June 22, 2006
My
dear friends in Christ:
I write to you aboard an airplane returning from the 75th and,
extraordinarily historic, General Convention of the Episcopal Church in
Columbus, Ohio. Many of you have followed the activities of General Convention
through the various media reports, including the daily internet updates authored
by the Rev. Canon David Johnson. What follows in this letter are some immediate
impressions as I leave Columbus. More detailed conversation will take place at
St. Andrew’s Cathedral on July 5, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. After the benefit of a
couple of months of reflection, many of the deputies will join me for a series
of regional conversations, August 17 at St. Andrew’s, Jackson, August 24th at
St. Peter’s, Oxford and August 31st at St. Mark’s, Gulfport. These regional
meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m.
The dominant impression that is with me now is that the “diverse
middle,” as Bishop Griswold has called it, has begun to find its voice. It
still has a way to go to solidify its standing as a serious conversation partner
within a divided church, but there are very real signs of a broadening of the
center within our church.
Election of the Presiding Bishop – As I have said in an earlier
notice, I am extraordinarily impressed with the gifts that Bishop Katharine
Jefferts Schori brings to her new role. Shortly after her election she gave us
all a lesson in leadership as she stepped into a chaotic moment on the final day
of our Windsor Report debate, calmed the waters and gave the Convention a way
forward. In addition to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, her election was made
possible by an interesting coalition of both liberal and very conservative
bishops. Historians will have to figure that one out!
Response to the Windsor Report – With one exception, every
request from the Lambeth Commission was addressed. That one exception, a
request to refrain from authorizing a liturgical rite for the blessing of same
gender unions while providing for a variety of options for pastoral care for gay
and lesbian persons, had broad support but was the victim of a sometimes
Byzantine legislative process. Again, a coalition of liberal and very
conservative groups contributed to its demise. With that one exception, the
rest of the responses to the Windsor Report requests received wide, if not
always enthusiastic, support.
Clearly, there were some who thought we had gone too far in our
responses, and there were a similar number who believe we had not done enough.
But the deep desire to remain a member of the Anglican Communion, an active
conversation partner and a faithful participant in its global mission and
ministry dominated our conversation and provided the framework for our work.
I had the privilege of sharing a table discussion group with the
Right Reverend John Paterson. Bishop Paterson is the current President of the
Anglican Consultative Council (one of the Anglican instruments of unity), former
Primate of New Zealand and a member of the Lambeth Commission. He listened
intently, asked piercing questions about our often frustrating and very
confusing legislative process and delighted our small group with a marvelously
gentle sense of humor. When the House of Bishops had completed our response to
Windsor, Bishop Paterson formally addressed us. He thanked us for our
hospitality and then commended our work as faithful, constructive and very
helpful for the ongoing conversation within the Anglican Communion. He added
that he was so glad that he had been among us to observe us from the “inside.”
He could not, he said, speak authoritatively to both our process and the deep
seriousness with which we engaged the word. He did, however, warn us that our
work would be distorted (his word) by others. Some of that distortion would be
unintentional, but some would be very intentional by those who would wish to
divide the communion.
Interim Eucharistic sharing with the United Methodist Church –
We approved the first in a very long and complicated process that may, one day,
lead to the full communion status that we share with the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of America (ELCA). There are many obstacles, not the least of which is
an understanding of the role and function of bishops, but it warms my heart to
see us taking even very small steps toward unity. The Johnston Amendment (named
after its author, the Very Rev. Shannon Johnston) requires individual churches
that wish to enter into an interim eucharistic sharing to do extensive local
conversation before proceeding.
Major new mission initiative for the Gulf Coast and New Orleans
– I authored a resolution that passed and was funded to create a coordinated
mission/evangelism effort using a model that would allow the entire church to be
renewed through mission, learn from what works and what does not and be prepared
to take what it learns and apply it to other areas after three years of effort
here. Bishop Jenkins and I will be presenting a detailed plan for this
initiative at the first Executive Council meeting in a few months.
Bishop Jenkins and I were also presented a check for $10,000
from the Triennial gathering of the Episcopal Church Women after we spoke of the
needs of our dioceses. The excitement and enthusiasm of these women was a
tremendous boost to both of us.
Canonical revisions – Title III revisions were approved. I am
comfortable with that proposal though it will necessitate several changes to the
way we now proceed with the discernment and ordination process in this diocese.
Title IV, a complete overhaul of the disciplinary canons, was discussed
extensively and referred back for further study and work. I concurred.
Millennium Development Goals – MDG’s were a hot item at General
Convention both because of the great challenge of global poverty and the fact
that the entire church and Anglican Communion can unite on this effort. The
movement to ask individuals, congregations, dioceses, governments to pledge 0.7%
of its disposable income to projects that address global poverty seems to be
gaining serious momentum. You recall that a commitment to make such a pledge
for our diocesan budget was one of my Tent Meeting initiatives. We have met
that goal for 2006. What about your congregation?
Episcopal Church’s role in slavery – We made a commitment to
begin a serious study of our church’s role in slavery, what benefits were
provided by our complicity and what are the implications for our future. While I
was working on my D.Min. program at Sewanee I did extensive work on that subject
by looking at the life of our first Mississippi bishop, the Rt. Rev. William
Green. Coming to terms with the truth of my past and the benefits that my church
(and I) have received from this tragic past has been an incredible spiritual
journey for me. It will be good for the soul of our whole church.
Prayer Book revision – the bishops overwhelmingly rejected a
plan that would have set in motion a study leading to the revision of our Book
of Common Prayer. (There is a God!)
I return from General Convention exhausted, but very
hope-filled. Our deputation again provided extraordinary and constructive
leadership; they did you proud. More than a few deputies and bishops from across
the diverse spectrum of the church commented again to me on the special
character of the deputation from Mississippi. I couldn’t agree more.
One last note – Canon Johnson was asked to be one of a handful
of speakers to “tell their story” before the House of Deputies, 850 of his
closest friends. David’s eloquence as he recounted what growing up in
Mississippi meant for his faith journey touched everyone of us with Mississippi
mud between our toes. His comments will be published soon on our web page.
It’s good to be back home. I will be out at Gray Center for a
few days for a 3rd and 4th grade camp session and to work with the Bishops
Mission Corps. After our post Convention gathering on July 5, I will be away for
three weeks for rest and renewal.
God bless you all.
Faithfully, The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, III
