Last Things

Convention is winding down.  It is lunch hour on the last day, and we still have a large amount of legislative business to transact - but the major issues have been addressed.  This morning, the House of Deputies took up C056, a resolution to provide for collecting liturgical and theological resources for blessing same-sex unions.  The resolution does not authorize these blessings, but see my previous post - we are effectively on local-option, and a number of dioceses are already performing blessings despite 2006 Resolution B033, which called for restraint (incorrectly labeled by many as a "moratorium").  My read of C056 is that it does not actually lift the request for restraint, but just starts a project of collecting liturgical resources for possible use in the future, while respecting the wishes of dioceses and congregations who do not wish to perform blessings.  But many people will interpret it as a green light for blessings and a lifting of the moratorium.  

To be clear, the vote was taken this morning and the results have not yet been announced.  However, there is little doubt that C056 will pass the House of Deputies.  

I received an email from a parishioner this morning expressing a hope that General Convention is talking about something other than sex - a sentiment I heartily agree with.  Actually, if you were here, you would see that most of our time is taken up with other matters.  Debates on issues of sexuality have been limited in number and in time.  Frankly, I think an extremely important and far-reaching issue discussed here has been the budget.  It did one good thing, which was to restore 0.7% of the budget as a contribution to end world poverty through the Millennium Development Goals.  But otherwise, I am disturbed by the budget, which I believe made cuts in the wrong areas and preserved the wrong priorities.  Here is an excerpt from an email I sent this morning to the House of Bishops and Deputies list-serve:

This budget gives little hope for future growth.  We have eliminated evangelism, funded the terrific Latino/Hispanic initiative (the one we were all so excited about) at less than 10%, and closed down the one office (Mission Funding) that had an excellent chance of raising funds for new initiatives outside of the budget.  The Mission Funding office is now devoted to only one thing - archives.  We have effectively declared that the glories of the past are worth preserving, but that there is no hope or vision for the future.  

I am concerned about the direction our church is heading, not because of issues of sexuality, but because we are not concentrating on the essential missions of evangelism and church growth.  In the face of hard economic times, we have decided to cut the very initiatives that could bring new hope and new vision.  I give thanks that I serve in a local congregation that is still passionate about reaching new people for Christ.