Top Ten Issues for General Convention 2009

Is it all about sex?  That seems like all the news that has come out of the last 3 or more General Conventions.  But guess what:  there are a lot more issues on the table at GC '09.  From what I can tell, we're going to start with a major sex discussion.  But let's hope we get to some of these other issues.  Top Ten issues for this year as I see them - not in any order:

1. Budget and Money Issues - it seems there is a recession on.  And not only that, it seems that a few parishes and dioceses have been withdrawing from the Episcopal Church, or deciding to withhold their contributions.  Latest estimate is, a $9 million shortfall in budget revenues over the next three years.  How will we finance our church?
2. Denominational Health Plan - the Church Pension Fund has proposed universal health insurance for all clergy and lay employees working more than 3/4-time.  It's a complicated issue, and the proposed Denominational Health Plan has been controversial in some quarters.  I support it in principle, but am a bit concerned over the effect on small parishes that would suddenly have to come up with lots more employment money in a time of recession.
3. Title IV Disciplinary Revisions - a new disciplinary code is being proposed that would extend a disciplinary process to clergy and lay employees.  
4. Evangelism and Church Growth - our church has been shrinking at an alarming rate over the past 7 years.  This is only partly due to the departure of some conservatives over the ordination of +Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire.  It also has to do with other factors such as an elderly church population and a lack of concentration on evangelism and church growth.  Will we take our minds off sex long enough to think about church mission?
5. Strategic Planning - one hope for the future in our church is a proposed Strategic Planning process which may help us concentrate on the key issues of evangelism, mission, funding, and structure for the future.  
6. Millennium Development Goals - these goals to alleviate world poverty were set as a key church priority in 2006; Executive Council turned around and removed funding for the MDGs from the budget.  Will this funding be restored?  There is a lot of passionate interest in doing this; but see point 1 above.
7. Youth and Young Adults - we need to find new and better ways of reaching out to the young with the good news of Jesus Christ.  Let's see if some new hope arises.
8. Mission Funding - there is a new initiative to cultivate major gifts for church planting and evangelism and leadership ministries.  Will this initiative be funded?
9. Same-sex blessings - oh yes, sex will be an issue.  Once again, there are many proposals on the table to create liturgical rites for same-sex blessings.  Practically speaking, right now we are operating under "local option" - each bishop decides what she or he will permit in his/her diocese.  Will this policy be made explicit?  Will some version of same-sex blessings become official?  Latest predictions are that the House of Deputies will move in a more progressive direction, but the House of Bishops will hold the line in hopes of buying more time with the Anglican Communion.  
10. Relationships with the Anglican Communion - another sex issue, in a sense.  Some overseas provinces are not pleased with us, to say the least.  Will we take decisive action to enhance or detract from these overseas relationships?  What will our future relationship be with US dioceses that have left The Episcopal Church to align with overseas Anglican provinces?

Stay tuned - it should be an interesting two weeks.