Thoughts from a first time deputy

The concept of General Convention seems at first designed to wear us out! Many hearings start at 7:00 or 7:30 am, and events continue until 9:30 or 10:00 pm. Some days it seems almost impossible to find time for lunch or dinner, and the hotel meal prices are just short of outrageous. The real value of bringing a clerical and lay alternate to GC has provided relief to our deputies.

But there is a huge amount of grace and joy and learning in the process. For instance, I was asked by Bishop Waggoner to serve as a “coach” for the Public Narrative process. I agreed and vaguely remembered when our Diocesan Council was trained to use the process. It is a simple, yet complex concept of learning to think in stages of self, us, and to link those two concepts into NOW, the action stage. The coach training was good, and there are also separate, one-on-one coaching sessions if needed. I have been amazed at the depth of discussion that evolves during these sessions with an arbitrarily selected small group. My group includes members from the Diocese of Los Angeles and the Diocese of Oregon. Some know each other but most don’t and yet we’ve made significant discoveries about common mission focus.

I testified on the rights of GLBT members of the Episcopal Church at two different legislative hearings, talking about my conviction and experience that we can do mission and inclusion. To me, our church should not exclude some Christians from any aspect of The Episcopal Church. The House of Deputies approved carefully crafted legislation on Sunday affirming this position, and forwarded the resolution – DO25 – to the House of Bishops for its consideration.

On Thursday evening, I attended the Integrity USA Eucharist with 1,200 to 1,500 other people, a collection of LGBT and significant numbers of straight attendees. There were numerous joyous parts of the celebration, with Bishop Gene Robinson presiding and Bishop Barbara Harris as preacher. In talking with Paul Lebens-Englund, we realized that we were observing not only a worship service but beautiful theatre. There were colorful banners everywhere, a 50 person choir, and processions with a Japanese drummer weaving in and out of the congregation. It was the most incredible, welcoming, joyous service that I have attended in my life.

Sunday, we had a joint Eucharist and UTO Ingathering with all at the General Convention, plus members from many churches across the Diocese of Los Angeles. We worshiped with two close friends who now live in Claremont, CA and who came with their congregation in a bus. We first knew each other in Baltimore, MD where Mary Beth and I were married seventeen years ago on Sunday.