Budgets for the current year and the next triennium will be on the agenda when the Executive Council gathers February 11-14 in Quito, in the Diocese of Ecuador Central.
The Council will also have a day-long chance to learn about and engage in the ministry of the diocese, which includes approximately 1,500 Episcopalians worshipping in 23 congregations.
The Quito gathering fulfills the council’s pledge to meet in Province IX of the Episcopal Church during the current triennium. Such a pledge is important, said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, “because a significant part of this church is not part of the 50 United States, speaks other languages, and labors for the gospel in vastly different contexts.”
Jefferts Schori said she hopes Council members learn about the different context in which the Diocese of Ecuador Central labors “and of the great vitality and creativity” in the diocese.
“This diocese is truly engaged in transformative work in the communities it serves,” she said. “My hope would be that Episcopalians would learn more and think about partnering with these other parts of the Episcopal Church.”
House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson said Council, the church’s governing body between meetings of General Convention, makes an effort to meet in each of the provinces, as possible, during the triennium.
“Because the ‘first language’ of most of the council members is English, we have asked that some of our conversations and worship be conducted in the ‘first language’ of the area — Spanish,” she said.
Is [b] Quit – [/b] o Mrs Schori’s subliminal message to conservatives?
Of course, if the cause of the Church WERE truly mission, the meeting would be different. Instead of 16th century technology with face-to-face meetings, how about joining the 21st century and meeting via video teleconference. Savings: big. Mission would be funded. But the meeting is more about PR for a laggard leadership, isn’t it?
Second: since when did the Episcopal Church become a conglomeration of different “provinces”?
Quito in February. I guess 815 isn’t running out of money yet.
Choir Stall [#2] hits the PR versus stewardship nail on the head.
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What about including Quechua, the authentic (pre-colonial, non-imperialist) “first language of the area”?
Traveling thousands of miles to hold an inconsequential meeting is richly reminiscent of entrenched but out-of-touch politicians.
Re: 4 / Quechua Language:
Because Irenaeus, the theology and filter through which Bonnie Anderson, et al works is: Endorse anything other than male, English, American, Anglican, and orthodox. Spanish is OK – just so long as English gets criticized. Who cares that another culture (Spain) could be accused of slavery, colonialism, and dissecting another culture? The main thing is the main thing: be shed of what is dominant to look sympathetic and just.
Here is a big part of the problem: “House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson said Council, the church’s governing body between meetings of General Convention.”. . . . . Let the bishops do their job. They have been emasculated by committees that have assumed to much authority. If they want the committees to run things, change the name and do away with bishops and become another congregational operation. When the presiding officer of a committee has only an “honorary” DD, the theology of the church can’t be on a very solid foundation and look where it has gotten things.
The sad thing in the political drama of this meeting is the reality that the Committee’s meeting in Quito could actually be excellent missionary care. As a former missionary, it was always an immense blessing when members of our sending parish and other partners came to visit us even if it was a long way from home.
If Quito is truly a missionary effort from the US, then this kind of visible support would be worth every penny, especially if the Presiding Bishop then issued a call for new missionaries to be sent out as witnesses of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. Since she will not likely issue such a call, and since I do not see much evidence that TEC is really making an intentional missionary effort anywhere, including Equador, then this meeting there is likely to actually undermine the godly efforts of SAMS, Global Teams, AFM, CMS, and all the others who seek to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the world.
Yet, Jesus promised that when the Spirit came down, His disciples would go out to the ends of the earth. No if’s, but’s, or maybe’s. The Spirit comes, the people go out. Jesus will be glorified around the world.
“Be shed of what is dominant to look sympathetic and just”
—Choir Stall [#6]
But never shed tears for one’s own wrongs and, above all, never shed a scrap of one’s power.
#4 Irenaeus – Quechua is certainly pre-colonial, but I wouldn’t call the language of the Inca Empire “non-imperialist”.
“But…above all, never shed a scrap of one’s own power”
Think about it: KJS, Bonnie Anderson, and their allies could have peace in ECUSA right now if they were just willing to relinquish the modest power they gain by claiming orthodox congregations’ property and dangling various threats over the heads of orthodox clergy. But they won’t do it. They almost can’t do it. Like the protagonist of Paradise Lost (book IV, lines 1-113), they see the logic of the other side but cannot bring themselves to budge.
“For never can true reconcilement grow
Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep” (IV: 98-99)
This should suit Anderson, et. al. to a T, holding their meeting in a country with a rabidly anti-US government led by a Hugo Chavez wannabe. Just the sort of leftist “leader” the TEC apparatchiks like to suck up to. I’m sure they’ll lose no opportunity to denounce US “imperialism”.
From the old news department:
Re #2: “since when did the Episcopal Church become a conglomeration of different ‘provinces’?” 1913.
Re #7: When the Executive Council (actually its predecessor, the National Council) was established in 1919 to administer TEC’s work between General Conventions, the House of Bishops seldom if ever met between General Conventions and the Presiding Bishop lived in his home diocese. It is hardly doing the bishops’ job.
“The House of Bishops seldom if ever met between General Conventions and the Presiding Bishop lived in his home diocese”
Those were the days.
Irenaeus, I remember the time when the Presiding Bishop was elected by his fellow bishops…..ALL of them…..and the announcement was made public immediately from the door of the meeting place: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Presiding Bishop, and his name is XXXXXX.” At that time, his job was primarily that of actually presiding over the House of Bishops.
And by the way, who’s paying for this shindig? You can bet your last buck that they’re not leaving their spouses home!