Organizing for mission

The Most Reverend Katherine Jefferts Schori, our Presiding Bishop, gave opening remarks to the Convention that were exceptional. I think she was spot on when she said.

"Discovering the most effective ways to organize and network ourselves for mission, for governance, and for supporting that mission is going to require us to look outside ourselves. We have to be willing to search out the gifts and assets already present. Something like a blue ribbon commission would be helpful – a leadership group that includes independent voices, that is non-partisan, that will offer the input of outsiders and people on the margins of the church, not just those already deeply invested in the church and in the way the church is now. That may not be easy for this body to engage, but God is already at work beyond this Episcopal Church and we have something to learn from that reality."

In other words we need to begin to think about the church and mission in new innovative ways.

Rev. Bill Zettinger

Rarin' to go!

From Dick Goodlake:

Arrived on July 4th at 8:00 P.M. (just in time for the fireworks).  Great flight on American through Chicago.  Interfaced with the rest of the Deputies last night.  Raring to get going!

Mascots

MacDougal has accompanied Andrew Green to every single General Convention he has attended. Deputy Dog is experiencing his second convention with Allisyn Thomas. In 2009 in the lovely city of Anaheim, MacDougal and Deputy Dog met, and it was love at first sight. They have been pursuing a long distance relationship since 2009 and are so excited to be reunited today.

--Jacqueline Bray

The Resolutions: what they are and how they get passed

Here is a list of the different resolutions being considered at General Convention. Here is a helpful blog with commentary on them.

Interested in how they get passed?  Here's a helpful graphic to explain it.  Click for a closer view.

Bishop Mathes on the Marks of Mission Budget

Things got rolling today. My committee, Program Budget and Finance, was organized this morning and made a critical decision to not use the budget submitted to us by the Executive Council as the foundation of our work. Rather we are going to use a budget that was subsequently developed, which we are calling the Five Marks of Mission Budget. The Episcopal News Service story is linked here: Alternative ‘template’ will guide budget work at General Convention . I am pleased with this decision. While the final budget will surely look different, our starting place has items previously and unintentionally omitted, is balanced, and corrects some incorrect assumptions about income and debt service.

Gregory Straub, secretary of the General 

Convention, sporting his Indianapolis jacket.

In anticipation of the first day of official business tomorrow, bishops and deputies gathered to hear words of welcome from the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies, after which both Houses met separately for orientation.  Our San Diego deputation has front row seating.  My table in the House of Bishops is in the back…hmmm.  I am off to an evening working session of Program Budget and Finance.  Stay tuned.

--Bishop Mathes

Polly Getz for VP!

Our own Pauline Getz is running for Vice President of the House of Deputies. Jaqueline Bray and Suzanne Foucault are sending us pictures from the floor.

Our Polly Getz, Convention Parliamentarian and Sally Johnson,
Convention Chancellor, sitting together on the dais are not only good friends
but are running head to head for Vice President of the House of Deputies!

Let's Get(z) things done! Vote Pauline Getz for Vice President of the House of Deputies. 

Meanwhile, within the Deputation....

Andrew Green groveling before Deputation Chair Allisyn Thomas 

who has sole.control of a special voting machine. 

Photo from the Floor

Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies Presentation to Convention

--Jacqueline Bray

The Games Begin!

Tuesday:  

Gregory Straub, Secretary of House of Deputies,
calling Convention to order Weds.
Note the jacket honoring the Indianapolis 500.

Spent morning registering, collecting giant 4-inch binder of agenda materials, and touring exhibit hall.  The hall is filled with great exhibits and vendors:  lots of resource agencies for everything from stewardship to youth programming, lots of Episcopal church related agencies like the Church Foundation and Episcopal Services Corps (more about that later), and also "stuff" for sale such as religious art, jewelry, vestments, books, etc., etc.  

Spent afternoon at my desk in my hotel room.  The evening began with an important meeting of our Synod.  The Synod is the cluster of dioceses throughout the western states, and Guam.  The primary purpose is to collaborate on ministry.  New officer were elected for the next 3 years:  our own Bishop Mathes was elected President! 

 About 9:30, the entire deputation met in the Bishop's hotel room which serves as the team's hospitality suite.  Our tradition to to check in with everyone, share some end of day junk food and a glass of wine, and compare notes on the happenings of various committees and meetings, and prep for the next day - who will cover what, etc?   Tomorrow will be the first big all-convention meeting.  

Let the games begin!  Thanks everybody, for sending me!

--Suzanne Foucault

Getting acclimated

I’m so glad I came early – getting acclimated and getting the lay of the land is so helpful.  Doing lots of preparatory work, last minute drafting, reviewing procedures and pending resolutions.  I attended the opening eucharist of the Union of Black Episcopalians – really wonderful service!  Lots of music – my favorite part!  Bishop Gayle Harris preached and she was awesome, and Bishop Waynick of Indiana celebrated. It’s the beginning of the biggest and best coffee hour of the Church and I love every exhausting minute of it.  We will have mountains of work to do but when you really love the work it feels a little less like work.  Pray us through this!

  Pauline Getz

Bishop Mathes gets started

After an uneventful flight from San Diego to Indianapolis (with a very brief stop in Houston), I found my way to our home away from home for the next two weeks. The bus ride from the airport to the hotel was a convention warm up. There were folks from all over the Episcopal Church including Andrew Green, Mike Russell, and Allisyn Thomas from our deputation. Can Indianapolis survive this many Episcopalians in such a short time? I hope so.

 On Tuesday evening, the Synod for Province VIII will be held. Province VIII is the region of Episcopal Dioceses west of Idaho, Utah, and Arizona, including Hawaii, Alaska, and Taiwan. Collaboratively, we work together to provide support for various ministries including youth, campus ministry, and discernment for ordination. At tonight’s meeting, we will elect officers, trustees for Church Divinity School of the Pacific, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, representatives to the Nominating Committee for the next Presiding Bishop, approve a budget and consider resolutions for this General Convention. While typically the Provincial Synod meets within the bounds of the province, we have chosen to meet just before General Convention as a way to save funds.

 During this General Convention, I serve on one of the few Joint Standing Committees of both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies: Program, Budget and Finance. It is our job to take the draft budget from the Executive Council, all the requests for funding that come from resolutions passed and present to a Joint Session of both houses a budget. Our first hearing is tomorrow at noon and we present the budget on Tuesday of next week—seven days to do an incredible amount of work. To make matters a bit more interesting, because of some problems with the budget draft that we received, the Presiding Bishop has presented to us an alternate budget. It should be very interesting.

Bishop James Mathes

Video introduction to General Convention

From Dio. TX:



The 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church from The Episcopal Diocese of Texas on Vimeo.

The San Diego Deputation

And away we go!

All packed up, checked in online....now all I have to do is try to get some sleep tonight.  Jacque and I are traveling together from San Diego, through Atlanta, to Indianapolis - a long day, but so exciting!  We'll arrive there about 11:30 p.m., so I've warned my roomie, Chancellor Polly Getz, that I might disturb her sleep!

--   Suzanne Foucault