The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

Original Text of Resolution:

(A003)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That Article X of the Constitution be amended by striking therefrom references to Missionary Dioceses and the Convocation of American Churches in Europe, so that said Article X will read:

The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, the Form of Consecration of a Church or Chapel, the Office of Institution of Ministers, and Articles of Religion, as now established or hereafter amended by the authority of this Church, shall be in use in all the Dioceses and Missionary Dioceses, and in the Convocation of the American Churches in Europe, of this Church. No alteration thereof or addition thereto shall be made unless the same shall be first proposed in one regular meeting of the General Convention and by a resolve thereof be sent within six months to the Secretary of the Convention of every Diocese, and of the Convocation of every Missionary Diocese and of the Convocation of the American Churches in Europe, to be made known to the Diocesan Convention or Convocation of the Missionary Diocese or of the Convention of the American Churches, in Europe, at its next meeting, and be adopted by the General Convention at its next succeeding regular meeting by a majority of all Bishops, excluding retired Bishops not present, of the whole number of Bishops entitled to vote in the House of Bishops, and by a majority of the Clerical and Lay Deputies of all the Dioceses entitled to representation in the House of Deputies and all the Missionary Dioceses, and of the Convocation of the American Churches in Europe, voting by orders, each to have the vote provided for in Article I, Sec. 4. a vote by orders in the House of Deputies in accordance with Article I. Sec. 5, except that concurrence by the orders shall require the affirmative vote in each order by a majority of the Dioceses entitled to representation in the House of Deputies.

But notwithstanding anything hereinabove contained, the General Convention may at any one meeting, by a majority of the whole number of the Bishops entitled to vote in the House of Bishops, and by a majority of the Clerical and Lay Deputies of all the Dioceses entitled to representation in the House of Deputies, and all the Missionary Dioceses, and the Convocation of the American Church in Europe voting by orders as previously set down in this Article:

(a). Amend the Table of Lessons and all Tables and Rubrics relating to the Psalms;

(b). Authorize for trial use throughout this Church, as an alternative at any time or times to the established Book of Common Prayer or to any section or Office thereof, a proposed revision of the whole Book or of any portion thereof, duly undertaken by the General Convention.

And Provided, that nothing in this Article shall be construed as restricting the authority of the Bishops of this Church to take such order as may be permitted by the Rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer or by the Canons of the General Convention for the use of special forms of worship.

The Parliamentarian moved that by unanimous consent of the House, the remaining six items (A003 through A008) be voted on as a block by single ballot on Ballot #3.

Deputy Barbara Akin, of the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, objected.

Motion defeated

Voting was done by orders on Ballot #3, on A003.

The Secretary announced the results of Ballot #3, on A003:

Lay: Yes--114; No--0; Divided--0

Clerical: Yes--110; No--0; Divided--0

Necessary to Pass: 58 (Lay); 56 (Clerical)

Motion carried

Resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #6)