General Convention 2009

Diocese of Fond du Lac

Deputies Share

Thoughts and reflections of Fond du Lac Deputies.

Summaries After the Convention

The Rt. Rev. Russell E. Jacobus (from the August issue of the Clarion) - I believe that the four lay and four clergy deputies to General Convention along with the two ECW Triennial delegates from the Diocese of Fond du Lac share my feelings of being honored to represent all of you at the triennial meeting of our Church. It was a very busy 12 days but I believe we all represented the diocese admirably with hard work and long hours.

I did go into the Convention following my own recommendation from last month’s “Reflections” having a positive outlook. But I don’t think it was just my expectations that made this General Conventions one of the best in the past decade or more. At least in the House of Bishops I truly believe there was a real sense of respect for all perspectives. We did not all agree, just as the leadership of the Church throughout history has not always agreed. But we were respectful of one another and considerate of differing positions.

You all know that I take a conservative stand on most issues, and that I believe all decisions in the Church ought to be based on scripture, tradition and reason. If you want to see what is important for me as we move forward as a Church, please see a statement which many conservative bishops signed at General Convention in response to several progressive resolutions. It is called the “Anaheim Statement” and you can find it on our diocesan web site’s “portal to General Convention information”. You can also find it if you Google “Anaheim Statement.”

Over the past decade or more I have come to realize that I am in the minority in The Episcopal Church. I don’t mind being in the minority, as long as my traditional and historic view is recognized. This is what I found different at this General Convention. In every resolution that moved The Episcopal Church into a new place in practice, there was always a “Resolve” that affirmed where I stand and which was accepting of what I believe. An example is the final clause of a resolution that allowed a greater latitude to bishops in civil jurisdictions which permit civil unions in their pastoral response to same gender couples. It states “the General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters”, which gives space for me to continue to live within the church along with those who share my point of view.

At previous General Conventions, those striving for revisions in the practices of the church wanted all to be in agreement with them. That was not the case this time, and this is why I come home knowing that The Episcopal Church is broad enough for all of us, just as I have tried to make the diocese broad enough for all to feel comfortable as members, no matter what your leanings.

If you have specific interest in particular resolutions or just want to know more about General Convention, please watch your Sunday Bulletins for notice of a General Convention deputies gathering to report back to the diocese. As soon as I can find a date when most of the deputies are available, a event will be held for anyone from the diocese to join us for conversation about General Convention.

Some one asked me “what will this mean for us in the Diocese of Fond du Lac?” If we all “continue in the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers”, and if we each continue to “proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ”, and if every member of the diocese “respects the dignity” of one another, we will simply continue as we have, living out our Baptismal Covenant.

The time following General Convention is not an opportunity for some to think they have “won” and for others to feel they have “lost”. It’s the time to proclaim Jesus as Savior and Lord, and “to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves”.

Mrs. Sue Roane (Summary) - If one had to describe the 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church - the words that come to mind are “enormous” and “amazing. There were approximately 826 deputies, (not counting alternate deputies that attended from many dioceses), 130 bishops, and many, many volunteers from the Diocese of Los Angeles who helped to make the convention run smoothly. In addition, there were the ECW representatives from each diocese who were meeting at the same time. Add in the people who were working in the Exhibit Hall with their various exhibits and you have enough people to make a small town. All these people worked, learned and prayed together for almost two weeks. The amount of time, energy and money dedicated to organizing this convention and making sure it ran smoothly boggles my mind.

The theme of the Convention was UBUNTU - which means “ I in You and You in Me”. This theme was carried out by having “Mission Conversations” with members of our diocese several times during the first week. I felt that the organizers of the convention tried very hard to make the deputies sensitive to the feelings and needs of others who are trying to live out their faith in different ways.

I came away from the convention with mixed emotions. I was disappointed in the direction that our national church has taken regarding the Windsor Report. I tried very hard to keep an open mind toward the legislation of some of the more “volatile” issues. However, my basic thoughts were that we need to be part of the Anglican Communion in order to participate fully in the mission fields. I worry about what the international Anglican Communion will say and do regarding the legislation which was passed at the convention.

For me, the highlight of the convention was the daily Eucharist. Each individual Eucharist had a theme and used a variety of prayers and music. Different languages were spoken during the Eucharists – but we always had a English version printed in our program of what was being said. The music and the singing were spectacular, and I felt a bond of unity with the congregation of over 1000 people.

The Rev. Edwin Smith (Summary) - This was my third General Convention, so I was better prepared than before. It was unique serving on the Committee for the Certification of Minutes, which met early each morning to review the minutes of the previous day for accuracy. That meant going through up to 67 pages at a time, as well as keeping my own version of the minutes. This helped me to get a better feel for the flow of resolutions and the parliamentary maneuvering that was happening.

John Stott wrote that, “The Christian’s chief occupational hazards are depression and discouragement.” Those were certainly my personal hazards as the undoing of much
of the compromise of the last convention was destroyed. On the other hand, I was encouraged by the courageous stand of some bishops, especially Bishop Jacobus, in issuing the Anaheim Statement. The presence and fellowship of other traditionalists was also supportive. A statement made by one bishop at the 2003 Minneapolis convention following the approval for the consecration of Gene Robinson was on my mind throughout this convention. He said that it is important to remember that General Convention is not the Episcopal church and the Episcopal church is not the Kingdom of God.

I am grateful for the prayers and messages of support from many in the diocese, and for the opportunity to serve in this special way.

The Rev. Tom McAlpine (Summary) - My thanks to the Diocese for sending me to General Convention, and my particular thanks to those who prayed for us while we were there! Through the course of the long two weeks there was a clear sense of being upheld by your prayers.

Conventions are first about personal connections, and this one was rich. There were many good times with the other deputies, the ECW delegates, and our bishop. It was good to reconnect with the Smocks at the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (www.americanfriends-jerusalem.org) –Sandy Smock was the chair of my discernment committee some years back. Dr Ted Blakely at St Mark’s Press (www.stmarkspress.net) has just come out with the splendid A Lector’s Guide & Commentary to the Revised Common Lectionary: Year C, and will be covering the other years as they approach. And it turns out that the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge helps to recycle not only theological books but also used vestments (Patti Joy Posan, Exec Director, spck@sewanee.edu).

The Convention itself was predictably contentious, the tone set by the Presiding Bishop in her opening address: “The overarching connection in all these crises has to do with the great Western heresy—that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God. It’s caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus. That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy…” The statement is not as clear as one would like, although the elimination of the entire evangelism program in the budget presented to the Convention clarifies it considerably. There is a fine line between multiple understandings of a single faith and multiple faiths still using some of the same words/symbols, and the Presiding Bishop’s words (like other words at the Convention) left me wondering where we in The Episcopal Church are in relationship to that line.

The progressives were in a “take no prisoners” mode, evidenced particularly by C023 Defense of Marriage Statutes, which called “on all Episcopalians to work against the passage of so-called ‘Defense of Marriage’ state statutes and state constitutional amendments, and, in states where such statutes or constitutional amendments already exist, to work for their repeal.” So much for conscience. It was passed by the House of Deputies, but referred (not passed) by the House of Bishops. I wonder if it is still possible to relate to each other here in the diocese in less belligerent ways.

The proposed and approved budget sets aside over four million during the next Triennium (2010-2012) for “Title IV & Legal Assistance to Dioceses”—read “Lawsuits.” This one had me in line to speak during the budget discussion, complete with the quote from Gandhi on a T-shirt on sale in the Exhibition Hall (“We are constantly being astonished these days at the amazing discoveries in the field of violence. But I maintain that far more undreampt of and seemingly impossible discoveries will be made in the field of nonviolence.”), but time ran out before I made it to the microphone. More than ever it’s important that our Diocesan Convention continue to recognize the right of parishioners to support the Diocesan budget without also supporting the national budget.

I was confirmed as an Episcopalian back in the early seventies because that was the way to enter the Anglican Communion. Our bishop with the other Communion Partner Bishops is attempting to maintain space for “Anglican” and “Episcopalian” to stay together, an attempt made more difficult by resolutions C056 Liturgies for Blessings and D025 Commitment and Witness to Anglican Communion, which effectively negate any commitment to abide by the moratoria the Communion has requested (additional consecrations of individuals in same-sex relationships, authorized liturgies for same-sex blessings/marriages). It is now more important to signal as a diocese our willingness to enter into the Anglican Covenant.

That’s enough on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride for the moment. There is plenty of work to do here in Northeastern Wisconsin so that “all may come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.”

Dr. Anne Schuette (Summary) - “Ubuntu – I in you and you in me” was the theme of the 76th General Convention. I’ve had a short time to reflect on my experience in Anaheim as a deputy to the convention from the Diocese of Fond du Lac. I know my response to those 12 days in California will continue to mature, but here are a few of my initial thoughts:

• I feel a very great sense of accomplishment. The 361 resolutions acted upon by both Houses in 10 days of legislative work, covered the most ground of any General Convention, ever. Groups came together in a spirit of fellowship, listening to and honoring the diversity of views across our church. We tried to craft outcomes that all can feel a part of in some way. Senior deputies (defined as women and men who have attended 7 or more conventions) whom I spoke with uniformly proclaimed it “the best” convention they’d attended.

• Specific resolutions will positively affect and build relationships. I could provide many examples, but a few that stand out for me are: providing medical and pension benefits to lay employees of the church at all levels; fully including Hispanic ministries; detailing the process of creating ecumenical partnerships; and recommitting to the Anglican communion while affirming that all people are welcome in all aspects of our life together as Episcopalians.

• Our deputation shared in the spirit of Ubuntu – even though several of our members were busy with their assigned committees: Fr. Wilson on Consecration of Bishops, Fr. Ed on Certification of Minutes, and Fr. Peter on Constitution – we still were able to join up frequently for fellowship, and we all tried to work together, and share the experience with each other.

• Some of my best individual “Ubuntu moments” came while singing with the volunteer choir. Both during our rehearsals and at the wonderful daily Eucharists I felt as though I belonged to something far bigger than I could have imagined before I came to the convention. I now have new friends, from New England to Wyoming, from Lexington to California for which I am very grateful.

• Bishop Russ shepherded our deputation: he herded the flock through airports, touched base with us as individuals, and provided great hospitality. Many thanks!

• Your prayers were heard – thank you. I would love to continue to share this experience with anyone in the diocese – and I ask for continued prayers for our church leaders as we all begin to implement the actions called for through our work in Anaheim.

• Daily worship during the Convention kept our focus onserving God. The chaplain for the House of Deputies, Rev. Frank Ward, offered inspired devotions before every legislative session, and he rose to pray with us before every important vote. His devotions will be published on-line in a few weeks, and I'd recommend them to everyone.

The Rev. Peter Bird (Summary) - In retrospect, General Convention 09 was like running a marathon, mentally and physically. I hit the gound running before I even checked in at the convention hotel. On Sunday (the 3d) a number of friends who work with a national lay ministry in the church, asked me to serve as as a counselor of advice in an ongoing national dispute within their organization. I listened, advised, and spent much time trying to bring hope and optimism to the group I met with. Getting an early start on Monday, enabled me to register and make a pass through the exhibit hall. I was delighted to touch base with several lay ministries and people with whom I have worked with for 20 years or more, including Faith Alive, National Cursillo, Vocare, CPC, Daughters of the King and others. I experienced great joy renewing these Christian relationships. I attended our usual rounds of briefings on Monday during the day, and waited to start my routine on Tuesday.

The day before the first session got underway I experienced my first committee work (Constitution). I met new friends and acquaintenaces, many attorneys, and we sat around the table and argued about the history and wording of the resolution to restrict the vote of retired bishops. In the evening, the committee scheduled an open hearing on the legislation, and I was forced to give up my plans to attend the Church Periodical Club dinner, which had been on my calendar for months. GConv forces us to make those choices frequently. My day schedule, frequently ran from 7AM to 6PM nonstop, not knowing what our evenings would look like.

One great experience I enjoyed was the daily eucharist. It was a quiet time out and refresher each day. At the convention center the daily eucharist featured great music with a latin beat and a soul singer to get the blood flowing again. Frequently the sermons were boring. I took advantage of a daily alternate eucharist down the street, featuring good preaching from several bishop, and a wonderful
musical sound of a keyboard and a harp. (If only I could find a harpist in Waupun. Many good friends I had not seen in a few years joined us at that eucharistic celebration.

Legislatively, I prepared myself to take thing easily and be of good humor. After a couple of floor votes, I realized I would be in the minority on most of the big issues to come before convention. (It was like being a Republican in today's Congress.) While resolutions passed and many were saddened, I took counsel with a wise bishop I have known for over 40 years, and came away very optimistic about our future as a church. Much of my remaining time spent on the floor and during recesses was spent cheering up clergy and laity, urging them to push forward with Jesus in mission. By the time Friday (the last day) came around I was totally exhausted, but still smiling, glad for the experience and looking forward optimistically to the future.

In final retrospect, I am thankful for the Bishop's after session discussions and hospitality to all there from Fond du Lac. It helped many of us retool our vision. This deputation was one of the finest with whom I've ever worked at a GC. Everyone was graceful, filled with the Lord's love, fully interactive with each other, and we remained positive, a testimony, to the unifying work of Christ. (That does not mean we all agreed politically.) GC was fun. It laid a new foundation for the future. I'm home, recovering from jet lag, with a smile on my face, ready to move with Jesus into the future!

Mr. Bill Gagin (7/1 7/2009) - The last day!!!! I don’t want to leave this forum with dooms and glooms. There has been plenty to be thankful for. Being in the presence of, and praying with the deeply faithful has been the most refreshing and uplifting part of each day. Coming to know each of our deputation as though they were truly brothers and sisters and not just in a spiritual sense. Experiencing the legislative process.

Overwhelming! Try our Diocesan Convention times 11 days. Most of all knowing prayers are flowing from the Diocese of Fond du Lac in support of those you elected. Someone once told me it is not proper to say thanks for a thanks but I want you to know your Palanca is dear to me.
All the best from Anaheim.

The Rt. Rev.Russell E. Jacobus (7/17/2009) - One more day. It seems like we have been here for a month. Days are still beginning early, and I returned to my room at 10:00pm after a late dinner. Dinners here are late because the legislative sessions often don’t end until 6:00pm or later. By the time we get back to our room, freshen up, its going on to 7:30pm, which is much later than I ever eat dinner at home. Then the restaurants are packed and service is somewhat slow. Anyway, news from the last day and a half.

Well – we have passed two resolutions dealing with issues related to sexuality issues. I think I previously referred to resolution D025. This resolution states that the General Convention “reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible.” We then go on to say that gay and lesbian persons “living in lifelong committed relationships” may be called by God to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church. The final resolve, which reads, “the General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters”, gives me the space for me to continue to live within the church along with those who share my point of view.

Resolution C056 deals with liturgies for Blessings. One resolve says that the “Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops, collect and develop theological and liturgical resources, and report to the 77th General Convention.” It also invites participation in this consultation process persons from congregations, dioceses and provinces from around the Anglican Communion. It says, “resolved, that bishops, particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church.” Again, this resolution concludes with a resolve “That this Convention honor the theological diversity of this Church in regard to matters of human sexuality.” As long as my view is recognized as acceptable in the Church, I am able to stay.

For a number of us who feel these two resolutions might negatively impact our church’s standing in the Anglican Communion, and to full explain to members of our dioceses and other about where the minority stand, we have published and signed the following statement:

Anaheim Statement, General Convention, 2009
At this convention, the House of Bishops has heard repeated calls for honesty and clarity. As the conversation has proceeded within the House of Bishops, repeated attempts to modify wording which would have been preferable to the minority in the vote were respectfully heard and discussed, but in the end most of these amendments were found unacceptable to the majority in the House. Many in the majority believed the amendments would make the stated position of this House less honest about where they believe we are as The Episcopal Church.
It is apparent that a substantial majority of this Convention believes that The Episcopal Church should move forward on matters of human sexuality. We recognize this reality and understand the clarity with which the majority has expressed itself. We are grateful for those who have reached out to the minority, affirming our place in the Church.

We seek to provide the same honesty and clarity. We invite all bishops who share the following commitments to join us in this statement as we seek to find a place in the Church we continue to serve.

• We reaffirm our constituent membership in the Anglican Communion, our communion with the See of Canterbury, and our commitment to preserving these relationships.
• We reaffirm our commitment to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as this Church has received them (BCP 526, 538).
• We reaffirm our commitment to the three moratoria requested of us by the Instruments of Communion.
• We reaffirm our commitment to the Anglican Communion Covenant process currently underway, with the hope of working toward its implementation across the Communion once a Covenant is completed.
• We reaffirm our commitment to “continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship” which is foundational to our baptismal covenant, and to be one with the apostles in “interpreting the Gospel” which is essential to our work as bishops of the Church of God.

The Rt. Rev’d James Adams, Western Kansas
The Rt. Rev’d Lloyd Allen, Honduras
The Rt. Rev’d David Alvarez, Puerto Rico
The Rt. Rev’d John Bauerschmidt, Tennessee
The Rt. Rev’d Peter Beckwith, Springfield
The Rt. Rev’d Franklin Brookhart, Montana
The Rt. Rev’d William Frey, Rio Grande
The Rt. Rev’d Dorsey Henderson, Upper South Carolina
The Rt. Rev’d John Howe, Central Florida
The Rt. Rev’d Russell Jacobus, Fond du Lac
The Rt. Rev’d Don Johnson, West Tennessee
The Rt. Rev’d Paul Lambert, Dallas
The Rt. Rev’d Mark Lawrence, South Carolina
The Rt. Rev’d Gary Lillibridge, West Texas
The Rt. Rev’d Edward Little, Northern Indiana
The Rt. Rev’d William Love, Albany
The Rt. Rev’d Bruce MacPherson, Western Louisiana
The Rt. Rev’d Alfredo Morante, Litoral Ecuador
The Rt. Rev’d Henry Parsley, Alabama
The Rt. Rev’d David Reed, West Texas
The Rt. Rev’d Sylestre Romero, El Camino Real
The Rt. Rev’d Jeffrey Rowthorn, Europe
The Rt. Rev’d John Sloan, Alabama
The Rt. Rev’d Michael Smith, North Dakota
The Rt. Rev’d James Stanton, Dallas
The Rt. Rev’e Pierre Whalon, Europe
The Rt. Rev’d Don Wimberly, Texas

It is our hope that a few more bishops may want to sign on to the Statement.

By the way, I need to give public thanks to Fr. Tom McAlpine who was willing to translate the above Statement into Spanish over the lunch hour, so our brothers from the Central American Dioceses could understand what was being proposed. You can see that several of them did sign the statement.

In other action, the House of Deputies passed the second reading of a Constitutional change that would limit retired bishops to only seat and voice in the House of Bishops; no vote because they are not accountable to anyone other than themselves and God. Even though the House of Bishops passed this resolution in the first reading last Convention, this time we referred it to a Standing Committee for reconsideration. The reason was many felt retired bishops should vote on theological issues, but not issues that related to the program and budget. The resolution also stated that if passed, it would go into effect immediately. A number of the retired bishops said they hoped their last vote in the HOB would not be to remove their vote. We will probably see a revised version of this at the 2012 General Convention in Indianapolis.

Today both Houses also passed a budget for The Episcopal Church for the next three years. This budget contains cuts in all areas including the cutting of several staff positions at the National Church Center Offices. Most ministry area programs were reduced, but a line item of .07% of the budget was included for Millennium Development Goals.

That’s enough for now. Got to get to bed because we only have one more day to complete all of our work. Blessings and do keep us in your prayers for the last day, and then safe travel home.

Mr. Ray Dodge (7/17/2009) - I read Bill's letter below and I could not have put it into better words. Not only did we hang out and got to know each other, but we have become good friends, regardless of how we voted.

Friday, my sister Peggy joined everyone for social at Bishop Russ' room and then joined us with dinner. We sat with Wilson, Sue, Ed and Bill. She said that I have great friends. That made me a proud little brother. Coming home will be wonderful, this is the longest time I have ever been away form my wife, Sara Lee in 31 years. Glad to be going home.

Mr. Bill Gagin (7/1 6/2009) - Have you ever felt you were right but find yourself a 2/3rds minority?? I am sure you have. The reality is that this convention is split this way on virtually all issues having to do with sex partnering and the elevation of said individuals to positions in the Episcopate and further to a Marriage Blessing. There is more to come today. A budget was presented to us yesterday (to naw on overnight) that reflect a $23,592,000 shortfall in revenue in this next triennium over the previous one. Virtually everything is getting a hair cut except legal areas where we see a 900% increase.

If I am sounding a bit cynical, I am. We are spending hours debating words and everything else under the sun. We are like a blend of the U.S. Congress and the United Nations trying to fix all the worlds woo’s. All rightly issues and you can see the Lord’s hand pressing but, who is listening??

I’ll try to get up on the other side of the bed tomorrow. Please continue to bless us with your prayers!! All the best from Anaheim.

Dr. Anne Schuette (7/16/2009) - I went to a wonderful event sponsored by the Diocese of Los Angeles Wednesday evening called "Genesis: From Breath to Wonder". The Anaheim Arena was rocking -- this was a truly multi-media experience.An 8 piece band called "Thad" set up on the stage. Also on stage was an artist who used a special white board to continually create and recreate new pictures that illustrated the Word. Behind the stage were 3 large screens displaying the most amazing projections I have ever seen -- images from all over the world, video clips, and abstractions. Part of the opening included the "Phos Hilaron"-- which the audience seemed to have no trouble reciting from memory. Brian McLaren was the preacher, but before that Bishop Bruno blessed the waters with a baptismal prayer, and young people took bowls into the crowd to make sure we all were well sprinkled. The comments were about "connectivity" and healing/wholeness. I wish some of the young people from our diocese could have been there.

I heard another great preacher today at the General Convention mid-day service: Bp. Steven Charleston. He gave us a prophetic message about the earth and our call to care for it. The Eucharist was "paperless"and it worked out well. I am still singing in the Ubuntu Choir and will have 10 bulletins full of amazing new music to bring back to the diocese for anyone who might be interested.

Today in our legislative sessions the mood was much better, even though the day was long. The budget was presented and it is hard to face cuts, but overall it appears very fair. We will vote on it tomorrow. We have almost caught up with our schedule and have passed a few rules in order to get through our work faster, for example: speakers are allowed only one minute to state their point while debating resolutions. If we are still behind tomorrow afternoon we will have an evening session so that we can finish our work on Friday. So this will probably be my last post to the diocesan web site. Once again, thank you to Matthew Payne for maintaining it in such an attractive format and diligently keeping up with all of our posts. And thanks to all of you for the honor you bestowed upon me by electing me as a deputy. Shalom.

Mrs. Karen Powers, ECW Triennial Delegate (7/16/2009) - With the Presiding Bishop and assisting with communion. Karen and Carol also had a U2experience. Is that Bono?

The Rt. Rev.Russell E. Jacobus (7/15/2009) - One of the wonderful resolutions that passed in the House of Bishops yesterday, and for me probably one of the most important that the General Convention will deal with, is Resolution A074 Substitute. The resolution came out of the Ecumenical Relations Committee and was titled “Endorse Theological Statement on Interreligious Relations”. The first “resolve” asked that we “adopt the following statement as a foundation upon which it (The Episcopal Church) engages in interreligious dialogue”.

In the next dozen or so pages it outlines not only “how” dialogue should proceed – with respect for other faith traditions, but looking at The Episcopal Church’s unique contributions to the dialogue from an Anglican perspective – it also lists the fundamentals of our faith tradition –salvation in and through Jesus Christ as a necessary part of the dialogue, and that “The Episcopal Church seeks to be a community living in obedience to the Word of God revealed through Scripture, and to identify the contemporary message of that Word through bringing the insights of tradition and reason to theological reflection on interreligious relations.”

I think this is one of the few resolutions that speaks of and proclaims our faith and tradition, and I’m excited that we affirmed it in the House of Bishops. Of course, now it goes to the House of Deputies. I know our deputies will all support it, but the results are yet to be seen.

The House of Bishops also concurred with the House of Deputies on a revision for the Title IV Canons of the Church (these are the policies and practices that will be followed when disciplinary action is taken against deacons, priests, or bishops). I believe it is a good process.

Last night the deputation went out for our Diocesan dinner. We invited the deputation from the Diocese of Eau Claire to join us. Just so there would be no confusion that the two dioceses are already acting like one, we ate at separate tables before intermingling for fellowship over dessert. (Actually, for the purpose of getting the right meals on the right bills, we had to do dinner that way.) It was a wonderful evening of fellowship and hopefully renewed us for the final three full and very busy days of the Convention.

This afternoon we begin with a joint session of the two Houses for the presentation of the proposed budget for The Episcopal Church for the years 2010-2012. I’m sure this will be bare-bones budget with excessive number of requests for funding and the limitations on the income because of the current condition of the economy.

Following the joint session, the House of Bishop will return to debate on several resolutions that deal with all of the details around same gender blessings. It will probably be a long and trying afternoon. I hope that many in the diocese are praying for us at this time.

And speaking of praying, I want to thank all who have held the deputies and myself up in prayer. I know it has been personally helpful for me and I’m sure the deputies would agree.

Dr. Anne Schuette (7/15/2009) - Hello to my Fond du Lac friends. We have finished the 7th legislative day. People seemed to become a bit ornery today, maybe from too much time cooped up inside. Bill has done a good job of summing up our work on legislation this week -- our votes are prayerfully taken.

This evening we had acombined dinner with the folks from the Diocese of EauClaire -- a very nice time.

My day started, however, with a visit to the chapel that is set upat the convention center.Morning Prayer is offered there every day and Ihave been able to attend a couple of times. Even though it is in a genericmeeting room,members of theDiocese of Los Angeles havecreated a special simple space to worship. There are paintings depicting the stations of the cross,beautiful candle holders, asimple altar with the consecrated elements, and over it all 3Ethiopian liturgical umbrellas.

One more neat thing happened yesterday: Imet a young man who has recently moved to ourdiocese last night at a Young Adult Ministries event. He lives in Minocqua and is here to participate in a special program for Episcopalians in their 20's. He has not yet met any young adults in our diocese (I don't count) but I let him know there are a few around! I was glad to make that connection. Thank you for your continued prayers for our deputation.

Mr. Bill Gagin (7/1 4/2009) - On the street it is in the 80's but in the convention hall it is more like a January day in Wisconsin. Maybe the cool is to keep civility, however the House of Deputies is very well run and much in control of the President, Bonnie Anderson. She, her staff, and our friend “Robert's Rules” have kept this meeting in check and flowing smoothly. Kudo’s to Bonnie!!

Our 3 ring binders (resolutions, schedules, and reports) have now over 3 inches of paper. If you have an idea to remedy world and social issues, you will find it here. Unfortunately as well grounded as some of these ideas are the most that will come from them will be statements of concern. Those that need funding will be challenged due to budgetary restraints. And it won’t just be these resolutions as there is a sizeable budget shortfall and a huge appetite. Oh Well!! Budget hearings start Wednesday.

We did elect a new Bishop for Ecuador. Interestingly Fr. Wilson Roane and I bumped into both he and his wife while out walking last night. The people of Ecuador have a gem. All the best from Anaheim.

The Rt. Rev.Russell E. Jacobus (7/14/2009) - The major Sunday celebration of the Eucharist was the highlight of Sunday. I was told they set up almost 10,000 seats in the convention hall. If that was true, there were maybe about 6,000 people present, from the Convention (deputies, bishops, triennial delegates, exhibitors, volunteers, spouses) and lots of people from the Diocese of Los Angeles and neighboring dioceses. We had the UTO Ingathering and our Diocesan UTO coordinator presented our offering. She told me that our total offering for the triennial (the past three years) was double from what it had been for the previous triennial. I’m extremely proud of our diocese.

In the late afternoon my daughter who lives in Los Angeles came down to visit with her boyfriend. Following the legislative session our delegation gathered for wine and cheese and an opportunity to meet Elizabeth and Craig. Then I had a wonderful dinner with just Beth and Craig. Little breaks like this help me cope with a long convention – especially when Jerrie has not been able to join me on this trip.

Today the reality of The Episcopal Church as it currently exists in its breadth confronted the House of Bishops. A resolution came from the House of Deputies (D025) requesting concurrence. The resolution stated clearly that the convention “reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible”. Yet the resolution goes on to affirm the fact that we will not deny access to the ordination process because of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disabilities or age. This openness to the ordination process for gays and lesbians, I believe, goes against the requests of the Windsor process, and will strain the relationship of the Episcopal Church with many other parts of the Anglican Communion. I don’t think this is seeking “to live into the highest degree of communion”.

The final “resolved” in the resolution is the only piece that continues to give me hope for my continuing position. It states that the “General Convention acknowledge that members of the Episcopal Church, as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience disagree about some of these matters.”

The House of Bishops did amend the original House of Deputies, so it will need to go back to the HOD for concurrence. But their original vote was about 75% in favor; so another pass at the resolution will surely be adopted.

The roll-call vote in the House of Bishops was 99 in favor, 45 opposed (I voted with the opposition), and 2 abstentions.

So what impact will this have for us in the Diocese? None. We will continue to proclaim the Gospel as we understand it, even in spite of our differences. In an article from the Alban Institute e-magazine that I just received, I read something that hopefully will keep us all focused where we should be focused – on proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and doing the ministry to which we are called in the context of our congregation and communities. It said: “Here's the hard truth. If you're a layperson in a congregation that's experiencing decline, (or conflict – my addition) whether the congregation thrives is ultimately up to you and the other members. Your pastor can teach, guide, lead, support, inspire, even cajole. But in the end, congregational health is a function of how people in the congregation relate to one another, to God, and to their community.” “In John's Gospel, Jesus says, ‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly’ (John 10:10). We believe this is one of the primary messages that a healthy congregation embodies for its members and its surrounding community.”

We may or may not agree with this or other resolutions that will be passed at General Convention. The impact any of these will have on your congregation will be up to you. My prayer is that all will view the actions of General Convention as guidelines for the church at large, but that you will see your ministry in and through your congregation as one of proclaiming the love of Jesus to those who desperately need to hear it, and to do the mission of serving the less fortunate in your community in the name of the Lord of salvation, Jesus Christ.

With that focus, God will prevail in all that we do. Please continue to pray for us at General Convention.

Mr. Bill Gagin (7/13/2009) - I am being helped with the transmission of this and have not viewed what others have posted so if I am redundant, please forgive me.

This is indeed an overwhelming experience and will have far reaching implications. The first week was boiler plate with procedural issues hitting the floor. Most interesting was listening to the process of moving resolutions through committee. I have a personal interest in ecumenical relations. The expert presenters are well schooled in the theology of our partnered friends and have regular dialog with those of equal standing in these other denominations. As we are all one body under Christ, it is great witness to see the body parts moving closer together.

The first real heady issue came before us yesterday in the form of Resolution D025. It basically said we want to be in communion with the rest of the world but we want to do it our way. Your delegation, on a vote by orders vote, voted 1 for and 7 against. There are strong feelings on these delicate issues and we pray God is in control.

I heard an interesting analogy, from Bishop Love, of Albany. He referenced Amos 7 & 8. His analogy was stacking building blocks. The higher you go the more off line you become until the stack tumbles. Pray we put the right blocks one atop another!!

All the best from Anaheim

Mrs. Karen Powers, ECW Triennial Delegate (7/13/2009) - Today we heard & saw a presentation from Robert Radtke, Episcopal Relief & Delopment on their NetsForLife (R) program, a project that saves lives in Africa. Riding for THEIR Lives: Combatting Malaria on Two Wheels - Eight cyclists, 4,000 miles and two coasts

Bishop Mark Hollingsworth will lead a team of eight cyclists from the Diocese of Ohio across the country (from Anaheim to 815) to raise funds for Episcopal Relief & Development's NetsforLife program. Rob's 13 year old daughter Valerie attends an Episcopal school in NYC. Her school-mates collected pledges for a Stay Fit for Life & they raised $30,000 for NetsforLife. You can make your donation online: www.er-d.org/donate-select.php.

$1 X 4,000 miles = $4000; $ .50 X 4,000 miles = $2000; $ .25 X 4,000 miles = $1000; $ .15 X 4,000 miles = $600; $ .07 X 4,000 miles = $280; $ .01 X 4,000 miles = $40

In September, 2008, Trinity, Oshkosh, raised money for Nets...Life through "Noodles for Nets", a spaghetti & pasta dinner held as the kick-off to the fall programs.

The cost of treated nets is $12.00 per net and 3-4 members of a family can sleep under the net, protecting the whole family from mosquito bites.

Dr. Anne Schuette (7/11/2009) - Happy Saturday to allWe will be starting our morning legislative session in about an hour. Today we also have another gathering to talk about mission through the use of Public Narrative.

The House of Deputies used an interesting parliamentary tool called the Committee of the Whole on Thursday and Friday to allow us to talk about several options pertaining to the resolution B033, which was approved by the General Convention in 2006, in a way that would provide input to the Committee on World Mission – the committee which is charged with bringing some kind of resolution about B033 to the house.

On Thursday we each paired off with a deputy we did not know, and were asked have a conversation framed by 3 questions: what is our personal story about B033, what is our church’s story about B033, and what is God calling us to do about B033. I met with Katherine Wilson, a lay deputy from the Diocese of Florida. She was amazed that we have not lost any churches in our diocese as a consequence of actions by this General Convention in 2003 and 2006 – her diocese has lost 15, and has had to deal with the financial and legal cost of this.

On Friday we returned to the Committee of the Whole so that deputies chosen by lottery could have 2 minutes to speak on B033. I took extensive notes on what was said – roughly two thirds of the speakers were in favor of moving beyond B033 in some way, and one third urged the House to retain the moratorium set in B033. Later in the day while walking back from a quick lunch, I just happened to meet up with a deputy from the World Mission committee, Dr. Mary Abrams of the diocese of Kentucky, and as we walked together for several blocks she told me how helpful this input will be to them. Please keep this committee in your prayers.

Habitat for Humanity folks may be interested to know that they are framing up a new house in the arena of the convention center for HH of Orange County, and the full cost for that one house in this diocese is $250.000!

Time to go – I love the emails I have received from members of the Diocese of Fond du Lac – thank so much for your prayers.

Mrs. Karen Powers, ECW Triennial Delegate (7/11/2009) - A volunteer from the Diocese of Los Angeles asked Carol Feller-Gottard (our other ECW Triennial Delegate) and me to be Eucharistic Ministers at this morning's Eucharist. I was a chalice bearer at Station 1 and Carol distributed the Bread at Station 2. How many stations are there? Not certain, but at each Station there are probably 5 people with bread & 10 with chalices.

Deputy Anne Schuette received fom Carol. Phoebe Griswold, wife of the previous Presiding Bishop, came to my chalice.

Carol had a big UTO dinner to attend last night. She is the UTO Coordinator for the Diocese and also Representative to the UTO National Board from Province V.

I had an executive board meeting with others from the FOCUS Board (Families of Clergy Unied in Support) today after the morning Eucharist. We discussed "What is our next step for spouses / partners and children of clergy. Our Resource Guide is 'so close" to being up and running & on line.

A couple of days ago guests from other parts of the Anglican Communion were welcomed in the House of Bishops. One of these guests was the Rt. Rev. Albert Chama, from the Anglican Church in the Province of Central Africa. +Albert was one of the members of my 8-person bible study group at Lambeth last summer. I had a few minutes to speak with him, only to discover that shortly after returning from Lambeth, his wife died of cancer. (This is a good example of the joy and sorrow that are always a part of life, and even a part of General Convention.)

It is not normal for past Presiding Bishops to attend House of Bishops’ meetings, but yesterday both Bishop Griswold and Bishop Browning came to be with us for a few days. They both spoke words of encouragement to the whole House. It was good to see and talk with Bishop Browning who consecrated be bishop over fifteen years ago. It was also good to see and speak with Bishop Griswold, whom I was privileged to elect as Presiding Bishop.

The House of Bishops past resolutions yesterday expanding the calendar of the Church. What was previously know as “Lesser Feasts and Fasts” will become an expanded version with the title “Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints”. The new calendar will include for trial use for the next triennium the Feast of Charles Chapman Grafton, Bishop of Fond du Lac, Bishop and Ecumenist. It is a wonderful time to be a member of a diocese whose onetime bishop is being honored by the Church.

I know there are several other links for additional informationprovided on our Diocesan web site, but one which may not be there is for a daily paper printed at the General Convention by the Diocese of Virginia. The title of the paper is “Center Aisle”. I have enjoyed many of the editorials and other articles in this small paper while eating breakfast. I commend it to you. It can be found at www.centeraisle.net.

Keep us in your prayers.

The Ven. Edwin Smith (7/11/2009) - Today was a busy day in the House of Deputies. We had two legislatuve sessions, with the afternoon one being four straight hours. Much parlimentary manuvering going on.It was strange to hear my name put in nomination for the Trial Court for a Bishop. I'm not sure when the election will occur.

There is good comraderie among our deputation. We don't all agree on everything, but I think we have a common understanding of who we are in the eyes of God. That is not a small thing, either here or elsewhere in the Church.

Please keep this convention in your prayers. We are dealing with the future of the Episcopal Church, the One, Holy Catholic and Apotolic Church, and the Anglican Communion. Pray the God's will be done.

The Rev. Tom McAlpine (7/10/2009) - We are settling into the Convention's rhythms. Wednesday the House of Deputies passed D027 which defines the "Five Marks of Mission." These are "to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom; to teach, baptize, and nurture new believers; to respond to human need by loving service; to seek to transform unjust structures of society; and to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth." I find this a useful (hardly earthshaking) statement in that in contrast to other resolutions floating around here it preserves space to continually ask how we may best invite all peoples to know and serve our Lord Jesus Christ. Continue to keep us in your prayers.

The Ven. Edwin Smith (7/10/2009) - Even though I've been a Deputy at two previous conventtion, I feel in many ways as lost as I did at my first convention. Things usually start slow and then pick up a great deal of speed. Since we are addressing some critical issues early in our deliberations, we have not had the usual slow beginning.

I am serving on the Committee for the Certification of Minutes. We meet early every morning to read word-by-word throught the minutes for the previous day. This requires each of the five members of the committee to keep their own notes for comparison with the official draft minutes. Note-taking has not always been my strong suit, but I have been able to contribute to some corrections, etc. Our deputation has had several meals together and tries to keep in touch and up to date on what is happening in committees. Tomorrow is the election for the Trial Court for a Bishop, for which I am a candidate. There has been no campaigning, thus far, which has been nice for me.

The Rt. Rev. Russell E. Jacobus (7/10/2009) - This is my first submission to the Diocesan General Convention blog and I have been asking myself why it has taken this long for me to write. We arrived Monday afternoon, and it is already Friday, and I’m also wondering why the time has gone by so fast.

As I was heading back to my hotel room after having my regular bowl of Cheerios with skimmed milk, and man got off the elevator with a tee-shirt that read “I am happy to be here”. As I got off the elevator to go to my fifth floor room, there were four people waiting to get on the elevator, all with big smiles, which were seeming to say, without words, “I am happy to be here”.

To this point I can say the same. So far it’s been a good Convention.

As always, the legislation for the General Convention begins slowly. All resolutions need to be processed through a legislative committee before they get to the floor of either House (House of Deputies or House of Bishops). Fr. Wilson Roane and I have been serving on the Committee for the Consecration of Bishops, which has to recommend, or not, the three elections in the dioceses of Long Island, South Dakota, and Ecuador Central. Our committee met Tuesday during the day to process the materials for Long Island and South Dakota and to informally meet the bishops-elect and their wives. Following our opening hearing that evening, we passed resolutions on to the House of Deputies to consent to the ordination and consecration of both bishops-elect. For several hours Wednesday afternoon the committee heard testimony from people supporting the bishop-elect of Ecuador Central and from a few who had concerns about the election process based on the fact that the Search Committee did not receive names of any qualified priests from Ecuador. The election process, however, did apparently follow the Canons and did appear to be transparent. Therefore, Thursday morning the committee recommended the House of Deputies consent to the ordination and consecration of the Rev. Luis Fernando Ruiz Restrepo, the bishop-elect, who is from the diocese of Columbia.

My Committee has finished its work. This is so much earlier in the Convention than any other committee I have ever served on. This is possibly why I have now found a little time to write.

On Wednesday even the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke at the “Christian Faithfulness in the Global Economic Environment” forum. It was an excellent address in which Archbishop Williams said we need to stop lying to ourselves and each other about the limitless natural resources and about economic models that fail to take into account the social costs of our actions. There were also three panelists as part of the forum: Sarah Eagle Heart, the Episcopal Church’s program officer for Native American Ministries; Michael Schut, economic and environmental affairs officer for the Episcopal Church; and Dr. Stephen Dzisi, a physician and technical director for Nets for Life, an Episcopal Relief and Development partnership program that fights malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. They each added their perspective on how the Episcopal Church mus be faithful to the Global Environment.

At the Convention Eucharist Thursday morning, the Archbishop of Canterbury gave a meditation on the lessons for the day.

I’m not sure if this Convention has begun with less controversy that others in the past, or if I have tried to follow my admonition in the July Clarion to have a positive perspective, especially as I prepared for this General Convention. But to this point, I share the attitude of the tee-shirt guy, “I am happy to be here.” And I hope that my face has the same smile as those I saw a few minutes ago as I got off the elevator.

Of course, there are committees that are dealing with controversial resolutions dealing with sexuality and other topics, but to this point I have not been confronted by those issues. What seems to be hopeful was that the House of Deputies had one-to-one conversations about the 2006 resolution B033 regarding the restraint from ordaining gay or lesbian bishops at this time or moving forward with the blessing of same gender unions. Our deputies told me the conversations seemed to be very open, with people really listening, not just proclaiming their opinion. But I will let them tell more about this on the blog from their perspective.

So, for now, I am happy to be here, representing all of you from the Diocese of Fond du Lac. Please know you are in my prayers daily. Please keep me in yours.

Dr. Anne Schuette (7/9/2009) - Greetings -- I thought a few of you might like to hear how things are going in Anaheim (for me) . I have been learning about the legislative process by attending meetings of the Committee on Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music. The members are responsible for working through resolutions that will eventually become part of our church life in the form of new prayers, new holy people commemorated on our church calendar, new liturgies, etc. There is such generosity in the way the members share their immense breadth and depth of knowledge. The committee also has hearings where deputies and others can speak (briefly) for, or against, specific resolutions. This afternoon (Thursday) I attended hearings on developing liturgies to bless same sex unions .

In the large assembly hall where we come together for general legislative sessions, we have a foam cheese head hat on the sign that marks us out as the deputation from the Diocese of Fond du Lac. The Diocese of Eau Claire has a 6 pack of Leinenkugal minus the bottles! Our tables are immediately in front of the Official Youth Presence – a group of 18 young adults who are nominated by their provinces to attend. I am really enjoying the chance to get to know these young Episcopalians. I have also found out that they like pretzels.

I am an alto in the Ubuntu choir, which is open to anyone attending the convention. The music leaders are full of enthusiasm and the singers include deputies, bishops and their spouses, ECW members, volunteer pages and folks from L.A. We have 3 rehearsals during the 10 days of the convention and have already learned African chants, gospel songs, hymns in Spanish and the Mozart “Äve Maria”. What a great way to get to know some new people from all over the country.

Members of our diocese who travelled to work in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch will be happy to know that I met up with Padre Blanco and his wife Rosa today -- they are both doing well. He is a clergy deputy from Oklahoma. Serendipitous encounters seem to happen all the time, and I even had an opportunity to shake hands with Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.

There are a lot of on-line resources to use if you want more details about this amazing event, and if you have any questions that you think I might be able to answer, don’t hesitate to email me at schuette57@hotmail.com. Thank you for your prayers, which lift all of us up every day.

Mr. Ray Dodge (7/9/2009) - Very light day for me, sat in on a committee meeting to see what it is like. We met in our small Mission Conversation groups to give our story in 2 minutes, non of us made the 2 minutes. that was OK, and we were critiqued then by everyone in the group. The Eucharist today was led by the Bishop of Los Angeles and the Homily was by ABC. (Archbishop of Canterbury) Sermon was very good. More personal, and very clear speaking considering he is from England. At 4:30 we started our first major voting with the electronic key pads. The system failed and we are postponing them to Friday morning. We then had to find someone we do not know and talk to them about "B033" from the 75th GC (last one). I met a guy from Diocese of Florida. He was concerned that if we kill the present stance on B033 more churches would leave. They lost 15 churches from the last GC. I have been given the title of tour guide, for my great sense of direction and easily can follow a map. So we walked down to Downtown Disney looking for a place to eat. There were 11 of us, and a group walked with us from Central New York. This was a longer walk.. so my feet are tired and my legs are sore.

Mrs. Karen Powers, ECW Triennial Delegate (7/9/2009) - In the days prior to the beginning of General Convention and the Episcopal Church Women's Triennial meeting, I attended the triennial meeting of the Church Periodical Club (CPC), of which I am the Diocesan Coordinator for Fond du Lac.

On the first day of the Triennial we were joined by the Assistant Bishop of Los Angeles Sergio Carranza-Gomez who greeted and welcomed us. Other guests were Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island (left), who presented the story of her life on the streets of Providence, RI and in a homeless shelter and Bishop Nedi Rivera of Olympia (right) who spoke on "telling our story". She had CPC coordinators in small groups talk about the woman who most influenced our lives.

During the National Books Fund granting session, CPC distributed over $32,000 in grants to domestic & international seminarians, schools, libraries, prisons, parishes New CPC officers were installed by the Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori at St Michael's, Anaheim, California. CPC delegates had one outing as a group: a field trip to the Crystal Cathedral followed by an afternoon at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library.

The highlight for many General Convention attendees is the Overseas Bishops' Dinner host by CPC. Former Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning always called the Dinner the 'unofficial' kick off of General Convention.

Mr. Ray Dodge (7/8/2009) - Today we had our first Session in the House. Nothing to report on just some small things. 9:15 was the Open Eucharist the Presiding Bishop gave the Homily, honestly it seemed a little cold and no closure to her remarks. Again we had some time to ourselves, so Bishop and I took another walk for an hour and then met up with Fr. Tom McAlpine and his wife for lunch. I even went into a Fuzzywigs candy store. We build these fixtures at FC Dadson where I work, so it is kind of cool to see them.Another House session from 4:30 to 6:00 easy stuff voting no issues. This evening I met up with my sister Peggy, who lives out here in Southern California. We had a great time visiting and having dinner, we will see each other again next week.

Mr. Ray Dodge (7/7/2009) - I have felt in my heart for the last few years that I needed to attend this convention. If it wasn’t for my Cursillo experience, I don’t think that I would have had the confidence to attend. So I feel that it is an honor to represent our Diocese in this experience. Of course it would not have happed if my company’s president did not support me on this trip. Everyone here has been friendly; our deputation is getting along very well. Today, I sit in my room waiting for my next session to attend. This morning the New Deputy session was changed to 4:00 pm. So I ran into a few of the Deputies from Eau Claire so we went for coffee and held conversations regarding the convention and even about their thoughts on the Junctioning possibilities. It was very interesting to hear their concerns and desires. They are wonderful group. If someday we do Junction the two Dioceses they would be wonderful partners. Later we had some training on Mission Conversation, how to tell the Story of Self. We all were assigned a table. At 4:00 we all met in the House of Deputies, for electronic voting and how to conduct ourselves while in session. The demonstration people use Disney characters for their titles, it was funny. That evening Bishop Russ and I went for a walk looking for some place to eat a light dinner. We walked for 45 minutes one-way. Boy were my legs and feet tired.

Mr. Ray Dodge (7/6/2009) - We left from the Diocese Office at 6:45am and arrived at the Airport at 7:00, our flight was leaving 1 1/2 hours late. We had a connection flight in Denver. We deplaned at B96 and walked very quickly to B26. When we got there the crowd was huge, 95% Episcopalians waiting to board. I struck up a conversation with a guy across the aisle from me from Diocese of Quincy (Illinois). He was the only clergy attending the GC. Because they split. We arrived and checking to the hotel. We have no car so we walk everywhere.

Dr. Anne Schuette (6/18/2009) - My favorite part of preparing for General Convention, so far, has been the meeting we had in May, which included the deputies from our diocese and the diocese of Eau Claire. It was great to meet new people and hear first hand about some of the resolutions from members of the diocese of Eau Claire who serve on the committee that prepares the budget, and the committee on constitution and canons. I got a lot out of hearing from Kay Ward, abishop in the Moravian Church, because creating a covenant between our two denominations will be one of the resolutions considered at the convention.

I have also been very impressed by the amount of creative energy and hard, time-consuming work that so many people have put into the last three years. They have worked on various commissions and committees to try to make the Episcopal Church the best witness to our Lord that it can possibly be. They have touched on every way that we practice our faith, whether through worship, ministry to others, education, good stewardship – and now make recommendations on how we can be even better. As I read the reports they have written I am grateful to them all.

I am looking forward to another part of my preparation – attending our diocesan Middler Camp next week! And I’ve had opportunities in June to travel to Minnesota and Michigan, and to worship in Episcopal churches in both states – always enriching. Thank you to all of the members of our diocese who are praying for our deputation, and once again, thanks for the honor of being chosen to attend this convention as a member of the Diocese of Fond du Lac.

Countdown to General Convention from the June, 2009 Clarion

The Rt. Rev. Russell E. Jacobus (6/01/2009) - Next month your elected Diocesan Deputies to General Convention will be heading off to the convention center in Anaheim, Calif., for our triennial meeting. This will be my tenth consecutive General Convention either as a Deputy or Bishop. Those of us who will be representing you desire and need your prayers.

There was an article in May’s Clarion listing the names of our deputies. As a reminder, the clergy deputies are the Rev. Wilson Roane, the Rev. Ed Smith, the Rev. Peter Bird and the Rev. Rex Perry. The lay deputies are Mr. Bill Gagin, Dr. Anne Schuette, Mrs. Sue Roane and Mr. Ray Dodge. Please keep the deputies and me in your prayers over the next several weeks as we prepare ourselves for the convention, and especially through July 8-17, while the General Convention is in session.

In early May, Deputies from Fond du Lac and Eau Claire gathered to inform ourselves about some of the issues that will be on the agenda. I’d like to share with you several of the topics we will need to deal with, and suggest that if you would like to talk with us about any of these, you should plan to attend the open forum with General Convention deputies, to be held following the luncheon at the Eucharistic Festival at our Cathedral in Fond du Lac, on Saturday,June 6.

Healthcare

One of the helpful concerns coming before the General Convention has to do with the rising cost of healthcare for clergy and lay employees in the Church. The Episcopal Church Medical Trust, through the Church Pension Group, will be proposing that the Episcopal Church have a mandatory denominational health plan. Currently, about 70% of dioceses participate in the health program. Should General Convention pass a resolution mandating participation, it will increase our group and, in turn, reduce premiums. The Episcopal Church Medical Trust has been looking for ways to reduce premiums for participating dioceses, and this proposal would help significantly.

Communion with Moravians

For more than a decade the Episcopal Church and the Moravian Church have been in discussion about the possibility of some type of intercommunion. There will be a resolution titled “Finding our Delight in the Lord,” which is a proposal for establishing full communion between the two churches.

At our bi-diocesan deputies’ gathering we were blessed to have a retired Moravian Bishop talk to us about the Moravian Church and its history. An interesting piece of this particular legislation is that if it passes, this will be the first tripartite agreement, as both the Episcopal Church and the Moravian Church are already in full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Canons on discipline

At the General Convention in 2006 there was a presentation on a revision of the Canons of the Church that deal with discipline (Title IV Canons). That proposal, which was not adopted, recommended that canons be put in place for the discipline of misbehavior on the part of laity as well as clergy. The reason for failure was most deputies did not feel the Canons should contain discipline for the laity.

There is a new revision of the Title IV Canons proposed that only considers the misbehavior by clergy. Current canons are based on a type of military code. The proposed canons have been drafted to be more pastoral, with greater opportunity for reaching settlement between bishops and clergy, without having to go to an Ecclesiastical Court. The canons are still very explicit about what constitutes misconduct, but the process for investigation of the alleged inappropriate conduct is much less judicial.

‘Hot button’ issues

I am sure that there will be a number of resolutions filed at General Convention that will deal with some of the “hot button” issues before the Church. These are the circumstances when your deputies need prayer the most, as they try to discern the will of our Lord Jesus in these situations.

Through prayer they will attempt to decide God’s leading, what is best for the Church at this time, and how these resolutions proclaim the Good News of Christ to a world that is in desperate need of hearing that news of hope.

Your deputies will be attending committee meetings, legislative sessions, open hearings, and daily Eucharists which begin as early as 7 a.m. and last as late as 10 p.m. And they do this for 11 consecutive days. We are not going on a vacation to California and, if we were, I’m sure we wouldn’t do it in the middle of July.

Please join the deputies on June 6, following the Eucharistic Festival luncheon, to speak to them about your hopes and concerns for the Church. Join us so the deputies know there is support for them from around the diocese. And keep them in your prayers.

On page 818 of The Book of Common Prayer there is a prayer for a “Church Convention” (#12). This is an excellent prayer to use for General Convention and our deputies. If you turn to that prayer may I also ask that you offer Prayer #14 for “the Unity of the Church.”

In Christ Jesus,
+Russell