Executive Council calls Episcopal Church to prayer for bishops headed to Lambeth
Episcopal News Service. June 15, 2008 [061508-02]
Mary Frances Schjonberg
The Executive Council, echoing an earlier call from the Presiding Bishop, asked the entire church to pray for the Episcopal Church's bishops as they head to the 2008 Lambeth Conference.
Also during the final session of Council's three-day meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico (in the Diocese of the Rio Grande), members proposed mission priorities for the 2010-2012 triennium to guide the deliberations of the General Convention's Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (PB&F) in developing the 2010-2012 budget.
Lambeth resolution
Resolution NAC033 says Executive Council members "rejoice in the fact that Lambeth 2008 is designed to equip the bishops for leadership in God’s mission and strengthening the Anglican Communion through discussion and conversation grounded in the reading and study of Holy Scripture, invoking the presence of the Holy Spirit in all that they undertake, and respecting the Biblical admonition that we are all one in Christ Jesus (neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free)."
The resolution says that "although these structured discussions will not include the voice and face of the Bishop of New Hampshire, who has not been invited to participate, we pray that his voice will be heard through those who are there speaking the truth about The Episcopal Church and hearing the truths of others, to the benefit of the wider Communion."
The once-a-decade gathering of Anglican Communion bishops runs July 16 to August 3 in and around the University of Kent, in Canterbury, England, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said earlier during the meeting that about 700 of the 890 bishops eligible to attend have registered to do so.
Council's resolution concludes by looking forward to the bishops’ safe return "and the opportunity for all of The Episcopal Church to engage them in discussions of their experiences at Lambeth 2008 in order to enrich the Church’s understanding of and consideration of matters vital to our common life in Jesus Christ."
During her closing remarks, Jefferts Schori reminded Council members that she has called the Episcopal Church to prayer for the Lambeth Conference on June 22. She said that she hoped Episcopalians would be "holding all of those present and not present in prayer next Sunday and beyond."
Mission priorities for 2010-2012
Executive Council Resolution 017 proposes five priorities to guide the work of PB&F:
- Doing Justice and Alleviating Poverty;
- Claiming Our Identity;
- Growing Congregations;
- Strengthening Governance and Foundations for Mission; and
- Promoting Anglican Partnerships.
Proposing the mission priorities is part of an on-going process that culminates in the General Convention passing a budget for the upcoming triennium. Council proposes a triennial budget PB&F, which presents a triennial budget for General Convention's approval. The process for developing a budget to propose to the 76th General Convention, which meets in July 2009 in Anaheim, California, is significantly different that that used for previous budgets.
The budget priorities Council approved June 15 arose from a process begun at the Council's March 2007 meeting in Portland, Oregon, when Resolution AF020 called for a task force to evaluate Council's role and participation in the process of preparing a proposed triennial budget and recommend ways for Council's four standing committees to have "meaningful input into the process."
Based on that task force's suggestions, Council passed Resolution AF031 in June 2007 calling for a budget committee to oversee Council's preparation of a proposed budget. The resolution also called for each Council standing committee to "assess the needs and opportunities facing the ministry areas under that Committee's oversight" and "to identify the key goals and mission priorities for such ministry areas for the 2010-2012 Triennium." That work is what resulted in Resolution EC017.
Budget Committee chair Josephine Hicks told Council that the next step is for the Church Center's management team to gather budget proposals based on these priorities from Church Center staff and the church's committees, commissions, agencies and boards (CCABs).
PB&F chair Pan Adams, who sits in on Council's Administration and Finance Committee meetings, told ENS that the entire process is aimed at developing a proposed 2010-2012 budget that "expresses the mission of the church."
"What we're trying to do is show the church how the dollars spent directly effect the people in the pews," she said.
Adams also said that the process will allow Episcopalians to comment on the budget at key points leading up and including the budget hearings in Anaheim.
In other actions on June 15, the Council:
- heard a report from its task force charged with recommending criteria and a process for accountability of block grant recipients and evaluating the outcomes of the grants, and
- authorized the Archives Strategy Committee to spend up to $2.3 million to aid in its effort to relocate the Archives of the Episcopal Church, now based in Austin, Texas.
Presiding officers' closing remarks
"We've talked a lot about mission at this meeting," Jefferts Schori said in her closing comments. She said she was struck with how many more dioceses, congregations and individuals have formed relationships with other Anglicans in the last few years.
"We've learned a great deal more about each because we’ve been forced to, thanks be to God," she said.
Jefferts Schori also told Council that she perceived "a greater sense of cohesiveness" amongst the members -- a sense "that we are working better together as time goes on."
House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson said during her closing remarks while she noted Council members' concern about the shortness of their three-day meetings, "I think that we did some really good work at this meeting."
Anderson said her recent visits with Episcopalians on various Indian reservations have showed her that the Episcopal Church and Executive Council "has fallen short" in walking with and supporting indigenous peoples. She noted that the Episcopal Church has had a presence on some reservations for many years and ought to consider "replanting" congregations there.
"We need to take a good look at our relationships with indigenous peoples," she said.
Anderson noted that she was echoing the remarks of New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham, Council's Anglican Church of Canada partner, who told the members how moved his country was by the government's recent apology to indigenous people for forcing them into residential boarding schools, and then mistreating them in those schools.
Earlier on June 15, Council members and staff worshipped with two Albuquerque congregations. Coverage of the morning and a dinner held the previous evening with representative of the diocese and Province VII is available here.
Coverage of the July 13 sessions is available here.
Coverage of the June 14 sessions is available here.
A summary of all resolutions passed during the Albuquerque meeting follows.
Executive Council
Propose priorities for the 2010-2012 triennial budget to guide the deliberations of the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance in developing that budget (EC017).
Administration and Finance
Establish Trust Fund #1021, UTO Contributions/Ingathering Funds, as an investment account for the United Thank Offering, which may withdraw principal and/or income upon request, and may add to the principal at its discretion (AF061).
Establish Trust Fund #1024, Church of the Epiphany, Rumford, Rhode Island, as an investment account for Church of the Epiphany, which may withdraw principal and/or income upon request, and may add to the principal at its discretion (AF062).
Establish Trust Fund #1026, Grace Church, Millbrook, New York, as an investment account for Grace Church, which may withdraw principal and/or income upon request, and may add to the principal at its discretion (AF063).
Amend Resolution AF040 of October 28, 2006, such that the Archives Strategy Committee be authorized to spend up to $2.3 million from sources to be determined by the Treasurer for activities previously approved (AF064).
Withdraw $100,000 from Trust Fund #844 (Cuttington University College Endowment Fund) and remit to Cuttington University College (CUC) to finance consulting work and other fees associated with CUC’s application to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) for a loan of up to $7 million to expand the Cuttington University Graduate School of Business and Economics in Liberia (AF065).
Establish Trust Fund #1025, The St. James Church, Griggsville, Illinois, Endowment Fund, as an investment account for St. James Church which may withdraw principal and/or income upon request, and may add to the principal at its discretion (AF066).
Direct Council's presiding officers to appoint a task force to undertake an analysis (and report to the October meeting) of building operating costs at the Episcopal Church Center and to consider a cost-sharing strategy and policy that would begin with the 2010-2012 triennium for the TEC-related agencies and organizations housed in the center (AF067).
Request Council's presiding officers to appoint a task force to review Council's by-laws, including but not limited to the internal structure of Council, its standing committees and scope of work and provide a status report at the January 2009 meeting (AF068).
Congregations in Ministry
Approve recommendations for Constable Fund re-allocations and distributions, noting a $160,145.15 available balance for 2008, making a new total of $245,650.45 available for 2008 (CIM019).
Recommend a Constable Fund grant of $50,000 to Province IX, Haiti, and Virgin Islands Participation in Episcopal Youth Event 2008 (CIM020)
Recommend a Constable Fund grant of $15,000 for Episcopal Peace Fellowship's Making All Episcopalians Peacemakers project (CIM022).
Recommend a Constable Fund grant of $20,000 for the Sudanese Clergy Leadership Institute (CIM023).
Recommend a Constable Fund grant of $37,500 (with an additional $37,500 in 2009) for the Creating a Public Narrative for Mission project (CIM024).
Recommend a Constable Fund grant of $20,000 (with $5,000 deferred to 2009) for "From data to action -- A crucial bridge in vocational development and lifelong learning for deacons" project (CIM025).
Recommend a Constable Fund grant of $20,000 (plus any additional lapsed funds that become available in 2008 up to $64,530) for a Small Church Best Practices Summit: Christian Transformation (CIM026).
Recommend a Constable Fund grant of $50,000 for Nuevo Amanecer/New Dawn, to train, motivate and empower leaders (lay and ordained) for a more effective ministry (CIM027).
Invite the Rev. Canon Rosemary Sullivan to lead Council members in a facilitated conversation that will include in-depth, confidential, individual interviews with every member of Council and have Sullivan lead Council in its mid-term evaluation of its life and work, including roles and responsibilities of members of Executive Council based on these interviews at its fall meeting in Helena, Montana, October 20-23, 2008 (CIM028).
Express "our sincerest appreciation and gratitude" to Thomas Chu for his 18 years of service to the Church Center and "pray that his gifts continue to be used in life-giving ways" (CIM029).
Express "express our sincerest appreciation and gratitude" to the Rev. Charles Fulton for his many years served the Episcopal Church as a member of the Church Center Staff and in a related position with the Church Building Fund and "rejoices in the hope that in retirement Charles’ ministry to the Episcopal Church and its congregations will continue in new and exciting forms" (CIM030).
Change the current budget line item designated as "Appalachian Initiatives" to "Episcopal Appalachian Ministries -- Direct Grants for Appalachian Ministry Initiatives" (CIM031).
International Concerns
Express appreciation for appointments made on behalf of the Presiding Bishop of Judith Lane Gregory (Diocese of Delaware, as finance consultant in the Episcopal Church of the Sudan), Margaret Griffin (Diocese of Atlanta, as partnership and project advisor to the bishop of the Diocese of Central Tanganyika), James and Mary Higbee (Diocese of Northern California, as headmaster & headmistress in the Diocese of Rumbek in the Episcopal Church of Sudan), and Michael Tedrick (Diocese of California, as Millennium Development Goals officer at Cuttington University College in the Diocese of Liberia) (INC40).
Express appreciation for Young Adult Service Corps volunteer Marian Dickson (Diocese of Atlanta, who served as Teacher/Counselor/School Advisor in the Diocese of Central Ecuador), Elizabeth White (Diocese of Olympia, who initially served as assistant to the executive director of Sorrento Centre with the Province of British Columbia and the Yukon, then served as program administrative assistant in the Diocese of Maseno North in the Anglican Church of Kenya and whose ministry ended prematurely on January 13, 2008, due to political unrest) (INC41).
Express appreciation for mission companion Robin McNutt (Diocese of Nebraska, who faithfully completed his service in the Diocese of Bor, in the Episcopal Church of the Sudan) (INC42).
Recognize a new companion diocese relationship between the Diocese of North Carolina and the Diocese of Botswana in the Church of the Province of Central Africa for a period ending on December 31, 2012, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (INC43).
Recognize a new three-partner companion diocese relationship between the dioceses of Puerto Rico, Ecuador Central and Ecuador Littoral for a period ending on December 31, 2011, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (INC44).
Condemn the use of cluster bombs and calls upon all governments, including our own governments, to negotiate and sign an international treaty prohibiting their production, transfer, stockpiling, and use (INC45).
Direct staff to adopt "missionary support" at the theme for 2009 World Mission Sunday (the last Sunday after the Epiphany), develop educational materials for the event outlining the need for missionary support, ask that congregation consider taking up a special collection on that day to support current missionaries and that that collection be celebrated at the 76th General Convention (INC047).
Commend the appointment of the Presiding Bishop’s advisory group on the United Thank Offering, "recognizing the need for the clarification of the relationship between the United Thank Offering committee and the Episcopal Church," and anticipating a status report from the advisory group at its October meeting in Helena, Montana (INC048).
National Concerns Committee
Review a list of Jubilee Programs (NAC031).
Express deep gratitude and appreciation for the work of Richard Parkins during his 14 years as director of Episcopal Migration Ministries (NAC032).
Commit Council to pray Episcopal Church bishops as they journey to the Lambeth Conference of Bishops, call upon the entire church to join that prayer, express hope that New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson's voice will be heard by the gathering, and express anticipation for conversation with bishops about their experiences at Lambeth (NAC33).
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.