By the Rev. Gar Demo, deputy
“Come find us and carry healing oils back into your churches and preach the word that when we leave no one behind, we will finally be found.”- The Rev. Becca Stevens This is my fourth General Convention either as an observer or deputy. Each one has had a different flavor and timbre during the gathering of so many from across the Episcopal Church. I would describe these past 10 days as a time filled with connection and seeking the lost sheep of our church.
The primary purpose of General Convention is to do the business of organizing the collective work and thoughts of our 110 diocese. This work happens through a process of the two houses: Deputies and Bishops. There are complicated rules and procedures that are all meant to keep the process fair, to slow us down from moving too quickly, and to help in discerning the will of God in the midst of prayer.
There where four major items before the church this go around: the election of the next presiding bishop, the reorganizing of the church in response to the Task Force for Reimaging the Episcopal Church (TREC), a reordering of the budget priorities and taking the next step in affirming same-sex relationships as normative in the church.
I am excited about the work convention has done to push the church in a new direction in its organization. I believe through the hard work of TREC and the work the General Convention did this week, we are preparing for an exciting time of evangelism and new ministry. Rather than just continuing the same old budget or organization, we voted to trim the Standing Commissions of the church to just three and to allow the Executive Council to have more nimble authority to work with task forces to accomplish the work of the church. Under the direction of a very dynamic Presiding Bishop in Michael Curry, I believe we will see an energized and creative church emerging. All of this work is done in the context of prayer, Bible study and deepening faith in God through Jesus Christ. I have found the worship to be inspiring, the sermons prophetic and the community faithful. Becca Stevens preached a great sermon on Wednesday that called the church to go after the lost sheep. She said that when we do we will discover that they aren’t that hard to find.
Unfortunately, the media will only focus on one thing we did this week, but the media doesn’t get to define the work the church is called to do. I’m leaving this convention with new energy and inspiration to take Jesus’ way into the world. The work won’t be easy. As the church reflects on the Five Marks of Mission, let us pray we can embrace this work in our own lives and in the lives of our congregations and diocese.
The Five Marks of Mission:
- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
- To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
- To respond to human need by loving service
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth
“Come find us and carry healing oils back into your churches and preach the word that when we leave no one behind, we will finally be found.”- The Rev. Becca Stevens This is my fourth General Convention either as an observer or deputy. Each one has had a different flavor and timbre during the gathering of so many from across the Episcopal Church. I would describe these past 10 days as a time filled with connection and seeking the lost sheep of our church.
The primary purpose of General Convention is to do the business of organizing the collective work and thoughts of our 110 diocese. This work happens through a process of the two houses: Deputies and Bishops. There are complicated rules and procedures that are all meant to keep the process fair, to slow us down from moving too quickly, and to help in discerning the will of God in the midst of prayer.
There where four major items before the church this go around: the election of the next presiding bishop, the reorganizing of the church in response to the Task Force for Reimaging the Episcopal Church (TREC), a reordering of the budget priorities and taking the next step in affirming same-sex relationships as normative in the church.
I am excited about the work convention has done to push the church in a new direction in its organization. I believe through the hard work of TREC and the work the General Convention did this week, we are preparing for an exciting time of evangelism and new ministry. Rather than just continuing the same old budget or organization, we voted to trim the Standing Commissions of the church to just three and to allow the Executive Council to have more nimble authority to work with task forces to accomplish the work of the church. Under the direction of a very dynamic Presiding Bishop in Michael Curry, I believe we will see an energized and creative church emerging. All of this work is done in the context of prayer, Bible study and deepening faith in God through Jesus Christ. I have found the worship to be inspiring, the sermons prophetic and the community faithful. Becca Stevens preached a great sermon on Wednesday that called the church to go after the lost sheep. She said that when we do we will discover that they aren’t that hard to find.
Unfortunately, the media will only focus on one thing we did this week, but the media doesn’t get to define the work the church is called to do. I’m leaving this convention with new energy and inspiration to take Jesus’ way into the world. The work won’t be easy. As the church reflects on the Five Marks of Mission, let us pray we can embrace this work in our own lives and in the lives of our congregations and diocese.
The Five Marks of Mission:
- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
- To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
- To respond to human need by loving service
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth