Beginning to move faster

Sunday morning

Over the past several days the pace of the General Convention has picked up and is moving faster. Both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies are moving legislation along and passing the enacted resolution onto the other House for action. The House of Bishops completed work on Full Communion with the Moravian Church after a short debate; stood and sang the Doxology in thanksgiving for this opportunity, and it is now in the hands of the House of Deputies. If they do not pass it, the enactment stops. If they do pass the document, it will go to the Moravian Convention next year and if passed by that Church, we will be sister churches sharing full Communion, which includes the interchangeability of clergy (that is what we have now with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America). These decisions that come before the General Convention take many years of dialogue and work in each church, and I am grateful for those conversations leading to opportunities for sharing ministry and mission.

At the ECW Triennial, Karen Jackson from our diocese was honored and given the award of Honored Woman. It was my pleasure as her Bishop to escort her forward to receive the award. Well done Karen and most deserved. The ministry and mission of our church is furthered by Karen’s shared gifts and by the many women who work and serve the Lord with their gifts.

The gathered Convention has been working with a “tool” called Public Narrative. It is a way to share our personal story so that others can learn about us and also the church. It is a means of and for evangelism. We are learning how to share “my story” and then “our story”, which leads to the opportunity for us to share. There are many variations on this method which was developed at Harvard. It is a way to do ministry, it is not ministry. At the table I was at yesterday, The Rev. Martha Kreamer was selected to share her Narrative with the assembled body. Well done and well said for the glory of God and the up-building of God’s people.

In a few minutes I will walk over to the Convention Center for the Holy Eucharist. It is Sunday morning. The bishops will join the procession and we will celebrate the gifts we all bring before God for the use of the Church. The United Thank Offering will be received and the process of sharing those gifts throughout the entire Communion will begin to unfold, with applications from congregations and agencies asking for aid to assist in the work of mission and ministry. Over the years our diocese has received a number of these gifts and I am most pleased to join with other bishops and deputies to honor this ministry.

Following the worship, our deputation will gather at a local restaurant for fellowship and lunch. It is a way, in the busy schedules we are all keeping, to “touch base” and share with one another. It is also a way for me to say “Thank You!” to those from our diocese who are working here for the glory of God and the spreading of the Gospel.

Later this afternoon both Houses will be in session for several hours and the work of the General Convention will continue. During this Sunday, our diocese will be in my prayers and each congregation will be prayed for by name. Over this past week I have prayed for each of the clergy by name and the lay leaders in the congregations and agencies. May God in Christ bless us all in the work and ministry we share.

In His PAX, Bishop Duncan