Bill Pennybacker thought breeding cattle was hard work but that was before he agreed to chair the Diocese of Texas' annual council. The Feb. 2-3 meeting at Camp Allen, near Navasota, marked the first time since 1989 that clergy and elected representatives held their annual meeting on diocesan-owned property.

"We were plowing fresh ground," Mr. Pennybacker said of the challenges that faced volunteers from the host church, St. Peter's, Brenham. "We were concerned about registration," he said, noting that more than 30 percent of the 1,053 delegates and clergy did not register until 48 hours before the meeting began. Another 50 didn't register until they arrived at Camp Allen Friday morning.

Fears that a tight council agenda might reduce dialogue proved groundless as deputies debated a host of resolutions. Dialogue began when a resolution calling for "a moratorium on the application of the death penalty" came to the floor. In a diocese that contains 60 percent of the state's prisons, the final vote had to be hand counted because the voice vote was too close to call.

A similar resolution failed without comment at council two years ago. This time the resolution passed 348 to 318.

According to the Committee on Resolutions, Resolution No. 4, which sought to affirm clergy who counseled homosexual couples, appeared to substitute pastoral direction from council in place of the bishop, and they declined to support it. The resolution was defeated in a vote following debate.

Sexuality was also part of the dialogue when the Special Task Force on Referred Resolutions presented a synopsis of its 57-page report on the diocesan-wide forum held last April to discuss sexuality issues facing the church.

In his council address, Bishop Claude E. Payne called on delegates to improve their support of the national church's budget. In response, the Rev. Jim McGill moved to increase the funding for the national church by $56,000. This amount represented recommended funding in excess of specific requests through the Mission Funding initiative for seven Diocese of Texas' ministries. The measure failed.

The diocese also set aside time from business to discuss racism. Following a presentation by Francene Young, a member of Trinity, Houston, delegates met in small groups to discuss how racism impacts evangelism and thwarts attempts to become a more united church.