Day 5- The Lord's Day

From Deputy Richard Perry

We started today with a magnificent choral communion, with dancers, drummers and some 3500 of our closest friends. Bishop Schori picked up on today's Gospel and admonished us to travel lightly - a Prayer Book and Hymnal in one hand and a Swiss Army knife in the pocket to open the wine bottle. We were out in an hour and a half, having administered communion to 3500 folks in the same time we take to administer to 300 at the Cathedral.

The dialogue on B033 continues to develop and the Committee has consolidated 13 Resolutions on the subject into one Resolution D025, which will have a Special Order for consideration, perhaps tomorrow. The Resolution is too long to repeat here, but generally has six parts:

1. That we reaffirm and give thanks our continued participation in the Anglican Communion.
2. That we encourage all members, parishes and dioceses to participate in the continuing relationships in the Anglican Communion.
3. That we affirm the value of listening to the experience of homosexual persons and recognize that the baptized membership of the Episcopal Church includes same sex couples, living in life long committed relationships.
4. That we acknowledge that gay and lesbian persons exercise various ministries in the Church.
5. That we affirm that God has called and may call such individuals to any ordained ministry in the Church.
6. That we acknowledge that members of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion are not of one mind and that Christians of good conscience disagree on some of these matters.

This is not the entire text and you can see it on the various web sites. Interestingly enough, the Deputies portion of the Joint Committee voted in favor by 24 - 2, but the Bishops portion of the Committee voted 2 - 3 against it. Stay Tuned.

Yesterday we heard great messages from six international visitors from Ghana, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and Kenya, all, in their own way, supportive of our joint ministries, but acknowledging the differences in our cultures.

One Resolution you would not think would cause any trouble was the Consent to the election of a Bishop for Central Ecuador - perhaps not so much a concern over the person as the process. But great debate over the election process and a Special Order for debate tomorrow morning. Of his own 5 person Deputation 3 oppose Consent!

Our own Kay Meyers, National President of the ECW addressed us yesterday and one Committee, dealing with a Resolution suggesting that the more affluent Dioceses share their "resources", i.e., money, with those less affluent, asked to be Discharged, as it was "too hard to legislate". . . a new parliamentary move in my experience. . .

Finally, the quote of the day: "We are 'followers' of Jesus because He is going somewhere. Otherwise we might as well be attached to, partners with, or just filed under. . .."

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