The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

Original Text of Resolution:

(A029)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the Episcopal Church not enter a relationship of covenant communion as proposed in Churches in Covenant Communion: The Church of Christ Uniting (1988); and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church continue its membership in the Consultation on Church Union on the understanding that the Episcopal Church invite the churches, or families of churches, who are our partners in COCU to establish dialogues to consider the theological differences remaining between us and to seek new ways forward in the quest for Christian unity.

Proposed Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the Episcopal Church

1. Pray regularly and fervently for the unity which Christ wills for the Church; and more particularly for divine guidance concerning the proposal to enter into full communion with the churches comprising the Consultation on Church Union;
2. Affirm this Church's continuing membership in the Consultation as one sign of its commitment to seek Christian unity;
3. Refer the COCU Consensus and Churches in Covenant Communion to the Inter-Anglican Ecumenical Office of the Anglican Consultative Council for their consideration and response in the light of ecumenical commitments, engagements, or developments throughout the Anglican Communion; and request that the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (SCER) continue to consider the consistency of COCU documentation with that of this Church's other ecumenical dialogues;
4. Request the Consultation on Church Union to place the "Report of the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations on Churches in Covenant Communion" ( The Blue Book, 1994, pp. 158-176) and the 1988 "Reservations and Elucidations on The COCU Consensus" on its agenda for further discussion within and among our sister churches in the Consultation;
5. Direct the SCER to work with the network of Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical Officers (EDEO) toward the development of relationships between congregations of the Episcopal Church and those of our sister churches in the Consultation on Church Union for the purpose of common worship and study along with joint efforts in behalf of the mission of the Church on the local level; and, further, for the SCER to report on the development and progress of such relationships to the 72nd General Convention (1997);
6. Inform the Consultation on Church Union that, while this Church is not yet ready to enter into covenant communion on the basis of Churches in Covenant Communion: The Church of Christ Uniting, we do join with our sister churches on the Consultation in praying that by continuing open, honest, and candid dialogue with one another we may, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, hasten the day of such full communion.
   

Proposed Substitution:

The Bishop of Georgia moved to substitute the original text of Resolution A029.

The Bishop of Honduras moved the previous question.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the Bishop of Georgia's substitution.

Motion defeated

Substitution rejected

Proposed Amendment:

The Suffragan Bishop of Virginia moved to amend the Substitute Resolution by deleting in (f) the word "yet." The committee accepted the amendment.

Proposed Amendment:

The Bishop of Long Island moved to re-insert "yet" in (f).

The Bishop of Southern Virginia moved the previous question.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the Bishop of Long Island's amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment rejected

The Bishop of Honduras moved the previous question on the Committee's Substitute.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the Committee's Substitute for Resolution A029.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #93)