GC July 16

We are nearly there! Only one more day.
This mornings session began with consideration of the triennial budget which we received yesterday. It is a large and very complex document the product of much committee work. We began with a lot of parliamentary maneuvering over how to discuss it. The committee presented it under the rules which only allowed them 10 minutes. They told us some of the bad news. Our short term reserves are almost depleted. GC in 2012 will be shortened . The HOB will have their travel expenses reduced. Normally they meet 3 times a year. Many worthy programs have been cut or eliminated. Quite a few will lose their jobs at 815 2nd avenue in NYC.
The debate was split into canonical, corporate, and missional. Many offered amendments. Micromanaging such a complex document in the HOD is usually a very bad idea. All amendments were defeated and the budget passed as submitted to us.
There was a resolution recommending a single payer health care. It passed by a very narrow margin 51 to 49%.
Resolution Co23 was to work against the defense of marriage act. Many feel it is a civil right. This also passed in a vote by orders , but not without considerable objection. Lay 64% in favor Clergy 55%.
At the morning Eucharist, I ended up at a table with 3 Bishops including Jerry Lamb of re formed San Joaquin, and Carolyn Irish , Utah retired.
The celebrant was the Rt Rev Wilfrido Ramos-Orench Bishop of Ecuador Central.
Our reading was II Corinthians 5:17-20, and the Gospel was John 1:35-42.
Our sermon was given by Brian McLaren author and activist. He spoke about evangelism and about how that is not thought of as being something Episcopalians do. But he urged moderate and progressive Christians to share their faith. He spoke of three distractions.
1.Institutional conflict
2. Institutional Identity. Focus on self preservation
3. Institutional rigidity mentioning in particular the complex path to ordination.
The Bishop celebrated mostly in Spanish but did switch into English at times.
The music, while certainly very good , has not been as memorable this time compared to Columbus. Perhaps it is budget cuts. But there is still a great variety of styles, gospel, spirituals, traditional hymns, and Hispanic music. I will put a favorite Hispanic one on a video at the bottom of this post.
After a quick lunch and a short meeting with our deoutationI raced around the exhibition hall to find some bargains. It closed at 2pm.
The afternoon session was very full. We went though mountains of legislation. Here is a sample.
B031 hope for reconciliation in Honduras. Much discussion of this and whether we knew enough about the situation. Several people from Honduras spoke in favor of it and it did pass.
C014 Domestic violence training for clergy. Testimony was offered, one from a woman who had lost her daughter to this. Without proper training, clergy may make a situation worse.
A number of courtesy resolutions were passed.
In the middle of this , I went to say hello to the rector of All Saints Waterloo Belgium who I visited while in Brussels in April. Kempton Baldridge has a daughter starting at Smith College this fall and is a clergy alternate for the Convocation of American Churches in Europe.
D066 would have give the youth presence a vote. They now have only seat and voice. This was discharged and did not pass.
D075 World mission mission is the heartbeat of the church says the PB.
There were more courtesy resolutions, but we finished a bit after six and have no evening session. Hallelujah!
Pictures at the top. Our own senior deputy Dr Debbie Harmon-Hines and the Rt Rev Barbara Harris, the first woman Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Dr Louis Crew, founder of Integrity, and the Bishop fashion award.

Video below, the not so frozen chosen at daily Eucharist