Friday the 13th -- A Pretty Lucky Day!

8:00 am. Austin Convention Center. 

We were scheduled for two Legislative Sessions today. 8:00 - 1:00 and 2:30 - 6:30. Yikes! Doesn't that sound like a long, long day?

And then we got started. And we got moving! Where yesterday we endured countless parliamentary motions and extended debate, today all motions were kept to a minimum. It was almost as if everyone were ready to get done and head home. And why not? Most of us had been here 11 days -- or more!

Early on resolution B012 came back to us. This was the resolution entitled "Marriage Rites for the Whole Church." The House of Bishops accepted the resolution largely as passed by the Deputies, adding only a single amendment that clarified an important matter. As the resolution authorizes liturgies for trial use, a vote by orders was required. Each deputation has up to 4 lay and 4 clergy. A majority vote in each of the two orders is recorded as either "yes" or "no." If there's a tie, then the vote is recorded as "divided," which is functionally the same as a "no" vote. Then you tally votes by deputation and by order, either lay or clergy.

Here's the final total on "Marriage Rites for the Whole Church."

That's about as wide a margin as you could get!

As it turns out, by working a bit later than planned in the morning session, we completed all our work by about 1:40 pm!

Some closing reflections from a third-time deputy.

The Ft. Worth Deputation posted a "Top Ten" list from Convention on Facebook. The first three resolutions they discuss are:

1. Marriage for all (B012)
2. A plan for revision of the Book of Common Prayer (A068)
3. Authorization of an expansive language version of Holy Eucharist Rite II (D078)

The committee on which I had the privilege to serve worked on all three. I am amazed that I had a front-row seat to such changes, participating in their discussion and sharing in such important work.

And yet these changes do not change everything. The availability of marriage rites for all couples seeking marriage does not impose such an inclusive view on all; it merely makes it available to all. And I think that's the right, good, and even Godly thing to do. Baptism is the rite by which and through which we celebrate becoming part of the family of God. Yet some of our baptized members have been consigned to lesser status solely because of their sexuality. No more; now all baptized Episcopalians can share in all the sacraments of our church.

Prayer Book revision may be for some a source of anxiety. Yet the House of Bishops added an important element to the resolution authorizing a revision process: The Book of the Common Prayer 1979 is "memorialized" as a Prayer Book for the Church. That means that even as we work through a process of considering anew how we worship God all who wish to continue using the "new" Prayer Book of the last four decades may continue to do so.

In other words, in the best of our expansive, Episcopal way we charted a course that reaches for the future while never forgetting or past -- or thinking that embracing one requires abandoning the other.

I am excited and energized by our work here. As Presiding Bishop Michael Curry likes to remind us: we are the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement. I believe our branch is stronger and our church will bear good fruit in the days and years following General Convention 2018.

May God continue to bless us all with faith, courage, and strength.

Thursday, July 12 -- Have I really been here 10 days? (It only feels like 20!)

This morning I had one last 7:30 am Committee 13 during which we discharged the remaining resolutions assigned to us. In every case, the subject matter had already been addressed in alternative resolutions.

At 9:00 am we began the first of two long legislative sessions, lasting until about 6:00 pm with just over an hour for lunch.

The big news: we adopted a budget of just under $134 million. We also spent a great deal of time considering a number of resolutions regarding Israel and Palestine (I believe it was six in total). While the House of Deputies was hardly unanimous in our votes, Israel's policies regarding Palestinians was soundly criticized. While it seems to me that much of the criticism may well be justified, there was little acknowledgment of the dangers, risks, and threats Israel also faces.

In liturgical developments, we're going to get a new "Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018" for trial use as well as a version of the Rite II Eucharist (including Eucharistic Prayers A, B, and D) rendered in more expansive language for trial use. Based heavily on the 1979 text, this option seems to strike a pretty good balance between the traditional cadence and rhythm of the '79 BCP and language that at times seems to try a little too hard to be gender-neutral. We'll see what happens with this tomorrow in the House of Bishops which has not yet considered it.

During the day the House of Deputies was joined by our Deputy Pigeon. After over a week with us, I'm sure by now he's an Episco-pigeon. If only we could get the bird baptized surely we could then find a bishop for his confirmation!

After a dinner break we gathered for the closing Eucharist. Tomorrow: the home stretch!

Wednesday, July 11 -- the longest day yet!

Friends,

Today began with a Committee 13 (see above) hearing on A068 on Prayer Book revision. We considered and praised the substitute sent back from the House of Bishops. Many bishops collaborated on improving what the House of Deputies had sent them, retaining most of what our version asked for while providing a deeper and broader foundation for the work to come. We then took care of a few other matters before taking a group picture. Tomorrow should be our final meeting. It has been a profound pleasure and deep privilege to serve alongside these wonderful deputies and articulate bishops as we shared in holy work.

We had three -- yes, THREE -- legislative sessions, starting at 10:30 am, 3:45 pm, and 7:30 pm. Oh, and we spent an hour receiving and discussing a report on the proposed budget for the coming three years.

The highlight of the day was the resolution welcoming the Episcopal Diocese of Cuba back into The Episcopal Church after an absence of over 50 years. Our approval was instant, loud, and unanimous. Bishop Griselda of Cuba then addressed and thanked the House of Deputies. I did not expect to be so moved by this act of reconciliation, restoration, and healing.

Oh, and with minimal debate, the Bishop's version of A068 passed in the House of Deputies on a voice vote with an obvious and substantial margin between the "ayes" and the "nays".

Our evening session, known on Twitter as "GCAfterDark" seemed at first to be a colossal and slow parliamentary waste of time. Glad I had my iPad with me though, to be honest, I could have played the same games in the comfort of my hotel room!

And then we suddenly started passing substantial legislation on care for the deaf and disabled in the church, on Sudan church and civil, and on carbon offsets to protect the environment. A good day to a long day, ending at 9:30.

Ten hours from now? Back to work! Only two more legislative days to go...

Tuesday, July 10 -- An imperfect process, and Gary plays tourist

Another day, another Committee 13 meeting. We started by hearing testimony on A227, "Communion Across Difference." This was the resolution we took pretty much wholesale from the original version of B012 regarding expanded marriage rites. This new resolution calls for the establishment of a task force of diverse members and requiring a 50/50 split between those who hold to a more traditional view and those with a more progressive view. Only six showed up at 7:30 to testify, but all of our witnesses commended our continuing need to talk to each other and to ensure there remains a place for "the theological minority" in The Episcopal Church. Our committee approved the resolution and it now goes to the House of Deputies for consideration.

We then revisited A086, "Authorize Rites to Bless Relationships." Two members of the committee (both lawyers) noted fatal defects which we discussed at length and have yet to resolve fully. This resolution was offered as a pastoral response to couples who cannot or should not legally marry yet wish to have the church's blessing on their relationship. At least one of the bishops noted that not every pastoral need requires an answer in the canons of the church. 

In the morning -- and again following the afternoon legislative session -- we discussed the path of A068, regarding Prayer Book revision, through the House of Bishops. Today the HOB debated the resolve and adopted (nearly unanimously, I'm told) a substitute. So, now it will return to the House of Deputies to be considered in its new form. Along the way, it looks like a committee of both bishops and deputies will be appointed to craft a measure that can (I hope) pass both houses. We'll see!

We also had our third and final TEConversation with speakers (and more) to inspire to consider us to consider our responsibility and opportunities for us to be better stewards of God's creation. 

In the afternoon I played tourist. This included a little time at the hotel pool as well as a visit to the Texas Capitol. This is an impressive building! To the left is a view of the etched glass seen in many of the office doors. Every you look you see the familiar five-pointed Texas star. And I do mean everywhere! From light fixtures to door knobs to chair backs to the floor there are what seem light thousands of stars. And, of course, I couldn't resist taking a picture looking straight up in the rotunda.

Finally, I had dinner with Mary Beth and Jean, two members of the West Tennessee deputation. Too bad this photo isn't from tonight! It's actually from two nights ago, and I forgot it was still in the camera. I include this because I liked the way the light refracted through the glass of port onto the white tablecloth.

Monday, July 9 -- A rather short report

7:30 am -- Committee 13 Meeting in which we spent time considering and amending a trial liturgy that offers expansive language while retaining much of the familiar cadence of Rite II Eucharistic Prayers. 

Great moments along the way: Chair Sam Candler (House of Deputies) asked, "Are we striking 'Jesus'?" While we all knew he was thinking about an editorial choice, his sentence still offered a moment of levity as we imagined the headline if Sam's comment were taken out of context. 

A few minutes later, Bishop Brian Thom stood and proclaimed, "All hail the Oxford comma!" I guess you had to be there. Still, this demonstrates the level of care the members of our committee bring to the work of considering and perfecting resolutions brought to us. In this case, our committee secretary had asked about the placement of a single comma in some amended text.

We also considered and approved A086 to authorize rites to bless long-term relationships for those rare situations in which couples cannot legally marry. These instances would include cases where marriage would cause financial hardship (as in older couples drawing social security benefits) or in cases where one of the partners wishes to avoid unwanted attention from immigration. We'll see how this is received in the House of Bishops.

10:30 am -- the first Legislative Session of the day, during which our amended version of B012 regarding the use and availability of marriage rites for ALL in The Episcopal Church debated. Various amendments, none too substantive, were offered. A vote by orders was requested, and the resolution passed by a large margin. Now we'll what happens when this goes to the House of Bishops.

1:15 pm -- the second Legislative Session began with our chaplain calling all 800+ of us to the platform to lay hands on each other and share in a moment of prayer and song.

One resolution drew the most attention. D019 calls for possible divestment in companies whose work supports Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. While hotly debated (with some deputies noting that the report seemed one-sided in favor of Palestine and against Israel), the resolution passed.

We did other work, of course, including hearing a spirited address from one of the young people attending General Convention as part of the Youth Presence.

5:15 pm -- Holy Eucharist. Great message. Dirge-like and loooong hymn at the conclusion. Odd way to conclude a celebration.

7:30 pm -- Dinner with members of the deputation. Nothing like last night's indulgence, but tasty all the same. And such good friends!

9:30 pm -- Ended the day with two friends from seminary, chatting until way too late.

Sunday, July 8 -- A slow start and a late end

This morning I slept in a bit and attended worship at the Convention Center. One of the cool opportunities at General Convention is to help in distributing either the bread or wine of communion. All you have to do is show up a bit early. That's been nearly impossible given our deputation's location towards the front of the hall in which the House of Deputies meets; by the time we get out of our session and headed to worship, all available slots to serve have been claimed. Not this morning! I arrived in time to be allowed the privilege of sharing the Bread of Communion at one of the stations.

Several hundred -- perhaps as many as 1,000 -- folks took buses and private vehicles to gather for a prayer service at the Hutto Immigration Detainment Facility, about 45 minutes outside of Austin, in response to the recent concerns about the treatment of immigrant families at our southern border. I did not attend, in part because I failed to reserve a seat on the bus in time. But also because I was really quite ready for a bit of quiet time.

To allow time for the visit to the Hutto facility, our only legislative session today didn't begin until 3:15, though it lasted until 7:00 pm. For the most part, we spent our time on various elections which required as many as four ballots each to elect the number needed to fill the various offices. This was, at best, a tedious process, one that inspired me to post the following image on Facebook:

We also began debate on B012, the resolution designed both to allow universal access to the marriage sacrament as well as provide room for those in The Episcopal Church unable to approve same-sex marriage. I expect we'll finish debate and considering amendments tomorrow morning.

Every Convention Bishop Johnson invites the deputation from West Tennessee to a special dinner at a really nice restaurant. We had a fabulous food and warm conversation. And now it's midnight, and my committee meeting at 7:30 is going to come awfully soon. Good night!

Saturday, July 7 -- BCP, BBQ, and Bats

Enough of getting up before dawn! This was the view from my hotel room as I was getting ready today.

Another early morning with Committee 13. (Thanks to Chuck McMillen for the above photo.) We started at 7:30 with a hearing to receive testimony regarding resolution D078, which offers an expansive language version of the Holy Eucharist, Rite II. We heard a lot of people speak in favor, though we've not yet discussed this in our committee. While the idea of having an expansive language liturgy has merits, I'm actually a bit on the fence on this liturgy. There are good reasons both to approve and to reject this proposal. I'm looking forward to our conversation. (And if it weren't already past 11 pm, I'd probably write more on this. Maybe later!)

We approved a resolution calling for much better translations of the BCP into Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole. We also amended a second resolution asking the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to provide a process to provide further translations of other needed liturgical resources.

Speaking of liturgy, once we resumed our Legislative Session in the House of Deputies debate continued on A068, the resolution approving a process that will lead to a revised Prayer Book. After a few amendments and more than a few folks rising "for a point of order or to make a parliamentary inquiry," we observed a moment of silence, the chaplain offered a prayer, and we voted.

We voted by orders, which simply means that within each deputation the lay people and clergy each voted separately. A tie vote by any order within a deputation is counted as "divided" which is essentially a "no" vote. This is about as complicated as it sounds, but the short version is that the resolution was adopted by the House of Deputies. Now it moves to the House of Bishops for consideration. Even if they also adopt, I expect they will also offer an amendment of two, meaning we on that Committee 13 and the House of Deputies will get to revisit A068.

After lunch we the second of three TEConversations, this one on evangelism. We heard from some dynamic speakers, saw an intriguing video, heard a great band with a good message, and had conversations with our deputation and our bishop.

The afternoon ended with an Episcopal Revival at the Palmer Center with rocking music and a rousing sermon from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. This was followed by dinner (including a bit of good Texas BBQ) and more great music.

I left a bit early to walk back the hotel via the bridge on Congress, from which bats emerge every day shortly after sundown. Given the hour, the light is dim and the bats are a bit blurry. Still, it was pretty cool to see this.

Friday, July 6 -- A Significant Day in the Life of a Resolution (well, almost)

My day started with a Legislative Committee hearing from 7:30 to 10:00 this morning. (And thanks again to my friend the Rev. Brian Winter for today's photo!) We discussed two overlapping / competing resolutions on how to make marriage rites available to all in the church. In a display of unselfish initiative, a small group from our committee (which didn't conclude our work until 9:30 pm on Thursday) stayed up and worked until 12:43 to craft an amended resolution that married (if you will) elements of both original resolutions.

This provided us a great start in our legislative work of attempting to perfect a resolution to propose to General Convention. After careful conversation and debate we completed an amended version of B012, Marriage Rites for the Whole Church, which will be taken up by the House of Deputies tomorrow morning. If adopted, marriage rites will be made more widely available to all in The Episcopal Church, regardless of gender.

Later in the morning the Bishops joined us Deputies for a Joint Session on Racial Reconciliation which included four powerful speakers and a time for our own conversation in pairs and in small groups on this important and timely topic. We didn't leave with any concrete ideas for healing the racial divide in our time, but I feel a renewed sense of both the problems we face and the promise of healing we have in God.

In the afternoon my legislative committee heard testimony on a variety of resolutions, including two that call for good translations of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). While there are Spanish and French versions available, they are (according to our witnesses) cringeworthy and even an impediment to good worship.

We also drafted a resolution acknowledging the problems experienced on Thursday during my legislative committee hearing when materials weren't translated into Spanish in a timely manner and on-site interpretation wasn't available when needed. The resolution we've proposed offers both a mea culpa as well as a call for specific steps to avoid these issues in the future. The upshot is that all should feel welcomed and valued, and that was not true for our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters who came to testify to our committee.

Mid-afternoon the House of Deputies met for our one Legislative Session of the day. The most significant legislation considered was the first resolution that came from the committee on which I serve, a resolution calling for a process of Prayer Book revision to begin. This does not presume any particular result, just that the Church begins a clearly-defined process that, we hope, will lead to a Prayer Book better suited for the 21st century than the one we've been using for nearly 40 years.

Having said that, the resolution proposed also identifies the importance of our liturgical history and traditions in any Prayer Book considerations. I include this because there has been anxiety expressed that a revised BCP would abandon all traditional language and understanding. My expectation is that the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (charged with implementing any possible Prayer Book revision) will remember the call to stay true to our Anglican heritage. I firmly believe that any new BCP needs to offer a sacred spiritual home for as many as possible, reflecting and even expanding on the diversity of our great Church. It need not do so, however, at the cost of alienating those whose life-long love for The Episcopal Church is so firmly rooted in our beloved Prayer Book.

Debate on the Floor of the House of Deputies was impassioned on both sides. I thought we'd have a final vote before our session concluded this afternoon, but no. We will instead have another half hour for debate (and possible amendments) tomorrow morning. So, we almost had a conclusion regarding what is arguably the resolution with the most significant long-term impact. Of course, even if passed in the House of Deputies it must also be passed in the same exact form in the House of Bishops before it is binding. If the House of Bishops amends the resolution, well then we're back to work in the House of Deputies.

Turns out legislation is a careful and sometimes even tedious business!

The day concluded with evening worship, a quick dinner, and drafting a resolution for discussion at tomorrow's legislative committee meeting. And we're meeting at 7:30 am. Again.

Yet, though the days be long, they are filled with holy work and sacred moments, not least of which is connecting again with friends and colleagues from throughout the Episcopal Church. I'm also blessed to make some new friends along the way. Mostly, I'm blessed to share in the amazing environment, possibilities, and work of General Convention.

Thursday, July 5 -- 13 1/2 hours of fun...

Whew! Now that was a long day! We started with a Legislative Session at 8 am (and I was busy until 9:30 at night). Before all that, I visited for a few minutes with old friend Lewis Powell (above). We knew each other in New Mexico, before I headed east to Tennessee and he went west to California.

One of the first orders of business was for us in the House of Deputies to send folks to the House of Bishops to inform them we were organized and ready to begin our work. House of Deputies President Gay Jennings sent to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry every deputy named "Michael," all wearing hats bearing that name. Protocol was observed yet in a fun even whimsical way. How would the bishops respond? They sent one of the newer bishops and one of their, um, more experienced bishops, our own Don Johnson. Both bishops brought greetings and told us the Bishops were organized and ready to work. And, in a nod to Bishop Curry's sermon at the royal wedding, they did so wearing tiaras. Wish I had taken a better photo than one off the big screen!

The morning continued with the Opening Eucharist which featured a fiery and inspiring sermon from Bishop Curry urging us, among other things, to keep our focus and attention on Jesus to know and find our way through sometimes perilous waters.

The committee I'm on finalized a resolution to begin a process to revise the Book of Common Prayer. (The photo above, by Brian Winter, is actually from yesterday). Working from materials drafted by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music we also considered other resolutions and testimony we received yesterday in crafting our resolution. In a weird wrinkle, deputies in the committee approved a slightly different version of the resolution than did the bishops' committee. The deputies' version will be discussed on Friday at the House of Deputies. If passed, it will then go to the House of Bishops, where it will likely be amended. Anyway, there's lots of steps yet to take; I'll keep you posted.

The committee also heard almost four hours of testimony on resolutions regarding marriage. One resolution (A086) provides a liturgy to recognize committed relationships between two people who cannot marry for financial or other reasons. For example, senior citizens who marry may face an impossible reduction in Social Security benefits. That resolution drew little comment.

Two others, however, drew extended and often passionate testimony from numerous witnesses. At issues are two resolutions (A085 and B012, if you're interested) that attempt to clarify how same-sex couples may marry in The Episcopal Church. That such couples may marry was decided three years ago, but there have been some challenges in its implementation. For example, as I understand it, eight bishops do not allow such marriages nor do they allow provisions for those in their care to either receive as communicants nor offer as clergy the already-approved liturgies. (And, yes, that is a very simplistic explanation.)

A085 would allow various liturgies to be used on a trial basis with the expectation that such new rites would appear in the Book of Common Prayer. It also commends a few changes to certain sections of the Prayer Book including changing "a man and a woman" to "two people" in the Prayer Book introduction to the marriage rite. Of the witnesses who testified in favor, many noted that this would finally allow all baptized Episcopalians equal access and status with regard to marriage regardless of gender identity or sexuality. Others opposed the resolution on a variety of grounds, some noting this represents a fundamental change that, in their view, reflects more of man's wisdom than of God's.

We heard from many who preferred B012, titled "Marriage Rites for the Whole Church." While quite similar to A085 in many respects, including making available marriage rites for nontraditional couples, it would not have the expectation that new liturgies and definitions would be included in the Prayer Book. It also calls for the creation of a task force to continue mutual conversation and care with and for those with divergent views on marriage issues.

This has been offered as a reasonable compromise that has the best chance of keeping people with quite different views in conversation and relationship as the church continues to grow in understanding. Meanwhile, all couples would have the promise of easier access to marriage rites. Not all favor this approach, noting that "justice delayed is justice denied," or "separate but equal is not equal." Most who oppose the compromise see it as continuing to relegate LGBTQ+ folks to lesser status.

Tomorrow's conversation in the committee should be quite interesting!

Above, a special guest and visitor from Africa (whose name I should have written down, but didn't) spoke to our committee regarding his work as a scholar on sexuality and marriage issues in Africa.

Anyway, after 13 1/2 hours of meetings, worship, and hearings I'm beat. Hope this posting makes some sense! Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, July 4 -- First Hearings and Getting Organized

While the first legislative day isn't until tomorrow, today was still a full day here at General Convention. The legislative committee I'm on heard testimony on issues related to possible revisions of the Book of Common Prayer. We had a large room to accommodate loads of people. We had strategized about how to manage potentially huge numbers of witnesses wishing to speak to the various resolutions under consideration.

We had 14. Yep, only 14 people spoke, and the vast majority spoke in favor of a process to lead to a significant revision to address issues such as inclusive language and a greater acknowledgement of our need to be good stewards of God's creation.

Our sample was likely not entirely representative of the various perspectives of communicants in The Episcopal Church. That being said, we did have plenty of time to move back to our smaller room for committee discussion and deliberation (see above). We haven't concluded our discussion on Prayer Book revisions, and I'll keep you posted on what develops.

After lunch we had a joint session with both Deputies and Bishops gathered for opening remarks from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, President of the House of Deputies Gay Jennings, and others. Above you can see Bishop Johnson and some of our deputation.

Above Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is shown offering what he said wasn't a sermon. Well, no matter what he called it, he preached up a storm, urging and encouraging us. "We must reclaim a Christianity that actually looks like Jesus of Nazareth," he said.

Gay Jennings also had a compelling message to share, calling us to speak as one against racism, poverty, and injustice. "We are embarking on hard and holy work," she told us.

Following a break, the House of Deputies met for a couple of hours of orientation on procedures on deliberation, voting, and more. I could say more, but you're probably not that interested. Right?

The day ended with a liturgy offered by the Bishops in response to #MeToo concerns. In the context of a service of penitence and reconciliation, they shared stories they had gathered from people who had been subjected to sexual harassment and abuse in churches and at the hands of those whom they should have been able to trust. After each somber reading, we observed an extended period of silence, then we sang "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison" ("Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy").

This was a sobering, humbling, touching event. It was tough to be confronted by such sins and deep harm experienced in church, harm which has damaged too many and in so many profound ways. It was tough to be reminded that our own church leaders have been authors of such pain. It was necessary to be reminded not only of our corporate guilt in these matters but also of our shared responsibility to listen, to understand, to respect the dignity of all, to strive for justice and peace, and to call all to healing and reconciliation.

Tuesday, July 3 -- Hello from Austin!

Today included traveling from Memphis to Dallas to Austin, where the afternoon high rang in at about 102 (that's about 39° for those measuring in Celsius). Whew!

The afternoon was pretty quiet: register for Convention, a bite of lunch, check out the Exhibit Hall. One of the great things about coming to General Convention is getting reacquainted with old friends; glad to see a few already.

I also stopped in to check out the worship space for our time here. Every Convention the worship team, lead as before by Sandy Webb from Church of the Holy Communion in Memphis, does a great job of transforming -- even sanctifying -- secular space for holy use. Here's a view of how they are using light to decorate and transform the otherwise bland space.

I am serving this Convention on the Legislative Committee that will be considering resolutions related to the use and possible revision of the Book of Common Prayer. Should we immediately embark on a multi-year project of revising, rewriting, re-imagining the second most document in our shared life? (I think we're smart enough to leave the first most important document as-is!)

Or should we instead begin an intentional process of engaging more fully and more deeply with the Prayer Book as it currently exists? Such an approach would allow time (and, one assumes, financial resources) to prepare modern translations of the Prayer Book into Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole. Other issues our committee will be considering include requests either to modify language in the current Prayer Book (for example, to make the text more gender-neutral) or to add to the text (for example to include language regarding our call to care for God's creation into the baptismal rite).

And then we have various resolutions regarding marriage and related rites. I think we're in for a few engaging and likely challenging days.

Finally, the day ended as the deputation from West Tennessee met to touch base and organize ourselves for the work ahead. As we concluded our time, I noted that our West TN gang includes a Jeanne, a Jeannie, and a Jean, picture below:

Please keep The Episcopal Church in your prayers as undertake our work now through July 13 that we may be guided by Holy Spirit in love, grace, and wisdom.

Thanks for reading. I welcome any comments you may wish to add below.

Reports from General Convention

Friends, I will be leaving soon for Austin, Texas to attend the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church. I plan to post occasional notes, comments, photos, and observations from my experience at GC here on this blog, and I welcome your comments and questions.

May God bless all who are headed to Austin with safe travel, and may God grant us all wisdom, patience, discernment, and grace for the days ahead.