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A summary of Executive Council resolutions

Episcopal News Service -- Linthicum Heights, Maryland. June 18, 2010 [061810-02]

During its June 16-18 meeting here, the Episcopal Church's Executive Council adopted several resolutions, which are summarized below.

Executive Council

• Elected Del Glover (Executive Council member), Diane Pollard (Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance member) and four at-large members; Art Bjontegard, the Rev. Robert Brooks, Bishop Rodney Michel and Rosanna Rosado to the Joint Audit Committee (EC008).
• Elected Diocese of Puerto Rico Bishop David Alvarez to the Investment Committee (EC009).
• Accepted audited financial statements covering the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 (EC010).
• Celebrated the work and ministry of Episcopal Relief & Development and the NetsforLife program and reception of Global Business Coalition Excellence in Business Action Award for Outstanding Partnership and Collective Action, and expressed thanks for the ministry of Episcopal Relief & Development, its board of directors and staff for their work, done on behalf of Episcopal Church, to heal a hurting world (EC011).
• Expressed deep appreciation and fondness for Dorothy Davies Flindall for her wisdom as a representative from the Anglican Church of Canada (EC012).
• Expressed thanks and appreciation to Church Pension Group and CREDO Institute Inc., for the program "Strength for the Journey" which has provided and continues to provide pastoral support, education, wellness resources, and community building opportunities for the reorganizing dioceses of the Episcopal Church (EC013).

Advocacy and Networking for Mission

• Joined ecumenical partners, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, and all other churches in condemning unresolved human rights cases, including extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, illegal arrests, and the detention of church workers in the Philippines; and called upon the Philippines government to ensure that the human rights of church workers are respected and to seek the release of illegally detained church workers in the Philippines (A&N010).
• Directed the Standing Commission on Health and the Standing Commission on Anglican International Peace with Justice Concerns, and the Executive Council Committee on Science, Faith and Technology to prepare a report for the Advocacy and Networking for Mission committee in time for council's June 15-17, 2011 meeting on the economic, health, ethical, and social justice concerns presented by the use of genetically modified plants as a major component of the food supply and by the patenting of seeds for those plants (A&N011).
• Stated that the language, intent and enforcement of Arizona Statute Senate Bill 1070 "poses a challenge to our fundamental Christian responsibility to respect the dignity of every human being"; directed the secretary of Executive Council to communicate this resolution to the governor of Arizona, the majority leaders of their legislative houses and the congressional delegation from Arizona; called upon the federal government to swiftly and urgently enact comprehensive immigration reform (A&N012).
• Recalled the Episcopal Church's historic opposition to nuclear weapons "considering their potential to cause catastrophic damage to humankind and all of God's creation"; asserted that nuclear weapons are "inherently indiscriminate and disproportionate instruments of war" that if and when used violate the criteria of the Just War tradition and the dictates of the Christian conscience; embraced a vision of a world free of nuclear weapons, commended President Barack Obama for his leadership towards achieving this goal; recognized the threat to U.S. national security and world peace of nuclear terrorism, armament and proliferation posed by nations which have violated or withdrawn from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty; encouraged all nations to become signatories of the NPT; supported the Obama administration's declaration that "the United States will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons states that are party to the NPT and in compliance with their nuclear non-proliferation obligations"; expressed concern that this policy preserves the possibility that the United States would use nuclear weapons to deter a conventional attack in certain circumstances; urged the administration to move expeditiously towards adopting a universal policy disavowing this purpose; urges the United States Senate to give its advice and consent to the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty; encourages dioceses and congregations to promote passage of ordinances establishing nuclear-weapons-free zones in their communities, municipalities and counties; directed the secretary of the General Convention to provide copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the U.S. Secretary of State, and to Episcopal and other appropriate members of the U.S. Congress; urges Episcopalians to pray for and work towards a world free of fear from nuclear weapons and filled with hope for the everlasting peace of God (A&N013).
• Acknowledged that there are various forms of "thoughtful engagement" that many Episcopalians have taken to stand in solidarity with those affected by Arizona Statute SB 1070 and those working to overturn it; urged Episcopalians to participate in activities which support those that are affected by the statute, work for comprehensive immigration reform, including becoming informed on immigration issues, developing and strengthening local partnerships, visiting border communities or engaging in economic boycotts (A&N014).

Finances for Mission

• Established Trust Fund 1037 as an investment account for St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Long Beach, California (FM020).
• Designated as tax-deductible housing allowances for 2010 for clergy employees of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (FFM021).
• Approve retention by the Audit Committee of outside legal counsel McDermott Will & Emery to assist in the evaluation of employment and personnel practices and provide an update to council at its October 2010 meeting (FFM022).
• Reconsidered Resolution EC002 (passed in January 2009) in order to continue the good work begun by the Archives Strategy Committee and to continue the forward movement of this project, and ask presiding officers to make additional appointments to committee to staff it appropriately for the mandate and work detailed in the second resolve of the resolution (FFM023).
• Supported the Diocese of San Joaquin in its protection of diocesan properties and continuing operations by making available for loan $500,000 for legal actions, drawable at any time through 2012; and $350,000 for operations, drawable during calendar year 2011 (loan terms, which may include deferral of interest payments, to be determined in consultation between the diocese and DFMS treasurer, the presiding officers and the chief operating officer) (FFM024). (DFMS refers to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church, the legal name of the church in the United States.)
• Called for a steering committee to be convened with members identified by a representative group of Executive Council members and staff, who will meet to flesh out the particular steps necessary to raise the goal of raising $10 million for rebuilding the Diocese of Haiti, and use $246,000 from the triennial budget as seed money. (FFM025).

Governance and Administration for Mission

• Thanked A&F100 Task Force for its work and directed that future study of the relationship between the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church (HSEC) and the DFMS be referred to GAM for consideration of such issues as recognition of the Archives' canonical role as the General Convention's official archives body, resolution of issues regarding the oversight of archival material gathered or created by the HSEC and clarification of the tax-exempt status of HSEC and its relationship to the DFMS (GAM005).
• Called on the presiding bishop and president of House of Deputies to fix the length of the 77th General Convention in 2012 at eight days (GAM006).
• Referred Episcopal Church strategic plan activities to respective committee, commission, agency or board for consideration and or study (GAM007).
  

Local Ministry and Mission

• Reviewed list of Jubilee Programs (LMM002-a)
• Approved $285,550 for seven grants from the Constable Fund (LMM004).
• Approved $100,000 Constable Fund grant to develop and implement a web conferencing system that will enable Committees, Commissions, Agencies and Boards, Executive Council and council committees and task forces to meet via web conferencing in remaining months of the triennium (LMM012).
• Ratified a companion diocese relationship between the Diocese of Rhode Island and the Diocese of Louisiana until January 2012, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (LMM013).

World Mission

• Ratified a companion diocese relationship between the Diocese of Rhode Island and the Diocese of Ezo in the Sudan until January 31 2013, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (WM013).
• Approved and commended for consideration and use the Anglican Covenant study guide, and urged response to council within the time frame set in the guide (WM014).