The Episcopal Church on record
and in action at the
76th General Convention
Here is a list of the actions of The Episcopal Church at the recent General Convention to Grow the Church, Form the Faithful and Change the World. The resolution numbers with hyperlinks to the final text on the General Convention legislative website are indicated in parentheses.and in action at the
76th General Convention
We added Evangelist to the licensed ministries of The Episcopal Church. An Evangelist being a lay person who “presents the good news of Jesus Christ in such a way that people are led to receive Christ as Savior and follow Christ as Lord in the fellowship of the Church.” (A064)
We affirmed our teaching that all members are called to be evangelists, urged all dioceses to identify and call forth evangelists, and directed the Center for Evangelism and Congregational Life to help train and resource evangelists. (A065)
We called for the creation of an “evangelism toolkit” to help congregations and dioceses reach out to under-represented groups. (A066)
We called for a major strategic vision for outreach to Latino/Hispanic people (D038)
We called for development of resources for formation in Episcopal identity and leadership in the church (B013)
We adopted the Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion as our five top strategic priorities (D027)
We approved a charter for lifelong Christian formation (A082) and called for all dioceses to develop a strategy the lifelong Christian formation (A083)
We affirmed access to the ordination process for all the baptized, and affirmed our commitment to and support of the Anglican Communion (D025)
We approved full communion with the Moravian Church (A073) and an agreement for continued dialogue with the Presbyterian Church (A075)
We approved an interim Eucharistic sharing with the United Methodist Church and starting a dialogue with the historic African American Methodist Churches (D054)
We encouraged congregations to raise awareness of health ministry and implement health ministry as a vital part of their life (A077)
We called on the House of Bishops and Standing Commission on Music and Liturgy to develop an open process for church-wide participation in developing theological resources and liturgies for same-gender blessings, for consideration at the 2012 General Convention (C056)
We adopted a new liturgical resource to assist individuals and families dealing with childbirth and the loss of children, Rachel’s Tears, Hannah’s Hopes (A088)
We added additional commemorations to our calendar, Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (A095) (A096)
We established a mandatory lay pension plan for lay employees working a minimum of 1,000 hours in a congregation, diocese or other Episcopal church body. (A138)
We approved a church-wide health insurance plan for all dioceses, congregations, and affiliated organizations of The Episcopal Church. (A177)
We encouraged each diocese to enter into a companion relationship with a diocese of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, and to include a prayer for peace in each public liturgy. (D007
We recommitted to being an anti-racist church (A143) and to research the church’s complicity in the slave trade (A142)
We reaffirmed financial support for Jubilee Ministries in the fight against poverty (A154)
We called the church to speak out against domestic violence and for clergy and lay leaders to be trained in its prevention (D096)
We affirmed due process of law for all living in the United States, and called for implementation of comprehensive immigration reform (B006)
We agreed to restrict the use of bottled water at General Convention and to encourage church members to practice water conservation (A045)
We approved the revision of the clergy discipline canons of Title IV, giving more emphasis to healing, repentance, and reconciliation (A185)
Video for all the Daily Wraps
as well as the PB's Sunday sermon as well as Barbara Harris' and Steven Charleston's sermons and several interviews[here]
Episcopal Life Convention Daily
Each day of the Episcopal Church's General Convention July 8-17 in Anaheim,California, Episcopal Life is producing a daily newspaper offering in-depthcoverage of the triennial gathering. The Daily also includes PerspectivasLatinas, offering news in Spanish, and Triennial Today, featuring news ofthe Episcopal Church Women meeting, which runs concurrently with General Convention.
Convention Daily Newspaper produced by Episcopal Life
Convention wrapup for August Episcopal Life
By Solange De Santis
The Episcopal Church, proud of its history and determined in its methods, gathered for the 76th time in General Convention, on this occasion in Anaheim, Calif. from July 8 to 17, and spoke with a clear voice.
Leading from opening addresses from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson, the 1500 clergy and lay deputies and 200 bishops focused on mission. They considered mission in a time of economic scarcity, mission to all the baptized, mission to the “least” among us.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams visited for two days and engaged with a wide range of Episcopalians, from leaders to kids in a local church program.
As in recent conventions, this gathering addressed questions of human sexuality. While the interpretation and effects of its decisions are varied, convention unambiguously stated that gay and lesbian people may be called to ordination at all levels. It also said that God's call to ordination is a mystery that the church discerns through the process outlined in the Constitution and Canons of the church.
The resolution also reaffirmed the Episcopal Church's participation in the Anglican Communion, while noting that the communion and the Episcopal Church are not of one mind on this matter.
It acknowledged that times are changing, with same-gender marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships legal or about to become legal in some states, and authorized the church to collect and develop resources for blessing same-gender couples.
It acknowledged economic reality by passing a budget that reflected lower givings by dioceses, hit with financial woes of their own. The decision resulted in the layoff of about 30 people out of a staff of 180 in New York and regional offices.
The budget did, however, recommit the church to the UN’s Millennium Development Goals for social progress by reinstating a budget line for that work that supports Episcopal Relief and Development’s program partnership called NetsforLife. It supplies insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria.
It also endorsed and provided some money – though about 10 percent of what was requested – for a strategic vision that is aimed at evangelizing in fast-growing Hispanic/Latino communities.
Convention encouraged the art of story-telling, scheduling three “mission conversation” sessions during which people learned to tell their personal stories of faith in ways that call others to action.
As Christian churches continue to reach out to each other in this age of ecumenism, General Convention approved the expansion or affirmation of relationships with Moravians, Presbyterians, United Methodists, African Methodists, and others.
As always, convention encompassed much more than legislation. The host diocese, Los Angeles, started building a Habitat for Humanity house at the convention site. It hosted a multimedia “emergent church” service and a U2charist featuring the music of rock group U2. The exhibit hall, with its varied and colorful booths featuring books, vestments, jewelry, carvings and a wide range of ministries, became a bazaar, a meeting place and a crossroads.
Perhaps the most vibrant parts of convention involved young people. Los Angeles hosted a lively children’s program for parents working long hours. Older counterparts, from teenagers to young adults, were seen on the floor of convention speaking to the issues, advocating for peace and justice and getting comfortable with leadership roles.
Let’s hope they were inspired enough to be back in three years, when the 77th General Convention meets in Indianapolis in 2012 and again decides how this church will address its faith and its time.
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