THE 77TH GENERAL CONVENTION, FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The House of Deputies floor

General Convention’s energy radiates around the Indianapolis Convention Center and surrounding hotels.  With four thousand Episcopalians gathered for our triennial Convention and the Episcopal Church Women’s Triennium, there is not a stranger among us!  I have seen old friends from my life in five dioceses in which I have served the church as both lay person and priest.  I have made new friends from many dioceses around the church over the past few days that widens my circle of friends within the extended community of the Episcopal Church.  The crowds here reveal an incredibly broad and faithful church that is much more via media than we realize in the Diocese of Alabama in Huntsville and at the Church of the Nativity.  This is especially seen in our inspiring and rich daily Eucharists.  Hearing  4000 voices singing Christ is made the sure foundation affirms the faith we share.   Our rich “Anglo” music is supplemented by Native American and Hispanic music (and prayers). 

The atmosphere at my third General Convention is hopeful for our future together.  There is more generosity and respect shown among us than I have seen at other conventions.  I believe that our life together is centered on our faith in Jesus Christ and our commitment to being Christ’s body in the world, although that can mean radically different expressions of what is important for each of us.   Nativity is represented more than any other parish in the diocese with Nativity parishioners Rusty Stephenson (alternate deputy along with me), Connie Stephenson, Tippy Anderson, artist Carol McCrady (who has a booth in the exhibition hall displaying her beautiful art),  and former Nativity “Youth” Sarah Dunn,  (who is a now a Postulant for Holy Orders from the Diocese of Western Massachusetts after her graduation from Mt. Holyoke and entering Episcopal seminary Berkeley at Yale this fall) all joining me and others from our diocese in the fun! 

Andy with Alabama Deputation on the floor

General Convention is Diocesan Convention on steroids with not two, but eight full days of legislation.  The days are long with committee meetings beginning at 9:00 a.m.; Eucharist at 9:30 a.m. daily, and legislation running with a lunch break from 11:15 to 6:30 p.m.  Somewhere around 6 p.m. gatherings of paragroups.  I have attended gatherings of TENS (The Episcopal Network of Stewardship), The Gathering of Leaders grass roots leadership collaboration of clergy focusing on church growth for the sake of the Gospel, Sewanee, and a great Diocese of Alabama dinner!  However, our diocesan group gets together each night at about 9:15 for about an hour in Bishop Sloan’s suite to “wine” down the day and reflect on the legislation passed and what is coming onto the agenda.   Many nights there are also committee meetings again from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.  the days are full, engaging and yes, tiring. 

This convention will wrestle with over 600 resolutions.  Many have to do with the ongoing governance and administration of the church, and clarifying the constitution and canons.   Many are statements about our connection to the larger world, politically, socially, and environmentally.  We will elect new officers for the House of Deputies and many other national church offices including the Church Pension Fund Board, the Executive Council of the Church, the Nominating Committee for the next Presiding Bishop to be elected at the 78^th General Convention in 2015, and others.  We will deal with matters of church-wide health insurance and insurance parity between clergy and lay employees. 

The matter you will hear the most about through the news will have to do with blessing same sex covenant relationships, and any other matters that relate to sexuality or gender issues.  You have heard from our Bishop about this specifically.  I’ll share more about this in the next blog. 

Important to the Episcopal Church and to Christians around the world have to do with restructuring the Episcopal Church to strengthen mission and evangelism in our changing culture, our response to the Anglican Communion Covenant, and the church’s support of Palestinian Christians and justice in Israel. 

I love being here and sharing the good news that Christ’s body at Nativity is sharing in the world.  It’s great being with our Episcopal Family at this mega-reunion!