Executive Council to meet February 11-14 in Quito, Ecuador
Episcopal News Service. February 5, 2008 [020508-03]
Mary Frances Schjonberg
Budgets for the current year and the next triennium will be on the agenda when the Executive Council gathers February 11-14 in Quito, in the Diocese of Ecuador Central.
The Council will also have a day-long chance to learn about and engage in the ministry of the diocese, which includes approximately 1,500 Episcopalians worshipping in 23 congregations.
The Quito gathering fulfills the council's pledge to meet in Province IX of the Episcopal Church during the current triennium. Such a pledge is important, said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, "because a significant part of this church is not part of the 50 United States, speaks other languages, and labors for the gospel in vastly different contexts."
Jefferts Schori said she hopes Council members learn about the different context in which the Diocese of Ecuador Central labors "and of the great vitality and creativity" in the diocese.
"This diocese is truly engaged in transformative work in the communities it serves," she said. "My hope would be that Episcopalians would learn more and think about partnering with these other parts of the Episcopal Church."
House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson said Council, the church's governing body between meetings of General Convention, makes an effort to meet in each of the provinces, as possible, during the triennium.
"Because the 'first language' of most of the council members is English, we have asked that some of our conversations and worship be conducted in the 'first language' of the area -- Spanish," she said.
This will be a switch from the typical Council meeting during which the proceedings are conducted in English and translated simultaneously into Spanish, and Spanish-speaking Council members have their remarks translated into English. Anderson noted that "there has been considerable support expressed by the Church, for materials' translation in Spanish so that all the provinces can participate fully in the life and governance of the Episcopal Church."
The shape of the meeting
The meeting at the Hilton Colon Quito hotel will begin with an organizational plenary session the morning of February 11. The afternoon will be devoted to simultaneous meetings of the Council's four committees (Administration and Finance, known as A&F; Congregations in Ministry, known as CIM; International Concerns, known as INC; and National Concerns, known as NAC).
Following the February 12 day with the diocese, the Council will resume February 13. The four committees will meet in the morning and again in the late afternoon, with a plenary session in the earlier part of the afternoon that will include reports from Companion Churches, an anti-racism exercise and the budget presentation.
The Council will join Ecuador Central Provisional Bishop Wilfrido Ramos-Orench and members of the diocesan and provincial leadership for worship at the Cathedral El Senor that evening, followed by dinner and a presentation on the diocese's ministry, as well as that of Province IX.
Ramos-Orench is a member of the Executive Council as is Puerto Rico Bishop David Alvarez, Dominican Republic Bishop Julio Cesar Holguin and the Rev. Canon Emily Morales of Puerto Rico.
Ramos-Orench has been provisional bishop of the diocese since June 1, 2006. Formerly the bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Connecticut and native of Puerto Rico, he succeeded Neptali Larrea Moreno who was deposed in 2004. Larrea Moreno was found to have abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church amid complaints of financial irregularities.
The Council will meet in its final plenary sessions February 14, during which it will hear reports from its four committees and consider resolutions.
In addition to the Council's time in Quito, many of the members will arrive in the capital city earlier to participate in a workshop February 10 about "scenario planning," which is a process used by businesses and government agencies to consider the possible alternative future effects of present-day decisions.
"It is possible that this day of education -- as a creative tool for forward planning and organization -- will result in use of a specific process as we move toward General Convention," Anderson said.
Interacting with the Diocese of Ecuador Central
The Council will spend the entire day February 12 interacting with members of the diocese and the larger faith and civic communities of Quito. Individual Council members will spend five hours at one of nine venues in and around Quito at which the diocese is engaged in ministries ranging from health clinics and day-care centers to schools and refugee housing. In the afternoon, Council will reflect on the experience and hear from a representative of the Latin American Council of Churches and others.
Anderson, noting that "understanding is a key component of relationship," said she senses "quite a lot of expectation and excitement on the part of Council to have this opportunity to be with the people of the Diocese of Ecuador and to get to know them."
"There is no substitute for looking a brother or sister in the eye and exchanging stories, faith and life experience," she said. "Personally, I hope to build lasting personal relationships. Corporately, I would hope the same for the Council and the diocese."
The Rev. Gregory Straub, the Episcopal Church's executive officer and secretary of the General Convention, said the interaction is also meant to be a team-building opportunity for the members of council.
Budget discussions
Executive Council makes adjustments in each year of the triennium to the Episcopal Church's budget passed at General Convention.
Straub said that the reorganization of the staff at the Episcopal Church Center in New York City and other reasons mean the 2007-2009 triennial budget will need to amended for 2008. The annual budgets contained in each triennial budget are often modified by Council.
In addition, Council will begin considering the process and priorities of the 2010-2012 budget. The four standing committees of Council will each spend two hours during the Quito meeting discussing the triennium's mission priorities to consider if they should remain the same or be changed. Resolution D031 of the 75th General Convention ordered five mission priorities for the triennium as justice and peace; young adults, youth and children, reconciliation and evangelism; congregational transformation and relationships.
Straub said the Episcopal Church's committees, commissions, agencies and boards (CCABs) have input into that discussion and their comments will go to the four Council committees.
Council will spend the next three meetings developing a budget for the 2010-2012 triennium to present to the General Convention's Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance. Those meetings will be June 13-15 in Albuquerque, New Mexico; October 20-23 in Helena, Montana and January 30-February 2, 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Other actions and conversations expected during the meeting include:
- a decision on the location of the 77th General Convention in 2012 following a recommendation by the Joint Standing Committee on Planning and Arrangements;
- a briefing by United Thank Offering officials about a re-alignment of its grant-making priorities toward the health and well-being of women and children;
- a report of the effort to re-locate the Archives of the Episcopal Church
- a conversation about the possible shape of a process the Council will use during its June meeting to discuss its role, responsibility and authority; and
- a conversation about the efforts of a task group of Council members appointed by Jefferts Schori and Anderson to implement 75th General Convention Resolution A111, which requires Council to review the committees that report to it to see if they should continue, be terminated or have their work assigned to a standing commission of the church. Lists of committees currently reporting to Executive Council and of the church's standing commissions, along with their reports to the 75th General Convention, are available here.