WYS ain’t WYG

Posted By: The Rev. Canon Matthew Stockard

Newspaper coverage is interesting to those of us who are actually in the rooms while legislation is being debated. This week, Episcopalians in both Houses of this body took up some pretty interesting stuff. There is an amazing evangelism project which will provide support to developing and supporting Latino churches. We’ve updated disciplinary procedures and rules. Yesterday, we dealt with a serious budget crisis which will bring about drastic and dramatic changes in the ways in which ministry is undertaken in this church. We also watched and sought to care for shocked people in our midst as some church center staffers realized their jobs are coming to an end. In the midst of such pain, our church recommitted itself to mission in numerous ways, and yesterday the House of Deputies carried a provincial acceptance of the recent Anglican Covenant.

D025 – what it is and what it isn’t.

[View resolution D025 in its final form here]

D025 reaffirms resolution A159 of the 2006 General Convention – it affirms our commitment to the Anglican Communion, of which we are a constituent member, and which is a rich tapestry of ministries and networks as well as personal relationships. It isn’t a huge Church, like the Roman Catholic Church, but is an aggregation of independent national Churches.

An Honest Orthodoxy

Posted By: The Rev. Canon Matthew Stockard

Members of the House of Deputies took a good bit of time this week for intentional discussion about the B033 resolution which was carried at General Convention 2006. That now historic resolution indicated that the 75th General Convention would receive and embrace The Windsor Report’s invitation to engage in a process of healing and reconciliation; and called upon Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.

A Bench of Bishops

Posted By: The Rev. Canon Matthew Stockard

Sitting with Nancy Broadwell as we both visited the House of Bishops on Friday morning, I was struck by a strange sight on the platform. The Presiding Bishop sat in the middle of a table of folks, presiding over this House of The General Convention. This PB is a she and that was different, but she’s someone we choose as a church in 2006 and she’s a friend as well – I knew where she’d be…so that wasn’t my surprise. My surprise was a couple of faces seated just behind the PB…two former PB’s….Bishops Griswold and Browning. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for these two gentle men, who each provided decisive and faithful leadership for this church during some difficult times. The norm at General Conventions is to sort of let such leaders fade into the distance. But these folks weren’t fading. Both looked great, healthy and happy.

Live from LA…

For this General Convention, Episcopal Church Center staff members in communication and information techs  have developed an amazingly powerful tool for everyone to use: The Media Hub. Want info on an upcoming piece of legislation? Want to see this morning’s sermon? Want to hear people share in legislative hearings? See what’s happening right now? All this and more awaits you. You’ll find the media hub referenced in our blogroll on this page for a direct link, or type this into your favorite browser: http://gchub.episcopalchurch.org/

Telling Stories

Posted By: The Rev. Canon Matthew Stockard

This Thursday morning offered all present for The General Convention a time of mission conversation prior to the celebration of The Holy Eucharist, at which The Most Rev’d The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury preached. The conversation was a moment of hearing one another. All deputies, visitors, exhibitors, and bishops are invited to participate in this work, which is one aspect of an extensive ‘Public Narrative’ experience in which ultimately all Episcopalians are invited to participate and to share.

So what is this grand thing? It’s a short time for the disciplined practice of what may be a long lost art. Telling personal stories which provide clear articulation of personal motivations, so that others are invited more deeply into an understanding and potential participation of God’s call to ‘love one another’ and the ways that call is lived out in mission and ministry. That’s a mighty big sentence. Let me try a smaller one. When we share stories that have inspired us to action, we invite others to join us in this work.

Packing for the family reunion

Posted By: Canon Stockard

Some years ago, at a dinner party with a mix of old and new friends, a young gentleman seated directly across from me found himself speaking of his unease with organized religion. “I am a Christian,” he announced, “I just think organized religion is a bit stale – too fraught with institutional difficulties.” A pause came and my new friend looked up, ready for a new topic. “Matt, what do you do?” It didn’t take me a second to reply, “I organize religion.”