A race to the finish

Newly elected Presiding Bishop-elect Michael Curry preaching
at the closing Eucharist of General Convention.

We are finally done. And that's both good and bad.

Good because it's been a long 11 days since I arrived in Salt Lake City. 

Bad because even when the work was occasionally tedious it was rewarding, and I will miss the fellowship, reconnecting with old friends, and making new ones.

There was much to commend the work completed by General Convention. Let me share some highlights:

We elected an energizing Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, who enthusiastically urges us all to go out and share the love of Jesus.

We approved liturgies and canonical changes that open marriage to all couples who to celebrate the occasion in the church.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts
Schori offers a finalblessing at the concluding Eucharist.

We approved some structural changes to The Episcopal Church. Nothing as dramatic as we might have envisioned three years ago when we called for the formation of TREC -- the Task Force to Reimagine the Episcopal Church -- but it's a start.

We approved millions of dollars to support new initiatives to proclaim Christ in new ways including in the Wild West that is the internet as well as support for reaching out to populations to whom we need to pay more attention.

We passed resolutions calling for racial justice and living wages. 

We called for the development of comprehensive plans for the revision of our Book of Common Prayer and our Hymnal. We approved continuing conversations on issues related to the Eucharist, our hospitality, and other issues central to our identity as Episcopalians.

We started every session with prayer or song or both. We spoke, even when disagreeing on substantive matters, with mutual care and respect.

And -- most amazing of all -- we ended 31 minutes early!

On the floor of the House of Deputies on the final day of the 78th General Convention. 

Marriage to be open to all couples

The final tally of voting by clergy and lay orders approving
liturgies to open marriage to all couples in the church.

Well, now we've gone and done it. Finally! After talking about gay rights issues for the better part of 40 years, The Episcopal Church will allow all couples access to marriage rites in the church.

Three years ago General Convention called for a Task Force to study marriage -- not gay marriage or straight marriage but simply marriage. The Task Force, chaired by the Rev. Brian Taylor (now retired, but formerly the long-time rector of St. Michael and All Angels in Albuquerque), published a variety of liturgical materials, canon law recommendations, and scholarly essays. At General Convention a special committee was formed to consider the resolutions proposed by the Task Force. After hearing testimony from all who were interested, this committee perfected liturgical and canonical changes for consideration.

Resolutions concerning liturgy typically are introduced first in the House of Bishops, as they are the group on the front lines, if you will, of assisting local clergy interpret and apply the liturgical limitations imposed by General Convention resolutions and by the canons of the church. After hours of prayerful discussion, the House of Bishops approved revised versions of the liturgical and canonical materials and referred them to the House of Deputies.

This afternoon we heard from the special committee, had the opportunity to ask questions about the proposed liturgical and canonical changes, considered (and rejected) a few amendments, prayed together, and then voted, first on the liturgy then later on the canons (or laws).

Some of the deputations asked that we vote by orders, meaning that each of the 109 deputations present had to record their votes both as clergy and as lay people. Above is the tally from the first vote. As you can tell, the vote wasn't even close.

This represents a significant change for The Episcopal Church, hot on the heels of last week's announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding same-sex marriages.

What was notable for me in this process was the mutual respect in our House, offered by and to those with differing opinions. As reminded by the President of the House of Deputies, following the votes we did not erupt either in celebratory shouts and claps or in wails and moans. Instead, we all maintained a prayerful and respectful silence -- then moved on to the next order of business.

While not everyone will welcome this decision, I am proud to be an Episcopalian today. Our church has taken a brave stand, one that says to our LGBTQ friends: "You, too, are beloved by God. You, too, are redeemed and saved by Christ. You, too, have hope and comfort in the Holy Spirit."

For those clergy who do not wish to conduct marriage rites for same-sex couples, nothing we've done will require them to break away from what their heart and their understanding of Scripture require.

Our conversations on this issue have reminded me of one of the great blessings of being in The Episcopal Church: we do not have to agree on every issue. Rather, we have a unity that is lasting, deep, and profound, rooted in the love of Christ and our love and care for each other. May that care never waiver or be found wanting.

Below is a photo of our lay deputation hard at work on the floor of the House of Deputies: