Following General Convention: Tom Fitzhugh

A few days removed from Anaheim, I am not surprised most of the news is on D025 and other resolutions that dealt with the Church’s struggle with issues surrounding sexuality. However, a great deal more happened in Anaheim, and it has not received much press attention.

Though I have been an alternate to six prior General Conventions, this was the first one where I was privileged to sit as a full deputy for our diocese. It is a tremendous honor and responsibility, and I was impressed (though not surprised) by the commitment and faithfulness our deputies showed. Simultaneously the Daughters of the King and Episcopal Church Women were meeting, so combined with the exhibitors, visitors, and guests, the Convention Center was bustling with activity as were the two big hotels. Committee meetings started at 7:30 am, and activity continued every night past 10 – making for very long days with few breaks.

Each day was punctuated by the Eucharist, a place where anyone, not just deputies or bishops, could join in worship and reflection. Prayer surrounded all events, and the chaplain in the House of Deputies opened and closed each legislative session with meditations and prayers. We sometimes prayed before voting and sang hymns together with passion during long sessions. Among other major issues addressed were (1) a comprehensive health plan for all church employees; (2) a lay pension plan for the whole church (though our diocese has one already in place); (3) a complete revision of Title IV, the disciplinary canons; and (4) an enthusiastic approval of a plan to expand our Hispanic ministry. We had some wonderful youth deputies who energized the House several times with their presentation and debates. Our church has much to offer thoughtful young folks.

Evangelism was addressed repeatedly and energetically, but the budget realities meant elimination at the Church Center of positions focused on evangelism. This means we will have to accept the responsibility for this work at the parish and diocesan level. Successful evangelism requires local effort, and I think we have many new opportunities presented by the current situation. Budget shortfalls will require significant reduction of staff at the Episcopal Church Center, but for some of us, the shrinkage of a national bureaucracy may be a good thing.

Though our deputation was diverse in its viewpoints on some issues, as a whole I think we were supportive and listened to one another carefully. We now have the largest diocese in the United States, and we are an amazing collection of people. One leaves General Convention sharing Bishop Doyle’s frustration that the legislative process is not the best way to deal with pastoral issues. Meeting friends made through online exchanges was a real highlight too, even though we didn’t always share the same views on major issue.

As Bishop Lillibridge of West Texas noted, there was a genuine sense of caring and concern for the feelings and realities of those who are not in the majority on some of the big church issues. Votes on these issues were conducted prayerfully, and there was no gloating over results. Some foreign Anglican visitors spoke encouragingly of the vitality of our process, one in which lay and clergy share responsibility with bishops for major decisions in the church. Most explained that their time with us changed their perception of how the Episcopal Church operates. It seems that many primates have a distorted perception of our polity, and this clouds their understanding of how we deal with diversity of thought while maintaining unity in worship and mission.

We stand now before the world with a clearer statement of our position as a church on full inclusion of all baptized persons in ministry. Pray with me that we can demonstrate by our actions, not just our words, how a diverse church can move forward in partnership with Anglican churches around the world to spread the Good News.

As Bishop Doyle wrote, our mission today is the same as it was two weeks ago. Our diocese and our congregations should continue their missionary efforts with renewed energy. We were an energetic and diverse diocese before General Convention, and we should move now with renewed effort to spread the Good News with our neighbors.