7/16/09

I have been searching for the proper way to describe yesterday’s events and experiences, espcially the ones about the budget.

"Intense," "painful," "real," "transparent," "hopeful," "Anglican" —all these words come to mind. However, what strikes me is that yesterday was an experience of the Pascal Mystery in a nutshell. It was about crucifixion and resurrection, all at once.

In the afternoon, the bishops came into the House of Deputies to receive the budget. It’s the only time we enter that space. The Presiding Bishop spoke of the drastic cuts that had to be made given the financial shortfall. The pain is that many people lost their jobs at the Church Center in New York. I know some of them and they are fine effective professionals who are victims of an economy that is not their fault or in their control. In addition, many wonderful programs were cut. She said we were moving mission down out of the Church Center and into the dioceses.

However, our Church also made some courageous and bold steps. The Millennium Development Goals were restored to their asking of .07%. We allocated a seminarian fund to aid those studying for holy orders. We reduced General Convention by two days and made it paperless (both are moves I applaud). Given the economy in many dioceses, in 2010 diocesan giving is reduced to 20% and in 2011 to 19%.
I am in awe of the work of the Program, Budget and Finance Committee. They managed to present a balanced budget to Convention which was very hard but also necessary.

We walked out of this meeting sort of shell shocked.

The afternoon was spent on a resolution about dealing with the future of same sex blessings. I urge you to read the actual text of Resolution C056. Our effort here was to be transparent about our Church and the context of our dioceses as well as to hold up that Anglican quality of comprehensiveness. The bishops wanted to write a resolution with room for as many bishops and deputies as possible. Therefore, all sides gave something to try to include everyone.

The resolution says we are going to be intentional about looking at blessings over the next three years. This does not authorize rites, but agrees to look at the whole issue. We also acknowledged that some bishops may exercise their pastoral prerogative to respond to the situation of being in states where marriage or civil union for gay and lesbian persons is legal. The vote was 104 yes; 30 no; 2 abstain. This now goes to the House of Deputies.

We were not only trying to be transparent about the mind of the Church; we were trying to be transparent about the deep desire to represent the Body of Christ. There are many members, and those members are different, but we all are connected in our common love of the Lord Jesus and our common desire to follow him as his disciples. Some said we should just not act at all, but I don’t think so. I think we are called to show the world a different way, and that is the way of seeking the oneness to which Jesus calls us. We will only find that by travelling on this road of being disciples in confusing times together.

It was a very hard and tiring day, but a wonder-filled day. I was very proud of our Church and I hope you are as well.
+Porter