What We're Saying

Dear Ones,

Tuesday was our last full, and final day. We began at 9 a.m. with Morning Prayer followed by Bible Study. Our Bible studies came from either the Lesser Feast and Fasts or the Daily Lectionary each day. These are followed by table discussion and I find it to be one of the best times in these meetings. In fact, I am not sure the model of having some outside speakers, or at least at the rate we have them, is the model that best utilizes our time. We certainly learn from these presentations, and we have much, much to learn, but we also learn from one another and there seems precious little time for that. This is being looked into by a special committee and was one of the orders of business for this last day. I am eager to look at new models and I am glad we are doing it.

We then had a presentation by Bishop Stacy Sauls, new Chief Operating Officer for the Episcopal Church on possible reform of our current governing structures. This has been discussed for quite some time but has certainly picked up some steam of late. I agree something needs to be done, for various reasons, and at the very least his recommendations, which really also come from General Convention special committee, the Budgetary Task Force committee which I was appointed to after 2003 but did not continue on after Bonnie Anderson became House of Deputies President when she appointed her own appointees and I became a bishop. However, I can tell you the committee was tasked with far more than simply budgetary items but anything that could affect the budget of the Episcopal Church for positive change. It was exciting when I served on it, and it is even more so as I see what has evolved. Not everyone will like the proposals and one thing is sure, it will need all involved, both Houses, and some discussion throughout the Church. There are foundational questions that need to be answered, or at the very least argued about, which I am sure they will be, like, what do we as Episcopalians really see and define as mission? What is the role of the national office and leadership that resides there? I plan to introduce the briefly at our convention, and then begin with our deputation in discussion.

After lunch, we continued the town meeting from the day before, which held several announcements and then held the business meeting. There were two major issued taken up in this, other than a few elections and appointments to committees and boards. The first was the tenuous and hostile environment present in our host diocese Ecuador Central. As I told you earlier, the Standing Committee and bishop were at serious odds, there is an investigation going on, with Bishop Ruiz at the center. Bishop Luis Ruiz addressed the House and offered his resignation, dependent on the resignation of all the Standing Committee and also the legal representative of the diocese, which happens to be a priest in the diocese that the former bishop left to him. This diocese is a corp sole, which means the bishop or legal representative, has to approve everything, especially financial. This has presented a serious problem here. All will resign and Bishop Victor Scantlebury has been appointed by the Presiding Bishop to be the provisional bishop in the diocese until which time as a new bishop can be elected. All of this was being meticulously worked out by the Presiding Bishop and Bishop Clay Matthews even as we held our normal meeting in Quito. Of course, it is not the result we would hope for, but it seems to be an equitable one, and perhaps one that will allow Ecuador Central have the space to heal.

The second major item was our taking up the document presented by the House Committee on Theology involving Environmental Stewardship. This is not a pastoral letter but rather a pastoral teaching and I find it challenging and good. Ken Gray, the head of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network has already commended it to the communion with high marks. I have provided you link to it, and I hope you will discuss and share this with your congregations.

The Pastoral Teaching on the Environment

http://episcopalmn.org/news/episcopal-church-house-of-bishops-issues-a-p...

You will also find below the link with a more full description of the details of the day. Stacy Sauls presentation will soon be made available to the bishops soon as well. This will be very useful in our ongoing discussions.

The evening ended with a closing Eucharist, where prayers and the laying on of hands for Bishop Ruiz and his family were offered. That aside, it was a joyous end to our day here.

We had a closing dinner and then we were off to bed early as we had to get up at 3 a.m., Quito time to get to the airport and catch a 6:30 am flight. We have made it to Houston and wait here for our connection. It will be good to be home. As I reflect more on these days I will share more and if you have questions, ask them. I am always amazed at the dedication, prayerful attention, and the great spirit of the House of Bishops and I am honored to represent Olympia there.

I also hope to just blog more period. I have gotten out of the habit. the link for summary of the last day is just below.

Blessings

+Greg

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/newsline_129890_ENG_HTM.htm