A summary of Executive Council resolutions
Episcopal News Service – Linthicum Heights, Maryland. June 17, 2011 [061711-03]
During its June 15-17 meeting here, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church adopted several resolutions, which are summarized below.
Executive Council
Accept the audited financial statements covering fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 (EC017)
Instruct council's executive committee to design and manage the process to develop council's draft 2013-2015 budget (EC018)
Ratify June 11 Episcopal Relief & Development board election results (ratification required by agency's bylaws)
Advocacy & Networking for Mission
Reaffirm the church's opposition to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, noting it is inconsistent with more than three decades of policy resolutions expressing church's support for gay and lesbian persons and opposition to any state or federal constitutional amendment that prohibits same-sex civil marriage or civil unions; commends the President of the United States for abandoning the legal defense of the act in federal court; and that as that litigation proceeds encourages Episcopalians to communicate church's opposition to the act to courts, policymakers and others (AN028)
Stand in solidarity with the First Nations Committee of the Diocese of Olympia; affirm that committee's statement of February 18, 2011, in which they stand with the JT Williams Organizing Committee; and honor the memory of John T. Williams (AN029)
Call upon all elected officials to respect the labor rights of public employees and to withdraw any legislation that would limit or eliminate those rights, and urge "all people to seriously consider the support of the workers in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and other states where these rights are under attack" (AN030)
Invite Episcopal communities of all kinds "to open the doors of their institutions the weekend of September 10 and 11 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with acts of prayer and remembrance, service, creativity, inter-faith cooperation, education, community building, and fellowship, offering our institutions as active, accessible sites of healing for our local communities" (AN031)
Deplore recent military actions of the Government of Sudan against the people of Abyei and the Nuba Mountains, which have resulted in the death and displacement of thousands of people, the burning of the cathedral in the Episcopal Diocese of Kadugli and the Nuba Mountains, the attack and killing of church members, and the wholesale destruction of church property; urge the U.S. government to take a number of steps; express solidarity with the Episcopal Church of Sudan and commend the Presiding Bishop for her 2010 call for a season of advocacy and prayer for the Sudan and urges all Episcopalians to continue in prayer and advocacy for the people of Sudan, especially those in these war torn regions (AN032)
Request that the Office of the Presiding Bishop appoint staff liaisons to council's five standing committees to facilitate the timely exchange, flow and coordination of information and work (AN033)
Express profound concern at the impasse between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the process toward final-status negotiations for a two-state solution; reaffirm church's support for a two-state solution "in which a secure and universally recognized State of Israel lives alongside a secure, independent and viable Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states;" reiterate belief that bilateral negotiation the two parties are necessary; expresses church's "unequivocal opposition" to any action by either party that undermines progress toward negotiations; recognize that Palestinian efforts for U.N. recognition of statehood are a response to the stalled negotiations; reaffirm church's view that Palestinian statehood is a legitimate political aspiration; affirm that Palestinian political unity is necessary for a government capable of representing the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but notes that the inclusion of Hamas in any governing entity must be accompanied by "concrete reaffirmations" by the Palestinian Authority of its unequivocal renunciation of violence and its recognition of the State of Israel; and urge all Episcopalians to pray for the peace of the Holy Land and advocate to their own governments for maximum international support for a negotiated two-state solution (AN034)
Finances for Mission
Accept the investment policy statement developed and adopted by its Investment Committee at its meeting on May 20, 2011 (FFM040)
Revise language of Trust Fund # 921 (Bequest of Helen Black McAllister) (FFM041)
Establish Trust Fund # 1040 as an investment account for the Diocese of Lexington (FFM042)
Recognize the diligent and effective work of its Investment Committee and extends its profound thanks for the time and expertise that the members devote to the investment portfolio (FFM043)
Support the Diocese of San Joaquin in its protection of diocesan properties and continuing operations by making an additional loan available of up to $500,000 through 2012 (FFM044)
Support the Diocese of Quincy "as they explore the future of the diocese and in continuing operations during this time of exploration" by providing a grant of $50,000 and by amending its existing $125,000 line of credit by deferring interest and principal payments until December 31 (FFM045)
Governance and Administration for Mission
Approve as a supplement to the DFMS Records Retention Policy the Guidelines for the Selection of Software for Records of The Episcopal Church as a standard for implementing systems used to manage the electronic records of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (the Episcopal Church's corporate entity) and the General Convention, and request that the purchase of new software systems or services affecting such records be made after consultations required in the DFMS Records Retention Policy (GAM011)
Approve Memo of Understanding between Executive Council/DFMS and Episcopal Relief & Development, pertaining to the working relationship between the two organizations (GAM012)
Adopt Constable Fund grant process (GAM013)
Adopt revised by-laws for governance of council and the DFMS (GAM014)
Adopt rules of order to govern council proceedings (GAM015)
Local Mission and Ministry
Review list of Jubilee Programs (LMM018)
Approve nine Constable Fund grant applications, totaling $325,200 (LMM019)
World Mission
Express appreciation for a series of missionary appointments made on behalf of the Presiding Bishop in recent months (WM017)
Express appreciation for a series of Young Adult Service Corps appointments made on behalf of the Presiding Bishop in recent months (WM018)
Express appreciation for those Young Adult Service Corps volunteer companions who faithfully completed their term of service (WM019)
Express appreciation for those mission companions who faithfully completed their terms of service (WM020)
Recognize continuing companion diocese relationship between the Diocese of Los Angeles and the Diocese of Jerusalem until June 30, 2014, unless extended or terminated by mutual consent (WM021)
Affirm "A Charter Between The Episcopal Church in the Philippines (EPC) and The Episcopal Church (TEC)," establish a new name for the joint committee (Joint Committee on Provincial Companionship), articulate expectations and goals for the companionship and committee, draw funds for Episcopal Church representation on the committee from those budgeted for the Philippines relationship (WM022)
Reaffirm commitment to the Millennium Development Goals as a primary mission priority through 2015, pledge to redouble its efforts to pursue achievement of the goals by 2015, request council's Joint Standing Committee on Finances for Mission to include in the 2013-2015 draft General Convention budget a line item of no less than 0.7 percent of the church's non-government revenue to support the MDGs with funds from the line item to be contributed to a 2013-2015 campaign led and administered by Episcopal Relief & Development in support of its programs that are working to achieve the MDGs (WM023)
The Executive Council carries out the programs and policies adopted by the General Convention, according to Canon I.4 (1)(a). The council is composed of 38 members, 20 of whom (four bishops, four priests or deacons and 12 lay people) are elected by General Convention and 18 (one clergy and one lay) by provincial synods for six-year terms, plus the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies.