RISEN Magazine Summer 2012 Issue Now Online.

The Summer 2012 issue of RISEN Magazine has been released! Look for it in your mailboxes or read it online below.

This issue is focused on General Convention, which took place in Indianapolis this July. The issue features an interview with our Bishop Elect, photos from the Electing Convention in June, deputy diaries from General Convention, and a wrap up of the legislations General Convention passed this time around.

Can't load the magazine widget below? View a PDF at www.episcopalri.org/RISENMagazine

TEC Restructures Staff and Offices for Mission

At General Convention this past July "structural change" was a keyword or trending topic.  Resolutions were passed to encourage the Episcopal Church to look into selling its property in NYC, to found a task force on structural reform  (Nominations to the task force are open here until August 23rd), and the structure of the budget was re-written around the Anglican 5 Marks of Mission.

The resolutions voted on by deputies we sent to General Convention are now being lived into in visible, tangible ways. The Episcopal Church office of Public Affairs released an article last Wednesday called  "Transitions for Episcopal Church, DFMS staff"  which delineates the structural changes that are in process.  Offices are moving. 10.25 Jobs have been eliminated, other jobs are being re-envisioned. A development office is being built.  TEC is talking with other denominations and organizations about the potential for space and staff sharing.

 “We have been reviewing and talking about seriously redesigning what we, as a staff, do" said TEC's Chief operating Officer, Bishop Stacy Sauls. “The whole Church is being called to restructure for mission. We as the DFMS staff must engage this work faithfully.”

Read the full article for the details on what is changing at 815.

Statement on the Blessing of Same-Sex Relationships

On July 7^th 2012 The 77^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church authorized a provisional liturgy for the blessing of same-sex relationships. [resolution A049 available here]. The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island’s deputation voted unanimously in support of this action. Our current bishop, the Right Reverent Geralyn Wolf, also voted in favor.

The 77^th General Convention was careful to specify that this liturgy is not to be misunderstood as a marriage rite, that it is a provisional liturgy while more theological work is being done. It is a pastoral response to those in committed same sex relationships who seek the blessing of the church.

As a provisional liturgy, Resolution A049 calls for three years of careful review and a report to the 2015 General Convention, to include diverse theological perspectives, “further engagement with scripture and the relevant categories and sources of systematic theology (e.g., creation, sin, grace, salvation, redemption, human nature)” and an open process to review the liturgy through responses from dioceses, congregations, individuals, the Anglican Communion, and our ecumenical partners.

A049 also specifies that the liturgy will not be authorized for use until the first Sunday in Advent 2012, which is December 2^nd of this year. Due to Bishop Wolf’s retirement and Bishop Elect Nicholas Knisely’s consecration November 17^th, the implementation of this liturgy will be at his direction in consultation with others.

Bishop Elect Nicholas Knisely did not have vote at this year’s General Convention, but during his election process this past May he spoke in support of authorizing a blessing of same-sex relationships while at the same time honoring the diversity of opinion on this subject in Rhode Island Episcopal Parishes.

Bishop Elect Knisely reminds Rhode Island Episcopalians of Roger William’s legacy of religious tolerance. He said this week “How do we live into a world where people disagree? We are Episcopalians. We understand and fully expect that we won’t agree. That would be a “pure” church – and we have historically rejected that understanding of how to live as God’s people in the world.  We find our unity in common prayer.”

In the time between now and December 2^nd the Bishop Elect will be working with diocesan bodies to craft a process of mutual discernment between parishes, clergy, and congregations for whom offering a blessing liturgy would be appropriate in their context.

General Convention July 12th Closing Eucharist: The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

General Convention July 12 Sermon:
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

I have some bad news.  PB&F [1 ] asked Gregory Straub [2] to find the latest audit, and when he went looking in the Archives, he discovered that we have been using the wrong edition of the Constitution and Canons all through our deliberations.  The general conclusion is that everything we’ve done here is therefore invalid.  Are you ready to start over?

That’s basically what happened with King Josiah.  Hilkiah went to investigate the Temple finances and discovered that they’d been reading the wrong rule book for years and years.

We’ve had some struggles here that sound a little bit like that – like whether this body is hierarchical or not, or what kind of governance or structure fits what those guys who held the first Episcopal Church convention had in mind back in 1785.

It will take many more Conventions before we all agree about anything, but, you know what?  IT DOESN’T MATTER!  We won’t all agree before the Second Coming, but there is only one essential rule – “love one another,” says Jesus, “as I have loved you.”  That is the one and only rule of life together in Christ.  It is the same one that Augustine of Hippo cited:  “love God and do as you please.”  Martin Luther’s version was, “sin boldly… and more boldly still rejoice in Christ.”

Our task is not to timidly take comfort in the details of our nice behavior – not even in impeccable parliamentary procedure!  Life in Christ is risky, it’s about leaping into the uncertain choices before us, like Indiana Jones on that light bridge [3 ] – stepping out over the chasm without knowing if the bridge will be there until we do.  Way down in the depths, deep down, the body of Christ has an abiding memory of the trustworthiness of that bridge, even if some of the individual members don’t remember quite so well.

That’s what Lars Olof Jonathan Söderblom offered the world.  The body of Christ, indeed the whole body of all faithful people, has much to teach its members about trust and confidence – and it is all about love. 

Söderblom – who went by Nathan – was a Swedish Lutheran pastor, theologian, and Archbishop of Uppsala, born in 1866 and died in 1931.  He came from a tradition of border crossers, and it was evident even in his early life.  His university degree was in Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and Latin, and he started the formal academic study of comparative religions.[4]  In 1890 he came to the United States for a meeting of the Student Missionary Association – something like a General Convention for young adults.  He went back to Sweden, was ordained and was appointed chaplain to a mental hospital. Then he started looking for a job that would pay enough to let him get married.  Anna Forsell was one of 20 women students among the 1700 men in the University, and she was his writing partner as well as his wife.  Söderblom did find a job; he was appointed to the Swedish church in Paris, and stayed there until 1901.  That Parisian congregation was filled with Scandinavian artists, diplomats, and merchants, among them Alfred Nobel and August Strindberg, and the several older of the Söderblom’s 13 children. 

The Church of Sweden started planting churches abroad in 1626, and that church in Paris was the first one.  Several of the ones in the American colonies were later transferred to The Episcopal Church.[5]  The Church of Sweden has an ancient tradition of ecumenism, loving and learning and working with others.

Söderblom went back to Sweden to take an academic post in theology at Uppsala University, and he began a theological revival in the Swedish church that spread about the world.  He worked on the easy stuff like world peace and liturgical renewal.

Söderblom is remembered most distinctly for starting the modern ecumenical movement, with the Conference on Life and Work in Stockholm in 1925.  He insisted that personal spirituality made no sense if it was divorced from work for justice in the larger society, and he repeatedly called on Christian leaders to make common cause for world peace.  He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930.

Peace begins with loving one another.  Start with the people in this room.  This body has done a pretty good job over the last few days.  We’ve seen quite a few leaps beyond old spheres of safety for the sake of the other.  Each person who has stepped out has done so in order to meet another.  And we have discovered a new place, a third way beyond what either one knew before.

Take what you have learned here about deep hospitality [6] and keep moving toward the other.  Maybe we can even figure out how to love everybody in this church.  This reconciling work isn’t like BASE jumping [7] – finding a thrill by stretching some rubber band that ties you to the earth.  God’s mission is real faith work, the kind of trusting vulnerability that knows there’s only one rule to keep us safe, the spirit’s tether that will draw us into the arms of a Friend on the other side of that chasm. [8]

So step on out there past this narrow ledge of safety and love one another.  Step out there and expect to find your Friend on the other side.  Cross the chasm and you will find the other – and every single one of them will bear the image of God.  Trust the wings of the morning, and take a flying leap!  Take a flying leap into the future, and toward the other.  The bridge is there – we call it the Light of the World.

[1] Program, Budget, and Finance – committee that develops the budget
[2] The Rev. Gregory Straub is the Secretary of General Convention
[3 ]Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
[4] A good biographical review can be found here:  http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1930/soderblom-bio.html
[5] http://www.colonialswedes.org/Churches/Churches.html and related sites
[6] http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/07/11/the-rev-stephanie-spellers-preaches-at-convention-eucharist
[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASE_jumping
[8] Draw us in the Spirit’s Tether, music by Harold Friedell; text by Percy Deamer

General Convention Deputy Reflections: the Passing of the Budget

Dennis Stark, Lay Deputy to General Convention
On July 10th the Program Budget and Finance Committee (PB&F) presented their recommended budget for the Triennium 2013-2015. Yesterday each house debated that budget.  The House of Deputies started by suspending the rules for one hour so that the discussion could be free of motions to amend, divide, and call the question.

The first step was for small groups of sixteen to discuss the budget together, in our case we were paired with the deputies from Delaware.  We talked about the asking of l9% for each year, the block grants, and the approach to funding the development office by a grant from past operating surpluses.  We did not have any problem with these proposals.

Next the entire body was able to make comments and ask questions.  Various members of PB&F answered those questions.  Some people asked about the recommendation to fund the Anglican Council at 50% of the amount requested, others asked about the reduction in the budget for Committees, Commissions, Agencies and Boards, the amount appropriated for legal costs to defend property rights, and how Block Grants in the program area would work.

Then the house went back into normal session and various motions were made.  One deputy proposed to reduce the amount allocated for staff costs by 25%.  That motion was defeated by a substantial majority.  Another motion proposed to add $500,000 to Miscellaneous Income and to appropriate those funds for the work of the Digital Communications Department.  This motion failed as well.

Someone called the question and the budget passed as originally proposed.  We subsequently learned that the House of Bishops concurred by passing the budget as well.

What this means for the Rhode Island Diocese is that our share of the expenses of The Episcopal Church for the next three years will be approximately the same as this year ($400,000).  We should be proud that we have a long track record of paying the amount requested.

During the next Triennium a special committee appointed by the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies will be studying the matter of structure and making a recommendation to the 2015 General Convention about possible changes in the amount of funding requested and how those funds are expended.

Also this week, a nominating committee for the next Presiding Bishop was elected, including Dante Tavealaro from Rhode Island.  That committee has two lay and two clerical deputies from each of the nine provinces.  Byron Rushing from Massachusetts was elected Vice President of the House of Deputies, and the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings of Ohio was elected President.

General Convention Deputy Reflections: Joel B. Gardner

By Joel B Gardner, RI Alternate to General Convention

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ;

As a “first timer” at a General Convention, I was immediately struck by the immenseness of the undertaking, and the tremendous amount of work done by so many people to put together this triennial meeting.    I was also impressed by the intense dedication of the leaders of the convention, and their willingness to devote the countless hours necessary to work out the details needed to make the days as productive and meaningful as possible. 

When one considers the “business” of our church, it is important to remember that our business is doing God’s work, and that His will must be paramount in all deliberations.  I am pleased to be able to report to all of you, that this convention is considering a number of resolutions regarding equality on all levels, integrity in our church’s relations with the world around us, and changing the structure of the church to better position it to be God’s arm in the world, and to enable its members to grow in their faith, and as followers of Christ. “Flexible” and “nimble” are two of the buzzwords being used to describe hopes for the outcomes of upcoming resolutions.   I hope that you will take the time to follow other links on this website, and to explore other news venues for information.

There have also been incredible worship services each day with wonderful music and great, thought provoking preaching.  Each service celebrated the rich diversity of our church.   It was great to spend some time each morning worshiping with hundreds of Jesus’ followers.   It was also wonderful to be part of a group of faithful followers who met to dream about what a church could be, and even held “flash prayers” this week. 

I would not be entirely honest if I did not admit to some frustrations.  For example, parliamentary procedure entanglements, and “amendments of amendments” resulted in a considerable waste of valuable Legislative Session time.    I also feel that the length of the convention (a registration day, eight days of legislative business, and travel time) makes it difficult if not impossible, for many people to consider being involved.  In fact, I spoke to several people who were using all of their annual vacation time during these two weeks.  It is my hope and prayer that these issues will be considered over the coming months as part of the larger effort to “streamline” church governance, and make the church more inclusive.  

I would like to leave with these thoughts.  There seems to be an understanding by most of the people here that we as a church can’t keep doing the same things, and survive as an institution.  There also seems to be a willingness to boldly take on some of the big issues that need to be dealt with.  In fact some resolutions regarding these issues have been addressed through legislation already.  Let us pray that God empowers this convention to make more bold decisions that will put Him first, and enable us to focus on doing His work and “Sharing the Good News”.    Please continue to pray for our delegation, and for the convention and its work.

God’s Peace to all of you

General Convention July 11 Sermon: The Rev. Stephanie Spellers

“Pray Like You Mean It” Homily for Community Eucharist at the Episcopal General Convention (July 11, 2012)
The Rev. Stephanie Spellers

(Sung) Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

If you want to know what Anglicans believe, hear how we pray. Well, we just prayed, “Give us grace, following the teaching and example of thy servant Benedict, to walk with loving and willing hearts in the school of the Lord’s service.” It’s a beautiful prayer. I sure hope we meant it.

Benedict of Nursia came on the scene in 6th century Italy, when corruption had saturated the church. Even monastics were kind of doing their own thing, indistinguishable from the culture at large.

Faith didn’t change anyone, and it didn’t cost you anything. It was like the man in this morning’s gospel, the one who decided one fine day, “I’m building a tower” – even though he had no idea what it cost, what sacrifice he would bear. In Benedict’s day, people took on the name Christian, but had zero interest in bearing the cross and being transformed into Jesus’ people. Imagine that.

But Benedict wanted to be a Christian. He wanted Jesus to melt him, mold him, fill him and use him, and he wanted to be surrounded by companions who would hold and prod him through that change. So he founded a new monastic community, a “school for the Lord’s service” shaped by three commitments. They were – please join me in some Latin call and response – stabilitas, obedientia, conversatio morum. Let's break it down:

Stabilitas: is stability, or sticking with your community. Obedientia: obedience, obeying the authority of the community and of God. And finally the commitment toward which everything else pointed: conversatio morum. It’s an untranslatable phrase that means something like committing to this rule, bearing the cross, embracing The Other, and trusting that God is working this out, using all this to convert, confound, transform and ultimately bless you.

That’s following the teaching and example of Benedict. Do we really mean to pray that?

I’m a textbook Generation Xer, so I’ve never been much for stability, even less for obedience. Up to 12 years ago, I was still wandering from church to sangha to fellowship. And when I found this body, I found you. I found so much that I had longed for, and plenty I never would have asked for and now can’t imagine living without. A table where Jesus lives, not in memorium but incarnate. A liturgy that still vibrates with the rhythms of the ancient ordo. A theological tradition that makes sense to me here, here and here. A vowed life as a priest, obedient to the church’s and God’s calling.

I love this church. It’s easily the longest committed relationship I have ever been in. My mom drove up last night from Kentucky, and I’m sure she’ll be standing at the back to thank all of you. The Episcopal Church has given me stabilitas and obedientia, and I know that my salvation depends on the conversion that God is working out in me right here with you. Thank you for that.

But if my Baptist mama drove all this way; if you, my church family, have actually gotten up for the second to last Convention Eucharist, then I have to be honest and tell you the rest of the story.

And what I have seen is, we love to pray these commitments, and we like to live them – as long as they don’t change us too much.

Want to test that theory? Benedict would point to hospitality. In his Rule, he wrote: “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for He is going to say, ‘I came as a guest, and you received Me.’” Benedict told his monks to offer prayers and praises when anyone arrives at the door, especially the poor and dishonored. Send the abbot, send the guest brother, send the whole community to bow and wash that guest’s feet.

And when you do, he said, remember this: you’re not just blessing them. This discipline is about you: you moving out to meet The Other, you being humble and stretched, you being converted and blessed by God. If you’re truly rooted in Christ, if you’re obedient to his commandments, if you have surrendered to the mystery of conversatio morum, you will receive Christ as The Other, you will be changed.

Throughout this Convention, we have prayed and proclaimed our desire to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to welcome emerging generations and cultures. Did we mean to pray that? Do we want the conversion that hospitality entails?

I pray that we do. Because right now, here's what our legendary welcome sounds like: “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You. We're so glad you're here! Now, this is the Book of Common Prayer. Obey it. This is our musical tradition. Master it. This is our English heritage. Adopt it. This is our sense of order. Assimilate it. And the gifts from your home culture, your young culture, your lower-class culture? Would you leave them at the door and pick them up on your way out? They're not quite Episcopal enough.”

I do not think we mean to be unkind or unwelcoming. I think we love what we have received and the most natural thing in the world is to share it with others in that very form. I think we are afraid that opening to two-way transformation with The Other could shatter or simply erase the foundations of our Episcopal identity.

Benedict would say this is not so. To be Christian is to engage in a dance. To be Anglican is to engage in a dance. Stabilitas keeps us anchored, holding fast to what is holy and true. Conversatio morum makes us free to say, “Here is the way we have known Jesus. May this path bless you. How have you known him? What song sounds like God to you? What dream has the Spirit whispered to you in your ear? I am confused, I am scared. But I embrace this dying and rising, this sacrifice and blessing, this transformation into the fullness of Christ. And, I embrace you.”

The prayer to be like Benedict will shatter our well-drawn boundaries, it breaks our hearts, it grows our capacity to love and to fail, and sends us humble as beggars into the arms of Jesus and the arms of the stranger. It is a dangerous prayer. Pray it anyway. And then watch out. God might just give you what you prayed for.

General Convention Deputy Reflections: Proposed Budget Overview

By Dennis Stark, RI Lay Deputy to General Convention

Yesterday afternoon the House of Bishops and the House of  Deputies met in joint session to hear the Program Budget & Finance Committee present their proposed budget [available here] for the next Triennium (2013-2015).  The Committee held three meeting at General Convention for input on income, expenses, and funding.  They considered the budgets recommended by Executive Council and the Presiding Bishop, but decided to create their own document.

The budget is based upon expected income for the next Triennium of $111,546,000, with $73,500,000 coming from Diocesan Commitments.  The asking from Dioceses will be 19% for all three years, the same amount asked for this year.  The expected receipts factor in historical payment rates and expected diocesan income.  Rhode Island is one of the dioceses which pays the asking in full.

Based upon an expected total return on invested funds of 8% and a draw of 5%, income from that source is expected to total $29,364,000.  They also recommend making a grant of an additional $4,100,000 from accumulated past surpluses of income over expenses to cover the cost of the development department.  They expect the department to produce a return on this investment of 100% to 1,000%.  The total draw including the grant is 5.8%.

The third source of income is rent from three and one-half floors of the office building at 815 Second Avenue.  The budget includes both principal and interest on the debt undertaken to cover the cost of restoration and improvements.

The expenses side of the budget is divided into three broad categories.  The Canonical portion is 20,125,000 or 18%.  This covers expenses of General Convention, the stipend of the Presiding Bishop and the expenses of that office, and the expenses of the President of the House of Deputies.

Corporate expenses total $33,997,000 or 31%.  These funds provide administrative support of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society Offices.

The Program (mission) portion of the budget is $57,394,000 or 51%.  The allocations within this budget are based upon the “Five Marks of Mission”.  They are as follows:

1.  To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
2. To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
3. To respond to human need by loving service
4. To seek to transform unjust structures of society
5. To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

Rather than make specific appropriations for particular programs the budget contains block grants within each area.  Examples are as follows:

• $2 million for grants to start new congregations
• $1 million for strengthening Province IX for sustainable mission
• $1 million making missionary service available for all Episcopal young people
• $1 million for engaging Episcopalians in the eradication of domestic poverty through Jubilee Ministries
• $500,000 for creating and strengthening local networks to care for creation.

As in the past,  Executive Council will be responsible for adjusting the budget as diocesan commitments become known.

I expect there will be consternation in some quarters about the diocesan asking continuing at 19% for all three years and the lack of detail on the expense side about specific grants.  However, I expect that the budget will pass and that Executive Council will do its usual good job of managing expectations and results.

General Convention Sermon: July 10

By The Rev. Albert Cutié, Diocese of Southeast Florida
Remembering Bartolomé de las Casas: Tireless Advocate for Justice (MT 10:26-31)

In the name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

I am so blessed and so happy to be here. While this is only my second General Convention, I have to tell you that I feel like I have been a member of The Episcopal Church all of my life.

My wife and I have received so much love from all over the church. I just had to begin this sermon by telling all of you – especially those who are particularly interested in church growth - that my wife and I just became the proud parents of a “little boy”. He is five weeks old. He will be baptized this Sunday. We also have our little 17 month old girl and our 17 year old son who decided on his own he wanted to be confirmed by our bishop this past Spring. So we are doing our part in contributing to church growth… Think about it, just with us at home, we have five new Episcopalians!

In the gospel we just heard proclaimed Jesus says, “Do not be afraid” - “No tengan miedo…”I don’t know how many of you are familiar with “The Turtle Family”…

One day the Turtle family decided that they were going on a picnic, and because they were turtles, it took them about three months to figure out what park they were going to. Then father turtle announced it was time to leave and they took about five days to get to the park.  Once they arrived, it took mother turtle about one week to spread the picnic cloth on the ground and place the basket on it. It took the Turtle family about a day to say grace before eating – they really sped through their prayers. Eventually they were ready to take the first bite from their sandwiches when little boy turtle told everyone “Wait!” I forgot to bring the salt… I have to go back home to get it.  So they all waited one day, two days, three days… Until little girl turtle announced to the family, “ I am so hungry, I am going to take the first bite”. The whole family insisted she wait for her brother, but there was no way. She just had to eat! So just as the little girl turtle was about to take the first bite, the little brother who has hiding nearby behind a tree said, “You see, that’s why I didn’t go get the salt, I was so afraid you would begin without me”
 

The tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew has always been very appealing to me!  It begins by giving us the names of “the twelve” and then presents us with a number of instructions and peculiar warnings Jesus offers to the disciples as they are sent on their mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Yet, in this particular passage we just heard, three times in just a few verses we hear Jesus say: “Do not be afraid”.

If you pay close attention to the context of this chapter, one clearly sees that the disciples had every reason to be afraid. Jesus tells them they will be persecuted, rejected, even “flogged in the synagogues” – yet he assures them they should not worry and he tells each of them it will be the Spirit of God who will “speak through you” (Mt 10:20). The most important instruction and advice Jesus gives his disciples is not be afraid…
 

Fear paralyzes. Speaking from personal experience, as one who was ideologically and somewhat spiritually paralyzed for some time, I can attest to the fact that fear is often our worst enemy.  Fear does not allow us to see things with clarity and often makes us seek what is comfortable and what we have grown accustomed to, avoiding doing the hard work of discovering the will of God, which brings us true freedom and lasting peace. I am convinced that fear is ultimately responsible for keeping us from doing the work of the Kingdom; that kingdom of justice, peace and love which Jesus challenges his disciples – both then and now - to proclaim and make real in this world.
 

In my own faith journey, not unlike a good number of the members of our church who have come from other communions, one of the things that attracted me most to The Episcopal Church and our Anglican way is this sense of belonging to a spiritual oasis where we can “agree to disagree”, where there is room for ambiguity, where people can be heard, accepted and loved regardless of the popularity of their varied and diverse positions; a place free from the constant imposition of ideas and the rigid demands of dogmatism – which provide such little room for reason and simply do not value our God given ability to make personal decisions regarding what God may or may not be asking of us as individuals and as a community of faith.  Indeed our church is a spiritual oasis for many – and must continue to be that unique place - where the people of God and their leaders cannot be threatened by our rapidly changing world, but on the contrary, wish to embrace it with God’s unconditional and beyond-all-boundaries type of love! “Do not be afraid…” Jesus says.
 

Bartolome de las Casas is a great example of what it means to be radical in following the Gospel and in the balancing act between dealing with the status quo - required of him due to his political and ecclesiastical position - and being truly unafraid to live the fullness of the gospel and work for justice, even when those he answered to, were systematically oppressing the native peoples he defended. Those unique political abilities and capacity to negotiate with the powers that be led him to be known as “The Protector of the Indians”; I believe these qualities would have made him a huge asset to our own General Conventions.  Yet, like so many of us, God surprised Bartolome in calling him to ministry, since he originally came to America thinking he would just be another “conquistador”, but God had other plans – eventually he would become a priest and later a bishop that would offer his life in fighting against the grave injustices that Native Indians all over the Americas suffered.
 

As we look around our world today - in the United States and beyond – we sense the need for a renewed discipleship and commitment to justice – contemporary voices that are willing put fear aside and “shout from the rooftops” that we must “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being” (Baptismal Covenant – Book of Common Prayer).  Our sermons, even our tweets and posts – our daily work in church and especially in the larger community – must clearly express that we are not afraid and that every form of prejudice, injustice, inequality and bigotry are not compatible with that Kingdom which Jesus expects us to help build. We have work to do and we cannot allow fear to paralyze us or keep us from moving forward.

General Convention Deputy Reflections on July 9th

By Dante Tavolaro, RI Lay Deputy to General Convention

A few days ago we heard a fabulous sermon by Bishop Michael Curry on being Crazy Christians [available here]. This sermon has shaped much of my thoughts and prayers as we progress through this General Convention. Much of what we have been doing in the House of Deputies seems a bit crazy, but not in the spirit filled way that Bishop Curry called us to. I find myself asking myself, "If we adopt this resolution will it help us be Crazy Christians"? Most often that answer is no.

At times I find myself frustrated with what are we doing when it is hard to tell how it will proclaim the Gospel in the world in which we live. I often wonder why we spend so much time on the "apple pie" or "puppies and chocolate" resolutions. Do we really need to spend all this time making ourselves feel better? 

Yesterday - I think it was yesterday as time seems to have stopped here in Indianapolis - the House of Deputies (HoD) voted against making September Lay Ministry Month. That wasn't because the HoD hates lay people, but rather because lay people - and clergy - got up and said that lay ministry is important all year long, not just in September. We also voted down a resolution that would, "encourage that in the great fifty days of Easter the people of The Episcopal Church make a commitment to practice the holy habits of weekly worship, prayer, scripture study, tithing, and honing the Sabbath as part of the renewal of baptismal vows". Again we did not vote this down because we don't think prayer and other holy habits aren't important during Eastertide, but rather because we think these things are important during every season of the Church Year. 

The votes of these resolutions are signs of hope for me. The testimonies deputies gave talked about the importance of the ministry of all the baptized and the importance of the holy habits of living at all times. These are the things that Crazy Christians do.

Over these last few days at General Convention we will look at important questions around budget and structure. It is my prayer, and I hope you will join me, that this General Convention can remember that we are called to be Crazy Christians and act from a place of hope, joy, and resurrection.

Earlier today, the Pesident of the House of Deputies called for us to pause our business to sing. The song leader came up and led us in singing Hymn 488 - Be thou my vision

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,

both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,

be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;

be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;

be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright sun,

O grant me its joys after victory is won;

great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

May those of us gathered in Indianapolis have the vision, wisdom, and joy to do the work we are called to do - to live into our call to be Crazy Christians.