Two More Busy Days

I missed writing the blog last night, because I was going at a dead run from 7:30 a.m to 10:00 at night.  Today was pretty much the same.  Looking back on the last two days, here have been some of the memorable moments:

• Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' sermon at the daily Eucharist yesterday.  He began by saying that he has found that as ABC, every statement he makes is carefully scrutinized for hidden codes and agendas.  He said he doesn't like to speak in codes, so he would say two things as clearly as he could.  First, he thanked The Episcopal Church for working so hard to stay in relationship with the Anglican Communion, even at a great deal of cost to ourselves.  He said the current controversy would not be nearly so difficult if we were not all aware how deeply we all hold each other in affection.  And second, he expressed his hope that we would not take hasty action to further strain the bonds of affection.
• I testified before the Stewardship and Development committee about my resolution for strategic planning for church planting.  Later I heard that they had folded my resolution in with several others to create one omnibus strategic planning resolution, but that they had worked hard to preserve my original intent.  I haven't seen what they came up with yet.  We'll see!
• The Evangelism Committee, on which I serve, worked hard to perfect the resolution on new strategic initiatives, church planting and congregational development for Latino/Hispanic ministries, which I had re-drafted.  We have passed it on to the floor of the House, and it should come up for a vote tomorrow.  We are asking for $3.5 million over the next three years to fund this initiative, in a time of severe financial belt-tightening anxiety in the church.  Nevertheless, I believe that we have to do these strategic moves to develop and grow our church in the future, and reach new people for Christ.  This initiative is at the core of our church's mission.  I may even get up and speak on the floor tomorrow in support of this resolution.  FYI, everyone I have spoken to says that no matter how experienced a public speaker you are, speaking on the floor of the House of Deputies (in front of roughly 1,000 listeners, with your image magnified on two large screens in the front of the room and your voice booming out on the PA system), is a mighty intimidating experience.  Wish me luck!
• The House of Deputies had a 1-hour session this morning to have open conversation (not debate) on Resolution B033, which was passed in the closing minutes of the 2006 GC, and promised that The Episcopal Church would "exercise restraint" by not approving any bishops whose "manner of life present a challenge to the wider Communion" - code for no more gay bishops.  That resolution caused a great deal of pain for many people, as today's conversation made clear.  Speakers ran about 2-to-1 in favor of revoking B033 and fully including lesbians and gays in the life of the church.  We will see what proposals actually come to the floor - nothing specific has made it out of committee yet.  
• The Rev. Canon Chuck Robertson had dinner with the Arizona deputation tonight.  Chuck was formerly the Canon to the Ordinary in Arizona, and was instrumental in hiring me and supporting our church in its initial start-up phase.  Now he is Canon to the Presiding Bishop, ++Katharine Jefferts Schori.  He is in charge of external relations, basically relations with the Anglican Communion.  He is coordinating the visit of a number of foreign bishops to this General Convention (tonight there was a gathering of primates only, and more than half of the Anglican Communion primates were in attendance).  He says this visit has been a fabulous one for them.  Suddenly they are beginning to understand, and to be impressed by, how our church is governed and why we do some of the things we do.   And he says it was a watershed moment for Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams last night when first ++Katharine and then he himself were greeted by standing ovations and sustained applause.  ++Rowan had never seen ++Katharine surrounded by the love and affection of her own people, and that was a revelation for him.  And ++Rowan was amazed and delighted by the warmth of our welcome to him.  I believe that this General Convention could well be a turning point in understanding between The Episcopal Church and many overseas provinces.

I wish you could all be here to experience the amazement of this convention.  There are 8,000 to 10,000 Episcopalians here, and it is one massive gigantic celebration of the church.  Lively, vibrant worship, dedicated people working hard to empower ministries of all sorts, old friends re-connecting, exhibitors of all stripes, lunches, dinners, speakers, events - this is truly a spectacle to see and enjoy.  I am really excited about the fact that I am making a difference in a few places in the church, in the kind of ministries I am passionate about - church planting, strategic planning, congregational development, and reaching out to new people for Christ.