Executive Council promises help to Episcopalians in San Joaquin, other dioceses
Episcopal News Service, Quito, Ecuador. February 14, 2008 [021408-04]
Mary Frances Schjonberg
The Executive Council issued a letter to the Episcopal Church February 14 during the final day of its four-day meeting here praising the transformation of the Diocese of Ecuador Central and saying it gives the members hope in light of the attempt of the leadership of the Diocese of San Joaquin to transfer their diocese to another province in the Anglican Communion.
"We are deeply concerned for those who want to continue as members of The Episcopal Church but now find themselves in parishes or dioceses attempting to depart," the letter. "To the members of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, know we stand with you. Your struggles and needs inform our prayers, deliberations, and plans.
"This is a new and unfamiliar landscape for all of us. We stand with you and commit ourselves to provide pastoral care, to aid in re-organization, and to support legal actions necessary to retain the assets of the diocese for ministry. We will hold clergy leaders accountable to their vows to uphold the doctrine, discipline and worship of this Church, and lay leadership accountable to the fiduciary responsibilities of the offices they hold."
The letter also summarizes the Council's time in Quito, commends Ecuador Central for its mission and ministry, and briefly discusses the financial state of the Episcopal Church.
"We are gratified to see the rebirth of hope for the people of this Diocese, which has emerged revitalized from the necessary inhibition and deposition of its bishop and a re-structuring of the diocese under the leadership of Bishop Wilfrido Ramos-Orench, appointed by the House of Bishops as Provisional Bishop," the letter said.
Council also approved a revised 2008 budget that calls for income of $51.7 million and expenses of $51.2 million. The approval came after the members amended the budget to add $340,000 to the program and mission portion of the budget.
Council's letter to the Church noted that "in a time of economic recession, Episcopalians have demonstrated a renewed commitment to stewardship with an anticipated 4 percent increase in diocesan commitments and an excess of resources over expenses for 2007."
"The budget approved for 2008 reflects these increases in diocesan commitments and for that we are grateful," the letter added.
The linkage in the Council's letter of the examples of the dioceses Ecuador Central and San Joaquin stems from the experience of the devastation caused in the Ecuadorian diocese by Bishop Neptali Larrea Moreno who was deposed in 2004. Moreno was found to have abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church amid complaints of financial irregularities.
In a related move, the Council authorized spending up to $500,000 in 2008 to support the work of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of San Joaquin and similarly situated dioceses. Both Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson said the money would cover such costs as helping mission congregations, helping to compensate the clergy who are remain, covering the costs of reconstituting the diocesan leadership, and in San Joaquin's case, regaining control of the diocesan website's url.
The resolution says the money will be taken from the undistributed accumulated income and appreciation in nine trust funds that contain money given to support the missionary work or mission work of the Church.
In addition, Council asked the General Convention Office to explore the possibility of holding the January 30-February 2, 2009, in the Diocese of San Joaquin. The resolution came out of Council's National Concerns Committee (NAC), and Chair John Vanderstar of Washington told Council that such a move would be "a good, positive way to show our support to the people in San Joaquin who want to remain in the Episcopal Church."
NAC considered making the change for either the upcoming October 20-23 meeting set for Helena, Montana, or the January-February meeting, which was scheduled for Memphis, Tennessee. Vanderstar said the committee thought the latter timeframe was more advantageous because it would give the diocese three more months to continue its work to reconstitute itself before Council arrived. In addition, the January-February meeting goes over a weekend, which would allow Council, Church Center staff and guests to worship with the diocese, he said.
The Rev. Gregory Straub, the Episcopal Church's executive officer and secretary of the General Convention, told Council that hotel contracts had not yet been signed for those two meetings. He asked the members for some latitude in meeting their request, citing the need to find a hotel with the kind of large and small meeting rooms Council needs for its gatherings, at a time when those rooms are available and when enough sleeping rooms are available.
Council also expressed appreciation to Ted Yumoto of the Diocese of San Joaquin for his service on Executive Council as Province VIII’s representative. The province declared its Council seat vacant after Yumoto told them he had voted to amend canons and the constitution of the diocese to realign with the Argentina-based Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.
During their closing remarks both Jefferts Schori and Anderson commended the Council for its hard work in the midst of the challenges of altitude (Quito's elevation is 9,200 feet about sea level or 2,800 meters) and -- for many members -- working in place where the language and culture is not familiar. Jefferts Schori encouraged Council to continue working in such places "as an act of solidarity and as an act of humility."
Jefferts Schori praised the Council's "renewed and enlarged" commitment to Province IX and the other dioceses of the Episcopal Church outside the U.S., saying that those dioceses can teach the U.S. portion of the church valuable lessons in a time of increasing multi-culturalism.
The Presiding Bishop thanks Ramos-Orench for the diocese's hospitality, saying "you have opened your hearts and shared the love of God with us. Thank you."
"You have shown us what a diocese engaged in mission looks like," she said, calling the transformation of Ecuador Central "a sign of the resurrection for the whole church."
Anderson also praised Ramos-Orench for his "creative leadership" and commitment to the empowerment of lay people.
Saying "Council does not have enough money to the work that it needs to do," Anderson said the members should strive to have a 2010-2012 budget that allows Council the time it needs to make crucial decisions "more carefully, in relationship, in intentional community and in prayer."
Puerto Rico Bishop David Alvarez told Jefferts Schori "we are blessed to have you as our Primate." He thanked her for communicating in Spanish with people for whom that is their first language.
"You are a great gift to this church," he said.
Council, staff and guests responded with a standing ovation.
In other business the Council:
- Consented to holding the 77th General Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Anderson reported that the Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements considered Charleston, South Carolina; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; and New Orleans. Charleston was eliminated because the preferred dates were taken and New Orleans was eliminated because of the lack of transportation between hotels and the convention site, she said. Planning and Arrangements' executive committee traveled to and studied the remaining two and decided in favor of Indianapolis, Anderson said.
- Learned that a International Concerns Committee (INC) work group, which had written the Council's response to the first draft of a proposed Anglican covenant, had composed a study guide on the recently released second draft. The group developed the guide primarily for use by bishops since they have been asked to respond to the draft during the July Lambeth Conference. The guide is available here. The St. Andrew's Draft of the covenant was released on Ash Wednesday. Information about the covenant process is available here.
- Learned from INC Chair Sandi McPhee of Chicago that the committee had passed a resolution honoring Margaret Larom for her work as the director of Anglican and Global Relations (AGR) for the Episcopal Church. Larom, who as part of her nearly 28 years of service to the Episcopal Church came to AGR in November 2004, is being transferred to a new job in the on-going reorganization of the Episcopal Church Center in New York City. "Our thoughts and blessings go with her here and out into the future," the resolution said.
- Heard NAC Chair Vanderstar call on the Executive Council's Standing Committee on HIV/AIDS to find ways to keep the need for progress in eliminating HIV/AIDS before the Church, saying "any church has a role in this process." He said there is still a stigma attached to the disease and that it "is helping to impede progress." Vanderstar also suggested that the availability of medicine which treats the symptoms of HIV/AIDS may be prompting some people to engage in risky sexual behavior.
- Heard Administration and Finance Committee (A&F) member Gay Jennings of Ohio report on the committee's work to understand the forces that effect diocesan giving to the wider Episcopal Church. She recommended that Council find ways to commend dioceses that fulfill the 21% asking from the Episcopal Church, and work to understand and possibly find ways to help those who do not. She said dioceses do not meet the asking for a variety of reasons, including "severe" financial constraints, the desire to make "a political or theological statement," and the "custom" of the diocese. Jennings said the group is considering the question of diocesan giving suggests that Jefferts Schori send letters of commendation to the bishops and dioceses who do meet the asking and that Anderson send a similar letter to the diocese's General Convention deputation.
- Heard Congregations in Ministry Committee (CIM) Chair Terry Roberts of Minnesota report that the committee spent time talking about the Church's role in ministering to people with disabilities. "This will become more apparent when people come home from the war zones," she said.
- Learned that, in response to an organized effort begun at Quito, Council members, Church Center staff and guests have thus far contributed $3,750 to the mission and ministry of the Diocese Ecuador Central.
A summary of all resolutions passed during the Quito meeting follows.
Administration & Finance
Established Trust Fund 1018 for the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan (AF043).
Established Trust Fund 1019 for the Diocese of Guatemala (AF044).
Established Trust Fund 1020 for the Diocese of Haiti (AF045).
Set 2008 dividend rates for DFMS Trust Fund portfolios (available to support the operating budget) and for the Endowment Portfolio (not available to support the operating budget) at $1.07 per share. (AF046).
Rescinded resolution AF-042 (adopted Dearborn, Michigan, October 2007) at the request of the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Church of Liberia (AF047).
Authorized Director of Mission to distribute income from the Allan and Florence Gerdau Fund for the education and training of ordained persons, such as continuing education of ordained women, Upward Bound, ethnic clergy leadership development, Fresh Start, Clergy Leadership Assessment Tool (Gallup), and chaplain wellness (AF048).
Established Trust Fund 1022 for Mexico City’s Christ Church endowment fund (AF049).
Allowed the Episcopal Church to use its banking relationships obtain "low-cost personal loans" for employees who relocate to work at the Episcopal Church Center in New York City or one of the new regional offices (AF50s.)
Approved the 2008 revised budget for the Episcopal Church (AF51).
Extended thanks to those who have included the Episcopal Church in their wills and recognized their generosity (AF52).
Expressed appreciation to Ted Yumoto of the Diocese of San Joaquin for his service on Executive Council as Province VIII’s representative (AF54).
Modified DFMS travel guidelines to set the rate of reimbursement for the traveler’s own vehicle at the IRS-approved rate (AF55).
Established Trust Fund 1023, the Jerrold Hames Scholarship for Multicultural Communication (AF56).
Authorized $50,000 for the Episcopal Church of Liberia (ECL) to cover costs of the consecration and enthronement of Bishop Jonathan B. B. Hart on March 2, 2008 (AF57).
Authorized up to $500,000 to support the work of the Church in the Diocese of San Joaquin and similarly situated dioceses (AF058).
Asked the presiding officers to appoint a task force to recommend a process to evaluate the results of block grants (AF059).
Authorized payment of $450,644 from pension reserve to retirement savings accounts of 22 lay missionaries as one-time contributions for past service (AF060).
Congregations in Ministry
Recommended a Constable Fund grant of $25,000 to the Presiding Bishop’s Summit on Domestic Poverty in Scottsdale, Arizona (CIM017).
Asked CIM to evaluate the scenario planning event held in Quito and to prepare a proposal to incorporate scenario planning into the work of the Executive Council, and to report to the Albuquerque Council meeting in June (CIM018).
Executive Council
Consented to holding the 77th General Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana (EC016).
International Concerns
Extended the companion diocese relationship between the Diocese of Bethlehem and the Diocese of Kajo Keji in the Episcopal Church of the Sudan until December 31, 2008, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (INC029).
Recognized a new companion diocese relationship between the Diocese of West Missouri and the Diocese of Botswana in the Church of the Province of Central Africa Sudan until December 31, 2009, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (INC030).
Expressed appreciation for two missionary appointments (INC031).
Expressed appreciation for service by four Young Adult Service Corps volunteers (INC032).
Expressed appreciation for service by five mission companions (INC033).
Recognized a new companion diocese relationship between the Diocese of California and the Diocese of Curitiba in the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil until December 31, 2012, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (INC034).
Recognized a new companion diocese relationship between the Dioceses of East Tennessee and South Dakota to be in effect until terminated by mutual consent (INC035).
Expressed support and encouragement for the Bush administration to pursue the Joint Understanding reached at the Annapolis Conference, and called all Episcopalians to pursue interfaith dialogue with Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters and to continue prayers for Middle East peace (INC037).
Commended the Everyone, Everywhere 2008 World Mission Conference scheduled for Baltimore, Maryland June 5-8 (INC038).
Requested a report from the four new mission center directors regarding how they will address the concerns of Episcopal Church dioceses outside the U.S. and partner churches in the Anglican Communion (INC039).
National Concerns
Reviewed a list of Jubilee Programs (NAC027).
Supported long-term carbon-neutral goals for the Episcopal Church in response to global warming and global poverty (NAC028).
Set policies proxy votes on new shareholder resolution texts for which a voting position has not yet been established in the present triennium (NAC029).
Requested that the January 2009 Executive Council meeting be held in the Diocese of San Joaquin, if possible (NAC030).
The Executive Council carries out the programs and policies adopted by the General Convention, according to Canon I.4 (1)(a). The Council is composed of 38 members, 20 of whom (four bishops, four priests or deacons and 12 lay people) are elected by General Convention and 18 (one clergy and one lay) by provincial synods, plus the Presiding Bishop and the president of the House of Deputies.