Loading...The days continue to be long and tiring, but there are plenty of grace notes as well. On Tuesday, the Kentucky deputation gave each Fort Worth deputy a "Holding Cross, a gift of love from one hand to another."
These lovely wooden crosses - made in a shop in Frisco - are wonderfully curved and sized to fit nicely in the palm of one's hand or in a pocket. The cards that accompanied each cross was filled with notes from each Kentucky deputy.
Both deputations went out to dinner with Bishop and Mrs. Gulick Tuesday evening as well. It was a chance to get to know each other better outside the demands of the Convention.
Deputies Margaret Mieuli and Victoria Prescott answered questions for story about the reorganized dioceses in The Daily, the newspaper put out at Convention by the staff of Episcopal Life. The daily worship service was a paperless one, with hymns projected on a screen. Bishop Steven Charleston -- friend of our own Owanah Anderson of Wichita Falls -- preached a sermon on "saving the earth" that brought the room to its feet.
In the afternoon legislative session, the House of Bishops joined the House of Deputies for a joint presentation on the budget. Each bishop sits with her or his deputation, usually in a chair put at the end of the table in the aisle. Our bishop sat smack in the middle of his two deputations.
The budget presentation was sobering, as it reflected the economic realities of our times. But it was heartening to hear the effort that has gone into giving to others before taking care of our own needs. Mission [program] still makes up the bulk of the budget.
The budget committee obviously has worked long and hard, making difficult and often sad decisions that involve cutting programs and, worse, laying off staff at the Church Center. It is never easy to tell someone they are losing their job because of budget cuts.
Discussion of the budget comes up in both Houses today.
The buzz of the Convention was that the bishops passed an amended version of resolution C056. The resolution does NOT authorize such rites nor does it call for the development of such rites for consideration at the next General Convention. What the resolution does do is address the reality being faced in several of the churches in the Anglican Communion, including the Episcopal Church, where changes in civil law allow same sex unions or marriage. It also deals with the fact that some states have in place legislation forbidding same sex unions or marriage. Both situations call for a pastoral response.
In essence, it is calling for collaborative theological work around the whole issue of blessing same gender unions.
The resolution passed 104 to 30, with Bp. Gulick voting yes.
The full text of the resolution as amended can be found at //gc2009.org/ViewLegislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=898&type=Current
It is expected to come to the floor of the House of Deputies sometime today.
Here is Bishop Gulick's statement:
"It is not just the Episcopal Church that finds itself in this new reality as a result of changes in civil law regarding same sex unions and civil marriage. This resolution asks us to partner with other churches in the Anglican Communion who find themselves in this situation, among them New Zealand, Australia, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada, and the Church of England.
"I applaud this call for partnership with other parts of the Communion as we make our collective way toward a pastoral response to this new reality. This is in no way a unilateral action. This is a calling for collaborative work.
"This resolution authorizes no rites for the blessing of same sex unions or civil marriages. This to my mind is a heartfelt response and a pastoral attempt to address the newly occasioned situation of same sex civil marriage.
"In both resolutions D025 and C056, our church has tried to walk that narrow line between pastoral care and caution in proceeding while respecting the consciences of others. The very nuanced natured of these resolutions speaks of this care."
