From Alternate Angela Williamson
"Love that is wise, justice that is generous, process that is empowered."
Those words, part of a prayer offered today by our chaplain, the Rev. Frank Wade of St. Alban's Church in Washington, D.C., should be, I think, how we should always operate in our church deliberations.
Some especially significant deliberations took place today, including the passage of a new Title IV on ecclesiastical discipline written over a three year period by a special task force, the passage of the resolution mandating lay employee pension funding, and the consent to the ordination and consecration of the Rev. Luis Fernando Ruiz Restrepo as Bishop of the Diocese of Ecuador Central. After the consent, Fr. Ruiz and his wife entered the house to a standing ovation, escorted by the deputations from his home diocese, the Diocese of Columbia, as well as the the Diocese of Ecuador Central, and Ecuador Central's Companion Diocese, the Diocese of Atlanta.
Two engaging speeches on the gifts of young adults were given by two young adults, Deputy Chu of the Diocese of Pennsylvania and Deputy Brown of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina.
"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine," greeted worshipers arriving for the daily Eucharist. With boys in black suits and ties and girls in black skirts and white blouses, the choir of Young at Arts, a program of Christ Church in Bronxville, New York, made a joyful and energetic noise unto the Lord. Then there was the moving and challenging sermon by Courtney Cowart, Director of Disaster Response in the Diocese of Louisiana, who grew up at the Cathedral of St. Philip. She challenged us, the church . Will we choose to be the good Samaritan on the road to Jericho or will we choose to pass by the one in need? Will we as a church choose "to glorify God on every Jericho road?"
Will we embrace Ubuntu, "I in you and you in me", yes or no?
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