Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music provides online resource archive
Episcopal News Service. May 16, 2011 [051611-02]
ENS staff
The Episcopal Church Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) has created an archive of materials it has collected and generated in its effort to accomplish the mandate given to it by General Convention concerning the blessing of same-gender unions.
Resolution C056, which was passed in 2009, directed the commission to work with the House of Bishops to collect and develop theological resources and liturgies for blessing same-gender relationships. The commission is to report to the 77th General Convention in 2012 in Indianapolis.
The commission's online collection was developed in partnership with the Archives of the Episcopal Church, and is located here, according to a press release from the church's Office of Public Affairs.
The material includes past General Convention resolutions, diocesan and church-wide resources and statements on the subject of same-gender unions, collected liturgical policy statements and sample rites, as well as a collection of minutes, meeting transcripts, letters, webcast links and other materials generated by the commission.
In addition, the commission said in the release that it has made available an electronic version of Holy Women, Holy Men, the 2009 General Convention-approved revision to its calendar of commemorations of saints previously known as Lesser Feasts and Fasts. It is available via a link here.
The convention authorized a trial use period for Holy Women, Holy Men, which began July 1, 2010, and ends June 30. Holy Women, Holy Men's prayers and propers for each saint are posted daily here, where an opportunity for feedback is provided. The SCLM is soliciting views, opinions and feedback on the use of the new calendar and its resources through June 30.
Additionally, an online survey to assist in gathering feedback is available here.
The electronic posting of Holy Women, Holy Men, the release said, is in response to General Convention Resolution A089, which asked in part that "liturgical and musical resources be made widely available not only in print but also in electronic format on the internet."
The commission will prepare a report on the usage and people's experiences with Holy Women, Holy Men for the 2012 meeting of General Convention.
For more information contact SCLM at sclm@episcopalchurch.org