The Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker, Bishop of Fort Worth, called for the diocese to celebrate the reign of Christ and not let itself be sidetracked from carrying out the great commission, in his address to diocesan convention Nov. 9.

"The devil is at work trying to get us to focus our efforts on other concerns," he said. "Too many of the operations of the church appear to be under the reign of the devil than under the reign of Christ."

While the legal declaration adopted concerning General Convention was the major news [TLC, Dec. 1], other resolutions came before convention. Delegates approved a new canon which requires clergy to abstain from sexual relations outside holy matrimony, and thanked the bishops who brought a presentment against Bishop Walter Righter for ordaining a non-celibate homosexual.

Most of the convention was devoted to its mission activities, including a highly successful mission trip to the companion diocese of Northern Malawi. Bishop Iker called for a new emphasis on stewardship education during the next year, and delegates heard the recently retired Bishop of West Texas, the Rt. Rev. John MacNaughton, outline a theology of Christian stewardship.

Bishop Iker told the convention that he was unable to vote for the proposed Concordat of Agreement between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Church because he believed there were different understandings of apostolic order which had not been fully resolved.

Delegates approved a budget of nearly $1.2 million after learning of growth in membership and contributions. Bishop Iker reported a 40 percent increase in the number of confirmations over the previous year.

(The Rev.) Jeffrey Steenson