no more bedhead

Great video that encapsulates in 6 minutes what happened in almost 2 weeks.

Ellen and the kids arrived at General Convention on Thursday. Jim was able to make the drive with them, so the driving and kid-wrangling wasn't so overwhelming. I talked to Ellen when they were about an hour out, and she said she would call me when they got to the hotel. I got the call right at 2:00, just as Bonnie Anderson was announcing that the House of Deputies would come to order in one minute.

After our session I went back to the hotel room and saw everyone. Was mobbed by the kids, actually. The idea was to come into town in time to go to the U2charist, so that was the next thing on our agenda. We got to the ballroom, the service started, and three of the four kids fell asleep. We decided to take them back to the room, and Jim offered to stay with them while Ellen and I went back to the U2charist. In the elevator on the way back we decided to skip the rest of the service, and hit the hotel bar. Good move.

Friday, while I was in the final sessions, everyone else wandered around the neighborhood (heading toward Disney), then they discovered the hotel pool, and hung out there the rest of the day. Dinner was at the New Orleans style restaurant in Downtown Disney, then some browsing on our way back. But the kids did get to see the fireworks from just outside the park.

Jim really wanted to see the Pacific Ocean, and Ellen and the kids had never been there either, so today we piled into the car and drove to Newport Beach. The beach was very different from the one we are used to (Nantucket Sound at Cape Cod). It went on for miles in either direction, and the walk from the boardwalk/sidewalk to the ocean must have been 400 feet (instead of the 4 feet at high tide in Cape Cod! - I exaggerate, but not by much.). The waves were pretty big, and the kids had a fun time playing in the surf. And getting their clothes wet even though we tried to minimize that. But the most amazing thing to me was that there was hardly anyone there. It was a beautiful Saturday morning and there couldn't have been more than two or three dozen people as far as the eye could see. I guess that's what happens when you have these enormous stretches of beach.

On the way to Newport Beach we passed the former Tower Records store in Costa Mesa. It's just sitting empty and falling apart. Sad.

Jim's flight is this evening – he is taking the red-eye back to Tallahassee – so we got him on the shuttle to the airport, then we decided to go visit Disneyland. We got these 5 day passes (for the price of a 3 day pass – what a deal!! Thanks, Mom!) so we figured we'd better get hopping as we are supposed to leave LA on Tuesday (although I'm thinking an extra day might not be so bad).

Our first evening at Disney was spent getting a feel for the park layout, what rides there were, and trying some things. We did some things like the Matterhorn, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, both of which were met with mixed results, to say the least. I had promised Keke that I would take her on the Matterhorn as that was the first roller coaster I had ever been on. I thought it was great, but she was not a big fan. As a matter of fact she hid her head, and tried to duck down during the whole ride. Stewie wasn't a fan either, but I think that was because it shook you back and forth too much. Ellen didn't enjoy it because she spent the whole time keeping Munchkin from sliding down onto the floor of the car.

Speaking of Munchkin and rides, she got off Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and announced that she was never going on it again. What we were able to determine is that it wasn't the intensity of the ride so much as it was that she thought she was actually driving the car, and she wasn't doing a good job of it. Hmmm...better ride prep next time.

At the end of the evening we left Disneyland and went over to Disney's California Adventure. We went specifically for, and got there just in time for, the Main Street Electrical Parade. Of course, since it's now not on Main Street, USA, it's just the Disney Electrical Parade. Still, the magic is there - floats that are lit up and sparkly, and the characters are in lighted-up costumes. I think the music is the same as it was when I was little. The most fascinating thing in the parade was Elliot, the dragon from Pete's Dragon. Amazing, since the movie is not available (AFAIK), but the kids were mesmerized by the disappearing dragon. We'll have to see if we can rent it somewhere when we get home.

Once the parade ended, we left the park, watched the fireworks from the plaza in between the two parks, and then headed home (to the hotel).

I had a luncheon today that was sponsored by the Chicago Consultation. The theme was “Doing Justice, Building Communion.” As I walked into the room, Bishop Robinson gave me a nod and said “hello” from across the room. Once he had finished his conversation, he came over and greeted me and we chatted for a few minutes. I thought that was pretty neat, although I was aware that he was acting as greeter for the event. Still, he remembered me, and I'd only met him twice.

I looked down at the name card that I had been given to find that I had been assigned to table number seven. Since part of this event was designed to have us discuss the topic with our table mates, the Chicago Consultation, in their wisdom, sat those of us from the same diocese at different tables. I set off to find table seven. As I found it, I had to pass by Dr. Jenny Te Paa, the "ahorangi" or dean of Te Rau Kahikatea (College of St. John the Evangelist) in Auckland, New Zealand. She is one of the smartest people I have ever heard talk. I saw her speak at the General Convention in Columbus, and she addressed the House of Deputies yesterday, in a speech that can only be described as “transformational”. However, I digress...

So, as I'm passing by Dr. Te Paa, I realize that she, too, is assigned to table seven. Not only that, there is an empty seat next to her. So, I casually meander over to it and place my name card on the table, all the while thinking “Oh. My. God. I'm going to sit next to Jenny Te Paa for this lunchtime discussion.” It turns out that she was one of the speakers for the luncheon, and she delivered another brilliant speech about the Anglican Communion, justice, and the Episcopal Church.

Our discussion was really very good, with all of us at the table sharing our stories of how we came to be interested in the call of justice, or the work of the Chicago Consultation, or the issues facing the Anglican Communion. It was great, if not a little nerve-wracking, to have to tell my story to Jenny (she said I could call her Jenny – how cool), but she was very gracious and as I said, it was a good discussion.

I should mention that also at the table were Bishop Henry Parsley from Alabama, Bishop John Chane from Washington DC, Esther Mombo from Kenya, who also addressed the convention yesterday, and three other deputies.

The other thing that happened today was that we (the House of Deputies) passed Resolution D025, which is our response to Resolution B033. It is a very pastoral response that I believe spells out how we intend to remain in relationship with the rest of the Anglican Communion, while still stating/embracing who we are as an inclusive church. Gay Jennings (the chair of our deputation) is the chair of the World Mission committee, whose members listened to testimony about and debated all of the resolutions that had been presented about this. After the session ended for the day I told her that I thought the resolution that she had presented was a good one and that I had come to Anaheim with the belief that B033 should be overturned. Through the conversations that I had during the week, I came to realize that doing so could cause more pain, and potentially push people out, and the last thing I want to do is exclude anyone. I told Gay that, to me, D025 spoke to exactly where I was with the issue.

Now, will the bishops concur?

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, visited General Convention this week. He didn't address the House of Deputies, sadly, but he did participate in a panel discussion about the Global Economic Crisis, and met with various groups during his time with us. He also presented the meditation at our worship service on Thursday. By sheer happenstance, we had an event in the same space right before the service, in which we had assigned seats. The deputation from Ohio was seated two tables away from the main stage. This is a picture I took of the archbishop.

The House of Deputies meets in a large hall in the convention center. The deputations from all across the church gather together in part of the room that is cordoned off from the rest. At the gaps in the cordons, there are volunteers whose job is to make sure that only properly credentialed deputies are allowed in that area. They do their job really well. Sitting outside the area are provisional (alternate) deputies, guests, other volunteers, visitors, the press, and anyone else who has an interest in what the HoD is doing.

There is quite the "hustle and bustle" of convention with people who are running for office trying to hand you flyers, people rushing to committee meetings or looking at the schedule to see where their committee meetings are being held, vendors, convention center staff, etc. It's quite busy.

The one thing I have found is that once I am approved by the volunteers and enter that cordoned off area, I feel safe. It almost feels like I am in a cocoon. I know that there will be no outside influences or distractions, and that I can concentrate on the business at hand. All of the deputies are there for the same purpose, and while I may not agree with come of them, I know that all the discussion will be civil. It's a pretty neat feeling.

-----

Our worship services are bilingual. I was expecting that, as I had experienced that in Columbus in 2006. However, this year I made the conscious decision NOT to look at the English translation when we were praying in Spanish. I decided to let the beauty of the language cascade over me. I discovered that it allowed me to focus not on the words themselves, but the cadence and rhythm, and in doing so it provided me with a whole different level of spirituality. I don't know what I'm saying when I'm speaking the Spanish words (other than I know what part of the service we are at so I kind of have an idea), but I speak them to the best of my ability. It's a very transformational experience.

The other part of our worship services that I am struck by is the size of the service. Everyone is invited, so there are deputies, bishops, spouses/partners, friends, guests, volunteers, and more. I would estimate that there are about 3,000 people at worship together. When we pray, but especially when we sing, the sound fills the room. Being in a convention center it echoes off the walls and the ceiling, but it's not in a distracting way. My favorite part so far was yesterday morning, the first Eucharist, when we sang the Sanctus and Benedictus (Hymnal 1982 - S125). Hearing that many people singing "Hosanna in the highest" and having it bounce around from all directions before fading away was awesome.

5:00am – wake up (thank you jet lag)

6:45am – Coffee.

7:00am – Registration in the convention center
Saw Helen from Cape Cod on the way in. She had to drop off cd's at a marketplace booth, so we went over to registration together. Turns out they wouldn't let her in to drop them off, so we wandered off the the Marriott for New Deputy Orientation.


8:00am – New Deputy Orientation
Problem is, no one at the Marriott seemed to be aware that there was orientation scheduled. So, we were shepherded into a ballroom, only to be told a few minutes later that it was canceled. Oh well.
That just means more time to kill.



8:45-12:00 – wander back and forth through the convention center, doing my own orientation. I'm thinking the observation deck would be a nice place to have convention. Warm, sunny, you get the picture. End up sitting around and looking at all the legislation that I was given with my ginormous binder at registration.

12:00 – Marketplace opens.
A cadre of drum-playing dancing kids led the procession into the marketplace hall. I spent some time wandering around just to get familiar with what is there. As I'm walking by one booth, I hear someone call my name. It was Keith Owen, the rector in Lakewood. I was surprised to see him there! He is working a booth for St. George's College, Jerusalem. He did the same thing in Columbus, where it wasn't unusual to see a Diocese of Ohio person, but he totally threw me off guard in Anaheim. Ran into Brian Wilbert, who not only had a hellish flight out, but left his camera battery charger in Ohio. (Later Stephen ordered one for him from Amazon and it will be here tomorrow. Love technology!) Also ran into Lynette and Art Williams, who are very excited that Ellen and the kids are going to come out next week. Lynette says, “your family is so neat!”

12:30 – Program, Budget, and Finance Hearing on Budget Priorities
People would come to the podium and speak for three minutes on what they felt should be the priorities with regard to the budget for the next triennium. At first I thought it must be pretty boring for the committee members as there is a lot of people just saying the same basic thing. Then I realized that it's not so much what was being said, or how it was being said, it was the fact that it was being said. My takeaway from the 45 minutes I was there was that people want the 0.7% Millennium Development Goal line item added back into the budget, and they believe that youth, indigenous ministry, and leadership resources/formation should be priorities.

2:00 – Address by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies Bonnie Anderson. Our deputation has pretty good seats for this. We're assigned to tables and we are right in front of the stage, in the second and third rows.

2:45 – Shift right into the beginning of this “public narrative” project we are supposed to be learning. Hmm. We'll see.

4:00 – Orientation.
For real. For all the deputies. We learned how to use the little voting keypad, and Gay Jennings had us all (the whole House of Deputies) watch a role play about how resolutions come to the floor, get debated, and get acted upon. It was really good. Included a resolution proposed by Deputy Hannah from the Diocese of Montana, and debate featured Deputy Eeyore from the Diocese of Pooh Corner, and Deputy Cinderella from the Diocese of Bippity-boppity-boo.

5:30 – Reception sponsored by the Chicago Consultation.
Free drink ticket (traded it for a $9.00 glass of Chardonnay), and lots of hors d'ouvres. Dinner. Met the Presiding Bishop. Met Susan Russell, the president of Integrity USA, and spoke with Bishop Gene Robinson for a few minutes. (Reminded him that we met at Bishop Hollingsworth's consecration, and that he knows my cousin.)

7:00 – Committee Meetings
Started in Communications, because that's the committee I would like to follow, except Stephen is on that committee so I should probably follow another one. I won't figure that out until tomorrow morning, so I went there anyway. After that one let out early, I went to Prayer Book, Liturgy, and Music, where I watched them discuss additions to the calendar of “saints”.

9:00 – Back to my room. Shoes off, feet up, and hitting the hay soon.

Tomorrow starts at 6:30 with a deputation and bishops caucus in “the suite”. Alan says that if I want to stay on his wife's good side, I'll knock on the suite door at 6:30, and not his room. Important safety tip.

Although I had my nose buried in the Blue Book, and my head swimming in resolutions and reports, for most of the day today, I did “come up for air” a couple of times. Two things came across my radar during those times.

The first was a prayer. On Twitter, someone tweeted that they were having difficulty figuring out how to pray for General Convention, but that they had finally hit upon something. The prayer is this:

Jesus, protect delegates from spiritual darkness which they are about to enter. Surround them with your glory. In His name I pray. Amen.

Now, as I read this, it struck me that I didn't consider General Convention to be a “spiritual darkness”, and I started to reflect on that. I considered the possibility that it might be.

When we gather together next week, there will be lots of discussion about some issues that are pretty fundamental theologically. It is possible that some of the discussion could be heated. It is also possible that the discussions will be very polarized/polarizing. In that sense I suppose one could interpret us as descending into the “darkness”.

I believe differently, though. I believe that we will be in exactly the opposite of “spiritual darkness”. I believe that we will be living in the midst of the Holy Spirit, who will be guiding our actions and leading us toward where we are to supposed to go. I am not a Biblical scholar, but I think this passage says it best:

I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. (John 16:12-13)

In the time of Jesus, we (humans) were not ready to hear the “whole truth”. (Think of that scene in Dogma, where anyone who hears the voice of God will explode.) I believe that the truth is constantly being revealed to us, and perhaps that is what we are experiencing with the debates that the Episcopal Church is going through right now.

I won't say much about the person who tweeted this, except that he is a priest. Based on his other tweets, and a quick overview of his blog, I think that “spiritual darkness” at convention is not the only thing on which he and I disagree.

The second thing I came across was a blog posting by Kristy Harding. In it she talks about Ubuntu (I am because We are) which is the theme of General Convention. It is also a flavor of Linux, the open source operating system. And that is where she starts drawing the comparison of General Convention being open source. She suggests that if the church were open source, the church would be accessible:

• Anyone who wants to can get at the church
  
• Access to theology and spirituality
  
• New work would be acessible
  
• Education would be accessible
  

and, the one that struck a chord in me:

• we would have more bazaars and fewer cathedrals
  

It is that image that I see when I look at the upcoming convention. It is truly a bazaar in the “marketplace”, but figuratively I think the House of Deputies (and to a lesser extent the House of Bishops) is a bazaar. When I think of a bazaar, I see in my minds eye wall to wall fabric topped booths that are explosions of color. Different colors and patterns, different state of repair, some things faded, some brand new, all contributing to the tapestry of the marketplace. That to me is the Episcopal Church. We are made up of individuals from different locations, with different experiences, different expectations, and at different places on our spiritual journey. All are welcome. ALL are welcome. Each one of us a different color or pattern, each in a different state of repair, some faded, some brand new.

Jesus sent the apostles out in pairs. Together. Each had a different viewpoint. Did they walk into a “spiritual darkness” or into a “bazaar”?

Once every three years The Episcopal Church gathers together to discuss things that are of importance to the whole church. This in one of those years. In fact, GC09 is due to start next Wednesday. What that means for me is that I am to climb on a plane bound for Anaheim on Monday so I can take my place as a member of the deputation of the Diocese of Ohio.

Each diocese elects 4 lay persons, and 4 clergy to represent them at General Convention. These people are deputies (as opposed to delegates), as they ...(and let me switch tenses here)... we are not sent there to vote as directed by the diocese, but rather we are supposed to vote our conscience. That vote, of course, is supposed to come after prayer, conversation, meditation, and taking into account what we believe will be in the best interests of the Church, the diocese, and our parishes.

I usually get on my high horse at Diocesan Convention time, arguing that the delegates to that convention should do the same thing, rather than vote the way their parish wants them to. I always advocate for “the big picture”. Now, I'm charged with doing just that and I find that prospect a little frightening. The people of the Diocese of Ohio have entrusted me to vote “in the best interest” and there is a lot of responsibility packed in there. I'm sure I will be/do just fine. There are 110 dioceses, so there will be almost 900 deputies in the House of Deputies (plus however many bishops make up the House of Bishops). Not that that means my voice won't count, but the chances of me messing things up by myself are pretty slim.

So, aside from the frightening aspect, the other emotion I am experiencing in higher than normal quantities is excitement. I am very excited to be an active participant in this process (which some might say makes me clinically insane for just stating that), and I look forward to meeting all kinds of new and interesting people. I am actually looking forward to the discussion around resolution B033 and what this convention should do about it. (B033 is the resolution that was passed at the end of GC06 that directed the church to “exercise restraint” in selecting a bishop “whose manner of life may present significant challenges to the wider church” .) I have my own ideas, but I am very interested to hear from people on the other side of the issue. Those who have chosen to remain part of the church, and engage in discussion. I really do want to understand their point of view.

I plan to write on this blog to keep people up to date on what is going on. I know, how can this putz say he's going to do this – he hasn't posted anything in almost two months, and then it was only embedded videos. Nothing written since January. Okay, lay off, will ya. I said I was “planning” on it. I am actually going to try hard to get something posted here every day or two. It should be easier (in a peer-pressure sort of way) because the deputation has agreed to blog on the OhioDeputiesBlog. I can practice writing because I don't want to look like an idiot over there. You – you already know I'm an idiot, so no surprises here!

I am also excited because my family will be coming out to join me at the end of convention. We'll be able to spend a few days in the Los Angeles area (Disneyland!!), and then we are going to drive back home. This part of the journey represents a big leap for me. We don't have a plan. I like plans. We know we will be spending time in Arizona – at the Grand Canyon, and the Navajo Nation We are going to try to stop in to see Ellen's cousin in Fort Worth (and hopefully my friend Eric in Austin). The plan then is to drive along the Gulf Coast and end up in Georgia to see Ellen's brother Jim (who is going to help drive them all to Anaheim, then fly back to GA). From there, home. Now that may sound like a plan to some (and apparently to my wife), but to me not knowing where we will be staying, when we will get somewhere, what route we're going to take – that's not a plan.

Maybe it's an adventure.

Please.

The Advent Conspiracy

I was at a meeting last night, and Tracey had some big news. She had to leave early because she had to go to the dress rehearsal for the Democratic Presidential Debate. It seems that she had been asked to deliver the invocation! We were all excited for her, but she was just beaming!! She graciously offered to share with us her draft of the prayer, and it was really good (no surprise there).

I watched the beginning of the debate, hoping that they would televise her, but alas, they did not. Fortunately, Episcopal Cafe posted a copy of the invocation, so I get to add it here:

A Prayer for the Nation
Invocation for the Democratic Presidential Debate
The Very Rev. Tracey Lind, Dean, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Cleveland
February 26, 2008


Shalom, Salaam, Peace be with you. Let us pray.

Gracious and loving God: we call you by many names and come to you by many paths, yet you have brought us together to this time and place. We join our voices in praising you for the majesty and beauty of this land, for the people of our nation, for the state of Ohio and its citizens, and for the city of Cleveland and those who live, work and study here. May we always be mindful stewards of your bountiful creation.

As we come together this evening, we thank you, O God, for the great diversity of our nation and its people who, throughout our history, have embodied the principles and ideals of a democratic society. We pray especially this night for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. We give thanks for their willingness to stand before us and offer themselves to serve as our nation’s president. We pray that as they debate, they will exhibit the courage of their convictions, hunger for the truth, a vision of compassion, justice for all people, and civility toward one another.

And as we, your faithful people, listen, discern and cast our ballots, may we remember that this nation is too important for anything but truth, that this world is too vulnerable for anything but peace, and that your creation is too precious for anything but love.

Amen.

From Dave Walker's CartoonChurch.com. Be sure to check out the blog.

What a weekend! Call me weird, but I look forward to Diocesan Convention each year. It's a great time to see people who I may not have seen in, well, a year. It's time to come together as a diocese and celebrate all the work that we do, and, as far as I see it, a time to see how we can better do that work together.

This was my fifth convention. I started out going by myself, then Ellen came with me, then the kids started coming, too. There is a wonderful children's program each year, and they have blast! This is my first year away from Trinity Commons. It was held at Sawmill Creek Resort, mostly as a response to the people from the western end of the diocese who complain, rightly, that driving to Cleveland can be a hassle. The downside was that is was a very expensive convention. We opted not to go to the banquet (about $200 for our family of 6), or get the continental breakfast ($66), or the boxed lunch ($62). Fortunately, Ellen and I both were volunteering so we were given boxed lunches, and we brought sandwiches for the kids. And, as a "staff" person, I was given a room, where Beenie and I stayed Friday night, while Ellen and the other kids went back to her folks house (about 45 minutes away).

Complaining aside, it was still a great weekend. I had to be there on Thursday as we needed to rehearse the "show" after the a/v company got everything set up. It was fun watching them work to hang the lights and get the screens and mics set up. I used to do that in college and after, and it was like old times. Once Martha got there and we got everything squared away it was 10:00 pm.

Friday morning I needed to be there a 8:30 and we finished up our "run-through" by lunch time. Convention started at 1:00, and (at least from my perspective) everything went great!! During the course of the two day convention, only one "weirdness" happened - when a powerpoint presentation decided to advance itself at a rate of about 3 slides per second! Fortunately we were able to stop it and reset it before the speaker said "As you'll see on the slide...". Phew!

The Convention Eucharist was Saturday morning and Beenie had been asked to read the Old Testament Lesson. Since he and I were the only ones from the family there, and I had work to do to get ready for day two, he was pretty much on his own. I saw him talking to staff members, and getting his assigned seat, and hooking up with some of our friends from another parish, who agreed to keep an eye on him. However, no fear, he did an awesome job!!!

The other highlight of the weekend was the election for General Convention Deputy. The General Convention is a meeting of representatives from all the dioceses that make up the Episcopal Church. They meet once every three years. The last one was in Columbus. The next one, in 2009, is in Anaheim, California. Each diocese, in addition to its bishops, is allowed 4 clergy deputies, and 4 lay deputies. We elected ours this weekend. We had 10 lay people running for the 4 positions!

The exciting news is that I was elected to be one of those deputies!!! It took three ballots (two ballots to elect the other 3), but I'm in. I'll be serving with Sam, Sue, and Stephen. Although my name doesn't begin with S, I think it will be okay. Actually, us, combined with Alan, Brian, Gay, and Conrad (our clergy deputies) are a really good deputation. I expect to learn a lot, and to have a great time doing it!!

So, our rallying cry for the rest of the weekend has been "We're going to Anaheim!!!" While the diocese will be paying my way out there, we plan to take the kids (another awesome kids program) and stay a few extra days to do Disneyland, and other SoCal attractions. I think we will all have an amazing time! And Ellen is going to volunteer to help with the kids program, so maybe she'll have her way paid, too!

I know I've used a lot of exclamation points in this post. I am very excited, but I do recognize the responsibility that I just signed up for/had thrust upon me. I've heard that two dioceses have already submitted legislation to repeal B033, and by the time that the convention convenes, the 2008 Lambeth Meeting will have happened. It should be an interesting convention, and I am looking forward to jumping into church politics with both feet.

In other news from the weekend, Tracey was not elected Bishop of Chicago. I'm sad, for both her and the church, but as I've said before, she will be a great bishop, and she will find that perfect fit eventually.

Here's the answer from Tracey Lind, given during a "walkabout" in the Diocese of Chicago:

"In light of recent events some of you may be wondering why I am still standing for election. I trusted the spirit of this discernment process and I pray that you will do the same and that together all of us will see where the heart of God leads us."

For those of you who were wondering about the fallout I mentioned in this post.

The news article reporting on the walkabout is here.

I've only seen her once since the HOB meeting. I told her that I would keep her in my prayers. Her response: "Please."

It's been a strange week. The Episcopal House of Bishops met this week in New Orleans to "craft a response" to the demands of the Primates of the Anglican Communion who met in Dar es Salaam in March. Basically the primates said, "Say you won't have any more gay bishops, or we'll kick you out of our club. Oh, and while we're at it, we want to have the final word over what you do." Fortunately to the latter request, the executive council of the Episcopal Church said at their meeting in June, "Uh...no. We will not have a group of primates peeking over Katherine's shoulder at every turn."

Some background: At General Convention in 2006, on the last day, in an attempt to make some sort of response as requested by the Windsor Report, the Presiding Bishop and the PB-elect went before the deputies and asked for their support on resolution B033. B033 says :

"...this Convention therefore 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."

There was some fierce debate, but also a sense of urgency to make some sort of statement before the close of convention. Ultimately, the resolution was approved (Lay: 72 yes, 21 no, 7 divided; Clerical: 75 yes, 24 no, 4 divided). Since then there has been some debate about what B033 actually says.

On one hand, some say that it means that standing committees and bishops will not consent to the election of a gay or lesbian person as bishop.

On the other hand, some say that it is up to the standing committees and bishops to discern for themselves, mentioning the "exercise restraint" wording as being flexible.

On the third hand, some question what exactly is meant by "manner of life presents a challenge".

So, at the Primate's meeting in Dar es Salaam they decided to ask the bishops for clarification. Then there was the implied threat. I guess it wasn't so implied. Here's what was asked for(read the whole document here):

In particular, the Primates request, through the Presiding Bishop, that the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church
1. make an unequivocal common covenant that the bishops will not authorise any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions in their dioceses or through General Convention (cf TWR, §143, 144); and
2. confirm that the passing of Resolution B033 of the 75th General Convention means that a candidate for episcopal orders living in a same-sex union shall not receive the necessary consent (cf TWR, §134);
unless some new consensus on these matters emerges across the Communion (cf TWR, §134).

The Primates request that the answer of the House of Bishops is conveyed to the Primates by the Presiding Bishop by 30th September 2007.
If the reassurances requested of the House of Bishops cannot in good conscience be given, the relationship between The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion as a whole remains damaged at best, and this has consequences for the full participation of the Church in the life of the Communion.

So, that's where we stood going into this week.

And, here's what came out of this week (full text here):

We reconfirm that resolution B033 of General Convention 2006 (The Election Of Bishops) calls upon bishops with jurisdiction and Standing Committees "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." (...The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom B033 pertains.)

We pledge as a body not to authorize public rites for the blessing of same-sex unions.

and then, a couple of paragraphs later:

We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children, including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church.

So, which is it? Full and equal, or not?

I'm not really sure where that leaves us. I guess Susan Russell said it best:

...while they[the bishops] "stood firm" against turning the clock back they utterly failed to move the church forward.

But, then (and in keeping with the Susan Russell references), I cried to read these comments.

I guess I was hoping for a strong statement, and I didn't get it. This is causing a sense of turmoil inside me. Saturday Mark will be at our Mission Summit, and hopefully he will have a chance to address some of these issues. He will also be doing an episcopal visit at our parish on Sunday, so again there's the chance to hear what he has to say.

After B033 passed, I felt the same way I do now, perhaps not as strongly. Mark was able to address the issues around its passage and I was able to trust in the process again. I hope that he can do the same this time, although I'm beginning to believe that General Convention may have to step in and take the bold move on these issues. We'll see.

Why am I so worked up about this? My friend Tracey is one of the candidates to be the next Bishop of Chicago. She is actively gay and partnered and very open about her sexuality. She is also a tremendous leader. The church will be worse off if she is not elected bishop (whether or not Chicago is the best fit, I don't know, but she should be a bishop somewhere).

Now Tracey is faced with a dilemma. The bishops have all but stated outright that if you are gay or lesbian, and you are elected bishop, we will not consent to your election. Assuming that Chicago elects Tracey, it would appear that she wouldn't receive consent, thus making her a scapegoat to the demands of the overseas bishops. If she withdraws her name, she capitulates voluntarily to those demands, and admits defeat. If she remains in the process, she risks accusations of "shoving it in the face" of the House of Bishops. And her election is too far away from GC2009 to have the convention consent. It seems like a no win situation.

But, if it's a no-win situation for Tracey, it's even more of a no-win for the Church. And I think that is what has me more upset than anything.

I met with Laurie, from the Diocese of Western New York today. To simplify things, I drove to Erie, PA, and she met me there (from Buffalo). Mary, at the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania was kind enough to allow us to use their offices (and their wireless network) so that we could discuss the scope of the project.

As you may remember, I am designing a new website for DioWNY. Laurie and I met to discuss what she is looking for, what I can do, and how we can make it all happen. It is going to be a challenging project. Laurie is asking me to do things in Joomla that I haven't done before. This is good, because it will stretch me and refine my skills. I'm looking forward to it and terrified by it at the same time.

Also, we decided that we will probably go with a hosting company that will give us a portion of a server and an operating system, and we will have to load whatever programs and applications we want to use. What that means for me is (probably) that I will have to load Apache, MySQL, and php, in addition to a webmail application, a mailing list application, and a control panel. I am very excited to do this, although it means a lot more work on my part to get going, and a commitment after we're done, to maintain the system. I am willing to give it a shot, if Laurie is willing to give me a try. She actually knows a priest who hosts with this company, so she is going to hook us up so I can ask some questions.

While we were at the Diocese of NWPA, we met their bishop-elect. His name is Sean Rowe, and he's 33 years old. He seems pretty cool. Of course, when I was 33 I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. (One could argue that I still have no idea!)

Anyway, it was a good day, but long.

I am officially employed. My title is "Technology Consultant" and I am working for the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. My job is basically to work on the diocesan website, looking at things like layout/design, information structure, databases, etc. , but I also am doing various and sundry things that need to be done that relate to web activity.

Today is my first contract day, although Monday will really be my first day in the office. I was in for a couple of hours one other day, just to familiarize myself with my surroundings, and get a feel for what I needed to do there (as opposed to what I could do from home). I was there for a meeting yesterday and got my "key fob" so I can let myself in and out of the offices and, more importantly, the parking lot.

The best part of this job is that I can do a lot of it from home. I intend to use the summer to go in to the office a couple of days a week, as there are things I can only do there, and I'm more productive there! The position is a three month contract for up to 20 hours per week, so I will still have time to spend summer vacation with my family.

And then, when it rains, it pours. I got a call today from my new boss, Martha, who said that the Diocese of Western New York was looking at redesigning their website, and probably using the same CMS that we are using, and had some questions that she thought might be another consulting job for me. I called them, we talked for quite a while, and it looks like I have another job helping them with design and setup of their site. They are in Buffalo, so my commute will be a little longer!! Actually, I will probably have to go up there once, but the rest of the time I will be able to access what I need remotely.

Perhaps this is the start of something?

Today was Stephanie's last day (see this post), and it was a very sad day. But ironically, a day also full of joy. I saw it as the farewell to our beloved rector, leader, and friend, but also a day to begin looking to the future and the possibilities that are in store for both the church and Stephanie.

When Stephanie announced that she was leaving I was doing okay with it. Maybe I was in a state of shock/denial. I was doing fine until the next day when I was at the diocesan offices and saw Mark in the parking lot. He came over and asked me how things were going (just conversationally) and I told him "Okay. No, not really. Stephanie told us she's leaving." As I said that the tears started. Mark put his hand on my shoulder to comfort me while we talked and noted that my reaction was a great testament to Stephanie's ministry.

I was doing okay today until during her sermon she said, "My ministry here is complete." Then the tears started welling up again. And again during the peace, and again at communion. It wasn't an easy day for anyone.

Pentecost seemed to be the perfect time for this, though. The day when Jesus sent the disciples out into the world without him, knowing that they were equipped to complete their ministry. We will be moving on without our spiritual leader, equipped to complete the next phase of our ministry.

It was a really nice service. The last part of the gospel was done in a number of different languages simultaneously - including Mom using American Sign Language. All the hymns and songs were ones that had been played at Stephanie's ordination. The service concluded with the Liturgy for Ending a Pastoral Relationship. Stephanie returned the Bible, Prayer Book, and sacraments that had been given to her when she began her ministry here. After the service was over, she was presented with a number of gifts from the congregation- including chocolate and prayers! And this was all followed with a luncheon in her honor, where a DVD was playing that showed pictures from the whole time she had been at the church set to music. It was really nice.

The parish looked fabulous today with balloons everywhere, packed with people, and that real connectedness between parishioners. It was nice. I wish every day was like this (except without the rector leaving part!)

Even though I will still maintain contact with Stephanie (we were friends before she was my pastor), it will still be a challenge to finish working through some of the issues we were working on alone. I will miss being able to talk with her about anything, controversial or not, and not necessarily agreeing, but having a lively (even heated) discussion and walking out of the room not only still friends, but closer together for our differences. I will miss the genuine love she shows for all of us at the parish, for my kids, for my family. I trust we will all be just fine in the long run.

Be good, my friend.

Well, this sucks. Stephanie is leaving.

Her husband, Hugh, has been in England for work for the better part of the past year. Stephanie had to make a choice - stay at church, or go with him. They decided that she would stay at church, and Hugh's company would fly her over to see him once a month. The vestry decided that it would be a good idea to allow her to do this, rather than have her leave. It hasn't been easy for anyone, but it beat the alternative (for us, at least).

Hugh's time in England is up soon and he'll be returning to the states Stephanie announced today that he is coming home, but his company is not bringing him back to the local office. Instead they are assigning him to an office that is about 12 hours away. (She can't say where yet, until the official announcement is made.) She has decided that instead of trying to continue in a long-distance relationship, she will be leaving our church and going to be with him. Her last day will be the day of Pentecost (May 27).

Her announcement, at the end of the service, was like being punched in the gut. It took the wind out of everyone's sails, and there was a lot of crying and hugging (but nothing like it will be on the 27th). Stephanie couldn't make it through her announcement without breaking down. Everyone is very upset as she is most beloved by the congregation. But as Jerre said, "Well, we know she doesn't want to leave us."

I know we will be okay. It's just that first bit of news that catches you off guard. It's like the Kubler-Ross model of death acceptance. We're in the denial stage right now, but I'm sure we'll get to acceptance very soon. I think it will provide this church with the opportunity to really see what it is made of. It's a good bunch of people. As I said last fall, "Stephanie is the reason I started coming to this church, but she is not the reason I'm staying. It's the people."

While sad, I really am excited. For Stephanie it's the opportunity to be reunited with her husband. For the parish it's an opportunity to look toward the future. We can either meet it kicking and screaming, or with a sense of vision. I think I know which one we will choose!