Eight Agree to Serve as Episcopal Visitors
09/20/07
Eight bishops have accepted an invitation to serve as episcopal visitors consistent with Delegated Pastoral Oversight (DEPO), an initiative approved by the House of Bishops in 2004.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was expected to announce the development during the opening plenary session of the House of Bishops’ meeting Sept. 20-25 in New Orleans, according to the Rev. Canon Charles Robertson, canon to the Presiding Bishop.
Canon Robertson added that Bishop Jefferts Schori conferred with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams about the invitations, which she extended after a process of consultation with bishops in The Episcopal Church. The first two days of the meeting with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams are private.
The eight are: Bishops Frank Brookhart of Montana, Clarence Coleridge, Connecticut retired, Dorsey Henderson of Upper South Carolina, John Howe of Central Florida, Gary Lillibridge of West Texas, Michael Smith of North Dakota, James Stanton of Dallas, and Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island.
“All eight are true bridge-builders who empathize with the concerns and needs of dioceses that are struggling with the issues of the current time,” Canon Robertson said in a statement given to Episcopal News Service. “This gives dioceses the pastoral guidance and care they need while remaining faithful and loyal members of the Episcopal Church. It is also the Presiding Bishop’s hope that at some point in the future she would be invited to visit these dioceses.”
Following the 75th General Convention in 2006, seven dioceses, including Central Florida and Dallas, appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury for alternate episcopal oversight. Dallas later modified its request. Details are unknown as to how an episcopal visitor would be selected or whether the plan is acceptable to the dioceses which initially made the appeal.
Bishop Jefferts Schori’s invitation to the eight bishops seeks to delegate the first of three primary canonical duties of the Presiding Bishop, that of visiting each of The Episcopal Church’s 110 dioceses during each Presiding Bishop’s nine-year term. The Presiding Bishop’s other two principal canonical roles are to “take order” for ordaining and consecrating bishops, and to oversee certain disciplinary actions as needed.
Friday, September 21, 2007
MInd Of The House
The Diocese of Alabama
The Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley, Bishop
DRAFT FOR MIND OF THE HOUSE RESPONSE
To the Primates of the Anglican Communion:
We the bishops of the Episcopal Church meeting in New Orleans greet you in faith and obedience to Jesus Christ and in the fellowship of the churches of the Anglican Communion. We have listened prayerfully to your communiqué from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in February 2007 and offer our response.
We recognize that in the polity of the Episcopal Church we as the House of Bishops acting alone cannot legislate for this church or alter resolutions of the General Convention. In our role as chief pastors of the Episcopal Church we believe that, consistent with the report presented to you by the Communion Sub-Group of the Anglican Communion Joint Standing Committee, our General Convention Resolution B-033 (On the Election of Bishops) is in accord with the requests of the Windsor Report and meets your concerns. The Sub-Group found that this resolution “complies with the force of the Windsor Report” and that by adopting it “the majority of the bishops have committed themselves to the recommendations of the Windsor Report.” We agree.
Secondly, we remind you that our General Convention did not in 2006, nor has before, adopted resolutions authorizing the development of the public rites for the blessing of same sex unions. The Covenant Statement adopted by our House of Bishops in 2005 states that “we pledge not to authorize any public rites for the blessing of same sex unions, and we will not bless any such unions, at least until the General Convention of 2006”. The General Convention of 2006 took no action on this matter and the Covenant Statement continues to have moral force among us as bishops. We continue as well to heed the word of the Primates’ Meeting communiqué from Dromantine assuring “homosexual persons that they are children of God, loved and valued by him, and deserving of the best we can give of pastoral care and friendship.” We recognize that in our diocese there will be differing pastoral responses to this affirmation.
Thirdly, we affirm once again our unequivocal commitment and care for all the dioceses, parishes, and members of the Episcopal Church, as evidenced in our Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight plan. We believe that “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of us all” and we desire for this church to be safe and welcoming for those with different viewpoints. We remain committed to seek as necessary additional pastoral responses other than the pastoral scheme presented in your communiqué, which has been found to be incompatible with the Constitution and Canons of our church. We believe that the concept of Primatial Vicar continues to have merit. It is our conviction that continuing interventions in the ministry of the Episcopal Church by other Anglican bishops and dioceses are damaging to our godly fellowship in the Anglican Communion and we ask that they cease.
Furthermore, it is our belief that the churches of the Communion should fully utilize the Anglican Consultative Council in addressing important issues that come before us. The Council was authorized unanimously by all the provinces of the Anglican Communion for this purpose. It is our one constitutional body and representative of both the ordained ministry and the laity of our constituent member churches. As the listening process takes place among us, the Anglican Consultative Council needs to play a central role in our deliberations.
Finally, we take heart and commend all our churches St. Paul counsel to the church at Ephesus that we live together “with all humility and patience, bearing with one another in love.” Bearing with one another does not require agreement. It requires mutual respect and tolerance as we seek to work through differences with humility and patience. This is the Anglican way. We believe that such mutual forbearance in love is the way forward as we seek to discern the mind of Christ in the matters before the church.
The Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley, Bishop
DRAFT FOR MIND OF THE HOUSE RESPONSE
To the Primates of the Anglican Communion:
We the bishops of the Episcopal Church meeting in New Orleans greet you in faith and obedience to Jesus Christ and in the fellowship of the churches of the Anglican Communion. We have listened prayerfully to your communiqué from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in February 2007 and offer our response.
We recognize that in the polity of the Episcopal Church we as the House of Bishops acting alone cannot legislate for this church or alter resolutions of the General Convention. In our role as chief pastors of the Episcopal Church we believe that, consistent with the report presented to you by the Communion Sub-Group of the Anglican Communion Joint Standing Committee, our General Convention Resolution B-033 (On the Election of Bishops) is in accord with the requests of the Windsor Report and meets your concerns. The Sub-Group found that this resolution “complies with the force of the Windsor Report” and that by adopting it “the majority of the bishops have committed themselves to the recommendations of the Windsor Report.” We agree.
Secondly, we remind you that our General Convention did not in 2006, nor has before, adopted resolutions authorizing the development of the public rites for the blessing of same sex unions. The Covenant Statement adopted by our House of Bishops in 2005 states that “we pledge not to authorize any public rites for the blessing of same sex unions, and we will not bless any such unions, at least until the General Convention of 2006”. The General Convention of 2006 took no action on this matter and the Covenant Statement continues to have moral force among us as bishops. We continue as well to heed the word of the Primates’ Meeting communiqué from Dromantine assuring “homosexual persons that they are children of God, loved and valued by him, and deserving of the best we can give of pastoral care and friendship.” We recognize that in our diocese there will be differing pastoral responses to this affirmation.
Thirdly, we affirm once again our unequivocal commitment and care for all the dioceses, parishes, and members of the Episcopal Church, as evidenced in our Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight plan. We believe that “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of us all” and we desire for this church to be safe and welcoming for those with different viewpoints. We remain committed to seek as necessary additional pastoral responses other than the pastoral scheme presented in your communiqué, which has been found to be incompatible with the Constitution and Canons of our church. We believe that the concept of Primatial Vicar continues to have merit. It is our conviction that continuing interventions in the ministry of the Episcopal Church by other Anglican bishops and dioceses are damaging to our godly fellowship in the Anglican Communion and we ask that they cease.
Furthermore, it is our belief that the churches of the Communion should fully utilize the Anglican Consultative Council in addressing important issues that come before us. The Council was authorized unanimously by all the provinces of the Anglican Communion for this purpose. It is our one constitutional body and representative of both the ordained ministry and the laity of our constituent member churches. As the listening process takes place among us, the Anglican Consultative Council needs to play a central role in our deliberations.
Finally, we take heart and commend all our churches St. Paul counsel to the church at Ephesus that we live together “with all humility and patience, bearing with one another in love.” Bearing with one another does not require agreement. It requires mutual respect and tolerance as we seek to work through differences with humility and patience. This is the Anglican way. We believe that such mutual forbearance in love is the way forward as we seek to discern the mind of Christ in the matters before the church.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
A Time For Prayer
18 Sept, 2007
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I write to you out of deep prayer for the life of our Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion.
The House of Bishops' meeting begins on Wednesday evening, September 19th, with the first two days spent in the honored company of Archbishop Rowan Williams, Primates from the Joint Standing Committee, and other invited guests.
Primarily, we are being called to offer a response to the Windsor Report (including an Anglican covenant), and the Primates' Communiqué from Dar es Salaam. Once the meeting adjourns, the Archbishop is to consult with other Primates to consider a response to our deliberations and resolutions, after which they will give us a timely response. In addition, we will discuss the MDG's, spend a day working in New Orleans, and visit neighboring parishes on Sunday morning.
On Wednesday, September 26th, I will arrive home about two hours before the regularly scheduled meeting of Diocesan Council, and will communicate with you as soon as I am able.
Please pray for me and all our bishops. I leave for this meeting with a deep sense of anxiety, and my prayers have been for wisdom and humility at a time when there seems to be growing entrenchment and self-righteousness. May we honor one another in the honor and glory that is God's gift through Jesus Christ.
May God bless all of us.
+Geralyn Wolf
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I write to you out of deep prayer for the life of our Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion.
The House of Bishops' meeting begins on Wednesday evening, September 19th, with the first two days spent in the honored company of Archbishop Rowan Williams, Primates from the Joint Standing Committee, and other invited guests.
Primarily, we are being called to offer a response to the Windsor Report (including an Anglican covenant), and the Primates' Communiqué from Dar es Salaam. Once the meeting adjourns, the Archbishop is to consult with other Primates to consider a response to our deliberations and resolutions, after which they will give us a timely response. In addition, we will discuss the MDG's, spend a day working in New Orleans, and visit neighboring parishes on Sunday morning.
On Wednesday, September 26th, I will arrive home about two hours before the regularly scheduled meeting of Diocesan Council, and will communicate with you as soon as I am able.
Please pray for me and all our bishops. I leave for this meeting with a deep sense of anxiety, and my prayers have been for wisdom and humility at a time when there seems to be growing entrenchment and self-righteousness. May we honor one another in the honor and glory that is God's gift through Jesus Christ.
May God bless all of us.
+Geralyn Wolf
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
