We’ve finished this as best we can for next weekend’s conventions. We need info from readers for Quincy, Rio Grande, Western Kansas, in particular
Reminder: Our Convention links spreadsheet is here.
Next Weekend’s Conventions (Oct. 19 – Oct 21)
Arizona: The Convention page is here. The most interesting thing we found so far was the list of breakout groups, including this one:
2] State of the Anglican Communion – The Rev. Jan Nunley, Deputy for Communications for The Episcopal Church, and The Very Rev. Nicholas Knisely, Dean of Trinity Cathedral and Chair of the Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Communications
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California: The convention page is here.
Archbishop Ndungane, Primate of the Province of Southern Africa will be the featured guest:
The 158th Convention of the Diocese of California will provide a notable change from conventions of the recent past, and events throughout the week preceding convention promise to inspire and enliven members of the diocese while calling all into a deeper sense of community.
The Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus, Bishop of California, has invited his friend the Most Rev. Njongonkulu Ndungane, Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Province of Southern Africa, to be present with the diocese during the week leading up to convention, and to preach the homily at the convention’s opening Eucharist to be held on Friday night, October 19, at 7:00 p.m. The entire week leading up to the convention’s day of business on Saturday, October 20, will feature regional appearances by Ndungane, with opportunities to engage him on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the continuing scourge of HIV/AIDS in Africa, and his perspective on the Anglican Communion.
more details on +Ndungane’s visit here.
The convention booklet is here. (108 page PDF document). The Resolutions are found on page 61 and following. They include:
1. Proposed Appointment of an Assistant Bishop
2. Sudan Divestment
3. Protection for Immigrants and their Families
4. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
5. The Five-Year Strategic Plan for Ethnic and Multicultural Ministries
6. The Liturgical Covenanting, Blessing, and Sending Forth of Couples in Committed Same-Gender Relationships (We’ll have a separate post on this, maybe tomorrow.)
7. Building the Beloved Community in the spirit of Transparency, Communication and Mission
Note: there seem to be a lot of proposed canon & constitution changes too. See above link for convention booklet, pages 76-89. Perhaps someone familiar with canon law can review these and let us know if there’s anything notable?
The Report of the Commission on Marriage & Blessings, to be presented to the Convention, is here. (48 page PDF)
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Connecticut: Convention page
A list of workshops. Given the Diocese of Bethlehem resolution about inclusion of all the baptized which we’ve posted below this evening, this workshop and it’s description caught our eye:
Are You Living Up to Your Baptismal Covenant?
Leader (s): A. Bates LyonsHow many times have you participated in a baptism and read the Covenant? Have you really paid attention to what you are promising to do-with God’s help? This workshop will call attention to this promise in light of institutional racism within our church. You will leave the workshop with a new outlook on your covenant and determine if you ”˜Are Living Up to Your Baptismal Covenant.’ You will also experience one exercise on exclusion during the workshop.
The Resolutions are here. We’ve already posted the anti-B033 resolution (official title: concerning the election of bishops) quite awhile ago.
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Dallas: The diocesan home page has tons of convention info and links.
The proposed changes to Constitution & Canons are here
Proposed Resolutions are here.
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Eastern Michigan
The Convention page is here. I can’t find any resolutions.
Of interest: a four-week study guide to help parishes prepare for diocesan convention.
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Fond du Lac: Here’s the convention page.
All three proposed resolutions are interesting. We’ll probably be posting them separately in the next day or two:
2007-01 “Pledge to National Church”
2007-02 “Proposed Anglican Covenant”
2007-03 “Anglican Pastoral Scheme”
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Kansas. Convention page. Convention booklet. The only resolution is on the MDGs (p. 17 of the booklet).
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Quincy:. Kendall posted an article about the upcoming Quincy convention a few weeks ago, but I’m not sure I’ve seen any specific proposals or Constitutional changes.
We’d welcome info from readers!
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Rio Grande: The pre-convention issue of the Diocesan Newspaper is here with all the nominees. But I’ve not seen any resolutions.
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Southwest Florida: The convention page is here.
Four resolutions are here.
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Spokane: The convention page is here.
The Pre-convention booklet (93 page PDF) is here. This includes the Report of the Task force on Same Sex Marriage (pp. 31-61), and Resolutions (pp. 67-77). Actually pp. 67-76 are Constitution and Canon amendments. p. 77 has the sole resolution re: the UN Declaration of the Rights of Children.
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Western Kansas: No info found!
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It was all I could do not to add an editorial comment in the post above. But I’m committed to trying to stick to the facts and links in these posts and not opine. But the comments are another story.
As I was posting the list of proposed resolutions for the Diocese of California, I had to wonder:
Is there any other denomination (or perhaps any other diocese?) in the world where one would find a resolution on compact fluorescent light bulbs side by side with proposed liturgies for same-sex blessings?
Mind-boggling. The need to legislate minutia. (There’s nothing wrong with compact fluorescents, but do they need a resolution?) And the temerity to totally redefine Christian marriage. Side by side.
My house has been full of compact fluorescents for years. I hope this doesn’t ruin my reputation.
OTOH, after years of being savaged by the Left as a war-mongering neocon for suggesting we might want to put a stop to the butchery in Darfur, I’m thrilled to see that it’s suddenly become fashionable to deplore mass extermination, rape and plunder there, even if it is ony to burnish one’s [i]bien pensant[/i] bona fides. Heaven forbid we actually interject ourselves between the janjaweed and their prey.
The meat of the SSB resolution is at marriageandblessing.org, the diocese’ Commission on Marriage and Blessing site:
[blockquote]CMB acknowledges that we have determined to let each rite ‘speak for itself’ in terms of the theology of relationship inherent in each rite. Other than to adapt the rites for use in blessing the relationships of same-gender couples, we have not, therefore, undertaken to change or adapt the underlying theology or understanding of holy union in the three rites.
For example, some question the teaching set forth in The Book of Common Prayer (page 423), which asserts “our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee,†viewing this assertion as an overstatement of what that story is really telling. Is the story in John 2:1–11 intended as a teaching on or endorsement of holy matrimony as it was known in the first century CE? Or is it, as suggested in A New Zealand Prayer Book, a teaching about “new beginnings,†represented not only in the union celebrated therein but also in Jesus’ creation of wine from water: “A wedding is one of life’s great moments, a time for good wishes, feasting and joy. St. John tells us how Jesus shared in such an occasion, and gave there a sign of new beginnings.†(A New Zealand Prayer Book, page 779)
We leave it to the clergy, couples, and congregations to explore the theology underlying each rite and to make such reasonable adaptations as seem appropriate. We trust such study and use of the rites will assist the church in continuing to develop its understanding and theology of marriage/union, with regards to both same gender and heterosexual couples.[/blockquote]
OK, we pick our theology based on what we want it to tell us. Check. Jesus could not actually have been endorsing marriage at Cana, because in the first century the homophobic bigots wouldn’t let gays marry. So he must have just been saying that it’s a Good Thing to have a Good Time. Right. Big surprise…
The_Elves,
What is even funnier, now that I can watch from a safe distance, is the reaction of people in TEC when you point out the absurdity of such resolutions. Most are deeply offended that you simply don’t understand how important the issue is, and by extention how virtuous they are for understanding that and taking important action.
APB
Reminds me of a debate that almost brought our seminary to its Knees, Should the student store only stock fair trade chocolate, or was it permissible to stock unfairly(?) traded chocolate alongside?
No Joke
Note that in California that a new Executive Comittee will be able to act as the Convention between meetings. This is a breathtaking consolidation of power. Under the existing system, decisions made by the Convention could be implemented, but no new decisions and actions could be made between Conventions. The only limitation on the power of the EC is that they may not do anything expressly forbidden by a previous convention.
This means that the apparatchiks can change the rules to do whatever they want. What they want to do will not be favorable to orthodox Episcopalians. This is the way the Soviet Union operates, not a supposedly quasi democratic organization.
These people are tyrants, not servants of God.
BillS, good catch. This from the church that has the so-hard-to-comprehend “democratic” polity. Maybe things like this are why it’s so hard to understand.
“We need info from readers for Quincy, Rio Grande, Western Kansas, in particular”
I can immagine that discretion would caution against poking the lazy bear in whose paws you desire escape, but:
Mar 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
I advise those particular diocese to keep their cards close to their chests. At the right time the whole world will know the outcome.
Any word on the Dioces of West Michigan convention at Mackinac that was held Sept 24-27? I’m still asking help to locate the PB’s statement that given there.