. I do think that living in communities and our church requires us all to learn to channel that drive for justice from emotion into productive conversation. We have to learn to listen to those we disagree with, to not lash out with words or fists, and to think about the larger context of our cherished beliefs and issues. I’ve spent a lot of my adult life learning to do this. Our youth, though, helped re-ignite in me that sense of justice to which we are all called, to hold onto that drive even while trying to use it positively for the greater good. I have a new understanding of Jesus’ call to us to “turn and become like children” (Matthew 18:3).

New Insight #4: Seek justice, as our youth yearn for justice.

The ECW, empower women to do Christ's ministry in the world

2009-07-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday July 14, 2009
46th Triennial Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women
Anaheim, California

The ECW, empower women to do Christ’s ministry in the world.

The annual UTO Grants where presented to the membership and accepted. UTO granted $2,065,472.43 to 63 grants. This amount included the collection from the Sunday Eucharist of $28,118.92. It was reported that the Sunday in-gathering was up 37% over the 2006 amount. The UTO director reminded everyone that the application for the 2010 grants would be available in October and is due Jan 31, 2010. She explained some of the guidelines for the projects and urged that all information be provided with the application so that projects can be reviewed for consideration.

The ECW History Project discussed the importance of collection the verbal histories of the women of the church. We were urged to remember the women that went before us; those that began the Sunday school programs, bought the china, made the Altar linens, and the other ministries that benefit us all. The ECW History Project has a traveling exhibit that is available to all. The exhibit highlights the contribution of women to the church from the 1700s to the current day. Cost to host the exhibit is $10-20 that is used to cover the postage. Arrangements for this exhibit may be made through the ECW History project.

We spent the day in workshops that nurtured out minds and souls. Laura attended “Clearing the Clutter for Grace” and “Finding God in Culture”. Linda attended “Sisters, Mothers, Friends: Women of the Bible” and “And Then There was Laughter.”

In the afternoon, Linda, Laura and Isabel met with the Province 8 ECW representatives to discuss how to form an ECW for the Diocese of Utah.

Submitted by Linda Garner, Laura Orcutt, and Isabel Gonzalez

Victims, Victors, and the Intolerance of Ambiguity

2009-07-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

I write this sitting in the House of Deputies while the vote by orders is taking place following an lengthy debate over concurring with the House of Bishops on resolution D025. Without rehashing the content of D025 I am struck by another dynamic which has been a part of our public discourse now for many years, but is brought into stark relief in this context.

When I was a deputy to General Convention for the first time back in 1991 those of us who embraced a more liberal viewpoint were outnumbered at that General Convention. It was clear that the significant majority of delegates favored a more conservative approach to scripture and practice. Back then the exhibit hall included well attended booths for Episcopalians United, National Organization of Episcopalians for Life, the Episcopal Synod of America, and the Society for the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. While there were booths representing a more liberal perspective they were in a clear minority.

The language common to those who represented the liberal position at that time was very much the language of the victim. We often spoke of the oppression of the church against us and those whom we represented. The victors in those debates spoke benevolently of tolerance and care which rang hollow in our ears as they sat comfortably in their victory. Legislative and parliamentary process was used as a tool to exercise the will of the majority to the exclusion of the conscience of the minority. It was a painful experience for myself and for others.

Now, 18 years later, I sit in a very different in General Convention. In this convention those who embrace a more conservative viewpoint are outnumbered. The conservative extremists have moved on and those faithful Episcopalians who are conservative find themselves significantly outnumbered. Now in the convention hall all the organizations which represent a conservative perspective are gone except for a booth for the American Anglican Council. And the votes in the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies now clearly represent a more liberal position.

The language of victim now rings from the lips of conservatives. From the floor of the House of Deputies and in the conversations in the halls one now hears conservatives speak of the marginalization of their traditional perspectives and the perspectives of those they represent. And, the victors in those debates now speak benevolently of tolerance and care which is clearly ringing hollow in the the ears of conservatives as we liberals sit comfortably in our victory. I fear that once again, legislative and parliamentary process has been used as a tool to exercise the will of the majority to the exclusion of the conscience of the minority. As my consciousness rises it is once again a painful experience for myself and for those with whom I regularly disagree.

What is it that seems to perpetually make us choose the role of victim when things don’t go our way? And, more importantly, what is it that makes us choose the role of victor when we are part of a majority and can force our will? These patterns set us up for the perpetual swing of the proverbial pendulum and a lifetime of heartache.

Perhaps at the heart of it all is a form of intolerance for which we are all guilty ... a basic intolerance for ambiguity. Whether victor or victim there is comfort in the certainty of those roles and the comfortable certainty of our rightness. And yet, the vision of Anglicanism is the “Via Media.” Via Media (the “middle way”) calls us away from comfortable certainty and to a place far more difficult than compromise. The Via Media asks us to affirm the truth in all positions and to challenge their limits as well. It asks us to hold those positions in tension and allow the will of God to be discerned in the midst of the tension and ambiguity that such a position creates. It asks us to suspend our assumptions while defending justice for those we see who are marginalized. It is a position that neither allows compromise or appeasement.

Jesus preached the Kingdom of Heaven, God’s Reign of justice and peace. I suspect we won’t come to embrace that reality until we learn to live into the ambiguous and mysterious space that exists between us and those we disagree with.

Peace and Joy,

Mike Mayor

More Pictures from Craig Wirth, Dialogue Editor

2009-07-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Utah Deputies on the floor:
Col. Jay Stretch, Good Shepherd, Ogden
Barbara Losse, St. Mark's, SLC
The Rev. Canon Mary June Nestler, Diocesan Staff

The Rev. Lee Shaw, St. Stephen's, West Valley City
The Rev. Pablo Ramos, San Estaban, West Valley City
The Rev. Canon Dave Bailey, Diocesan Staff

Utah Deputation table and the rest of the House of Deputies

The board where Committee hearings are posted

Wares in the Exhibit Hall

Just inside the entrance to the Exhibit Hall

Wares in the Exhibit Hall

From our ECW representatives

2009-07-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Linda Garner, Good Shepherd, with Bishop Barbara Harris.

Linda and Bishop Harris

Monday July 13, 2009
46th Triennial Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women
Anaheim, California

Friday evening, Linda, Laura, and Isabel (our UTO representative) attended the UTO dinner. Bishop provided an invigorating speech fully encapsulated with story on getting out and just “GO”! He was a wonderful and refreshing Episcopal speaker.

Sessions and workshops over the weekend encouraged us to grow in grace and share that with others. The Rt Rev Stephen Charleston, Dean of Trinity, spoke with the Spirit and the anointing of God, as he phrased it, on the Virgin Mary and how she understood grace and its depth. He wished for us to use her as a portal in our brokenness to understand grace. She was there uplifting the women and people of the early church. She understood them as she understands us. He saw women as having porous hearts, more readily to receive others and move in grace.
Sessions and workshops over the weekend encouraged us to grow in grace and share that with others.

Phyllis Tickle spoke on Saturday on the genealogy of Jesus in the most enlightening way of story. She focused on Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah, who later bears a son for Judea. She found grace by finding the great righteousness in God. There is a narrow place of righteousness where grace enters in. In prayer, take the time to listen, not petition God. Find the beauty in grace.

On Saturday afternoon, we attended workshops. Laura attended “Finding God in a Recycling Bin” seeing a very active plan on honoring creation and implementing “green” procedures by involving all committees at a parish. Linda attended Prayer Line Workshop: Learning the Prayer of Beading by The Rev Barbara Seras where they made Anglican prayer bead (rosary) and learned a variety of ways to use prayer beads.

On Sunday, we sat with the Youth during Eucharist. It was great to sit in our Utah community. We attended two work shop sessions in the afternoon. Linda attended Time for Joy: Spiritual Adventure for Busy Women by Ione Dean. The diocese of Louisiana and Arkansas provided a wonderful annual retreat that women have to be nominated for in order to attend. She received wonderful ideas on how to make a retreat truly special. Laura attended “So you are an ECW president?” by Mary MacGreagor. Mary was a fantastic speaker on how to engage ECW in your diocese and work with your bishop and priest and be effective. Linda and Laura attended “Women Leading” by Mary MacGregor. This was another powerful presentation on how to effectively lead and many resources and books on that.

The gathering meeting was opened and the group was addressed by Rev Sloan. Using a quote from “A Raisin In the Sun”, she called us to expand our space and bring others in. She reminded us that it is easy to love those that understand us, but that we are called to love all. She challenged us to make room for those that may have “sharp elbow” and those with “no discoverable riches”. Make room at your table of life; offer that extra chair.

The group was then addressed by Bishop Gray of Mississippi and Bishop Jenkins of the New Orleans area. They discussed the rebuilding of the gulf coast, all that work that has been done and all the remains to be accomplished. Bishop Jenkins stated that they have had 40,000 volunteers in New Orleans who have contributed 1.5 million hours of labor. He talked about helping a gentleman that had slipped through the crack, one who received no federal help because of the fine print. As they help this man recover, he gave them dignity.

The Very Reverend David DuPlantier from Christ Church in New Orleans talked about the work of Jericho road. The success is changing the area in which they are working. They have purchased or been granted 56 lots and are building 23 homes. They have completed and moved families into a dozen or so. They are also reclaiming a contaminated city block that will serve as a park for the area. The work continues. Later on the day, it was reported that towards the ECW goal of raising $110,000 before the end of the Triennial, that $72,830.55 had been raised and more was still coming in.

This afternoon, elections were held for the 2009-12 National Board of Directors. The new board is as follows: President, Marcia Himes (Diocese of Wyoming) ; VP for Program, Cordelia Burt (Diocese of San Joaquin), VP for Information, Marilyn Rishkofski (Diocese of New Hampshire); Treasurer, Sandra Powers (Diocese of Arkansas); Secretary, Kathy Mank (Diocese of S. Ohio); Member at Large of Multi Media, Christine Budzoski (Diocese of Los Angeles)

Utah Deputation in various poses

2009-07-14T12:41:00.001-07:00

Toni Marie Sutliff, Blog Editor, All Saints SLC

The Rev. Susan Wiltsey Smith, St. Jude's, Cedar City

The Rev. Steve Keplinger, St. David's Page

Russ Babcock, St. Paul's SLC

The Rev. Canon Pablo Ramos, San Estaban, West Valley City

The Rev. Mike Mayor, All Saints, SLC

The Rev. Canon Mary June Nestler, Diocesan Staff

The Rev. Lee Shaw, St. Stephen's, West Valley City

Jay Stretch, Good Shepherd, Ogden

The Deputation: Mary June Nestler, Steve Keplinger, Linda Garner (ECW), Mike Mayor, Pablo Ramos, Jay Stretch, Bishop Carolyn, Toni Marie Sutliff, Russ Babcock, Kathy Horvat, Isabel Gonzalez (ECW and UTO), Susan Wiltsey Smith, Barbara Losse, Steve Hutchinson, Laura Orcutt (ECW), Dave Bailey

Not pictured: Lee Shaw

Barbara Losse, St. Mark's SLC; Steve Hutchinson, St. James', Midvale; Mary June Nestler, Diocesan Staff, Russ Babcock, St. Paul's SLC; Jay Stretch, Good Shepherd, Ogden; Dave Bailey, Diocesan Staff; Bishop Carolyn; legs by Mike Mayor, back by Kathy Horvat

Russ Babcock, St. Paul's SLC; Mary June Nestler, Diocesan Staff; back by Barbara Losse

Kathy Horvat, St. Mark's SLC; Mary June Nestler, Diocesan Staff; Barbara Losse, St. Mark's SLC

The Rev. Lee Shaw, St. Stephen's, West Valley City

The Rev. Canon Dave Bailey, Diocesan Staff

The Rev. Lee Shaw, St. Stephen's, West Valley City

Mike Mayor, Russ Babcock, Mary June Nestler, Dave Bailey, Barbara Losse, Steve Keplinger

Barbara Losse, St. Mark's SLC, taking a picture of Toni Marie Sutliff

Pablo Ramos, Susan Wiltsey Smith, Jay Stretch

Mike Mayor, Russ Babcock, Mary June Nestler, Dave Bailey, Steve Keplinger

Mike Mayor, Lee Shaw, Mary June Nestler, arms by Dave Bailey

Barbara Losse, Toni Marie Sutliff, and Mike Mayor receive a press briefing from the Rev. Dan Webster, formerly of the Diocese of Utah

Our deputation tries to convene to discuss items. Sometimes we meet after a legislative session for a few minutes, gathered around in the alternates' gallery. Other times we gather in the suite designated for our use. Last night we shared pizza and took a class photo (missing Lee Shaw, who was at a committee hearing). Please enjoy these pictures!

From Steve Hutchinson, St. James, Chancellor of the Diocese of Utah

2009-07-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Steve responds to a question during debate in the House of Deputies

Steve, during deliberations in the Legislative Committee on Canons

July 13, 2009

There is so much about this General Convention to share, but I beg your indulgence for a personal note.

Today is a day I will always remember. Some of you know that I have worked on two separate Church task forces over the last nine years to produce a complete rewrite of a section of the Church Canons known as Title IV (clergy discipline canon). Today, the House of Deputies overwhelmingly voted to adopt that work as a major change to the Canons. Since our General Convention is a bicameral (two house) legislature, the measure must also be approved by the House of Bishops, which may consider it as early as tomorrow morning. Whew!

This measure was worked over for four days in the legislative committee on Canons, as was approved with amendments there on Saturday by unanimous vote. The Rev Brad Wirth, former Rector of All Saints and now a deputy from Montana, has been serving on the committee. He spoke eloquently from the floor during the debate on Title IV, while I was up front to handle questions from the Floor of the House (See photo).

There are two very important lessons from this experience. First, that a relatively unknown person from a small diocese, working persistently and guided by faith, can help make significant change in our Church. Secondly, that by living our Baptismal Covenant to uphold the dignity of every person in the form of very patiently and deliberately including as many individuals and groups within the Church as possible (along with their extremely varied points of view), we were able to achieve virtual consensus.

I am deeply grateful for all of the prayers and support I received during this nine-year experience, from Bishop Carolyn, Canon Bailey, the leadership of the Diocese and my family.

Resolution D025 - What does it really mean?

2009-07-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

I read through the blogs and news service reports last night after the House of Bishops voted to concur with amendment with the House of Deputies on resolution D025. Most of them said things like “General Convention opens ordination process to Homosexuals” or “US General Convention Pushes Anglican Communion Closer to Schism.” Speaking as one who was present for the debate in the House of Deputies, most of the headlines and reporting (including Episcopal News Service) frame the resolution in terms of novelty and conflict. But even a surface reading of the resolution will show that there is nothing novel in the resolution and nothing that would either diminish or increase the current conflicts in the Anglican Communion.

The Joint Committee on World Mission received 14 resolutions asking everything from a repeal of 2006 General Convention Resolution B033 to reaffirming the same resolution, and everything in between. The joint committee did a wonderful, creative, and inspired thing ... they presented a resolution that affirmed our place as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion; our commitment to ongoing fellowship, support, and interdependence within the Communion; and, without reference to B033, stated the present reality in the Episcopal Church in regards to the role and status of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons as well as the present reality that “Christians of good conscience” in the Anglican Communion, and not just in the Episcopal Church, are not of one mind on the matter.

Both those who wish to move forward on and those who are opposed to the blessing of same sex unions and the ordination to the episcopate of homosexuals in committed relationships are prone to read this resolution as a repeal of B033. Except that B033 did not create a moratorium as has been asserted by the Archbishop of Canterbury and conservatives within the Church. What B033 committed the Bishops and Standing Committees of the Episcopal Church to was 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.”

So what, really, does this mean? Put simply what the General Convention has done is express our reality without evasion or apology. It has invited the rest of the Communion to accept us for who we are in the spirit of community and dialogue. It is a courageous act of authenticity and differentiation of self within the context of the global Anglican family. It is a reclaiming of our identity as Anglicans and not only Episcopalians. It is a clear expression that while we recognize the tensions that exist in the communion we also recognize the tensions in our own church and in the midst of those tensions we stay committed to dialogue and community.

In an age when so much of our process is litigious and adversarial (both in the Anglican Communion and in society in general), this is truly an Anglican Via Media response calling for engagement in the broad middle of the church that neither compromises positions nor tolerates appeasement, and for that reason we have ample cause to be proud of our church.

Peace and joy,

Mike

Hard times, fun times

2009-07-13T20:14:00.001-07:00

House of Deputies

House of Bishops

Pastor Ken testifies during a legislative hearing

Lest you think we don't have fun on the floor of the House of Deputies, I offer these few tidbits.

One day, when the hand-held voting machines were not cooperating, the President signaled that the backgound music could play for a few minutes. When the song "You are My Sunshine" came on, the entire House joined in, for all three verses! Later, at the end of the day during his announcements, the Secretary of the House of Deputies, the Rev. Gregory Staub, announced that "those deputies between the ages of 18 and 21 that would like to get together should meet in the corner after the close of business today." Secretary Staub paused, and said, "Given how many of the House knew the words to You are My Sunshine, I think this will be a poorly attended meeting."

During announcements at the end of business today, Secretary Staub announced that "All deputies between the ages of 21 and 35 interested in pursuing Ubuntu should meet at [named bar] at 10 pm tonight." After a beat, he said, "We have coined a new word for it - Ubuntu."

Today, as we were again struggling with our voting machines, a deputy from the Diocese of Florida rose to offer her deputation's help as they "had some experience with machines that don't work and hanging chads."

A paper doll, dressed in bishop attire, testified at a hearing earlier this week.

We do also have solemn moments, often led by our Chaplain Wade. Today, in his opening meditation, knowing that we would be voting on several elections including one to confirm the election of the Bishop of Ecuador Central, spoke about not being chosen and the ministry of those not chosen. He said that participating in a contested election is a bit like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die. He also said that, "It is hard for large bodies to do delicate things."

We have done some hard things at this Convention; that is what we are here to do. I guess that's why we get the big bucks!

Goodnight, on Legislative Day 6, from your editor, Toni Marie Sutliff, All Saints.

Confirmation of Bishop of Ecuador Central

2009-07-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today we had a difficult resolution to consider. The Diocese of Central Ecuador went through a contentious and controversial election process for a Bishop Co-Adjutor. In the end it was abundantly clear that, from a canonical perspective, an appropriate and legitimate election process occurred. Nevertheless matters among human beings are not necessarily so neat and clean and a number of people in the Diocese of Central Ecuador feel that their concerns were not adequately addressed. While deputies spoke passionately for and against one could feel the tidal emotional forces at work. The House of Deputies showed deep pastoral concern for the well being of the Diocese of Central Ecuador and a deep concern for the democratic process which is a central value of the Episcopal Church’s polity. In the end the voice vote sounded close enough to require an electronic vote and the election of the bishop-elect of Central Ecuador was confirmed by a 72% margin.

Halfway done, by Steve Keplinger, St. David's Page

2009-07-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

Utah and Navajoland Deputations and youth meet for lunch

It's Sunday night and I'm watching the fireworks of Disneyland exploding just beyond our hotel room next to the Anaheim Convention Center.

Though we only had one legislative session on this Sunday, this has been a very momentous day at this Convention, and I dare say, in the history of The Episcopal Church.

It began with Eucharist in the gigantic hall of the Center. Our Presiding Bishop presided, but she was flanked by our last two Presiding Bishops, Frank Griswold and Edmund Browning. Perhaps our own Adrienne Gossard said it best when she, in her usual calm, understated fashion, said, "There are a few more people here than we usually have at a Sunday service.", as she looked out over the thousands and thousands of people. It was impossible to not be moved during that service.

Our Utah delegation then had lunch with our visiting youth. We had a great time together. Catlin and Kyle were extra crispy, as they described, but their sunburn occurred before they left Page. Caylee, Michaela, and Kristen are also having a blast with our other 40 kids in the diocese and from Navajoland. Tomorrow, they are off to Disneyland, where they will spend the day and then leave at midnight to drive back home. Jean will be making the ultimate sacrifice and go with the kids tomorrow, bringing Michaela and Kyle back here so they can fly out to meet up with the rest of the Poling family the next day.

Our delegation had planned days ago that Susan Wiltsey+ and I would be delegates today on The House of Deputies floor. I joked with our Canon, Dave Bailey+ that today would be the day that we would get the resolution in response to B033, the last second resolution at the 2006 General Convention that said we would "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."

Well, amazingly, that is exactly what happened. It was high drama as we took up as a body D025, a very well crafted document that does not repeal B033, but states emphatically and clearly that we will participate fully in the Anglican Communion, but that we can not and will not bar gay and lesbian persons who are living in "lifelong commtted relationships" from participating fully in the life of the church and that such individuals can be called to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church.

The ensuing discussion was spirited, emotional, and respectful.

Immediately, the request was made that we vote by orders, (lay and clerics separately). There were also two attempts to divide the resolution by separating the resolves about our relationship with the Anglican Communion from the sections about gay and lesbians. There was also an attempt to amend the language and eliminate the parts about "lifelong committed relationships." But through it all, I had the feeling that as a House, we were no longer willing to put off full inclusion of our gay and lesbian sisters and brothers for another moment. The day before, we had all been very moved by Jenny Te Paa's words from the New Zealand church, who reminded us how much of the Anglican Communion wanted us to vote how we believed the Spirit was telling us.

We rejected all possible amendments and attempts to divide the resolution. When we finally got to vote on the resolution as it was written, the vote was overwhelming. In the lay order 77 dioceses voted unanimously for the resolution, while 31 voted no or split their vote. In the clerical order, it was 74 dioceses unanimously for and 34 split or against. Jean happened to be sitting in the observation area during the vote near The Right Rev. Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire, whose election started all this six years ago. Jean shook hands with him right after the vote.

Perhaps what moved me the most during this vote, was the tone of the discussion and the love that we had for each other during the process. I had no feeling that the people who genuinely felt it wrong to pass this resolution are going to pick up their marbles and go home. We need to remain THE church of diversity and it is my fervent prayer that all on both sides will continue to love and worship together. That was my sense during the whole process. The resolution now goes to The House of Bishops for their approval.

We also passed some other very important resolutions today of concern to St. David's. We recommitted as a mission priority responding to the Millennium Development Goals and said we would spend at least one percent of our budget on funding it. We passed a very well conceived strategic plan for growing Latino/Hispanic congregations and approved $ 3,500,000 for seed money to do so. We also passed a resolution to direct the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to put together materials to help us deal with Christian anti-Judaism expressed in some of our texts, especially those used in Holy Week and Easter liturgies. At St. David's, we have done this for years, and I was so excited that the greater church will be working on the same thing.

There is much more to come. The most difficult resolutions take the longest to hit the floor, so stay tuned. In addition to the resolutions that will get all the press, we are looking forward to a possible resolution regarding a season of Creation, as St. David's presently has and has been adopted by our diocese. We also have great hopes for Lee Shaw's+ liturgy for the loss of a companion animal, which I spoke about yesterday and you may have seen in the Episcopal Life article.

By the way, Adrienne and Kyle were in the background of the picture on the front page of the Daily Convention paper yesterday that included the story of the animal resolution. Our youth are everywhere! Many of them were also verbally accosted by some protestors yesterday, and they did a great job respectfully defending themselves and their church. This has been a great learning experience for them, though they have probably been exposed to way more than they would have preferred. We are all proud of the entire Utah and Navajoland youth delegation. Moms and Dads, you also need to know that multiple youth leaders have gone out of their way to tell me how much they have enjoyed their time with and getting to know your teens. They are such great ambassadors for St. David's and the entire Episcopal Church.

Blessings to all of you,
Steve+

Hearing on Resolution regarding liturgies and prayers for Companion Animals

2009-07-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Toni Sutliff testifies on supplemental music for the hymnal

Steve Keplinger testifies on prayers for companion animals

Lee Shaw testifies on prayers for companion animals

Lee Shaw sitting as a member of the Prayer Book, Liturgy, and Music Committee

Kona, a service dog, sits during testimony on prayers for companion animals

Mocha, a service dog, observes testimony on prayers for companion animals

Brad Wirth before the hearing of Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music Committee on prayers for companion animals

Early one day last week (it's all starting to blend in together), the Legislative Committee on Liturgy, Prayer Book, and Music (or some title like that) held its hearings on several resolutions, including the one put forward by the Diocese of Utah and a similar one by the Diocese of Montana (where Brad Wirth now serves). I present the following texts from some of the testimony:

The Rev. Steve Keplinger, St. David's Page, read the following letter from Best Friends Animal Society as part of his testimony:

July 7, 2009

Greeting to delegates to the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church: For many years, Best Friends Animal Society has worked to promulgate the philosophy that all animals are sentient beings that deserve both our respect and the right to be treated as individuals.

Appreciating that the interaction between companion animals and people provides a special connection with creation as a whole, and further appreciating that companion animals provide assistance and emotional therapy to those in need, Best Friends Animal Society supports the resolution that the church embrace pastoral care and develop prayers to commemorate the life of companion animals.

While a broken bond between a companion animal and a person can cause a deep sense of grief, a spiritual acknowledging of that bond through an authorized rite of celebration, such as one we celebrate at our own Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, can help those who lose a companion animal to accept the loss and move on in their lives.

On behalf of the more than 200,000 supporting members of Best Friends Animal Society, we send our warmest support and thanks for your kind consideration of this heartfelt resolution.

BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY

John Fripp

President, Board of Directors

Chief Financial Officer

And from the Rev. Mike Mayor, All Saints SLC:

I am here to testify in support of this resolution.

The pastoral dimensions of the loss of a pet cannot be understated. While the loss of a beloved animal affects any pet owner, the effect of such a loss is especially felt by children and the elderly.

For children the death of a pet is often their first experience of death. For the elderly, especially when otherwise alone, the loss of a pet can have the same emotional impact as the loss of a spouse or sibling.

Up to this point, clergy and families have found themselves bereft of adequate resources when faced with such a loss. When the loss results in a genuine pastoral crisis, the Church is often conspicuously silent, offering no contextual theology or practical care.

This resolution would help to resolve this void and bring comfort to many whose grief has gone unnoticed.

The Rev. Lee Shaw, St. Stephens West Valley City, and the Rev. Brad Wirth, Montanta, also spoke on behalf of the resolutions, but I don't have their text. They both emphasized the pastoral implications of the loss of a beloved animal companion. Two other speakers had with them therapy animals, Kona and Emily, who provided visual confirmation of the impact of these companions.

On another note, at the same hearing, I spoke in favor of a resolution that would authorize a study of the 1982 Hymnal to determine how it can better provide music for the Church.

From Linda Garner, Good Shepherd, about the ECW Triennium

2009-07-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

Wednesday July 8, 2009
46th Triennial Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women
Anaheim, California

The ECW Triennial meeting was opened by President, Kay Meyer. She was delighted to introduce The Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori who addressed the attendees. Bishop Jefferts Schori blessed a basket of beautiful crosses and then personally presented one to each woman in attendance.
The Bishop’s presentation was followed by a wonderful meditation from Reverend Ellen Sloan on the theme, “Grow in Grace”.
President Meyers asked that each attendee be provided with a Prayer Card with the name of a women attending the conference. We were asked to pray for the woman on the card and keep her in our thoughts during the time of the conference.
The business meeting began. The roll call reported 253 delegates present with all 9 Providences represented. The Utah Diocese was represented by Linda Garner, Laura Orcutt, and Isabel Gonzalez. The Standing Rules and the 46th Triennial Program were adopted by delegate vote.
The business meeting was followed by an introduction to the Public Narrative process. The personal stories told by the two presenters were compelling and demonstrated the power of storying telling to reach others and convey a message. This technique will be used tomorrow in the beginning of the Mission Conversation sessions.
This evening we attended the ECW welcoming dinner. The room was full and the company was delightful. The room was delighted when Bishop Barbara Harris was introduced to the group;. After dinner, the group was entertained and educated about the history of ECW though the presentation of the play, “Yet We Persist”, written by Katerina Katsarka Whitley. The play was delightful. It traced ECW from its inception to the Ordination of Bishop Barbara Harris and the Investment of The Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.
The highlight of the evening for me was personally meeting Bishop Harris. She was very warm, welcoming and personable.

Thursday July 9, 2009
46th Triennial Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women
Anaheim, California

The ECW delegates met in the morning during the gathering time. We were welcomed by President Meyer who then introduced the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. The Arch Bishop spoke of the caring and service that the women of the church have provided to implement the action needed to propel transformation. He also stated that as the institution of the church goes through struggles, the foundation may become shakey but the bonds between us are what maintain and hold us together.
Following the Arch Bishop, the group was addressed by his UN observer, PhD. Helen Grace Wangusa. She discussed her role of attending the UN sessions and listening to all the governments represented addressing the struggles they face within their countries and between each other. She spoke the concerns of adequate nutrition, clean water, health care and human dignity issues that face many individuals in our world.
The gathering time was concluded with a meditation from Rev. Ellen Sloan. Her topic was motherhood and how we are mothers both biologically and in non-biological ways. She talked about how we serve as mother figures to our natural children, children in blended families, extended family, and to the women we meet by supporting and nurturing each of them.

The business meeting was called to order in the afternoon. The first issue of the day was the proposed changes to the By-Laws. The first two motions passed with little debate. The changes inserted the words “and Communication” to the title of the Vice- President of Information. The new title of this office will be Vice-President of Information and Communication. The third change was defeated after lengthy discussion. The change would have required that the Treasurer serve on the National Board for one term before being eligible to run for the office of Treasurer. The forth motion was also defeated after a lengthy discussion. This motion would have provided each Diocese with at least one certified delegate in attendance with four votes. The vote failed to pass the change, the current By-Law will remain which allows each diocese to end up to four delegates. Each attending delegate will have one vote. The discussion on the failed proposals was educational, informative, and done with respect and concern for the overall health of the national ECW organization. It prompted interest and involvement in the process and fostered a means of resolution to the issues that were brought to the attention of the group.
The candidates for office that had been nominated by the Nominating Committee were announced. Candidates are as follows:
Presdident
Marcie Cherau Patricia Haldeman Marcia Himes
Vice Presdient for Program
Cordelia Burt
Vice President for Information and Communication
Marilyn Rishkofski
Treasurer
Alsie Churchman
Sandra Powers
Member at Large Social Justice
Irene Radcliff

The following candidates were nominated from the floor:
Secretary
Kathy Mank

Member at Large Multi-Media
Christine Budzoski
The group was addressed by the President, Kay Meyers. She talked about the challenges and rewards of her term. She was thankful for the support and friendship of the women she has meet and represented. She talked about the power of the organization to implement the changes and programs needed to meet the needs of peoples around the world.

The meeting was closed with several uplifting and joyous hymns and heart felt prayer.

Attending an Episcopalian Megachurch by Kathy Horvat

2009-07-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Recessional with liturgical dancers

Some of Utah's Youth lining up for communion

Bishop Carolyn in Rochet and Chimere, before Eucharist

Every day we have a Community Eucharist, which has an attendance of a couple of thousand people, but on Sunday morning, the numbers were increased to an estimated 7000 people, sitting in a huge hall. I was singing in the volunteer choir, which probably numbered somewhere around 100 yesterday. A large and powerful gospel choir from Los Angeles joined us. They also sang a couple of powerful songs.

The pageantry of this service was incredible. The 100+ bishops were led in by a group of young Asisan Drummers, as well as some large streamers. Then they were followed by dancers who filled the stage, moving as we sang the opening hymns, "Holy, Holy, Holy," and "Christ is Made the Sure Foundation." In addition to traditional hymns we sang Spanish, Gospel and classical. The offeratory anthem sung by the choir was one of my favorites, Mozart's "Ave Verum." The service ended with a rousing rendition of the old hymn, "O Zion Haste," with its urge in the chorus to "Publish Glad Tidings."

I have been conveying details of this wonderful service, but I can't seem to find the words to express how I felt. Certainly, it touched my spirit and my heart. The energy of the thousands who were singing with me energized and lifted me. While I have no desire to be part of a megachurch, today's service caused me to realize why they are attractive to so many unchurched people who come through their doors. I hope that we can generate more of the same kind of enthusiasm and life in our churches in Utah, encouraging visitors to return.

From Russ Babcock, lay deputy from St. Paul's SLC

2009-07-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

There's never a time
For accepting the challenge
To find a reason
For love, for God.

There's never a reason
To find a time
To accept a challenge
To love, or God.

There's ever a challenge
For finding a reason
To accept a time
For love, and God.

For love, or God
There is a time
There is a challenge
There is a reason.

Things I've Heard at Convention

2009-07-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

From the Chaplain of the House of Deputies, the Rev. Frank Wade, Minnesota:

Christianity is a verb. It is a doing! Why do we call ourselves 'Followers of Jesus'? Because He is going somewhere!

Also from Chaplain Wade, quoting GK Chesterson:

Original sin is the only truly verifiable doctrine of the Church.

And again:

The only time Israel was without doubt was when they were creating the golden calf.

From a Deputy during the debate on D025 (about ordaining LBGT people):

In Columbus I stood before you, intending to ask that we vote down B033 (asking for restraint in the ordination of LGBT), and found myself asking that we approve it as a gift to our then Presiding Bishop Elect Katherine. Today I stand before you asking that we approve D025 as a gift to the church, in all our messiness; that we give ourselves in all our fullness to the Anglican Communion and to the Episcopal Church.

The Power of Being Affirmed - Mike Mayor

2009-07-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

On Saturday afternoon the President of the House of Deputies asked for the house to suspend its normal calendar and allow for five guests to speak to the House. By this time we were behind on our work and had pages and pages of resolutions to review and dispatch. This seemed like yet another unneeded and tedious interruption. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Five people came to the podium. They were Esther Mombo (Kenya), the Very Rev. Victor Atta-Baffoe (Ghana), the Rev. Luiz Alberto Barbosa (Brazil), the Very. Rev. Rowan Smith (Canada) and Jenny Te Paa (New Zealand and Aoterea). Each of them made the obligatory thank you's and spoke graciously to the members of the House of Deputies. But with each speaker the language became more open and supportive of the Episcopal Church and specifically of who we are in light of the tensions within the communion. This pattern reached its zenith with Jenny Te Paa who spoke the longest and the most candidly.

Her words regularly set a lump in my throat and on at least 4 occasions brought tears to my eyes. Here is a small example of what she said:

If I could be so bold I want also to assure you that among ourselves as your international friends we are now all quietly urging you not to dwell unduly with any sense of uncertainty about your place within the global Anglican Communion. Sure the fearmongerers abound – they always have and they always will but surely our gaze must always be fixed beyond the horizon of fear and just as surely that gaze must always apprehend first and foremost the images of those who are the least among us.

After 6 years of argument, tension, and (frankly) vilification by many within the Anglican Communion and a less than warm attitude from the Archbishop of Canterbury I had come to a place where I had stopped speaking of being an Anglican and spoke principally about being an Episcopalian. I knew that I had pain about this, but these affirmations from churches in the Global South made it clear that I had felt more than hurt, the loss of identity as an Anglican was the source of even deeper pain.

Thanks to these speakers, especially Jenny Te Paa, I once again am proud to say that we truly are Anglicans. I invite you to do likewise.

To read all of Jenny Te Paa's speech click here.

Peace and joy,

Mike Mayor

Equality?, Russ Babcock, St. Paul's SLC

2009-07-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

Equality?

Here is BO33:

What is it that we see?

What are really honest choices?

Just listen to the crying voices.

Do we take some more abuse?

Should we choose to cut it loose?

We'd like our voices clearly heard,

For all to hear the Gospel word.

We'll keep for all, equality,

For all, for them, for you and me,

And not be told by them, or you,

Exactly what we ought to do.

We still can work our call together,

To live into the Gospel, whether

We all agree or whether not.

Just don't put us in a tighter spot!

The world is small and well needs us.

There's still a lot we must discuss.

But first, before we choose some fusion

Let us focue on our Gospel mission.

Editor's note: BO33 was the resolution adopted by the 2006 General Convention, calling for restraint in electing as bishops those whose "manner of life," widely understood to mean homosecuality, would cause concern for the rest of the Anglican Communion. (See The Daily, published by Episcopal Life Media, for Saturday July 11, 2009, www.episcopalchurch.org/gchub)

Integrity at General Convention, Lee Shaw

2009-07-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

Some of what Integrity is doing at General Convention.

I have been asked what Integrity, the ministry for and with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (glbt) people is doing at Convention. Integrity has been very busy behind the scenes in many areas, along with various other groups in the church interested in Gospel imperative, equality and justice issues, such as the Chicago Consultation and many others. But it is in liturgy that Integrity really sparkles, sometimes quite literally.

On Thursday morning we had the Community Eucharist with the Archbishop of Canterbury offering a meditation to the congregation of well over 1,000. Integrity had ordered and given away or sold 500 t-shirts in bright red, bright blue and bright lime green with: “HERE I AM. SEND ME! I am a witness to God’s inclusive love.” Throughout the congregation this witness of Integrity’s message of inclusion and equality shone like so many jewels scattered throughout the convention hall for the service.

After the service most of us gathered outside for a photo as we sang, “We are marching in the light of God” and “Jesus loves me this I know.”

That was one witness.

Another witness was Friday night for the General Convention Integrity Eucharist. This has grown to become one of the most popular services of Convention. People show up to see who is there, to be seen and to worship God in some of the best and most creative and moving liturgies of Convention. This year was not exception with several hundred worshippers filling the ballroom. (It may have been the largest Integrity Eucharist since we were not limited to the seating of a church building.)

For the first time since I have been attending General Convention (4 times) we did not do it in a church. A Hilton Hotel ballroom provided the space and that opened up some creativity in setting the space: in a semi-circle around a large platform/chancel.

The liturgy was a mix of Episcopal “Enriching our Worship” as well as other various elements from other sources. There was a very definite Latino and African flavor to the music and the Gospel was read in Spanish. It was much more free flowing and contemporary than other Integrity services I have been to.

The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire presided. The Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris, retired Suffragan Bishop of Massachusetts and first female bishop in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion preached. Her sermon was a wonderful blend of church issues and the Scriptural text of Cornelius and Paul found in Acts. It was also a call to the church to heed Gospel imperatives of inclusion, justice and love. She more than touched on issues of marriages and blessings between same sex couples as well as the need to move beyond the moratorium on the consecration of gay/lesbian bishops. As to the consecration of a gay or lesbian bishop, she noted that if you do not want a gay or lesbian bishop, then do not ordain one to be a transitional deacon; when you are ordained you are open to all three orders. Her sermon was interrupted several times by applause and loud “AMEN!” She was relentless in her call to the church to be honest, to be truthful and to include all her children into the folds of the sacramental life of the church. All the sacraments for all the baptized.

The sermon may have been a highlight for many, but there were three very moving other moments I will take away with me from this convention.

The first was the welcome we gave to retired Presiding Bishop Edmund Browning. It was Bishop Browning who first articulated for us: “There will be no outcasts in this church.” It was Presiding Bishop Browning that helped show me that I would be welcomed in the Episcopal Church. That message rang true for so many of us for so long. Interestingly, it was in Anaheim in General Convention 1985 that he was elected Presiding Bishop.

The second moment for me was in the Prayers for the Ministry of All the Baptized. We had earlier renewed our Baptismal Covenant. (Which Bishop Harris declared is the “only covenant” we need.”) Later we prayed for various groups and they were each invited to come and stand in the large space around the platform/chancel. These groups were: those who have fought against “injustice” to glbt persons; all married/blessed glbt couples and their families; and finally glbt priests and deacons. We more than filled the space around the platform/chancel.

Finally was the conclusion when Bishop Gene invited all glbt clergy to join him around the altar. We could not all fit. There were so many of us. Many of us stood on the floor for there was no room for us in the chancel. Then the entire congregation processed out – more or less – to singing a very lively version of “We are marching in the light God, we are marching in the light of God.” It was a marvelous moment of holy chaos with singing, clapping, dancing, processing, and celebrating our lives in the light of God.

This was the most unusual and most lively of the four Integrity Eucharist Services I have attended. It was quite the night. I know many of the Utah Deputation were there although I only spoke briefly with Bishop Carolyn at the reception before the service.

The Rev’d Lee ShawRector, St. Stephen’s

More pictures from Thursday

2009-07-10T11:55:00.001-07:00

Toni Marie working on the blog while the deputation meets to discuss the day's business

Brad Wirth in his committee hearing

Steve Hutchinson in his committee hearing

Steve Hutchinson and fellow Chancellor, Duncan Baynes

Mary June at deputation meeting

Craig Wirth snapped this photo of the deputation meeting

Another Craig shot

Otis listens to a point made at the deputation meeting, with Linda Garner beside him

Craig Wirth himself, caught in the act!

As people send photos, I upload them, so you will occasionally just get a mass of pictures. Today, Friday, we continued our conversation about the LGBT issue, and will pick up the legislative session this afternoon. I'll post more (and get others to give us their thoughts) later this evening.

From Steve Keplinger - a note he originally sent to his congregation

2009-07-09T22:57:00.000-07:00

Greetings all from Anaheim and the 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church. This is day two of Convention and I wanted to pass on some of the highlights from our experience here thus far and my own initial reactions to the goings on here.

First, let me say that these are long, long days! Legislative committees, where much of the action of Convention really happen, start in the early AM. Tomorrow's gathering for me was pushed back from 7 AM to 7:30. Legislative sessions in The House of Deputies and House of Bishops run for couple hour sessions, twice a day. Then we have group gatherings like Eucharist and other learning sessions like one we are doing called Public Narrative. In addition, we have presentations by church leaders. Today, I heard not only The Right Rev. Gene Robinson speak in the hall, but thousands of us gathered to hear both the Presiding Bishop and The Archbishop of Canterbury speak. Legislative committee sessions follow this, ending around 9 PM. Then each day, the Utah delegation meets to orient ourselves and assign responsibilities for the next day. Somehow, we are supposed to eat in the midst of all this, but I have not figured out how to do that yet, missing lots of meals.

The theme of the Convention is Ubuntu. Ubuntu is an African word that probably best translates, "I am because we are." Some of you may remember that I mentioned it in a sermon a few weeks ago. The Rev. Michael Battle says that Ubuntu is the opposite of Descartes' notion, "I think, therefore I am." It is the idea that we are all interconnected, and that our very essence only exists in community and is enhanced by community. I was very moved by Bishop Katherine's speech in our opening session when she suggested that the idea that we can be saved individually is "The Great Western heresy" and is really a form of idolatry. She said that we were not gathered here to create a self interested church, meaning a church made in our image, but that she was calling us to create a supernatural church.

Today, I heard another priest whose name has escaped me talk about how difficult the idea of Ubuntu was for him and for many of us formed in western culture. He said he thought he almost had it when he left for Convention and then landed in John Wayne airport. The character that John Wayne played is about as "un-ubuntu as possible", he said. "John Wayne is to ubuntu," he said, "as Darth Vader is to the 23rd Psalm."

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams is here for the first time at General Convention. That in itself says much. He was graciously and warmly welcomed with a standing ovation this evening. He spoke to us about "Christian faithfulness in the global economic crisis." His speech centered on truthfulness on many levels and our role as Anglicans in teaching the world another way through transparency, an understanding that Creation must be part of how we make ALL economic decisions in the future and about moving from an individualistic approach to economy to the common good. He also spoke about redefining wealth for the world as a state of well being and teaching the world about a new way of living that recognizes the earth's limitations.

Our own Presiding Bishop made similar connections to Creation and our interconnection to it in all three of her main talks. I have to tell you I was nearly moved to tears hearing both of them speak so eloquently about something all of you have heard me preach about for years. It made me very proud to be here and to be a part of a church that sees creating dignity for every human being and every part of Creation as a major goal.

One last comment about how I am feeling about all this. In today's first legislative session, as I sat in The House of Deputies, I could not help but think that what we are doing here has to be exactly what the Fathers of this country had in mind when they wrote the Constitution. Of course it was, after they set up the Episcopal Church system, they went on to model the US governmental system after it. But I don't just mean that. I mean that we are here debating issues and disagreeing. But under that disagreement is this sense of togetherness, a feeling that God is with us in these deliberations. This creates a sense of respect and love for one another in the midst of the debate. It is beautiful to experience and I wish the US Congress was here to see how this is supposed to work. It will not be all strawberries and cream, of course, but there is a genuine sense that the Holy Spirit is alive and well and with us in this place. I love the feeling and have never been more proud to be an Episcopalian.

Check out Toni Sutliff's blog that Jody sent you the link to, for more specific info and for a picture of your Sunday School teacher having another of her regular dinners. (Editor's note - the picture is reproduced at the beginning of this post.)

We miss you all and trust you are all well. Jean and many others here including the Utah Delegation, Anne Bailey, Dan Webster+ and many more all say a special hi.
Blessings,
Steve+

Miscellaneous pictures

2009-07-09T22:34:00.001-07:00

The new decoration on the Utah Deputation's signpost in the House of Deputies

A legislative hearing - this is the committee

This is the audience

JoAnn Leach - remember her?

This is what it looks like to testify at a legislative hearing

Late night deputation meeting: Mike Mayor, Jay Stretch, Laura Orcutt (for ECW)

More deputies: Dave Bailey, Russ Babcock, Otis Charles, Linda Garner (for ECW)

Deputies: Lee Shaw, Felipe Sanchez Paris - Charles (guest), Kathy Horvat, Mary June Nestler

Deputies: Barbara Losse, Russ Babcock, Otis Charles, Linda Garner (for ECW)

Deputies: Kathy Horvat, Lee Shaw, Barbara Losse, Felipe Sanchez Paris - Charles (guest)

Craig Wirth photographing the deputation

The Class Photo - a group of us wore t-shirts in support of full inclusion of LGBT

More pictures and stories to come tomorrow - I am tired. Your editor, Toni Marie

The Angels' game

2009-07-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is what I was doing instead of listening to the Archbishop of Canterbury and others. The Angels lost big time, but the stadium is beautiful, the weather was perfect, the hotdogs were, well, hotdogs, and the evening was wonderful.

Today I am getting tired - started at 7am this morning with hearings on the denominational health plan. I know others had early hearings also. I'll post pictures of the hearing I attended and get others to report on their day, later.

Toni

Kathy Horvat photos

2009-07-09T15:42:00.001-07:00

Kathy took these pictures.The picture on the left is from the Exhibit Hall, of an MDG project. The one below is of the convention center. You can see how lovely the weather is.

Archbishop of Canterbury photos

2009-07-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

Mike Major took these at the panel last night. On the far left is ABC Rowan Williams sitting with the President of the House of Deputies, Bonnie Anderson, and Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori standing, with other unidentified people. The photo on the right is the ABC, with a bit of Bonnie's profile.

Reflections on Day 2 (which is really Day 4), by Kathy Horvat

2009-07-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

One of the interesting aspects of the many-thousand member "family gathering" is the language we use. For instance, today may be Thursday to you, but here it is Day 2, and everything thahappens is identified this way, including the Daily Eucharist. We came on Monday, with activities beginning that evening for Province VIII members and full convention gatherings on Tuesday, but we didn't start counting the days until the formal opening of the first Legislative Session yesterday. Other phrases I have heard include "I rise to speak," which makes me think that is what has been said by legislators for the last 200+ years. Never mind that they are being recognized as they stand by a microphone and we can all see them from the many projectionscreens and TV's around the gigantic room. If you log on towww.episcopalchurch.org/gchub you will have a choice of watching the same things we areor hearing speeches already given by the Presiding Bishop, Archbishop of Canterbury and the President of the House of Deputies.

Between Legislative Sessions, among other things, I have attended legislative committee hearings that deal with the issues of the Millennium Development Goals and establishing committees that focus on women, my special interests. Somehow, I found myself being one of 51 people who testified before the committee on Program, Budget and Finance on Tuesday morning. They were establishing priorities and I spent a long minute attempting to persuade them to make the MDG's one of their top priorities. This is especially important, because we want to make sure that the Episcopal Church continues to highlight them. It was intimidating because the room was huge, as was the committee.

It occurred to me this morning that the ultimate purpose of much of the resolution process is for the Episcopal Church to express it values and commitments, but the ways it chooses to spend its money, the commissions and committees that are set up to encourage action and study in various areas, and by the public statements and issues that it chooses as focuses for advocacy.

Public Narrative and the Mission of the Church

2009-07-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

Starting early in the convention, all of the bishops, deputies, alternates, and registered visitors have been asked to engage in a group process called public narrative. This is a response to the last General Convention's request that we pay more focused attention on the mission of the church and on the relationship between our individual experiences of mission and their relationship to the church. This morning we sat in small groups of people from our own diocese and shared in 2 minute intervals a personal story of mission from our own lives. The group was given time to reflect on each story (what we heard, what we learned, what we didn't hear, what we are curious about, what was the crisis/transformation/shift, etc.). Out of these discussions themes began to become apparent. Sitting at a table with Dave Bailey, Bishop Otis Charles (a retired Bishop of Utah), Barbara Losse, Russ Babcock, and others I was moved by the deep and real sense of mission that everyone brings to their life in the church. This is an exciting process that I hope we will be able to bring back to Utah. We gather again on Saturday to further engage in this exercise, so more later.

Peace and joy,

Mike Mayor

Definitions

2009-07-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

Hello all:

We have had one request for definitions about the various resolutions. This is what I think I know:

"A" resolutions are presented by official agencies, boards, and commissions of The Episcopal Church - for example, the Standing Commission on Whatever.

"B" resolutions are presented by Bishops.

"C" resolutions are presented by committees - for example, the Executive Committee on the Status of Women.

"D" resolutions are presented by deputies.

Tomorrow (Thursday) at 5pm is the deadline for filing resolutions. So far about 500 resolutions have been filed.

Once a resolution has been filed, it is assigned to a legislative committee (formed just for this Convention). There are something like 28 legislative committees, from Rules to Courtesy Resolutions and just about everything in between. The legislative committees hold hearings on resolutions in their care, deliberate, and report out to the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. Those two houses deliberate and vote to accept the resolution or not. Both houses must accept any resolution - just like our own federal and state legislative systems. I think there is a lot of gaming that goes on, but I'm not experienced enough to say.

Of course, all this could be wrong and merely a pigment of my imagination. I'll double check my facts, and let you know where I've gone wrong.

A confession - tonight I did not go to the Archbishop of Canterbury's presentation. I played hookey and went to an Angels game with some other Episcopalians. The Angels lost big time to the Texas Rangers. Maybe I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Is this the fun part?

Toni Marie

From Lee Shaw

2009-07-08T22:16:00.001-07:00

This General Convention has a very different feel for me. On the one hand there is a different sense of "spirit" about the place, more confident and anticipatory. It is on the other hand a lot busier for me. I have been appointed to the Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music Committee. Given all of the liturgical changes this year this has been a very active committee and I have greatly enjoyed the discussions and hearings. Hopefully General Convention will approve for "trial use" a substitute for Lesser Feasts and Fasts called Holy Women, Holy Men: a Celebration of Saints. It will have considerable changes in it for our weekly remembrance of the saints. But it will also include specific ways for the church as a whole to give input to the names, collects, lessons, etc of folks listed. This is one thing I have strongly urged and supported in the committee, that the broader church also have input into this publication, not just General Convention.

Upcoming on Saturday will be the hearing with the committee on the Utah and Montana resolutions on prayers of Companion Animals. I have been walking all around convention looking for folks with service animals and have found several. I am hopeful that our committee hearing will have a lot of furry, four-legged witnesses to ministry to show the committee the need for and importance of this resolution. Brad Wirth, formally of Utah and now in Montana, has been very helpful in working on this resolution.

Upcoming will be Rachel's Tears, Hannah's Hopes, a compilation of prayers, litanies and liturgies for a variety of family issues, joys, losses and griefs. We have just begun our conversations and hearings on this.

Also will be the various resolutions on same sex blessing of unions and marriage. That will be a very interesting and vocal piece of our work together.

I have also been working with the Chicago Consultation who has partnered with Integrity on issues around glbt concerns and issues. I have been very encouraged and impressed with the energy, organization, hope and work that these groups bring to our life at General Convention.

I have great hopes for our 76th General Convention.

Lee Shaw

Archbishop of Canterbury Speaks, by Mike Mayor

2009-07-08T21:02:00.001-07:00

The Archbishop of Canterbury along with the Presiding Bishop and several young professionals offered a discussion about the global crisis we face in terms of the economy, the environment, and the human family. The Presiding Bishop reminded us that questions of the environment are not secondary to the current economic crisis, but are primary as the question of sustainability and political stability are inextricably connected to the health and well-being of the environment. Archbishop Williams called those assembled to a place where we begin to recognize the truth of our situation, the truth of the world we live in, and the truth that there can be no profit without cost.

Various pictures

2009-07-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

Steve Hutchinson

The Utah Deputation signpost in the House of Deputies

Pablo Ramos (getting up the energy to attend a committee hearing)

Debbie Snyder at the Navajoland booth in the Exhibit Hall

Mike Mayor, Russ Babcock, Jay Stretch at registration

Mary June Nestler at the Province VIII caucus

Jean Keplinger's dinner (really, this is all she had!)

Jean and Steve Keplinger

Dick and Debbie Snyder (formerly at St. Michael's, now in Navajoland)

Part of the Utah Deputation

Dave Bailey (Yikes - look at that beard!)

Bradley Wirth (formerly of All Saints, now of Montana)

Russ Babcock and retired Bishop Otis Charles

Barbara Losse, Mary June Nestler, Mike Mayor, Dave Bailey

Barbara Losse and Mike Mayor

Barbara Losse and Toni Marie Sutliff

I finally was able to download from my blackberry, so here are a bunch of photos. Notice all the wonderful people that are here!

From Mike Mayor

2009-07-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

Opening Eucharist

Name badges collect buttons

Our "Bible" of material

The House of Deputies with national flags

The House of Deputies from the Alternates gallery

It's been more than 10 years since I've been to a General Convention. I had forgotten just how unique an experience it is. We were reminded yesterday that when we gather for General Convention we form the largest democratically elected legislative body in the world! On the surface everything seems orderly, but underneath the only word that can describe this environment is "frenetic!" It is chock-a-block from 7:00 a.m. till 9:00 p.m. But what a privilege to be here and what an amazing thing that we do As the president of the House of Deputies told us this morning "the way we choose to govern ourselves reflects our deep belief in the ministry of all the baptized."

Pictures from Kathy Horvat

2009-07-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

Kathy took these photos on her honest to goodness camera and downloaded them. (I've figured out that I need some software I don't have to download from my Blackberry - perhaps tomorrow!)

These photos are from the deputation. Enjoy!

Dinner Break

2009-07-07T17:56:00.001-07:00

We are gathered as a Deputation to discuss what's going on. This afternoon we heard from the Presiding Bishop and Dr. Bonnie Anderson (President of the House of Deputies) and others to get us started. I'll have others post their thoughts on all of that. I spent several hours this morning trying to get my photos downloaded, and no luck yet! Never fear...

The second day...

2009-07-07T11:52:00.001-07:00

I'm still having trouble getting photos off my blackberry to post here, so in a minute I'm going to try to do it directly. It may not be pretty, but I'll keep working on it.

In the meaning, here is a photo of Pablo Ramos lurking in the lobby this morning prior to going to his committee meeting, and one of Kathy Horvat and me at dinner last night. Again, don't let me forget to tell you about Jean Keplinger's dinner.

Registration

2009-07-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

Hello again. Most of us got registered this afternoon. I've attached a photo of the Anaheim Convention Center and one of Bishop Carolyn at the registration booth. I have lots of wonderful pictures of folks I've run across, but am having some trouble downloading from my blackberry - they may have to wait until tomorrow. I am tired!!

Remind me to tell you about Jean Keplinger's dinner.

It has begun...

2009-07-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

I was so anxious to get here that I got to the airport 2 hours early this morning! Ran into Bishop Carolyn, who was on an earlier flight. Mike Mayor and Kathy Hovat and I were on the same flight and shared a cab from John Wayne Airport to the Anaheim Convention Center. I've just registered and gotten my credentials, and I've already seen Isabel Gonzalez and Pablo Ramos from San Esteban, and JoAnn Leach - former priest of the Diocese of Utah, now in Oregon. Also saw Steve Hutchinson, Dave Bailey, and Steve Keplinger off on a mission to Costco to get goodies for the Province VIII reception that we host tonight.

I will begin taking pictures at the reception tonight. Stay in touch and keep us in your prayers!!

Welcome!

2009-06-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Utah Deputation's 2009 General Convention blog. We intend to give you the up close and personal account of what General Convention is like, and where possible to give you links to important actions. We'll post photos, comments, anything that we think will help you feel what General Convention is like.

Please add your comments and questions so that we can have a true dialogue.

General Convention starts in earnest on Tuesday, July 7, and most of the Utah Deputation arrives in Anaheim on Monday, July 6. Keep us in your prayers!