Week One plus My Debut on the Floor

Posted By: Casey Ludlum

This is a chronological composite of ideas from Casey written over the last few days.

Saturday, July 11, 2009: Hello all in wonderful East Carolina!  Well, I have been here for exactly one week, and I apologize for not writing y’all sooner.  It has been a tremendous week of worship, fellowship, dedication, and hard work, with a little bit of fun wrapped right in.  I wanted to take this opportunity to give thanks to all of for giving me the wonderful chance to come and be a part of this fantastic experience with our international church.  Without your votes at Diocesan Convention 2008, I would not be here, so I just wanted to say Thank You for trusting me to help make decisions on your behalf, and believing that I would make a good deputy.

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.

A Rather Intense Schedule

Posted By: The Ven. Sonny Browne

Hello East Carolina!!!  I have enjoyed seeing the Los Angeles area.  We went to Disneyland (on our own time, on our own dime), and we closed the park… staying until midnight.  I do love roller coasters!  So there has been time for some fun.

However, we have now begun a rather intense schedule.  There are many committee/commission/ministry hearings, which may run from 7:00am-9:30am; 2:00pm-4:00pm; or even 7:00pm-10:00pm.  Your deputation has Tess Judge, Larry Overton, Tom Holt, and the Rev’ds John Pollock and Peter Stube serving on various committees for The Episcopal Church.  This means that they serve with a large group of laity, bishops, priests, and deacons to hear proposals for resolutions; to review resolutions; and to prepare them for presentation to the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops.  Each of the other deputies and alternate deputies who are here are following a particular ministry’s hearings.  I’m covering Evangelism.

Getting Ready, Getting a Grasp

Posted By: Ms. Keri Dixon

I have made the plans. I have the bags packed (well, in my head at least), and my tickets are in place.  But am I ready to go?  I think not!

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention is such a large and looming prospect in front of me that I am not entirely sure where to start.  Since starting as my job as Communications Officer last year, General Convention has been there, looming in the month of July like the shadows of an L.A. high-rise to an ant.