The Rev. Thack Dyson
July 18th
Final observations
The conclusion of the 76th General Convention in Anaheim was anticlimactic. The House of Deputies (HOD) concluded its legislative business and was ready to adjourn when it received a message from the House of Bishops to remain in session to deal with some legislation the House of Bishops was referring back to the Deputies. While we waited for the piece of legislation to make its way back to the HOD, President Bonnie Anderson offered her final observations of the 76th General Convention. Her remarks made several references to ubuntu—our relational lives—and were interspersed with admonitions to take that spirit back home to our respective congregations and Dioceses. As a postscript to the work we accomplished, House of Deputies Secretary Gregory Straub said more legislation was passed and dealt with at this GC than ever before in his memory. Bonnie Anderson should be given most of the credit for this as she ran a tight ship, was focused, and patiently dealt with the Deputies who seemed to be addicted to the microphones and jumbotrons.
From my perspective, this was a civil General Convention marked with grace and mutual respect. We dealt with serious issues that will have ramifications throughout the world-wide Anglican Communion. It was clear the House of Deputies, and the House of Bishops for that matter, were not persuaded by Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts-Schori’s admonition to exercise restraint and not pass legislation dealing with human sexuality that might antagonize the Anglican Communion. Our deputation, for the most part, tried to follow her lead but were obviously in the minority. The majority of both houses felt as though the Episcopal Church had made many concessions since Bishop Gene Robinson’s consecration in 2003 without some members of the Communion responding in kind by not interfering in the life and work of our Dioceses. There seemed to be no “mutuality and respect” from from primarily African Bishops that caused many within the Episcopal Church to say “enough is enough” and that it was time for us to go our own way.
While this Convention will be remembered as one that passed some legislation dealing with human sexuality, it also passed significant legislation dealing with mission, ministry, and evangelism. I’m proud of the work we accomplished at the General Convention. Your deputation worked hard, attended all the Standing Committees’ sessions, and prayerfully tried to represent the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. As it relates to the legislation touching upon human sexuality, the legislation, for the most part, only recognized the reality of life in the broader church. It simply acknowledged that people of different sexual orientation are a part of the life and ministry of our church and want to be recognized as full constituent members as well. As my friend and fellow seminarian The Rev. John Ohmer from the Diocese of Virginia observed,”Gene Robinson wasn’t the first gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, or in the broader church in general. He was just the first ‘openly’ gay bishop.” John is right in that sense and the legislation that was passed recognized that reality.
In the grand scheme of things, nothing we did at the General Convention will adversely change how we live, worship and serve the Lord in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, despite what some of the blogs might suggest. Consequently, our job is to continue the work we have been baptized to do and to spread God’s Kingdom by loving God and our neighbors as ourselves. So my brothers and sisters, let’s get busy and do that.
Peace, Thack
July 17th
Ubuntu and the “Night Crawler”
While we have been heavily engaged with weighty matters during the 76th General Convention, there have been a few lighter moments. As I and other deputies have previously reported, the theme of the Convention is “ubuntu” which means, “I in you and you in me.” A Bantu word describing how we live in community in relationship with others, ubuntu has underscored our debates on the House floor and has helped to tone down the shrill voices that seemed so prevalent at the 75th General Convention in 2006.
Many deputies have taken this ubuntu theme to heart, but not nearly as passionately as one of our deputies. David Quittmeyer has totally embraced the spirit of ubuntu and literally taken it to the streets of Anaheim and the surrounding communities. He has done so, however, in the guise of his alter ego, known to his fellow deputies from the Central Gulf Coast as the “night crawler.” I know that some of you may be shocked by that description of David. You know him as a conservative, staid attorney, employed as a partner in the respected law firm of Hand, Arendall of Mobile. While it’s true that David affects the persona of a smart professional who can argue fine points of the law ad nauseum, there is another side to his personality and this has really come out in the last two weeks in Anaheim.
David’s transformation into his “night crawler” personality usually occurred after sunset. When the sun went down, David quickly lost his bow tie and socks, donned his “Crocs,” placed his comb in his shirt pocket, and then hit the streets of Anaheim. Driving through the many multi-cultural neighborhoods in his sleek Nissan Sentra, the “night crawler” spread ubuntu throughout the city. Several of us were fortunate to accompany him on one of his jaunts. As we rode with this denizen of the night, we could see for ourselves that David had already established relationships with the locals. We could tell the cultural flavor of the neighborhoods by the greetings he received from the people on the street. Speaking in their native tongues, they would greet the Night Crawler with “Buenas noches, David, or “Добрый вечер, Дэвид, or “chào buổi tối , Đa-vít.” Affecting the coolness of Brad Pitt, he would acknowledge their greetings with a casual wave of his hand and say “Hey.” Laughs would then erupt from the people on the streets and the Night Crawler would continue his evening prowl. He told us that on other occasions, he would even stop at run down convenience stores in dicey neighborhoods to watch the Disneyland fireworks with the locals. Boldly standing on the street corners of downtown Anaheim, risking drive by shootings, the Night Crawler reached out to the people through the use of Public Narrative, and shared the Good News of ubuntu.
Yes, David, a/k/a Night Crawler has spread the spirit of ubuntu in California. None of us who have witnessed his alter-ego will ever think of him as just an unassuming professional again. No, I’ll never look at another pair of Crocs without thinking of that daring, adventuresome character that made a lasting impression on the people of Anaheim.
Peace, Thack
(Submitted with tongue firmly in cheek with David’s permission. Nancy Q., he really is a wild and crazy guy!)
July 17, 2009
We were very busy in the House of Deputies yesterday. Much good work was accomplished, especially in areas of mission, ministry, social justice, evangelism, and pastoral care. The most moving discussion on a resolution before the House of Deputies was in support of our own Martha Kramer’s resolution dealing with Domestic Violence and the need for more training of our clergy in responding to this issue. Martha has been personally touched by the brutality of domestic violence. Her eldest daughter was murdered by a man whom she refused to marry. I believe her initiative will generate more clerical training and response to this problem and our congregations will be better served in the bargain.
On other matters, the House of Deputies approved the Church’s budget for the next three years. The 76th General Convention adopted a $141 million budget for 2010-2012 that asks for less money from dioceses and drastically reduces church-wide spending by $23 million. Recognizing the down turn in the economy and how Dioceses are experiencing reduced giving locally, the Church established a schedule to reduce the current asking of 21% from Dioceses by one percentage point over the next three years. Locally, the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast only gives 8.1% of its annual revenue to The Episcopal Church. This reduced giving and reduction in Church wide spending will necessitate the loss of jobs at the Church headquarters and the loss of revenue for ministries sponsored by the Church. When the proposed draft of the budget was published, it reflected the cut of the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) initiative. This prompted an overwhelming objection by both Houses resulting with the MDGs being put back into the budget.
Youth presence at the General Convention was a topic of passionate debate yesterday and the House of Deputies recognized the need to include youth participation, not only at the General Convention, but also locally at the parochial and diocesan level.
Today will be our last day of legislative session. Please keep us in your prayers as we finish our work at the General Convention.
Peace, Thack
July 13, 2009
The House of Deputies of the 76th General Convention wrestled with its first major resolution yesterday in Resolution D025. The House, by more than a 2-1 margin, adopted a resolution that declares the ordination process of the Episcopal Church open to all individuals while expressing its ongoing commitment to the Anglican Communion. The split in the vote surprised many of the deputations. The vote was 77-31 in the lay order and 74-25 in the clergy order. The House of Bishops approved D025 today, also by a 2-1 margin consistent with the House of Deputies.
So, what is Resolution D025? Resolution D025 was offered in response to resolution B033, which was adopted in Columbus, Ohio at the 75th General Convention. B033 urged restraint concerning the election of bishops whose “manner of life” would cause offense to the wider Anglican Communion. It was essentially The Episcopal Church’s “official” response to the request in the 2004 Windsor Report that the Church refrain from electing practicing gay and lesbian bishops and others whose lifestyle might be repugnant to the Anglican Communion. The Windsor Report was in part the result of the election of The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. Though B033 was not an outright prohibition from ordination, it was hoped Dioceses would be sensitive to the fact that actions in The Episcopal Church do have global implications.
Resolution D025 essentially reaffirms the continued participation of the Episcopal Church in the Anglican Communion
reaffirms the Episcopal Church’s financial support of the Anglican Communion
acknowledges that the Listening Process with gay and lesbian people has resulted in the General Convention’s recognition that gay and lesbian people can and do live in relationships marked by fidelity and love
that gay and lesbian people are involved in ministry in the Church
that God has called and may call any individual in the church to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church in accordance with the discernment process as set forth in the Constitution and Canons of the Church and
acknowledges that the Anglican Communion is not of one mind on these issues.
So what does this mean? This Resolution does not require the Dioceses to do anything except not prohibit any aspirant for Holy Orders from becoming a deacon or priest simply because he or she is involved in a committed relationship. The Canons of the Church already provide that no one can be prohibited from consideration for Holy Orders because of age, gender, race and sexual orientation. Regardless of the passage of D025, any aspirant for Holy Orders must still be qualified and comply with all canonical rules and restrictions. More important, they must also be called by God to ordained ministry as anyone else considering ordination.
D025 is not going to change the life, mission and ministry of the Church as this is lived out in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. Bishop Duncan confirmed this tonight during our conversation. We will continue to worship together, work, serve, sacrifice and evangelize. The real story of our Church is about people living the Great Commission and Great Commandment by proclaiming the Gospel and sharing God’s reconciling love with others. This is called Kingdom building. This is manifest in our parishes and missions through our outreach ministries, evangelical efforts and other spiritually formative programs. At St. Paul’s, Daphne, this is lived out daily by our Thrift Shop volunteers, at 15 Place in Mobile when members of our community feed the homeless, in our volunteers who use their vacations to go to the Dominican Republic and Guatemala on our medical, dental, and construction missions, through building affordable houses through the Habitat for Humanity program, and through our English as a Second Language program. Kingdom building is also happening through the work and efforts of our Sunday school teachers and volunteers, Episcopal Church Women, Altar Guild, acolyte program, Cursillo ministry, Kairos Prison Ministry, Education for Ministry, Stephen Ministry, Heaven and Health Ministry, and the Pre-School program, just to name a few. When one looks beyond individual issues and at the broader picture, this is what the Episcopal Church is all about and why I believe our tradition is a precious gem to be valued and preserved for future generations. Just know this is still God’s Church and God’s work will continue to be done through it in the communities in which we live.
I will report again soon on the work of the General Convention during this last week of legislative sessions. You remain in our prayers and we ask for yours as we endeavor to do the work your have charged us to do. God bless you.
Peace, Thack
July 9, 2009
Thursday was a long day spent in conversation. It began at 7:00 a.m. when the Canons Committee reconvened for another lengthy work session. The Committee’s main focus was on the Title IV changes to the Canons. Title IV deals with ecclesiastical discipline. The existing disciplinary rules adopted in 1994 follow the format of the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice.) However, the proposed Title IV revisions seek to resolve conflicts by promoting “healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life, and reconciliation among all involved or affected.”
The proposed changes to the Canons under Title IV have generated considerable interest among the clergy deputies because it affects how the ordained are disciplined. It touches upon issues as the burden of proof at disciplinary hearings, the right of self-incrimination, and the inferences that can be drawn when clergy refuse to participate in disciplinary hearings. More important, however, is how our Church pastorally deals with the healing and reconciliation of those affected, including the offending clergy. Borrowing from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that was employed in South Africa following the end of apartheid, the proposed changes are designed to bring healing and wholeness to situations, including when clergy leave the Episcopal Church and dioceses and congregations are wounded in the process. Though I and others had some initial reservations about the mechanics of the proposed procedures, the Committee worked through them in the spirit of cooperation and amendments were made that resolved all my concerns. The best part of these proposed changes is the emphasis on pastoral care.
I have enjoyed employing both my priest and lawyer hats in my work on the Commission and have seen how I can use both of these experiences for the glory of God and the church. I have especially enjoyed the relationships I’ve made with the other members of the Commission from all over the country.
Following the Commission’s morning work session, the Deputies and Bishops gathered for our second Public Narrative exercise. The Public Narrative process is designed to develop relationships that lead to common purpose and mission. Our deputation, including Bishop Philip Duncan, sat together and shared our faith stories. These were revealing because the process helped me to better know the other members of our deputation. The intent of these sessions is to strengthen community and community of purpose as we work together to build the Kingdom.
The rest of the day included two more work sessions with the Canons Commission and a legislative session of the House of Deputies. My day ended after 9:30 last night. Though it was another long day, it was very productive and good things were accomplished. I am honored and blessed to represent the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast at the 76th General Convention.
Peace, Thack
July 8, 2009
Law and Order, GC….a Mutual Ministry
It’s early Wednesday morning and we are about to have our opening session of the 76th General Convention. Though the General Convention “officially” begins today, I have already been busy in Committee meetings since Monday. I am on the Canons Committee that reviews, scrutinizes, and edits all resolutions that propose amendments to the Canons of the Episcopal Church. Our Tuesday sessions began at 8:00 a.m. and concluded at 9:20 last night.
The Canons Committee is an interesting collection of mostly lawyers, both lay and ordained, who bring to the table a wealth of experience. We begin each session in prayer and worship, then carefully engage in the process of dissecting the proposed resolutions to make sure they are in proper form, are clear and state a genuine amendment to the existing Canons. In our sessions yesterday, I discovered that each person on the Committee has particular strengths and interests that compliment the body as a whole. There are those who I jokingly refer to as “gnat strainers” who take great delight in parsing each word in the proposed legislation. They are so caught up in form that they could spend the evening on a single paragraph if the time allowed us to do so. Then there are those like me who are more interested in the substance of the proposed amendments and how they impact the church.
As I watched, listened, and offered my insight to the amendments before us, I discovered that our Committee is a good microcosm of the Episcopal Church. We are a diverse collection of folks with different strengths and gifts who share them willingly for a common good. I can attest that regardless of theological stripe, each person on the Canons Committee loves the Lord and obviously cares about our tradition. It’s easy to forget that The Episcopal Church doesn’t look just like St. Paul’s, Daphne and the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. It varies from Diocese to Diocese, each with its own personality. But the thing that transcends these various differences and unites us is the faithfulness of the body. The people who comprise the Canons Committee have a heart for The Episcopal Church and recognize what a precious gem it is. They value the richness of our tradition and are doing all they can to preserve it. It’s truly an example of mutual ministry.
Interestingly, The Rev. Dr. Michael Battle spoke of this “mutuality” yesterday afternoon during the General Convention orientation session. Raising the Convention theme “ubuntu” which is roughly translated “I in you and you in me,” The Rev. Dr. Battle reminded us that as Christians we are interdependent. To make sense of ourselves we need the community. In fact, our identity is only derived from our relationship with each other. This mutuality is captured in the Trinity. The manifestations of the Godhead, Father,Son, the Holy Spirit, show us the perfect model of how we are to love, worship, and live together in community.
The opening legislative session begins at 8:00 this morning. The Canons Committee meets today from 11:00 to 12:30, 2:00-4:00, and from 6:30 to 9:30 tonight. Please pray for us and for the Church.
For the folks at St. Paul’s—I sure miss you!
Peace, Thack
