While General Convention adopts resolutions with relative ease, the burden of implementing them often falls to Executive Council.

That burden was evident during a meeting in Parsippany, N.J. Feb. 5-8. The council spent the greatest portion of its time discussing implementation of resolution A045 in the three dioceses in which women are not ordained: Fort Worth, Quincy and San Joaquin.

The resolution calls for the council to establish a task force by Jan. 1 to "visit, interview, assess and assist the people and the Commissions on Ministry, Standing Committees and bishops of the three dioceses in the development and implementation of an action plan for full compliance with the canon by Sept. 1, 2002. Status reports of these action plans shall be made semi-annually to the Executive Council and the House of Bishops and a final report shall be made to the 74th General Convention."

Although nearly all of the 42 members of Executive Council support A045 in principle, agreement on how to proceed came only after a great deal of discussion that the Very Rev. George Werner, president of General Convention's House of Deputies and Executive Council vice president, said was conducted in the respectful and restrained manner of a "family impasse."

Part of the reason for the lengthy conversation was a desire on the part of council to apply the resolution in a pastoral and non-adversarial manner. Council was also aware that a number of others throughout the rest of the Anglican Communion were waiting to see how council would handle the issue.

During morning and afternoon sessions on Feb. 6, council members spoke off the record about negative and positive implications of the resolution before gathering for an on-the-record session the following day.

Council eventually approved a nine-member task force, encouraging those members to be flexible in their approach to each situation and to "begin their review with an extensive listening and fact-finding process."

Members chosen from Executive Council are: the Rev. Ann Coburn of the Diocese of Rhode Island; the Rev. David Chee, California; Sarah Harte, Los Angeles; Diane Pollard, New York; and the Rt. Rev. Catherine Roskam, Bishop Suffragan of New York.

In addition to the five, council also approved four non-council members: the Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, Bishop of Virginia; the Rt. Rev. John Lipscomb, Bishop of Southwest Florida; the Very Rev. H. Scott Kirby, dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Eau Claire, Wis., and Polly Getz, chancellor of the Diocese of San Diego.

In summary remarks, the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop, commended council members for their work and again reminded those on the new task force of their charge.

"How we go about this is going to say a tremendous amount to the rest of the Communion," he said. "If this process is seen as being rude and abusive, many people will say they want no part of it. On the other hand, if we are graceful about this, that can be a gift that results in a broader appreciation for women in ministry."

On the final day of business, council convened about 25 miles east of Parsippany at the Episcopal Church Center in New York City. In addition to conducting routine business, members received a tour of the building and the opportunity to meet with members of the staff.

In other business, the council approved continuation of an architectural feasibility study on moving the Church Center offices about 20 blocks southwest from its current location. Study of the move to the campus of the General Theological Seminary was financed by Trinity Church, Wall Street.

Both properties have excess and underused capacity, said Bishop Griswold in brief comments during the report. Both are also located on valuable Manhattan real estate, he added.

In addition to combining the two facilities, a conference center with between 50 to 60 guestrooms would be constructed. If approved, the plan calls for the conference center to be operated professionally as an independent, not-for-profit subsidiary.

"This is merely a feasibility study," said Bishop Griswold. "It is a not a fait accompli. There are two aspects: Is it physically possible and is it financially feasible?"