Journey from the General Convention into the church

For the House of Bishops the General Convention ended about 4:00PM on Friday. It is the first time I remember having completed all the business and work of the Convention before the absolute last minute required to adjourn. That was a shock but a good thing. The House of Deputies adjourned about an hour or so later and with both Houses adjourned, the Convention was completed.

The deputation met in the meeting room and we were able to talk about the various resolutions that were not passed with concurrence in both Houses. That is our process which the first Presiding Bishop, The Rt. Rev. William White, implemented because he understood this would allow the Church the surety that bishops, priests and now also deacons and laity share in the structural governance of The Episcopal Church. Having suffered from the abuse of both bishops and presbyters the newly formed body incorporated the fullness of the baptized into the General Convention. That happens when the General Convention meets and that is what has just happened.

We were also able to talk about how we were ready to leave with the work completed and move on from this place. It is a gathering of the family from across the fullness of The Episcopal Church expressing the uniqueness of the various dioceses for good or for ill. The deputation went out to dinner and Kathy and I packed and decided to go for a late supper. All of us are tired. All of us have our “take” on what has taken place here. What has been done and what has not been done. As the days, weeks, and months unfold, we will see some of those resolutions again and experience what they have called us too as the People of God. I found an interest article in the Wall Street Journal 17 July 2009 by Philip Jenkins entitled Their Separate Ways. It was a good article but seemed to have missed the reality that we did not implement a canonical change in the ordination of persons but in the access to the discernment process leading up to the process. It may be a fine point and I have no doubt in my mind where it is leading, but that major step has not yet been taken. It also has asked the rest of the Anglican Communion to look with us into this process and the process of Blessing same gender relationships. This is also, what Lambeth asked us to do as a part of the Anglican Communion. Going our separate way is exactly what we did not do and those resolutions that called for us to do that or implied we were doing that were rejected. There were times that each House walked a fine line but I believe that as a Convention (The Episcopal Church) that line was not crossed.

I look forward to being home within a few weeks and having time to visit various areas with members of the deputation to share with those who are interested in what we did. On Saturday the 25 July, the deputies will gather at Christ Church Cathedral for the initial presentation and express my thanks to them for this time of sharing. I also thank them for the blogs that were sent out to share with the diocese what was happening from each of their unique perspective. I also express my thanks to Cindy McCrory for her work of bringing us all the news of the happenings and goings on while we were here. She was able to gather that news because of the embrace of the new technologies available through the Church office.

Kathy and I now leave for San Francisco and will be staying at Grace Cathedral for a few days. On the way, we will stop in Oxnard and visit the mother of our son’s godfather for a few hours. We then are going to Davis where I will preach and celebrate on Sunday at the local parish church. Please do keep the Church, the Diocese, and our deputation in your prayers. May the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless us all and keep us in His grace and love.

PAX, Bishop Duncan

This part of the journey nears its end

(Written late Thursday evening, July 16)

Today was an interesting day which, at least for the bishops, was more relaxed and not as frenetic as the last few days. Perhaps it is because we are working in closer relationship and seeking to get all the work completed, but not invested in always having to have our own way. Nor are we seeking to make what we want the focus of what is the right thing to do. I value those with whom I often disagree because I trust them and believe that they trust me. That is a difference between our two houses. Another difference is that the House of Bishops meets twice a year during the three years between the General Conventions. Bishops are members of the House of Bishops by their office and not elected every three years. Bishops serve for the entire time they are seated as bishop within the diocese and may continue to service after retirement. Members of the House of Deputies must be elected at the diocesan convention every three years. It seems to me (having been both a deputy and alternate) that this is an important difference between the two houses.


During this General Convention a number of resolutions were enacted regarding Evangelism. A063, A065, A066 and A067 all pointed to what evangelism seeks to accomplish and encourage us to do. D027 speaks to the Mission Strategy of the Church and lists the Five Marks of Mission. These resolutions are all very fine and I hope that you will read them over and help use them within the various congregations to which we all belong. D038 is a resolution which is close to my heart. Mission Strategy for reaching Latinos/Hispanics is one which I believe our Diocese could use to grow and do ministries for the present and future. I have stated in past Diocesan Conventions this is a need, but it is still not implemented within the ongoing life and work we share. I believe I understand why that is and that makes me sad. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, pray therefore that the Lord will send more laborers into the harvest. We need to have coherence with what is needed and what we want to do. After all, this ministry is the Lord’s work and we are sent by him to proclaim and be disciples.

At our last Diocesan Convention, Stewardship was a major focus for the work and ministry we are called upon to share as the People of God. D055 focused on tithing as the minimum standard of giving for Christians. It was offered as a challenge to all of us as we seek ways to move forward in our walk with Christ. I would commend both this resolution and the work of Stewardship, both at this General Convention and in our Diocese, to all of us. It reminds all who we are and whose we are called to be. This material also ties into the work and programs offered through our diocese. It was fine work and important work for us all.

Finally, after the House of Deputies debated the budget for a number of hours, it was brought to the House of Bishops for action. I expected it to take a few hours of work to approve the budget but it took less than ten minutes from start to finish. That was a very fine blessing for us. However, with all the cuts, we also need to find ways to do ministry and seek funds to support ministry. On a personal note, because of the cut, a consultant for Ecumenical and Inter-religious work was terminated and that is tragic. We need people who support the work and ministry that bring us together in the cause of Christ.

Tomorrow is the last day of General Convention. May Christ bring us all together in the mission and ministry we are called to offer in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

PAX, Bishop Duncan

The Journey includes subsidiarity

Throughout the day, Wednesday 15 July, we worked on various resolutions as we prepared to hear the budget from Program, Budget and Finance Committee in a joint session with the House of Deputies in the early afternoon. The budget is on line and I have not had time to study it in much depth, so I will only say that from my initial impressions looking over the document is that it is obvious that the cuts are deep and the ministries across the board are affected. The economic situation has made a deep impact upon The Episcopal Church in it mission and ministry. One of my fellow bishops reminded us all that this is the time to understand again the Doctrine of Subsidiarity which only means that whatever needs to be done should be accomplished on the lowest level possible. So rather than have The Episcopal Church do certain ministries, individual dioceses, congregations and laity should be encouraged to do the ministry to which we are all called through our Baptisms. That is one way of looking at this challenge as opportunity for us to find ways to reach out and into those areas within our local communities (and beyond) that need to hear the Word and experience the Healing Touch of the Gospel. That is my reflection as I try and put a more hopeful “spin” on our need to do mission and ministry.

During the late afternoon the House of Bishops considered Resolution C056 which we had begun the day before. It was a contentious resolution for many of us and we formed a committee that would bring back a substitute resolution expressing a more pastoral response to those in need and with which we could find some hope for all of us in the future. The substitute resolution after vigorous debate and many failed and accepted amendments finally passed the House of Bishops with a margin of 3 to 1. Let me say here that although I voted in the negative, that if it is passed in the House of Deputies, it is a resolution with which I can live and I believe could bring us closer together in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. It is not a perfect document yet it is truthful about where we are as a society, The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. In a conversation last evening I was asked what “spin” I was going to put on this resolution. I thought for a minute and said, “The truth as I experience it.” I am very grateful to my fellow bishops who worked on this resolution and listened to one another. I hope and pray that this collegial and collaborative method of working together (the Indaba approach practiced at the 2008 Lambeth Conference) will continue within the House of Bishops. Today we move into the last push of our work together as the General Convention. Blessing and grace be with you all.

In His PAX, Bishop Duncan

The Journey has an interlude

There is a saying that goes something like this: don’t use technical solutions to address/fix adaptive problems.

Today the House of Bishops addressed a number of resolutions under the rules of order and we either voted them up (approved) or voted them down (did not approve) them to become enacted within the life of the Church.

You may track the day's legislation through the Media Hub, far right box labeled "Legislative Tracker."

Two of the resolutions were: A185 and A074.

Resolution A185 from the Committee on Canons proposed revision to Title IV and completely amended the entire section of the Constitution and Canons for the Government of The Episcopal Church. This has been in process for over six years and offers to the Church a new way to look at the Ecclesiastical Discipline. It was approved and is a very fine work. It seeks to offer both grace and confrontation to those who have been accused of doing wrong and seeks to protect all God’s children from those who would abuse or harm them. I was impressed with this work.

Resolution A074 is from the General Convention Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue. This is a Committee of which I am a member and I also serve on the Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious which has worked on perfecting this document for over five years. It is still not perfect, but it is a superb document that seeks to articulate a rationale for the Episcopal Church to enter into interreligious dialog. It explores who we are as The Episcopal Church within the Anglican Communion and why we are interested in interreligious relationships. The core of the document begins with the words, “We affirm the foundational Gospel proclamation the “Jesus is Lord.” We are committed to share who and whose we are and to know all of God’s children. This document is for those in congregations and Diocesan Committees who want to have a theological and practical context in which to engage in interreligious dialog. One other aspect of the document is its understanding of sharing with each other. This work is important as the world we engage continues to become more pluralistic and we encounter more people who are not Christian. It is my hope that this is an area that we as a diocese will be able to engage more fully.

These two resolutions are both technical fixes for the work needed to be completed and it was under the rules of order. There was wonderful embrace of many of the resolution that tell the story of who we are as Episcopalians.

The House of Bishops also began a process that is not a technical fix as a way of dealing with a more controversial resolution. I believe and hope that this will allow grace to enter into relationships as another method and another way to deal with our divisions. We went into executive session as an appointed committee gathered to rewrite the resolution so that the maximum number of people would not be excluded and become marginalized by the outcome of the process. It is a process to draw people into community. This method is an adaptive “fix” that makes use of the “interlude” we are in at the present time. I am most grateful for this process and I will be able to say more about this tomorrow. In the meantime, there is lots to do and consider as we begin to move deeper into the rush as the General Convention moves towards its conclusion. I pray my blessing to you all and God’s love. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

PAX, Bishop Duncan

Sometimes the Journey is like a Dance

Today, I include a good portion of the Blog from The Rev. Thack Dyson because it is interesting, centered and from the perspective of the House of Deputies; and I agree with what he has to say. I have edited some of his thoughts and added my own remarks and comments as well. Thanks to all our deputies for their work.

The House of Deputies of the 76th General Convention wrestled with its first major resolution yesterday in Resolution D025. The House, by more than a 2-1 margin, adopted a resolution that declares the ordination process of the Episcopal Church open to all individuals, while expressing its ongoing commitment to the Anglican Communion. The split in the vote surprised many of the deputations. The vote was 77-31 in the lay order and 74-25 in the clergy order. The House of Bishops approved D025 today, also by a 2-1 margin with a vote of 99-45 and 2 abstentions, which is consistent with the House of Deputies.

So what is Resolution D025? Resolution D025 was offered in response to resolution B033, which was adopted in Columbus, Ohio at the 75th General Convention in 2006. B033 urged restraint concerning the election of bishops whose "manner of life" would cause offense to the wider Anglican Communion. It was essentially the Episcopal Church's "official" response to the request in the 2004 Windsor Report, that the Church refrain from electing practicing gay and lesbian bishops and others whose manner of life might be a challenge to the Anglican Communion. The Windsor Report was in part the result of the election of The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. Though B033 was not an outright prohibition from ordination, it was hoped dioceses would be sensitive to the fact that actions in The Episcopal Church do have global implications.

Resolution D025 essentially (clearly states) reaffirms the continued participation of the Episcopal Church as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion; reaffirms the Episcopal Church’s financial support of the Anglican Communion; acknowledges that the Listening Process with gay and lesbian people has resulted in the General Convention’s recognition that gay and lesbian people can and do live in relationships marked by fidelity and love; that gay and lesbian people are involved in ministry in the Church; that God has called and may call any individual in the church to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church, in accordance with the discernment process as set forth in the Constitution and Canons of the Church; and acknowledges that the Anglican Communion is not of one mind on these issues.

So what does this mean?

This Resolution does not require the Dioceses of the Central Gulf Coast nor me as the Bishop, nor any of the clergy to do anything except not prohibit any aspirant for Holy Orders from entering into the discernment process or becoming a deacon or priest, because of orientation or that he or she is involved in a committed relationship. This resolution is not stating anything new. The Canons of the Church already provide that no one can be prohibited from consideration for Holy Orders because of age, gender, race or sexual orientation. Regardless of the passage of D025, any aspirant for Holy Orders must still be qualified and comply with all canonical requirements, rules and restrictions. More important, they must also be called by God to ordained ministry as anyone else in the discernment process seeking/considering ordination.

D025 is not going to change the life, mission and ministry of the Church as this is lived out in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. I have spoken with the clergy and lay deputies this evening and told them of our desire to move forward in the continued work and witness we share in our diocese. Some within the Diocese may want to overreact and be anxious. There is no need for that behavior and that spiritual unease. We are called to welcome, care for and love all God’s children. We are to seek and serve Christ in all persons loving our neighbor as ourselves. We are to respect the dignity of every human being. We will continue to do so. When one looks beyond individual issues and at the broader picture, this is what the Episcopal Church is all about and why we believe our tradition is a precious gem to be valued and preserved for future generations. Jesus is Lord! This is God’s Church and God’s work will continue to be done through it, in the congregations and communities in which we live. May God continue to bless you and please continue to keep us in your prayers.

I am in Christ’s PAX, Bishop Duncan

Resolution D025 going before the House of Bishops

Sunday Afternoon

It is late Sunday evening and I have learned that the House of Deputies has passed a resolution to allow for full inclusion of all people to the ordination process. (See prior post below) Resolution D025 expresses that the ordination process is open to all persons and also that the Episcopal Church continues in its commitment to the Anglican Communion. The resolution passed with a two to one margin. What does this mean? In our polity it means that it will come before the House of Bishops who will debate it and then vote on it. If the House of Bishops does not pass it, the legislation it not enacted. It the House of Bishops concurs with the House of Deputies it will become part of the canons (law) that governs our Church. I would expect that the vote will happen within a few days.

The process in our Diocese, and all dioceses, will still include the complete discernment process and coming before the Commission on Ministry. It is a process that seeks to raise up those men and women we believe God has called into the ordained ministry. Please keep our Diocese, the General Convention and the Episcopal Church in your prayers.

PAX, Bishop Duncan

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

The Journey is now underway.

Today, Wednesday, was a very busy day with a formal opening of the General Convention. I began my formal time with a meeting of the Legislative Committee for Evangelism and Interreligious work, which began at 8:00AM. The members are from both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies; working on several resolutions which will be perfected and then come before both Houses of the Convention later this week. The two most prominent are: 1) the resolution to enact a full Eucharist sharing and sharing of clergy with the Moravian Church, and 2) the resolution to empower more and deeper interreligious work, collaboration and understanding between the Episcopal Church and other religions. I believe this is very exciting. This Committee met twice more throughout the day, including following worship and then during the early evening.

The opening Eucharist at 9:15AM was powerful. The Presiding Bishop preached and celebrated the Holy Communion, and it was a very moving and fine worship. The Episcopal Church in the Philippines presented a gift to our Church to further Mission and Ministry outreach.

Both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops met twice today to organize and begin the legislative process and to welcome guests formally from around the world. That is always wonderful and empowering to witness and experience.

During the early evening there was a presentation from the Archbishop of Canterbury, followed by a panel discussion. One of the members was Sarah Eagle-Heart, who, (as mentioned in my earlier post) recently began her work for the Episcopal Church for the Native American Desk.

Over the past few days we have spent time with Sarah Eagle-Heart, Luke Jernagan, and Jerald Hyche, all of whom worked within our diocese and are now working for the Church and here at the General Convention. The attached Links are opportunities to see and receive more information about the various programs and materials we are working with, as we begin the work of and ministry for the up-building of the mission of God’s people. As we journey along this path please keep us all in your prayers.

In Christ’s Holy Name, Bishop Duncan

One of the First Evenings

This evening Kathy and I attended two events with friends from Alabama. The first was an open house sponsored by Integrity, which is a group who is seeking the full inclusion of all people within the life of the Church. I enjoyed my time there and had good conversation with a number of long-time friends, many of whom I am in agreement with and a number of whom I disagree with their agenda. What I loved about being there, was the people who love the Church and were open and honest about why they believe what they believe. These are people who love the Lord and continue to be a part of the Church that often rejects them. I find at times that I am seeking ways to reconcile my theology (the Church’s Theology) and my desire to keep the Church (the larger church beyond my own congregations, diocese and Episcopal Church) together in conversation, and a way of living beyond our differences and disagreements. I am encouraged that it has been that way since the time of the writing of the Acts of the Apostles.

We drove to St. Michael’s Church and attended two meetings. The first was for the Hispanic/Latino ministries. It was a joyous time and I was able to spend time with the Rector, The Rev. Juan Jimenez. Fr. Juan was the Canon of St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Dallas when I was the Dean. What a joy for Kathy and me to see him and the wonderful ministry he is doing in this diocese.

We also saw Sarah Eagleheart from our Diocese, who is now working for the Episcopal Church as the new Program Officer Indigenous and Indian peoples. It is always good to see her and to see the ministry that she is doing. The last time we saw Sarah was in Poarch, Alabama, and she was getting ready to move. She has moved and is doing fine work getting things prepared for the General Convention and our visit. We will see Sarah again and I am pleased that this ministry is bringing joy and focus to the work of our hands on evangelism, to which we are all called.

Tomorrow I have a very long day with a four hour meeting in the morning with Committee #18, Ecumenical and Interreligious work and ministry in the Episcopal Church. May God’s grace always lead us and following, as we move where we are called to go.

Blessings and PAX, Bishop Duncan

A Long Trip and Short Journey

During this past week Kathy and I have traveled from our Diocese to California. We drove to Austin, Texas where Sunday a week ago at the 5:00 PM Service of the Holy Eucharist, I celebrated the Holy Communion and Baptized our granddaughter, seven month old Bella Isadora Duncan. What a joy that was and what fun it has been to have many of the family and long-time friends present, to witness to and participate in this Sacrament of God’s inclusive love for all people. The Rector of St. David’s Episcopal Church and the members of the congregation welcomed us all. We were invited, encouraged and embraced as visitors and guests in the household of faith. We will be back. Many of our guests decided to return and “try them out for a place to become members and become involved.” That is both a blessing and a gift of grace.

Early on Monday we drove 14 hours to Albuquerque and then on to Flagstaff to spend a few days with a priest friend and his wife. We have been friends for more than 42 years and it was an opportunity to see those ministries that they are involved, within the community. Prison and jail work, work with the homeless and training those who are unemployed, are just a few of the ministries they have seen that needed doing and to which they started and engaged others to catch the vision of what God had in mind for this place.

We also visited Meteor Crater, the site where a meteor struck the earth 50 thousand years ago and went on to see miles of desolation where lava and volcanic ash covered the ground. We both enjoyed seeing three deserted Anasazi (Sinagua) dwellings, which included Montezuma’s Castle and Well, Tuzigoot and Homolovi, all now in ruins. Our time spent at the Lowell Observatory on Mars Hill, the Indian Museum in Flagstaff, the Frank Lloyd Wright Chapel in Sedona, were special places in which we spent a number of hours. By the end of this part of our trip, we visited shops in the closed copper mining town of Jerome, and that Friday evening, the Art Festival on the streets of downtown Flagstaff. It kept us busy and interested and involved in the life and character of multi-cultural development in an area of our country that continues to grow, welcomes tourists and embraces diversity. I did learn a good deal from this time and being with these old friends and new friends.

On the morning of the 4th of July (my parents were married 67 years ago today) we drove to Anaheim and checked into the hotel about 4:00PM, after almost ten hours on the road. We were in the mountains, the hills, the plains, the desert and along the coastal shore. The temperatures ranged from 59 degrees when we began the drive, to a high of 109 degrees in Needles, California. We arrived in Anaheim to find a good deal of traffic and checked into the hotel and then moved into our room. We found time to scope out the area and set up the hospitality conference room for our deputation.

By 7:30PM, we went to the Hyatt Hotel for a dinner and program of the Daughters of the King (DOK) and enjoyed being with this group. It was a good meeting with many friends. There is a good deal of turmoil in the Order and this is difficult to experience for all those concerned. I hope this is resolved during the next three years, because the ministry of prayer and evangelism is too important to be sidetracked.

Today we began the day with a visit to the Crystal Cathedral, which is very beautiful. It always amazes me to see how Philip Johnson was able to put his ideas into practice. We had an early lunch in this part of the city and then spent the rest of the day organizing and preparing the hospitality room for guests. I went to a working dinner with Bishops Harris of Massachusetts and Klusmeyer of West Virginia, and enjoyed being with them for conversation about ministry and the General Convention.

During this time we have also been reading the materials about the various legislative matters and the bishops and deputies’ thoughts on these matters. Please remember to pray for the General Convention and those of us who are preparing to do the work God has called us to do. Your support and ministry are an important part of our work. Kathy and I are getting ready to attend several events this Monday evening and will spend time with Fr. Gerald Hyche, who was in our diocese and is now in the Diocese of Texas.

May God bless us all in the work we do and the ministry we share. The Journey continues!

Blessings and PAX, Bishop Duncan