Day 7

Friday, June 28, 2024

As the General Convention comes to a close, there is so much to think about. While I personally struggled with the direction a portion of the House endeavored to point us, I give thanks for our ability to listen gracefully and speak freely without fear of condemnation. Over the course of the week, I witnessed, and personally experienced, God’s grace as those with opposing views welcomed and thanked one another for their testimonies. Despite the passions displayed with regard to the issues facing the church, each of which opened a door to division, I felt our sense of community, bonded together, not by the issues, or points of view, but in the love of Christ. I walk away from Convention with hope in our Church to be a faithful witness, in and to the world, of the difference God’s love can make.

In the beginning, our deliberations seemed exhausting, as various groups made their will known. Yet, as the work of the Church unfolded before us, a sense of unity grew our of our mutual trust, enabling us to move more quickly through the diverse resolutions before us. Did we always agree? No! But we were able to work together, side by side in grace. Not everyone was happy with the decisions made, or compromises agreed upon. My impression is that what people felt was the aide of the Holy Spirit, guiding us along a pathway of peace, working to do, not just what some felt passionately about, but what was both God’s will and the greater needs of the Church.

How do I sum up our time together? It was a blessing, both as a delegation of Nebraskans and as the body of Christ. I want to thank the members of our delegation for their ability to listen and share, helping each of us to understand where needed, encouraging and enabling us to then embrace or let go as the Spirit guided. I must also thank Lachisha, who ensured lunch was ready when we took our break, so that we did not have to fight the crowds for a meal and to have our time together to talk. I am blessed and filled with hope, hope found in the love and presence of Christ in our Church.

The Rev. Tom Jones

Day 6

Thursday, June 27, 2024

As an Alternate Deputy to the 81st General Convention, my assigned seating (when I am not actively subbing for one of the regular Deputies of the Nebraska Diocese), gives me an admirable vantage point from which to witness the proceedings. I can see nearly the entire Deputation seated before me. I can see the front dias where the President of the House of Delegates and the Secretary are seated. And I can see the sections reserved for visiting dignitaries and members of the press. It's quite a view.

I reflected on that view as I worshipped at Morning Prayer on Thursday. Near the end of the service, we joined in the Apostles' Creed, saying "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints." The communion of saints. Yes. That's what I am seeing and experiencing. And it is a community that stretches beyond the 800+ Deputies in attendance here. It stretches back to Nebraska, and it stretches far beyond that through the world-wide Anglican Communion.

And yet. From my vantage point, I can see the restlessness that sets in when one too many individuals decide they must absolutely join the queue to speak to an amendment. I can see the frustration when there are glitches with the technology that's supposed to facilitate our communication. And I can see the impatience when folks with deeply felt but disparate views try to come to consensus.

OK, I'll be honest. Not only do i see this in others; I must also acknowledge my own restlessness, frustration, and impatience. For me, being part of the 81st General Convention is an opportunity to experience the paradox of being simultaneously one of the saints of God and also a human who too often "wants what he wants and who wants it now."

Which brings me back to the Apostles' Creed: "I believe in the Holy Spirit." 

I trust that the Holy Spirit is flowing through this Conference and can flow through me. I don't need to understand how and when it happens, but I know that the Spirit is putting this General Conference--and even my fallible and frail self--to good use. Come, Holy Spirit, fill your Episcopal Church with your power and your love. Amen!

Lee Busselman

Day 5

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Greetings from Louisville, Kentucky!

By now, I am sure you have heard the news that we have a new Presiding Bishop. This morning Sean W. Rowe of the diocese of Northwest Pennsylvania and Western New York was elected as the 28th presiding bishop on the first ballot.

This means Bishop Barker will be returning to us here in DioNeb! (Yay for us!) I’ll let you read his own words in the statement sent out earlier today via email. I would only add one thing. The Diocese of Nebraska can be very proud of Scott Barker and Elizabeth Easton, who did a beautiful job navigating this discernment journey and election process with faithfulness and collegiality.

I think it is safe to say, the deputation is glad to have this election completed. And It is worth noting that the Presiding Bishop Elect has called for this time of transition in the Episcopal Church to be a “Season of Jubilee” and made an express appeal for us in the church to reconcile with one another in order to make room for a fresh start. We bid your prayers for the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe and the whole Episcopal Church.

There has been other work going on at general convention! Today the house of Deputies has been working its way through the election calendar. We are happy to share that Woody Bradford has been elected as an alternate to the Court of Review. This role is part of the Title Four process and reviews cases from all of the diocese. Congratulations Woody!

Church governance can be a slog, but the way the Episcopal Church makes room for a multitude of voices really is a thing of beauty. It is also time consuming! So we will be making use of our evening legislative session today. We especially ask your prayers for the resolutions we will hear today regarding the conflict between Palestine and Israel.

One of the highlights of General Convention is the large group, worship offerings. For those of us who come from small parishes, it is hard to imagine what it’s like to sing, pray, and worship with hundreds of other Episcopalians. It is quite simply heart filling. The music and liturgies have been wonderful examples of Episcopal worship, and have helped us focus our hearts on the will of God and the movement of the Holy Spirit.

You can watch these services as well as the live streams from both the house of Bishops and the House of Deputies by going to the media hub linked here.

I’m grateful to be serving as deputy representing our diocese and thank you for your prayers and interest in this work.  

Noelle Ptomey, Deputy L2, Diocese of Nebraska 

Day 4

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Day 4 of General Convention marked the halfway point of our time together in Louisville. By this point, we’re in the groove of a daily schedule that mixes serious deliberation with truly enjoyable fellowship, not only with our Nebraska delegation but also including friends old and new across our denomination.

As is our custom, we opened the day with a worship service. As someone with a soft spot for Rite I and usually more focused on the liturgy itself, I’m surprised to write that my favorite part of our services so far has been the music. I was skeptical that a jazz ensemble could pull off traditional hymns, but when performed by a group so clearly enjoying the musical moment, it works wonderfully.

As the day progressed, the legislative calendar moved us into decisions with increased long-term meaning to the future of our church. Leading off was a genuinely unprecedented event, a contested election for President of the House of Deputies with a sitting incumbent. Our current president, Julia Ayala Harris, retained her seat with 63% of the vote.

The brisker pace of today’s activity continued with consideration of the church’s $143 million budget for the 2025-27 triennium. We approved this plan that features funding for the three mission focus areas identified by Presiding Bishop Curry: $1.2 million for creation care, $5 million for evangelism, and $11.4 million for racial reconciliation and justice. An additional $2.3 million of unrestricted funds is automatically designated for the newly formed Coalition on Racial Equity and Justice, bringing the total to $13.7 million for this mission effort.

The budget committee’s work is not done, however. General Convention typically passes resolutions promoting new initiatives with price tags attached. This year is no different, with a potential added spending of $13 million to wedge into $2 million budgetarily allotted for such measures. The committee will sharpen their pencils post-convention and present a final draft for Executive Council’s final approval in the fall.

Our legislative day closed with two highlights - the addition of the churches in Micronesia to the Diocese of Hawaii and the establishment of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland as a missionary diocese. Each of these actions culminates a lengthy process to bring these communities more fully into our denominational family, and the House’s enthusiastic reaction captured the warm emotions that surrounded the moment.

As significant as these outcomes may be, they largely serve as the appetizers for tomorrow’s main course, the election of our next Presiding Bishop. While I’ll greet the day with an odd mixture of excitement and trepidation that I’m guessing many of us will feel, I have complete confidence that the Holy Spirit will guide our bishops toward the right decision.

While we Nebraskans clearly have a beloved “dog in the fight” in Bishop Barker, please remember to pray for all the candidates. Though Bishop Curry will be a tough act to follow, each nominee has been through a long and demanding process that proves her or him well-suited to lead our church for the next nine years. Our profound bias aside, God will make sure we are in the right hands.

Vic Culp

Day 3

Monday, June 24, 2024

I am very happy and proud to be representing the Diocese of Nebraska at the 81st General Convention.  Ready to see what we can do to help all God’s people around the world and those who live beside us.

We started the day with Morning Prayer today. Something not all of us use all the time. You can find it here in the Book of Common Prayer on page 37 for Rite l and 75 for Rite ll. Both Rites are beautiful services. Sets my day up right with getting in tune with God. When I started coming to the Episcopal church we did morning prayer 3 times a month and one Sunday we had the Eucharist. Well we had a beautiful service with great music. The Gospel was given in French and some of the prayers in Spanish.

We moved from morning prayer into a joint session with the bishops for a presentation on the budget. So, we got to have Bishop Barker at our table for the presentation. Then we had some lengthy discussions and votes on the legislative floor. We broke for lunch and the NE deputies ate together and the bishop’s wife Anne joined us along with Chris Plantz.

Back to the House of Deputies and a talk and video from the Episcopal Relief and Development group. They thanked everyone for the contributions that had been made to help people all over the world and help improve God’s world. Tonight is the Kentucky night. Hosted by their diocese. Food, games, and music. 

Deacon Wes Agar

Day 2

Sunday, June 23, 2024

In his address to us yesterday, Presiding Bishop Curry referred to something that Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said: "How do you tell we're Anglicans? We meet." We certainly are meeting in Louisville, where the General Convention is well under way. Today (Sunday, 23 June 2024) was the first legislative day. My day began at 7:00 AM (!), with a meeting of a Legislative Committee. Every resolution to be presented to General Convention is considered by a committee, which issues a recommendation to the Convention - to approve the resolution, to deny it, to take no further action, etc. The resolution is then placed on the legislative calendar and is ultimately debated and decided on by the Convention (this may seem like an arcane and time-consuming process. but it's the way things are done). I, however, am a process geek - I love sitting in four-hour meetings wordsmithing resolutions and debating possible amendments - so I'm happy here.

In the House of Deputies (there are four clergy deputies and four lay deputies from each diocese) we were told this morning that there were 813 deputies (408 clergy and 405 lay), from 103 dioceses. That's a lot of people in one room, not to mention alternate deputies, observers from the public, and all the support staff. The House of Bishops meets separately, and there's a huge Exhibit Hall (which is like a combination bazaar and giant family reunion). There are, when you come right down to it, thousands of people milling around this convention center. It's a thrill just to watch all these people, in all their diversity. You really feel like you're part of something big.

One of the things that always amazes me about people-watching at the Convention is how many folks here are wearing habits, as members of a variety of religious orders (Episcopal religious orders).

About 60 years ago, the Episcopal Church ejected the Diocese of Cuba, for (as far as I could ever see) no good reason except that the Castro-led revolution occurred (which proves that even a church organization can be tainted by jingoism and toxic nationalism). Last Convention the Diocese of Cuba was readmitted to the Episcopal Church, and this year they were present with full seat, voice, and vote, and they got a great round of applause welcoming them back.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that a highlight for Nebraska today was when President Ayala Harris appointed a delegation to carry to the House of Bishops the message that the Deputies were organized and ready to transact business (I told you it was arcane).  She sent a first-time deputy, a second-time, a third-time, up to a fourteen-time deputy - there was no fifteen-time deputy present; then, as she said, the good part - she appointed 16-time deputy Woody Bradford to lead this delegation. Bishop Barker took a photo in the House of Bishops of Woody delivering the message; I'm sending it along and hope it can be published in this blog.

Noelle Ptomey took a picture of the stage in the House of Deputies when we were just getting started; I'm sending that along, too, so you can kind of get an idea of how big this place is.

They asked me to send a blog post; this is no a finished essay like Emily sent, but it (I hope) gives you a glimpse into what being a deputy to General Convention is like. I thank the Diocese of Nebraska for giving me the chance to come here and represent you.

Charles Plantz

Day 1

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Good morning from Louisville, (Loueeville? Louavul? Luvl?) where leadership of the Episcopal Church has gathered for its 81st General Convention. When the Episcopal Church first met as a body, in 1785, after the Church of England in the colonies was in disarray after the Revolutionary War, it had to organize itself, keeping the best of the Anglican tradition while pointing in a new direction as a church in a new country.

In many ways, this Convention echoes that time, as many of us are experiencing a disorientation as I’m sure those first deputies felt. We come together in a time of great change, hopeful in some ways, frightening in others. Our post-pandemic world seems to have sped up that change. Lay and clergy leaders feel the pressure of answering the question of “where is God leading us?”

Most of us in the Nebraska deputation had timed our arrival so we would be present for the Presiding Bishop candidate forum. I went to support our own bishop, as he is a candidate, and we were not surprised to hear Bishop Barker deliver an authentic message of hope and love for Nebraska, for the Episcopal Church, and for the future, personified in his new grandchild.

What did surprise me was hearing all the candidates together express their hopes for our church at this moment in time. It’s easy to be discouraged about attendance and money, but hearing experienced leaders talk honestly about their own faithful living out of God’s call, challenges of spiritual and mental well-being, and directions for change in this time was a moment of renewal for me. Whoever is elected has been thinking deeply for a long time about where we might go as a denomination, taking the best of our tradition while pointing in a new direction.

As a lifetime Episcopalian and a relatively new Nebraskan, it is an honor to serve in Louisville, representing our beautiful state of fields, prairies, and rivers. Pray for all of us gathered here, that we may make wise decisions for the future of our church, and that we may bring home ideas and energy for the work ahead.

The Rev. Emily Schnabl
St. Martha’s, Papillion

2022 General Convention Blog

Four clergy deputies and four lay deputies, along with Bishop Barker, will represent the Diocese of Nebraska at the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Throughout General Convention, Nebraska deputies will be sharing their experiences and reflections with the larger diocese below.

Our DioNeb deputation was elected at Annual Council in 2019 and includes: Woody Bradford, Noelle Ptomey, Vic Culp, Charles Plantz, The Rev. Canon Liz Easton, The Rev. Deacon Wes Agar, The Rev. Amanda Gott, and the Rev. Dr. Marisa Tabizon Thompson. Please add the names of our deputies and Bishop to your daily prayer, as well as the General Convention itself, the house of Deputies and the House of Bishops.

You can follow along with General Convention news via the Episcopal News Service, and learn more about the history and current configuration of General Convention on its website.

Day 2

July 9, 2022

Day 2 of General Convention was clearly sponsored by hotel coffee shops and the Starbucks app as over 800 people who stayed up too late the night before came together to worship, work, and weigh in on matters of the church. Morning Prayer was led almost entirely in Spanish, reminding people that while we are different, we come together as one to worship one God. In her sermon, the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, President of the House of Deputies, shared the painting, The Calling of St. Matthew by Caravaggio, to remind us there are many ways to look at things, yet, like speaking the familiar prayers in an unfamiliar (for many) language and cadence, there is still one center. God is there, and God is our guide. She cautioned all gathered that while some people pay such close attention to something that they cannot see its surroundings or what's coming, and others focus so much on what is ahead that they can miss being grounded in the here and now, we are actually called to do both, balance both - to see the detail in the painting and the overall vision. She listed the three things she is most proud of accomplishing in her time as President: working to establish official marriage equality in the church, addressing the #MeToo culture of the church, and the establishment of a special committee truly dedicated to addressing marginalization and dismantling racism in the church and beyond. Three things that required looking out while looking in, always with God as our guide. 

After worship, it was election time! Many positions were open in a number of places, but the biggest vote was for a new President of the House of Deputies. There were five outstanding candidates, and it took three ballots to declare Julia Ayala Harris the president-elect. Awards were given out and recognitions were made. And we took our DioNeb shirt day picture!

This work was followed by items on the legislative calendar, resolutions proposed by different groups and individuals that eventually made their way to our agenda. While many things were discussed and debated, I want to share the three topics I found most intriguing.

1. In the wake of changing laws, heightened cultural stress, and questions about personal rights, two resolutions focused on the locations of future General Conventions. They cited women's rights and safety, and health access for women and LGBTQIA people as primary concerns. The debate that ensued was...truly Episcopalian. People argued on all sides, and yet everyone seemed to be asking what our duty is as a Church: do we cancel or move events in states where people simply are not safe, making a statement that all are welcome, and we cannot meet in places where that is not true? Or do we keep all options open because we need to be a loving voice of Christ in these places?

2. Resolution D050 called for the uniting of the Diocese of North Texas (formerly Fort Worth) with the Diocese of Texas. This comes after over a decade of battle in the courts following the ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) take over of the vast majority of properties and assets of the diocese. Overnight dozens of churches changed locks and people arrived to church, unable to enter and worship. Endowments were drained or intentionally mismanaged. And when ACNA finally won the case and received the properties and vestments and everything else, they then came back and sued the small handful of remaining churches. There is much more that could be said (and I clearly have an opinion), but I will summarize by saying that I have seen a lot of awful, cruel, and hateful behavior in churches, and none of it compares to what ACNA has done and is doing. Yet, despite all of that, the remaining churches and Epsicopal diocese hung on. They fought to be churches proclaiming God's love in the Fort Worth area. They came together to help one another - and to build up the community at large. Today we voted to support these faithful people, to recognize all they have done and how they have grown, and to bring them into the Diocese of Texas. It was a beautiful moment following such sorrow and despair. I definitely cried. A lot.

3. The last one for today is Resolution A048 which proposes to radically shift the budgeting process by eliminating the joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance, and moving the budget and finances to the Executive Council. It is a complicated proposal, one that would make great strides in trying to make our budgeting process better and more effective, yet it also consolidates a significant amount of power in an entity that is not actually designed to do this. The discussion got a little crazy - so tune in to find out what happens.

Respectfully submitted,

The Rev. Dr. Marisa Tabizon Thompson, Rector
All Saints Episcopal Church
Omaha, Nebraska

 

First Day

July 9, 2022

The first day of a four day convention got off to a slow start as we waited for the computer system to work. However, that did not prevent a wonderful prerecorded opening sermon by our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. He advised us that The Episcopal Church (TEC) will be engaging social media to spread the Gospel in September and asked the members of TEC to stand on the “rock” of Jesus and his message of love. Gay Jennings, the President of the House of Deputies, followed, quoting Paul’s letter to the Colossians reminding us of the attributes of discipleship. What followed was the solemn reading of the names of those members of the House who had passed on since the last convention in 2018. We stood in their honor. Then in a moment that reflected the time in which we live, the Alabama deputation was called forward to recall and pray for the three people who were murdered while praying at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in their Diocese. The morning session ended quietly on that note.

Our deputation met back at the Hotel for lunch (on the Bishop) and shared our views on what we thought about the morning and expected in the afternoon. When we resumed, we passed an amended Rules of Order designed to get us through the business of a much shortened convention. The afternoon was mainly devoted to two resolutions dealing with Racism and Social Justice which grew out of a group chosen by Bishop Curry and President Jennings. Both passed almost unanimously. The first calls for the establishment of the Episcopal Coalition of Racial Equity and Justice. It is tasked with researching the cause of systematic racism and “telling the truth” about TEC's benefit and roll in colonialism and white supremacy, and then eliminating its continuing effect on our culture. The second resolution dealt with the history of TEC relationship with our Native population past and present. Again it looks back to the past, particularly the Indian schools, and seeks our acceptance of what happened to many children. It also looks forward with direct support of projects designed to bring our church into a truly evangelical relationship with the tribes in Nebraska.

After resolutions acknowledging the City of Baltimore, the state of Maryland, and others whose talents contributed to the convention we adjourned.

At 7:30pm tonight we reassembled to deal with resolutions dealing with the formation of “Task Forces” to deal with racism, mental illness, sexual abuse, and the training of people to bring services to the those speaking foreign languages and the deaf. All the resolutions passed. We then passed a resolution to allow Puerto Rico to join Province II. We then took up a resolution to include five cities for consideration of the 2027 Convention, but when that ended in controversy the evening session was ended. All in all it was a good day.

Woody Bradford

 

Loading In

July 8, 2022

For most of our Nebraska deputation to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, yesterday was our travel, check-in, and registration day. While some drove and some flew, all of us were finally settled into our hotel rooms by late afternoon, and soon commenced the work of getting credentialed and equipped for the four days of meetings to come. Every deputy (and bishop) was issued a badge that will allow them onto the floor of their legislative body and to vote, and each of us was additionally issued an iPad to keep track of the legislation at hand. Once registration was accomplished, many of us made our way to local grocery stores to buy supplies for the inevitably rushed meals that lie ahead, and then to dinner out somewhere in Baltimore.

I’d say there is a sense of expectation and cautious optimism in the air. It’s exciting to see the larger Church gathered in this way, and the Spirit always provides guidance and surprises when we assemble as the body of Christ. The incredible beauty and diversity of the Episcopal Church is made wonderfully incarnate at this gathering, and that is always a wonder to see. As to the work of convention, our task will be to move with dispatch through our packed agenda, while still somehow offering genuinely prayerful consideration of the approximately 400 pieces of legislation that have been proposed.

Good work has been done to plan a greatly foreshortened convention this time around, largely due to the risks of Covid-19. Many here (including me) would love to see the efficiencies of this convention replicated in the future. The Episcopal Church, especially in this moment, does not need a ten-day convention to accomplish our work, and the length and expense of General Convention has long kept folks from participating who need to be present and heard at this gathering. God willing, this year in Baltimore will be a test run for how we might do General Convention in the years to come.

I am genuinely looking forward to these four days. I promise that your Nebraska deputation will do our level best to represent your hopes and concerns for the future of our Church this week in Baltimore.

+Bishop Barker