By The Rev. Pamela Mott of St. Mary's Portsmouth, RI Deputy to General Convention
While I have attended a General Convention in the past, I have never been a deputy and so I am writing from the perspective of a "first timer". By the time we arrived, we had already been inundated with information. The "Blue Book" came out a month or so before convention with 758 pages of legislative information - reports of commissions, committees and agencies of the church, resolutions, and biographies of those running for a position on various councils.
First impressions: the convention center is huge, and so is the church - people from all over with different viewpoints, different worship expressions - and all seeking to find the way we can be church together. When we registered, we were given huge three ring binders with information and resolutions (I suddenly understand why people use wheeled suitcases to go from one meeting to the next. My spacious carryall has already given way to a large knapsack - and we have not even had our first legislative session yet!).
I love the fact that, so far, each meeting has begun with prayer.- and not only each meeting but each segment of each meeting. The first set of hearings I attended was for the committee that recommends acceptance of the newly elected Bishops, including our own, the Very Rev. Nick Knisely. Each Bishop-elect was introduced by someone from his/her diocese and then the newly elected Bishop gave a few words (each was limited to 3-5 minutes). There followed testimonies from people in the diocese about the gifts and skills of each. Finally, the committee asked the newly elected a question or two - and then voted, by orders, to send the acceptance on to first the House of Deputies, then the House of Bishops for final approval. It was very interesting to watch the process unfold with prayerfulness, structure and humor!
Pray for your deputation and for the church as we gather to do this work, as we struggle in these times to be faithful as the body of Christ gathered in this place.
First impressions: the convention center is huge, and so is the church - people from all over with different viewpoints, different worship expressions - and all seeking to find the way we can be church together. When we registered, we were given huge three ring binders with information and resolutions (I suddenly understand why people use wheeled suitcases to go from one meeting to the next. My spacious carryall has already given way to a large knapsack - and we have not even had our first legislative session yet!).
I love the fact that, so far, each meeting has begun with prayer.- and not only each meeting but each segment of each meeting. The first set of hearings I attended was for the committee that recommends acceptance of the newly elected Bishops, including our own, the Very Rev. Nick Knisely. Each Bishop-elect was introduced by someone from his/her diocese and then the newly elected Bishop gave a few words (each was limited to 3-5 minutes). There followed testimonies from people in the diocese about the gifts and skills of each. Finally, the committee asked the newly elected a question or two - and then voted, by orders, to send the acceptance on to first the House of Deputies, then the House of Bishops for final approval. It was very interesting to watch the process unfold with prayerfulness, structure and humor!
Pray for your deputation and for the church as we gather to do this work, as we struggle in these times to be faithful as the body of Christ gathered in this place.
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