The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Special Legislative Committee presented its Report #7 on Resolution A165 (Commitment to Windsor and Listening Processes) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A165)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church commend the Windsor Report as an important contribution to the process of living into communion across the Anglican Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commit The Episcopal Church to the ongoing “Windsor Process,” a process of discernment as to the nature and unity of the Church, as we pursue a common life of dialogue, listening, and growth, formed and informed by the Baptismal Covenant and Eucharistic fellowship; and urges all members of this Church to commit themselves to the call of communion and interdependent life; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commend the steps taken by the Anglican Communion Office in beginning a formal “Listening Process” across the Communion, as commended by resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commend for further study and as part of the continued Listening Process the document To Set our Hope on Christ, prepared for the 13th Meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council by the Office of the Presiding Bishop; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention express its gratitude to the women of the Anglican Consultative Council’s Delegation to the United Nations Consultation on the Status of Women for providing a model of dialogue and engagement on issues of concern to all; and asks that this model be considered for implementation in the Windsor and Listening processes across the Anglican Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commend the report “One Baptism, One Hope in God’s Call” of the Special Commission on The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion as a resource in the Windsor and Listening processes.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church commend the Windsor Report “as offering a way forward for the mutual life of our Communion” (Primates’ Communiqué), and as an essential and substantive importantcontribution to the process of living into deeper levels of communion and interdependence across the Anglican Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commit The Episcopal Church to the ongoing “Windsor Process,” a process of discernment as to the nature and unity of the Church, as we pursue a common life of dialogue, listening, and growth, formed and informed by the bonds of communion we shareBaptismal Covenant and Eucharistic fellowship; and urges all members of this Church to commit themselves to the call of greater communion and interdependent life; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commend the steps taken by the Anglican Communion Office in beginning a formal “Listening Process” across the Communion, as commended by resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commend for further study and as part of the continued Listening Process the document To Set our Hope on Christ, prepared for the 13th Meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council by the Office of the Presiding Bishop; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention express its gratitude to the women of the Anglican Consultative Council’s Delegation to the United Nations Consultation on the Status of Women for providing a model of dialogue and engagement on issues of concern to all; and asks that this model be considered for implementation in the Windsor and Listening processes across the Anglican Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commend the report “One Baptism, One Hope in God’s Call” of the Special Commission on The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion as a resource in the Windsor and Listening processes.

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commend the “listening process” as recommended in the Windsor Report, “so that greater common understanding might be obtained on the underlying issue of same gender relationships” (Windsor Report, ¶135); and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention gratefully acknowledge the practical steps taken by the Anglican Communion Office to begin a formal “listening process” across the Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75th General Convention commit this Church to participating fully and openly in this “listening process,” both at the local level and with the rest of the Communion (ACC 13, Resolution 12).

The Bishop Suffragan of Alabama moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Add a final resolve clause: “and be it further Resolved, That a staff person at The Episcopal Church Center be identified to forward this “listening process” in coordination with the cognate person for the Communion and with our Communion partners.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

The Bishop of Lexington moved an amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

Return to the original text of the resolution with the above amendment just passed.

The question was called.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

The question was called.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on Resolution A165 as amended.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #140)