The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

Original Text of Resolution:

(A129)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 2000 General Convention commend to Executive Council the record of the Consultation on Autonomy held in October 1999 by the Standing Commission on World Mission with autonomous jurisdictions that were formerly part of the Episcopal Church, namely, the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, the Anglican Church of Central America, the Episcopal Diocese of Liberia (now a member of the Province of West Africa), the Anglican Church of Mexico, and the Episcopal Church in the Philippines; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to implement the Church's continuing covenants and agreements with jurisdictions of the Anglican Communion that were formerly part of the Episcopal Church to ensure that all of the Episcopal Church's responsibilities under the covenants are carried out and that the Church work in companionship with them to carry out God's mission; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to nurture companionship with the Church's present overseas dioceses - namely, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Litoral, Taiwan, and the Virgin Islands - to ensure growth toward maturity among all participants; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to set long-range financial goals for the portion of the program budget devoted to overseas ECUSA dioceses; develop and publicize a plan for meeting such goals; and determine the feasibility of a "campaign for autonomy" that would avoid the need for lengthy covenant commitments if and when autonomy is undertaken by any overseas dioceses; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to include the Church's overseas dioceses in all communications planning and programming, especially electronic communications; and offer financial incentives to domestic dioceses to consider companion relationships with geographically distant overseas dioceses and provinces; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to ensure that all Executive Council members are briefed thoroughly on the status of overseas ECUSA dioceses, autonomy processes being undertaken by ECUSA dioceses, and covenants with autonomous jurisdictions formerly part of ECUSA; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to ensure that overseas ECUSA dioceses and autonomous jurisdictions formerly part of ECUSA are effectively represented on decision-making bodies of the church.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 2000 General Convention commend to Executive Council the efforts of the Consultation on Autonomy held in October 1999 by the Standing Commission on World Mission with autonomous jurisdictions that were formerly part of the Episcopal Church, namely, the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, the Anglican Church of Central America, the Episcopal Diocese of Liberia (now a member of the Province of West Africa), the Anglican Church of Mexico, and the Episcopal Church in the Philippines; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to honor the Church's continuing covenants and agreements with jurisdictions of the Anglican Communion that were formerly part of the Episcopal Church to ensure that all of the Episcopal Church's responsibilities under the covenants are carried out and that the Church work in companionship with them to carry out God's mission; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to nurture companionship with the Church's present overseas diocese jurisdictions - namely, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Litoral, Taiwan, the Virgin Islands, Convocation of American Churches in Europe, and the Church in Micronesia - to ensure growth toward maturity among all participants and including ECUSA; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to set long-range financial goals for the portion of the program budget devoted to overseas ECUSA diocese jurisdictions; develop and publicize a plan for meeting such goals; and determine the feasibility of a "campaign for autonomy" that would avoid the need for lengthy covenant commitments if and when autonomy is undertaken by any overseas diocese jurisdictions; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to include the Church's overseas diocese jurisdictions in all communications planning and programming, especially electronic communications; and to prepare a plan in consultation with the Companion diocesan network to encourage companion relationships with geographically distant overseas jurisdictions and provinces; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to ensure that all Executive Council members are briefed thoroughly at least once a year on the status of overseas ECUSA diocese jurisdictions, autonomy processes being undertaken by ECUSA diocese jurisdictions, and covenants with autonomous jurisdictions formerly part of ECUSA; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention direct Executive Council to ensure that overseas ECUSA dioceses and autonomous jurisdictions formerly part of ECUSA are effectively represented on decision-making bodies of the church and that the decision-making bodies of ECUSA continue to seek the perspectives of the jurisdictions formerly part of ECUSA.

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

A vote was taken on Resolution A129 as amended.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #68)