Sincere and well-meaning Episcopalians have been concerned with restructuring the church for decades. Proposals have ranged from insisting that the Presiding Bishop be a diocesan bishop as well as primate, to reducing the size of General Convention by cutting the number of deputies. The latest and perhaps most ambitious restructuring proposal comes from the Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church, which is sending a series of resolutions to General Convention.

The commission has worked for the past two years, having been charged by four sources: a canonical mandate, a resolution from the 1994 General Convention, a letter from the presidents of both houses of General Convention, and a resolution from the national Executive Council. It has put forth a sensible proposal which calls for major changes in the national church's structure of commissions and committees, and it recommends a change in the focus of the Presiding Bishop's ministry.

The Structure Commission's proposal would reduce the number of legislative committees and standing commissions from the current 29 to 18. At a time when there seems to be a movement toward emphasizing mission and ministry at the parish level, the idea of cutting back on national church bodies is quite appealing. Merging groups which address similar topics is good stewardship, and eliminating committees which have little or nothing to do with General Convention should be done with haste.

The report of the structure commission also addresses the problem of the large number of resolutions to come before General Convention. The commission proposes a limit of three resolutions and endorsements per deputy in an attempt to cut further the number of resolutions to come before convention. We are supportive of this legislation if for no other reason than limiting the number of resolutions may make deputies more judicious in their proposals.

A resolution which would shift the emphasis of the Presiding Bishop's ministry from managing to leading is worth consideration. Managing the bureaucracy at 815 Second Ave., New York City, probably should not be part of the Presiding Bishop's duties. The day-to-day administrative responsibilities which the P.B. faces might be better accomplished by an executive officer, which the Commission on Structure also proposes. The church's canons are clear on what the Presiding Bishop ought to be doing. Such phrases as "visit every diocese," "pastoral consultations" and "preaching the word" in Canon I are apt. The proposed changes in the emphasis of the Presiding Bishop's ministry need to be discussed in anticipation of the convention in Philadelphia in July.

The Commission on the Structure of the Church has put together a thoughtful, challenging report. While it will not solve the church's problems, it honors its polity and ought to be taken seriously before and during General Convention.