The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation presented its Report #17 on Resolution C064 (Support of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Opposing Enbridge Line #3) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(C064)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention reaffirm the 76th General Convention’s Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention continue to support and encourage the Presiding Bishop and Staff, the Executive Council and its Committees and each of the Dioceses of the Episcopal Church to continue that repudiation with actions, statements, prayers and witness that are consistent with the recognition of Tribal/First Nation Sovereignty in their stewardship of water, land and mineral resources found within their various historic and treaty territories; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention add its voice to echo the concerns of Faron Jackson, Sr., Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Chairman, who expressed his opposition to the placement of crude oil pipeline known as Enbridge Line #3 because of its threat to land, water and minerals, “The Lake Reservation will always be our home. Unlike a house, however, we can never rebuild or move if a disaster were to happen.”; and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church provide its historic moral standing among the indigenous peoples of Minnesota to stand with our congregations St. John’s in Onigum and St. Peter’s in Cass Lake, the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, our ecumenical partners and tribal governments to oppose the threat of pollution to sacred lands and the manoomin (wild rice) that has been given to these people to sustain them and provide a sovereign food source that nourishes body and soul; and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church encourage the State of Minnesota to refrain from responding to those exercising their First Amendment Right of Free Speech by using a militarized police presence, refrain from escalating and inciting violence, and develop and maintain a continued open dialogue with Tribal Authorities, Church Leaders and leaders of any Camps established along the proposed route of Line #3; and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church learn from its engagement as allies of the Standing Rock Nation, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and other times of solidarity with indigenous people by collecting and examining our history, theology, tradition, liturgy, and financial commitments. This examination will be conducted by the Advocacy and Networking Committee of the Executive Council, the Presiding Bishop’s Staff of Ethnic Ministries, the Office of Government Relations and those diocesan bodies and congregations that are relevant to the work. This reflection is to strengthen the good that has been done and reform our beliefs and actions as needed.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention reaffirm the 76th General Convention’swork of previous General Conventions regarding the Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery, such as 2009-D035 and 2012-A128; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention continue to support and encourage the Presiding Bishop and Staff, the Executive Council and its Committees and each of the Dioceses of The Episcopal Church to continue that repudiation with actions, statements, prayers and witness that are consistent with the recognition of Tribal/First Nation Sovereignty in their stewardship of water, land and mineral resources found within their various historic and treaty territories; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention add its voice to echo the concerns of Faron Jackson, Sr., Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Chairman, who expressed his opposition to theany placement of crude oil pipeline known as Enbridge Line #3, which in the judgement of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe threatens the because of its threat to land, water and minerals,: “The Lake Reservation will always be our home. Unlike a house, however, we can never rebuild or move if a disaster were to happen.”; and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church provide its historic moral standing among the indigenous peoples of Minnesota to stand with our congregations St. John’s in Onigum and St. Peter’s in Cass Lake, the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, our ecumenical partners and tribal governments to oppose the threat of pollution to sacred lands and the manoomin (wild rice) that has been given to these people to sustain them and provide a sovereign food source that nourishes body and soul; and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church encourage the State of Minnesota torefrain from responding to those exercising their First Amendment Right of Free Speech by using a militarized police presence, refrain from escalating and inciting violence, and develop and maintain a continued open dialogue with Tribal Authorities, Church Leaders and leaders of any Camps established along the proposed route of Line #3 and to protect the First Amendment Rights to petition for redress of grievances, to assemble peaceably, to speak freely, and to freely exercise religious rights; and be it further

Resolved, That the Episcopal Church learn from its engagement as allies of the Standing Rock Nation, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Gwich’in People of Alaska, the Inupiaq Community of Kivalina and other times of solidarity with indigenous people by collecting and examining our history, theology, tradition, liturgy, and financial commitments. This examination will be conducted by the Advocacy and Networking appropriate Ccommittee of the Executive Council, the Presiding Bishop’s Staff of Ethnic Ministries, the Office of Government Relations and those diocesan bodies and congregationsfaith communities that are relevant to the work. This reflection is to strengthen the good that has been done and reformto bring our beliefs and actions as neededinto closer alignment with the values of the Jesus Movement.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #247)