November 29, 2008
Dear Friends:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.
End of an era
The new year of 2009 will mark the end of an era for the diocesan office. At the recent Diocesan Convention we said goodbye to Business Manager Bonnie Bernardy and thanked her for 17 years of service. Since then a very difficult decision has been made to eliminate the position of “Secretary to the Bishop” and we now say goodbye to Robin Kjos and thank her for 30 years of service to the Diocese of North Dakota.
Some background: One of the recommendations of the 2006 Task Force on Reorganization for Mission was to “reduce diocesan office staff to 1.0 FTE paid staff member and either contract out services not provided by the paid staff person and/or use volunteers.” The retirement of the Business Manager made this the opportune time to implement this recommendation and the 2009 budget adopted at Convention reflects a reduction in diocesan staffing.
Since last summer, Dean Steve Sellers and I have been exploring ways in which the diocesan and cathedral office staffs might work together more efficiently and effectively. This fall we called upon Diocesan Treasurer John Baird, Diocesan Convention Secretary Sandy Holbrook, Cathedral Treasurer Brett Shewey, Cathedral Senior Warden Dave Anderson and Deacon Beth Lipp to join us as a “Task Force on Office Reorganization.”
After reviewing current position descriptions, consulting personnel professionals and auditors outside our system, this group began drafting new position descriptions including necessary qualifications and appropriate pay scales. During this process it became painfully clear that if the diocesan budget could only support one full-time paid position, it had to be a financial officer. That determination meant the elimination of the position of “Secretary to the Bishop.”
This decision was not made lightly but with the deep sadness of realizing what this change means not only for the Diocese, but for Robin personally. We have made every effort to provide a just severance package for Robin. Please keep Robin and her family in your prayers.
New Staffing Appointments
Although the steps of transition to a new office staff will be taken incrementally, by the end of February 2009, we can expect to see Leisha Woltjer, the current Cathedral Coordinator, as the diocesan Finance Manager. Jamie Parsley, currently the “Bishop’s Assistant for Communications” will be given added responsibilities and become my part-time “Executive Assistant.” Correspondence and questions which in the past were directed to Robin should now go to Jamie Parsley at the email address of NDEpiscopal@aol.com.
The Cathedral will begin a search for an Office Manager. Although, for budgeting purposes, the line is clearly drawn between the cathedral Office Manager and the diocesan Finance Manager, it is our intent in practice that these two work together with the Executive Assistant and volunteers as a team to meet the administrative needs of both organizations in an effective manner. For example, phone calls to both offices will be answered by one person in the future.
We also intend to make some changes in the amount of paper mailings made from the diocesan office. This is a matter of stewardship in terms of cost-savings and environmental-friendliness. You can help us in this transition by letting us know how best to serve you or what you are missing from us. For example, for years “Lay Reader” sermons have been mailed to a number of recipients. Are these being used? I have asked Jamie Parsley and Kevin Goodrich OP to find online resources for those who regularly use these sermons. Please let us know what is most helpful.
Fourth Deputy Fund
At the most recent Diocesan Convention a decision was made to refine a decision made by a previous convention. We have now decided to send either one or both of our fourth deputies to General Convention, “provided funds are procured beyond the diocesan budget.” To enable this I have established a “Fourth Deputy Fund” at the diocesan office. To date donations and pledges have been secured in the amount of $1,600, leaving us $3,200 short of being able to send both of our fourth deputies.
An additional $1,600 remains to be raised for Terry Star to be sent as the fourth clergy deputy; $1,600 remains to be raised for Donna Pettit to be sent as the fourth lay deputy. Proceeds from fundraisers and checks may be made payable to the Diocese of North Dakota noting either “Lay Fourth Deputy” or “Clergy Fourth Deputy.” Undesignated contributions will be divided equally.
Anglican Covenant
I am grateful for the Diocesan Convention’s support of the ongoing “Windsor Process” which includes the development of an Anglican Covenant. I experienced our debate as respectful and sincere in attempts to find common ground and a way forward together in the crisis besetting our church and the Anglican Communion.
One of the concerns raised during our discussion was about supporting an Anglican Covenant that was not yet in its final form. The final draft is expected to be released this spring. When the Anglican Consultative Council presents it to the churches of the Anglican Communion (possibly as early as May) we will continue our diocesan study and conversation.
Some have questioned why the Diocese of North Dakota should be concerned at all about the Anglican Covenant. Why not simply allow the “national church” to deal with this issue? My response is that the proposed Anglican Covenant is the most important development in Anglicanism since the English Reformation. Since the “basic unit” of our church is the diocese and since our polity is essentially democratic, it’s my contention that to ignore it would be irresponsible of us as a diocese and negligence on my part as a leader.
Advent and Christmas
The Church calls us during these darkest days of the year to recall our Lord’s first advent as the Servant of mercy and salvation two millennia ago and to prepare for his future advent as the Judge of humankind. By the grace of the Incarnation, in this meantime, we call upon him to come into our hearts, forgiving us and providing us the grace and will to walk with him daily. When he comes again, may he find us ready with our lamps burning brightly, fueled by our acts of goodness, compassion and justice. I am,
Yours in Christ,
+Michael
Friday, December 5, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Fargo Forum interview with Bishop Smith
Reporter Shane Mercer of the Fargo Forum submitted to Bishop Michael Smith of the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota the following questions regarding yesterday’s (Dec. 3) announcement of the formation of the Anglican Church in North America. Below are Mercer’s questions and Smith’s responses:
Forum: Why is this group seeking to establish a new province?
Bishop Smith: The groups coming together to form a new province have been frustrated and grieved by what they see as a drifting away from the historic faith by the Episcopal Church and others in the Anglican Communion. The straw that broke the camel’s back for many of them came in 2003 when Gene Robinson, a non-celibate gay man was consecrated as bishop of New Hampshire. After attempts at reforming the institution, they have given up hope that the Episcopal Church will ever reverse its current course and see establishing another Anglican province in the U.S. as their only course of action.
Forum: Is it possible that Episcopal groups from our region will join this movement?
Bishop Smith: I would be very surprised if any groups in our region were to join this movement. Although we in the Diocese of North Dakota have strong differences of opinion about same gender blessings and other controversial matters, we are united in our resolve to remain a part of the Episcopal Church as well as remaining a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Anglicanism (of which the Episcopal Church is one of thirty-eight autonomous churches around the world) has traditionally been proud of its ability to remain together as a worshiping community despite differences in theological understandings. We’ve seen it as a gift that evangelicals and catholics and liberal protestants can all find a home in our big tent. That’s one reason this is all so painful.
Forum: How do you view this move by these individuals? Is it something they have a right to do? Is it the wrong decision for them to make?
Bishop Smith: I would never presume to judge my brothers and sisters in Christ who are making this decision. I know, love and respect a good number of them. I have every confidence that they are making a conscience-driven decision based on their commitment to Christ and to the Church.
Forum: What impact will this move have on the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.?
Bishop Smith: Only time will tell what impact this move will have on the Episcopal Church. A good number of us who desire to preserve the unity and traditional faith of the church are looking for a successful outcome in terms of the proposed Anglican Covenant. The churches of the Anglican Communion are in a tremendous period of discernment about how God is calling us to be in relationship with one another. The decisions made in the coming years are probably the most significant for Anglicanism since the English Reformation in the sixteenth century.
Forum: Why is this group seeking to establish a new province?
Bishop Smith: The groups coming together to form a new province have been frustrated and grieved by what they see as a drifting away from the historic faith by the Episcopal Church and others in the Anglican Communion. The straw that broke the camel’s back for many of them came in 2003 when Gene Robinson, a non-celibate gay man was consecrated as bishop of New Hampshire. After attempts at reforming the institution, they have given up hope that the Episcopal Church will ever reverse its current course and see establishing another Anglican province in the U.S. as their only course of action.
Forum: Is it possible that Episcopal groups from our region will join this movement?
Bishop Smith: I would be very surprised if any groups in our region were to join this movement. Although we in the Diocese of North Dakota have strong differences of opinion about same gender blessings and other controversial matters, we are united in our resolve to remain a part of the Episcopal Church as well as remaining a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Anglicanism (of which the Episcopal Church is one of thirty-eight autonomous churches around the world) has traditionally been proud of its ability to remain together as a worshiping community despite differences in theological understandings. We’ve seen it as a gift that evangelicals and catholics and liberal protestants can all find a home in our big tent. That’s one reason this is all so painful.
Forum: How do you view this move by these individuals? Is it something they have a right to do? Is it the wrong decision for them to make?
Bishop Smith: I would never presume to judge my brothers and sisters in Christ who are making this decision. I know, love and respect a good number of them. I have every confidence that they are making a conscience-driven decision based on their commitment to Christ and to the Church.
Forum: What impact will this move have on the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.?
Bishop Smith: Only time will tell what impact this move will have on the Episcopal Church. A good number of us who desire to preserve the unity and traditional faith of the church are looking for a successful outcome in terms of the proposed Anglican Covenant. The churches of the Anglican Communion are in a tremendous period of discernment about how God is calling us to be in relationship with one another. The decisions made in the coming years are probably the most significant for Anglicanism since the English Reformation in the sixteenth century.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Bishop's Address
To the Thirty-eighth Annual Convention
of the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota
October 4, 2008
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you, my brothers and sisters.
Today as we gather for the Thirty-eighth Annual Convention of the Diocese of North Dakota, we are celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The commentary in Lesser Feasts and Fasts reminds us: “Of all the saints, Francis is the most popular and admired, but probably the least imitated.” And that is indeed unfortunate when one thinks about what kind of world this might be if more Christians were more successful in our imitation of Francis in his imitation of Christ.
The radical discipleship of Francis, his total identification with the poverty and suffering of Christ, and his willingness to completely abandon himself to God’s reign leave us looking like poor imitations of the real thing.
There is a well known statement about evangelism attributed to Francis: “Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary use words.” Francis matched his words with action; he not only “talked the talk,” he “walked the walk.” His life is a testimony to the fact that when God’s grace and invitation in Jesus Christ is received, accepted and acted upon by human beings, wondrous -- sometimes miraculous -- things occur. Francis, like all great saints of the past, and like all the lesser saints of the present, was called to discern the will of God for his life. That is our call today.
Spiritual discernment leads us to ask questions such as: What is God leading us to be and to do in his Name in our own day, especially in a time of great turmoil and strife, in a time of war and economic uncertainty, in a time of church disunity and disintegration? We, like Francis, need to be attentive to God’s call to “rebuild the church” so that we may be a blessing to a hurting and troubled world. As we turn to the business of today’s convention, let me begin by offering a prayer of discernment attributed to St. Francis:
Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our minds. Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity, so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen.
Covenants
There are two resolutions dealing with “covenants” at this Convention, the Genesis Covenant and the Anglican Covenant. A “covenant,” as you know, is a “sacred agreement” that binds parties who adhere to them to certain actions before God.
The idea of the Genesis Covenant comes from the vision of a fellow Episcopal and Native American bishop, Steven Charleston, who currently serves as the assistant bishop of California. Bishop Charleston has called for every religious community in America to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. Although I am not a scientist, I do understand part of a Christian disciple’s mission as conserving “the good earth which God has given us” (BCP 384). The Creator entrusted the stewardship of creation to us through our ancestor, Adam, when he directed him to “till the garden of Eden and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15).
You will also recall that “Ensuring Environmental Sustainability” is one of three Millennium Development Goals chosen for diocesan focus. (The other two being “Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger” and “Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.”) Since St. Francis was declared the patron saint of ecology by the pope in 1979, I’m certain Francis will be watching our proceedings with interest.
The other covenant before us, the Anglican Covenant, emerged from the Windsor process and may well be the most important development for the churches of Anglicanism since the Reformation in England in the sixteenth century. After the recent Lambeth Conference, I am even more committed to working to preserve the Anglican Communion as God’s gift to a broken, hurting world and determined to fulfill my responsibility as a bishop to “guard the faith, unity and discipline of the Church” (BCP 517).
After Lambeth, I think it fair to say that there is now a consensus at least among the diverse center of the Communion, an agreement among the moderate liberals and moderate conservatives among the churches of Anglicanism, that an Anglican Covenant is a good and necessary development in order for us to be accountable to one another and for us to more effectively and accurately discern the mind of Christ together.
It would appear that globally the only voices currently raised against an Anglican Covenant are those that can only see the current controversies in black-and-white/I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong categories and refuse to listen to what the other side is saying. It is difficult to reason with the perspectives of the far Right and the far Left in these matters. One is willing to break away; the other is willing to walk apart, so certain are they of the rightness of their causes. An Anglican Covenant will provide a forum and a vessel in which we can deal with divisive issues in a manner that honors God and enhances mission, rather than resorting to courts, depositions and litigation, and in the process squandering resources which should be used for ministry.
Despite the fact that the Anglican Covenant is still a few months from its final draft to be released in May, we do have enough information before us to make a good decision. To put it simply, either the Instruments of Communion of Anglicanism have moral authority that deserves our respect and attention or they do not. Either we are primarily an independent, national church beholden to none or we are an interdependent church belonging to a global family of churches united through the historic See of Canterbury. This essentially is what the Anglican Covenant is about. I ask you to stand with me in guarding the faith, unity and discipline of the church by passing this resolution in order that our voice may be heard at General Convention.
Now turning to other matters about which I want to share with you:
Youth Ministry
I am pleased to report the progress the Youth Committee has made in re-starting a diocesan Youth Ministry. We have found a home of sorts at Red Willow Bible Camp in Binford where youth retreats are held. I was present at both events last year and can testify to their success. This year’s fall event is only a few weeks away. Adults can support these efforts by personally inviting and accompanying youth of their congregations to these events.
Three years ago I tried in vain to recruit youth to accompany me to the national Episcopal Youth Event. This time around four high school students and two adults representing the diversity of the Diocese of North Dakota attended this past summer’s EYE in San Antonio.
These developments, along with the continued excellence of the Young Life program of Standing Rock and new youth ministry starts at Fort Totten and Dunseith, are hopeful signs that youth ministry is growing in the Diocese.
Campus Ministry
Last year I embarrassed Grace Church in Jamestown by bragging about their support for and participation in their new campus ministry outreach. This year I report to you that, just last month, I confirmed two college students and received one young adult, all of whom came to the Episcopal Church through the campus ministry of Grace Church and especially through its new contemporary worship service and meal on Sunday evenings.
The method they have been using for this campus ministry is “peer ministry.” I am eager to see this method replicated throughout the Diocese. Therefore, I am requesting that the diocesan Campus Ministry Committee meet with the Episcopal Foundation for Ministry in Higher Education to explore ways they might partner together to support campus ministry in other congregations.
Episcopal Relief & Development
The work of Episcopal Relief & Development is something about which we should be very proud. In the most recent issue of the Sheaf appeared an article reporting on the 4-star rating given ERD by Charity Navigator, the national leader in charity evaluation. Only a quarter of the charities evaluated receive this highest rating. It gives us confidence that we get the “biggest bang for our buck” in terms of the dollars we donate actually getting to the people we intend to help.
Last year the diocesan Millennium Development Goals Committee worked through ERD in bringing to us the anti-malaria Nets for Life program. I look forward to the project the MDG Committee will commend to us this year. Today’s offering will be taken for ERD, designating it for use in recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
Mission and Budget Matters
The Treasurer has presented a diocesan budget for your approval. There you see that I will continue to bring in income to the Diocese through our “rent-a-bishop” program. Our arrangement with the Diocese of Louisiana is secured through May 2009, when we’ll evaluate once more. It is good to remind myself and this convention that this arrangement is not simply about bringing in more money to help our budget. It is for the purpose of enabling mission. If we start cutting mission funds from our budget, I will want to revisit this decision. For now, however, so far so good.
One of the goals stemming from the 2005 Reorganization for Mission Task Force Report was to lower Our Fair Share assessments from what was perceived as an excessively high rate of 22%. Three years later we have lowered it to 20% as proposed for next year’s budget. However, it’s difficult to see how we can propose further reductions without increased giving on the congregational level. Since the biblical tithe or giving 10% of one’s income is the official standard of giving according to canons of The Episcopal Church, I look forward to a day when each congregation gives 10% to the diocese and the diocese gives 10% to the national church. If we can encourage tithing or at least proportional giving by the people in our pews, everyone benefits. I’m reminded of the preacher who proclaimed that he had good news and bad news. The good news is that there is more than enough money to fund the church’s budget and to assist in building the Kingdom of God; the bad news is that the money is still in our pockets. This is primarily a spiritual matter.
Also following a recommendation of the Reorganization for Mission Task Force is a reduction in the number of diocesan office staff. After 17 years of service, we say goodbye to Bonnie Bernardy who will be retiring at the end of this year. After Bonnie leaves, we will only be funding one full-time position for the diocesan office. In order to better prepare for this transition, the Dean and I have appointed a Task Force to make recommendations for the better utilization of diocesan and cathedral resources in terms of office reorganization. We are looking for ways to become better stewards by cutting costs and cooperating for more efficient use of our office staff.
Although I hesitate to bring up the issue of a capital campaign, especially in light of the economic scares of the past weeks, I am going to trust that things will eventually stabilize and get back on the right track. To that end we have invited consultants from the Episcopal Foundation in New York to visit with us next month about conducting capital campaigns on both congregational and diocesan levels. Although the schedule is not finalized, it looks as though we will have a meeting with those interested at Bismarck on Wednesday, Nov.12, at Fargo on Thursday, Nov. 13 and for the Diocesan Council at Devils Lake on Friday, Nov. 14.
Conclusion
In closing, let me say that it is a blessing and honor to serve as your bishop. My prayer for us is that we continue to walk together as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ and, in the words of the Prophet Micah, “doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). To Him be all honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
of the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota
October 4, 2008
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you, my brothers and sisters.
Today as we gather for the Thirty-eighth Annual Convention of the Diocese of North Dakota, we are celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The commentary in Lesser Feasts and Fasts reminds us: “Of all the saints, Francis is the most popular and admired, but probably the least imitated.” And that is indeed unfortunate when one thinks about what kind of world this might be if more Christians were more successful in our imitation of Francis in his imitation of Christ.
The radical discipleship of Francis, his total identification with the poverty and suffering of Christ, and his willingness to completely abandon himself to God’s reign leave us looking like poor imitations of the real thing.
There is a well known statement about evangelism attributed to Francis: “Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary use words.” Francis matched his words with action; he not only “talked the talk,” he “walked the walk.” His life is a testimony to the fact that when God’s grace and invitation in Jesus Christ is received, accepted and acted upon by human beings, wondrous -- sometimes miraculous -- things occur. Francis, like all great saints of the past, and like all the lesser saints of the present, was called to discern the will of God for his life. That is our call today.
Spiritual discernment leads us to ask questions such as: What is God leading us to be and to do in his Name in our own day, especially in a time of great turmoil and strife, in a time of war and economic uncertainty, in a time of church disunity and disintegration? We, like Francis, need to be attentive to God’s call to “rebuild the church” so that we may be a blessing to a hurting and troubled world. As we turn to the business of today’s convention, let me begin by offering a prayer of discernment attributed to St. Francis:
Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our minds. Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity, so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen.
Covenants
There are two resolutions dealing with “covenants” at this Convention, the Genesis Covenant and the Anglican Covenant. A “covenant,” as you know, is a “sacred agreement” that binds parties who adhere to them to certain actions before God.
The idea of the Genesis Covenant comes from the vision of a fellow Episcopal and Native American bishop, Steven Charleston, who currently serves as the assistant bishop of California. Bishop Charleston has called for every religious community in America to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. Although I am not a scientist, I do understand part of a Christian disciple’s mission as conserving “the good earth which God has given us” (BCP 384). The Creator entrusted the stewardship of creation to us through our ancestor, Adam, when he directed him to “till the garden of Eden and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15).
You will also recall that “Ensuring Environmental Sustainability” is one of three Millennium Development Goals chosen for diocesan focus. (The other two being “Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger” and “Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.”) Since St. Francis was declared the patron saint of ecology by the pope in 1979, I’m certain Francis will be watching our proceedings with interest.
The other covenant before us, the Anglican Covenant, emerged from the Windsor process and may well be the most important development for the churches of Anglicanism since the Reformation in England in the sixteenth century. After the recent Lambeth Conference, I am even more committed to working to preserve the Anglican Communion as God’s gift to a broken, hurting world and determined to fulfill my responsibility as a bishop to “guard the faith, unity and discipline of the Church” (BCP 517).
After Lambeth, I think it fair to say that there is now a consensus at least among the diverse center of the Communion, an agreement among the moderate liberals and moderate conservatives among the churches of Anglicanism, that an Anglican Covenant is a good and necessary development in order for us to be accountable to one another and for us to more effectively and accurately discern the mind of Christ together.
It would appear that globally the only voices currently raised against an Anglican Covenant are those that can only see the current controversies in black-and-white/I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong categories and refuse to listen to what the other side is saying. It is difficult to reason with the perspectives of the far Right and the far Left in these matters. One is willing to break away; the other is willing to walk apart, so certain are they of the rightness of their causes. An Anglican Covenant will provide a forum and a vessel in which we can deal with divisive issues in a manner that honors God and enhances mission, rather than resorting to courts, depositions and litigation, and in the process squandering resources which should be used for ministry.
Despite the fact that the Anglican Covenant is still a few months from its final draft to be released in May, we do have enough information before us to make a good decision. To put it simply, either the Instruments of Communion of Anglicanism have moral authority that deserves our respect and attention or they do not. Either we are primarily an independent, national church beholden to none or we are an interdependent church belonging to a global family of churches united through the historic See of Canterbury. This essentially is what the Anglican Covenant is about. I ask you to stand with me in guarding the faith, unity and discipline of the church by passing this resolution in order that our voice may be heard at General Convention.
Now turning to other matters about which I want to share with you:
Youth Ministry
I am pleased to report the progress the Youth Committee has made in re-starting a diocesan Youth Ministry. We have found a home of sorts at Red Willow Bible Camp in Binford where youth retreats are held. I was present at both events last year and can testify to their success. This year’s fall event is only a few weeks away. Adults can support these efforts by personally inviting and accompanying youth of their congregations to these events.
Three years ago I tried in vain to recruit youth to accompany me to the national Episcopal Youth Event. This time around four high school students and two adults representing the diversity of the Diocese of North Dakota attended this past summer’s EYE in San Antonio.
These developments, along with the continued excellence of the Young Life program of Standing Rock and new youth ministry starts at Fort Totten and Dunseith, are hopeful signs that youth ministry is growing in the Diocese.
Campus Ministry
Last year I embarrassed Grace Church in Jamestown by bragging about their support for and participation in their new campus ministry outreach. This year I report to you that, just last month, I confirmed two college students and received one young adult, all of whom came to the Episcopal Church through the campus ministry of Grace Church and especially through its new contemporary worship service and meal on Sunday evenings.
The method they have been using for this campus ministry is “peer ministry.” I am eager to see this method replicated throughout the Diocese. Therefore, I am requesting that the diocesan Campus Ministry Committee meet with the Episcopal Foundation for Ministry in Higher Education to explore ways they might partner together to support campus ministry in other congregations.
Episcopal Relief & Development
The work of Episcopal Relief & Development is something about which we should be very proud. In the most recent issue of the Sheaf appeared an article reporting on the 4-star rating given ERD by Charity Navigator, the national leader in charity evaluation. Only a quarter of the charities evaluated receive this highest rating. It gives us confidence that we get the “biggest bang for our buck” in terms of the dollars we donate actually getting to the people we intend to help.
Last year the diocesan Millennium Development Goals Committee worked through ERD in bringing to us the anti-malaria Nets for Life program. I look forward to the project the MDG Committee will commend to us this year. Today’s offering will be taken for ERD, designating it for use in recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
Mission and Budget Matters
The Treasurer has presented a diocesan budget for your approval. There you see that I will continue to bring in income to the Diocese through our “rent-a-bishop” program. Our arrangement with the Diocese of Louisiana is secured through May 2009, when we’ll evaluate once more. It is good to remind myself and this convention that this arrangement is not simply about bringing in more money to help our budget. It is for the purpose of enabling mission. If we start cutting mission funds from our budget, I will want to revisit this decision. For now, however, so far so good.
One of the goals stemming from the 2005 Reorganization for Mission Task Force Report was to lower Our Fair Share assessments from what was perceived as an excessively high rate of 22%. Three years later we have lowered it to 20% as proposed for next year’s budget. However, it’s difficult to see how we can propose further reductions without increased giving on the congregational level. Since the biblical tithe or giving 10% of one’s income is the official standard of giving according to canons of The Episcopal Church, I look forward to a day when each congregation gives 10% to the diocese and the diocese gives 10% to the national church. If we can encourage tithing or at least proportional giving by the people in our pews, everyone benefits. I’m reminded of the preacher who proclaimed that he had good news and bad news. The good news is that there is more than enough money to fund the church’s budget and to assist in building the Kingdom of God; the bad news is that the money is still in our pockets. This is primarily a spiritual matter.
Also following a recommendation of the Reorganization for Mission Task Force is a reduction in the number of diocesan office staff. After 17 years of service, we say goodbye to Bonnie Bernardy who will be retiring at the end of this year. After Bonnie leaves, we will only be funding one full-time position for the diocesan office. In order to better prepare for this transition, the Dean and I have appointed a Task Force to make recommendations for the better utilization of diocesan and cathedral resources in terms of office reorganization. We are looking for ways to become better stewards by cutting costs and cooperating for more efficient use of our office staff.
Although I hesitate to bring up the issue of a capital campaign, especially in light of the economic scares of the past weeks, I am going to trust that things will eventually stabilize and get back on the right track. To that end we have invited consultants from the Episcopal Foundation in New York to visit with us next month about conducting capital campaigns on both congregational and diocesan levels. Although the schedule is not finalized, it looks as though we will have a meeting with those interested at Bismarck on Wednesday, Nov.12, at Fargo on Thursday, Nov. 13 and for the Diocesan Council at Devils Lake on Friday, Nov. 14.
Conclusion
In closing, let me say that it is a blessing and honor to serve as your bishop. My prayer for us is that we continue to walk together as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ and, in the words of the Prophet Micah, “doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). To Him be all honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Surprised by the Spirit:
Reasons for my hope regarding the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of Lambeth Conference 2008
The Rt. Rev. Michael G. Smith
Bishop of North Dakota
August 12, 2008
Days before departing to England for the Lambeth Conference I was blessed by hearing a most inspirational sermon by Bishop Bill Frey, the retired bishop of Colorado, on the occasion of the ordination to the episcopate of the Bishop Suffragan of Dallas, Paul Lambert. Bishop Frey encouraged us to be prepared for surprises at the upcoming Lambeth Conference. I sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to me through his sermon to be not anxious, to participate fully with a positive attitude, to speak the truth in love, to be prayerful, and most importantly, to get out of the way in order to let God be God. It turns out for me that Bishop Frey’s words were prophetic. I share some of my surprises below.
The Archbishop of Canterbury had been clear beforehand that no resolutions would be forthcoming and that no definitive statements would be made. My opinion was that at this time of crisis in the life of the Anglican Communion, such a stance seemed unwise if not irresponsible. I was also suspicious of the so called “Indaba” process as a means of simply stalling any meaningful response while the extreme Right and extreme Left of the Communion continued in their respective courses of action. (One of my continued frustrations in both The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion is that the “diverse center” of moderate liberals and moderate conservatives never seems to be able to find its voice.)
I was wrong. It turns out that “purposeful conversation” is a very good thing indeed. The concept of Indaba provided a structure in which the pressure of needing to defend one’s position was lessened and in which every voice had an opportunity to be heard. This is in contrast to our usual experience in politically-charged parliamentary processes where the loudest, most aggressive and opinionated voices dominate. Not having to vote, allowed consensus or general agreement, even wisdom, to emerge more naturally.
In my opinion, the most important document to emerge from this Lambeth Conference was not the bishops’ “Lambeth Indaba: Capturing Conversations and Reflections from the Lambeth Conference 2008,”[1] but rather the “Concluding Presidential Address to the Lambeth Conference 2008”[2] by the Archbishop of Canterbury. No one questions the theological or intellectual acumen of Archbishop Rowan D. Williams -- or for that matter the depth of his spirituality. (He was at his very best at this Conference, particularly as he led us in a 3-day retreat in Canterbury Cathedral.)
However, many on both sides have been frustrated by his seeming reluctance to take strong positions or actions as the current crises have arisen. Rowan Williams seems to be the quintessential Anglican as his writings often follow the well known formula “on the one hand X, on the other hand Y.” Rowan Williams on the final day of the Conference, in contrast, was a surprisingly different kind of leader than the one to which we’ve become accustomed. It’s my sense that he was freed and empowered to give some specific direction based on the confidence he received from the general agreement indicated on certain matters from the Indaba reflections:
“We have quite a strong degree of support for a Pastoral Forum to support minorities, a strong consensus on the need to examine how the Instruments of Communion will best work, and a recognition…that a Covenant is needed… Before the ACC meeting next year…I intend to convene a Primates’ Meeting as early as possible in 2009. I shall look within the next two months for a clear and detailed specification for the task and composition of a Pastoral Forum, and I shall ensure that the perspectives of various groups looking at the Covenant and the Windsor process, as well as the Design Group for this Conference help to shape the implementation of the agenda outlined in the Reflections document, and are fed into the special meeting in November of the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and the ACC. We may not have put an end to all our problems – but the pieces are on the board. And in the months ahead it will be important to invite those absent from Lambeth to be involved in these next stages. Much in the GAFCON documents is consonant with much of what we have sought to say and do, and we need to look for the best ways of building bridges here.”[3]
This, in my opinion, is a leader moving forward in the confidence that the vast majority of his fellow bishops are clearly behind him. Other surprises:
The Covenant Design Group held five self-select sessions. The Windsor Continuation Group held three hearings. Attendance and interest were extremely high. Three Indaba sessions, more than any other topic, were devoted to the Windsor Process and the Anglican Covenant. There can be no doubt that the Windsor Process and the Anglican Covenant are still very much in play. (Actually, this should have come as no surprise as acceptance of invitations to the Lambeth Conference “carried with it a willingness to work with the Windsor Report and the Covenant as tools by which the future of the Communion could be shaped.”[4])
The Windsor Continuation Group recommended, in the period leading up to the establishment of a Covenant, the honoring of the three moratoria requested by the Windsor Report: ordinations of persons living in a same gender union to the episcopate; the blessing of same-sex unions; and cross-border incursions by bishops. “There is widespread support for moratoria across the communion…,” the bishops discerned, adding, “If the Windsor process is to be honoured, all three moratoria must be applied consistently.”[5]
The Windsor Continuation Group also recommended, in the period leading up to the establishment of a Covenant, “the swift formation of a ‘Pastoral Forum’ at Communion level to engage theologically and practically with situations of controversy as they arise or divisive actions that may be taken around the Communion.” After consideration, the Indaba groups indicated “clear majority support for a Pastoral Forum…and a desire to see it in place speedily.”[6] As a result, the Archbishop stated: “[I]t seems to be widely agreed in this Conference that internal pastoral and liturgical care, strengthened by arrangements like the suggested Communion Partners initiative in the USA and the proposed Pastoral Forum we have been discussing, are the way we should go if we want to avoid further ecclesial confusion.”[7] (The Communion Partners initiative is one of which I am a part. It is a plan developed by some of the episcopal visitors appointed by the Presiding Bishop and with her knowledge. We are committed to work within the Constitution and Canons of TEC, while firmly committed to remaining in communion with the See of Canterbury. Our hope is to prevent the further bleeding of conserving congregations and dioceses from TEC while the Covenant process plays out.)
On the day we discussed human sexuality, the Archbishop of Canterbury explained that the reason we were not revisiting the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution I.10[8] was that it remained the commonly held teaching of the vast majority of the Anglican Communion.
Some will argue that there is nothing new here, that these are the same Windsor recommendations that have been ignored and failed to mend the “tear in the fabric” of the Anglican Communion. I disagree. What has changed is that the vast majority of the world’s Anglican bishops have indicated their willingness, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, to stand behind them. The way of healing and reconciliation is clear now. The blame and burden for making permanent the divisions we are now experiencing is squarely on the shoulders of those who choose to ignore the requested moratoria. The Archbishop admits “there will be those for whom ‘covenanted restraint’ is conscientiously hard, even impossible.”[9] One hears echoes here of his distinction between “constituent” and “associate” membership in the Anglican Communion in the 2006 essay “The Challenge and Hope of Being Anglican Today.”[10]
Admittedly, there are unanswered questions here. Will the Covenant have “teeth”? What will be the basic level of adoption of the Covenant, the province or the diocese? Will there be time for General Convention 2009 to act on it or will it need to wait for General Convention 2012? What of covenant congregations in non-covenant dioceses or covenant dioceses in non-covenant provinces or vice versa? Will those bishops crossing diocesan boundaries be willing to delegate oversight to a Pastoral Forum? Will General Convention be able to show restraint by not rescinding Resolution B033[11] or authorizing rites of blessing for same-sex unions? Obviously no one knows with certainty, but as these questions are answered it’s my sense that a renewed Anglicanism in communion with the See of Canterbury will emerge for mission in the twenty-first century. I do know that where there is a gracious will, there can be found a way forward that respects the consciences of all. I trust the Holy Spirit to surprise us once again with answers to these questions.
In conclusion, let me share some powerful memories from the Lambeth Conference. I will never forget the retreat in Canterbury Cathedral, our common mother church, where 600+ bishops spread throughout the cathedral seeking the mind of Christ in the many shrines, chapels and tombs of the Canterbury saints and martyrs, as spiritual descendents of St. Augustine and his band of twelve Benedictine monks. I will never forget the seven brothers from Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, England, Kenya and Australia with whom I shared faith in the context of daily bible study. I will never forget the powerful worship with brothers and sisters from every race, tribe and tongue. I will never forget the religious brotherhood and sisterhood of Melanesia who carried the names of their seven martyred brothers to the Chapel of Modern Saints and Martyrs while singing the Litany of Saints. I will never forget marching in the streets of London in support of the Millennium Development Goals. I have moved from an intellectual “head” knowledge and appreciation for the Anglican Communion to a “heart” knowledge and love for the Anglican Communion. I will never be the same. I think many, many of my brother and sister bishops, regardless of theological perspective, would say the same thing.
It just might be the case that God has surprised us once again by using our current divisions to strengthen us and form us into a body of Christians and a Church we might not have been otherwise. Maybe, contrary to our self-understanding, we actually have only been a federation of independent churches after all, but that God is molding and forming us into a real communion of interdependent churches to his honor and glory. Gratefully, I think we are beginning to understand that this enterprise is not about us. It has always only been about the broken, hurting world which the Father loves and desires to save, heal and restore through the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. I give thanks to God for calling us to share in his mission as part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church we know as the Anglican Communion. May the One who has begun this good work among us bring it to completion![12]
[1] http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Reflections_Document_(final).pdf
[2] http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Presidential_Address_III.pdf
[3] Concluding Presidential Address, p. 5
[4] Indaba Reflections, p. 3
[5] Indaba Reflections, p. 38
[6] Indaba Reflections, p. 38
[7] Concluding Presidential Address, p. 3
[8] This [1998] Conference:… 2. in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man
and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage;
3. recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation.
Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and
God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to
listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all
baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;
4. while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally
and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence
within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex; 5. cannot advise the legitimising or blessing
of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;…
[9] Concluding Presidential Address, p. 3
[10] http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/640?q=churches
[11] Resolved, That the 75th General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Report’s invitation to engage in a
process of healing and reconciliation; and be it further Resolved, That this Convention therefore call upon
Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of
any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to
further strains on communion.
[12]Philippians 1:6
Reasons for my hope regarding the future of the Anglican Communion in the wake of Lambeth Conference 2008
The Rt. Rev. Michael G. Smith
Bishop of North Dakota
August 12, 2008
Days before departing to England for the Lambeth Conference I was blessed by hearing a most inspirational sermon by Bishop Bill Frey, the retired bishop of Colorado, on the occasion of the ordination to the episcopate of the Bishop Suffragan of Dallas, Paul Lambert. Bishop Frey encouraged us to be prepared for surprises at the upcoming Lambeth Conference. I sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to me through his sermon to be not anxious, to participate fully with a positive attitude, to speak the truth in love, to be prayerful, and most importantly, to get out of the way in order to let God be God. It turns out for me that Bishop Frey’s words were prophetic. I share some of my surprises below.
The Archbishop of Canterbury had been clear beforehand that no resolutions would be forthcoming and that no definitive statements would be made. My opinion was that at this time of crisis in the life of the Anglican Communion, such a stance seemed unwise if not irresponsible. I was also suspicious of the so called “Indaba” process as a means of simply stalling any meaningful response while the extreme Right and extreme Left of the Communion continued in their respective courses of action. (One of my continued frustrations in both The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion is that the “diverse center” of moderate liberals and moderate conservatives never seems to be able to find its voice.)
I was wrong. It turns out that “purposeful conversation” is a very good thing indeed. The concept of Indaba provided a structure in which the pressure of needing to defend one’s position was lessened and in which every voice had an opportunity to be heard. This is in contrast to our usual experience in politically-charged parliamentary processes where the loudest, most aggressive and opinionated voices dominate. Not having to vote, allowed consensus or general agreement, even wisdom, to emerge more naturally.
In my opinion, the most important document to emerge from this Lambeth Conference was not the bishops’ “Lambeth Indaba: Capturing Conversations and Reflections from the Lambeth Conference 2008,”[1] but rather the “Concluding Presidential Address to the Lambeth Conference 2008”[2] by the Archbishop of Canterbury. No one questions the theological or intellectual acumen of Archbishop Rowan D. Williams -- or for that matter the depth of his spirituality. (He was at his very best at this Conference, particularly as he led us in a 3-day retreat in Canterbury Cathedral.)
However, many on both sides have been frustrated by his seeming reluctance to take strong positions or actions as the current crises have arisen. Rowan Williams seems to be the quintessential Anglican as his writings often follow the well known formula “on the one hand X, on the other hand Y.” Rowan Williams on the final day of the Conference, in contrast, was a surprisingly different kind of leader than the one to which we’ve become accustomed. It’s my sense that he was freed and empowered to give some specific direction based on the confidence he received from the general agreement indicated on certain matters from the Indaba reflections:
“We have quite a strong degree of support for a Pastoral Forum to support minorities, a strong consensus on the need to examine how the Instruments of Communion will best work, and a recognition…that a Covenant is needed… Before the ACC meeting next year…I intend to convene a Primates’ Meeting as early as possible in 2009. I shall look within the next two months for a clear and detailed specification for the task and composition of a Pastoral Forum, and I shall ensure that the perspectives of various groups looking at the Covenant and the Windsor process, as well as the Design Group for this Conference help to shape the implementation of the agenda outlined in the Reflections document, and are fed into the special meeting in November of the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and the ACC. We may not have put an end to all our problems – but the pieces are on the board. And in the months ahead it will be important to invite those absent from Lambeth to be involved in these next stages. Much in the GAFCON documents is consonant with much of what we have sought to say and do, and we need to look for the best ways of building bridges here.”[3]
This, in my opinion, is a leader moving forward in the confidence that the vast majority of his fellow bishops are clearly behind him. Other surprises:
The Covenant Design Group held five self-select sessions. The Windsor Continuation Group held three hearings. Attendance and interest were extremely high. Three Indaba sessions, more than any other topic, were devoted to the Windsor Process and the Anglican Covenant. There can be no doubt that the Windsor Process and the Anglican Covenant are still very much in play. (Actually, this should have come as no surprise as acceptance of invitations to the Lambeth Conference “carried with it a willingness to work with the Windsor Report and the Covenant as tools by which the future of the Communion could be shaped.”[4])
The Windsor Continuation Group recommended, in the period leading up to the establishment of a Covenant, the honoring of the three moratoria requested by the Windsor Report: ordinations of persons living in a same gender union to the episcopate; the blessing of same-sex unions; and cross-border incursions by bishops. “There is widespread support for moratoria across the communion…,” the bishops discerned, adding, “If the Windsor process is to be honoured, all three moratoria must be applied consistently.”[5]
The Windsor Continuation Group also recommended, in the period leading up to the establishment of a Covenant, “the swift formation of a ‘Pastoral Forum’ at Communion level to engage theologically and practically with situations of controversy as they arise or divisive actions that may be taken around the Communion.” After consideration, the Indaba groups indicated “clear majority support for a Pastoral Forum…and a desire to see it in place speedily.”[6] As a result, the Archbishop stated: “[I]t seems to be widely agreed in this Conference that internal pastoral and liturgical care, strengthened by arrangements like the suggested Communion Partners initiative in the USA and the proposed Pastoral Forum we have been discussing, are the way we should go if we want to avoid further ecclesial confusion.”[7] (The Communion Partners initiative is one of which I am a part. It is a plan developed by some of the episcopal visitors appointed by the Presiding Bishop and with her knowledge. We are committed to work within the Constitution and Canons of TEC, while firmly committed to remaining in communion with the See of Canterbury. Our hope is to prevent the further bleeding of conserving congregations and dioceses from TEC while the Covenant process plays out.)
On the day we discussed human sexuality, the Archbishop of Canterbury explained that the reason we were not revisiting the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution I.10[8] was that it remained the commonly held teaching of the vast majority of the Anglican Communion.
Some will argue that there is nothing new here, that these are the same Windsor recommendations that have been ignored and failed to mend the “tear in the fabric” of the Anglican Communion. I disagree. What has changed is that the vast majority of the world’s Anglican bishops have indicated their willingness, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, to stand behind them. The way of healing and reconciliation is clear now. The blame and burden for making permanent the divisions we are now experiencing is squarely on the shoulders of those who choose to ignore the requested moratoria. The Archbishop admits “there will be those for whom ‘covenanted restraint’ is conscientiously hard, even impossible.”[9] One hears echoes here of his distinction between “constituent” and “associate” membership in the Anglican Communion in the 2006 essay “The Challenge and Hope of Being Anglican Today.”[10]
Admittedly, there are unanswered questions here. Will the Covenant have “teeth”? What will be the basic level of adoption of the Covenant, the province or the diocese? Will there be time for General Convention 2009 to act on it or will it need to wait for General Convention 2012? What of covenant congregations in non-covenant dioceses or covenant dioceses in non-covenant provinces or vice versa? Will those bishops crossing diocesan boundaries be willing to delegate oversight to a Pastoral Forum? Will General Convention be able to show restraint by not rescinding Resolution B033[11] or authorizing rites of blessing for same-sex unions? Obviously no one knows with certainty, but as these questions are answered it’s my sense that a renewed Anglicanism in communion with the See of Canterbury will emerge for mission in the twenty-first century. I do know that where there is a gracious will, there can be found a way forward that respects the consciences of all. I trust the Holy Spirit to surprise us once again with answers to these questions.
In conclusion, let me share some powerful memories from the Lambeth Conference. I will never forget the retreat in Canterbury Cathedral, our common mother church, where 600+ bishops spread throughout the cathedral seeking the mind of Christ in the many shrines, chapels and tombs of the Canterbury saints and martyrs, as spiritual descendents of St. Augustine and his band of twelve Benedictine monks. I will never forget the seven brothers from Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, England, Kenya and Australia with whom I shared faith in the context of daily bible study. I will never forget the powerful worship with brothers and sisters from every race, tribe and tongue. I will never forget the religious brotherhood and sisterhood of Melanesia who carried the names of their seven martyred brothers to the Chapel of Modern Saints and Martyrs while singing the Litany of Saints. I will never forget marching in the streets of London in support of the Millennium Development Goals. I have moved from an intellectual “head” knowledge and appreciation for the Anglican Communion to a “heart” knowledge and love for the Anglican Communion. I will never be the same. I think many, many of my brother and sister bishops, regardless of theological perspective, would say the same thing.
It just might be the case that God has surprised us once again by using our current divisions to strengthen us and form us into a body of Christians and a Church we might not have been otherwise. Maybe, contrary to our self-understanding, we actually have only been a federation of independent churches after all, but that God is molding and forming us into a real communion of interdependent churches to his honor and glory. Gratefully, I think we are beginning to understand that this enterprise is not about us. It has always only been about the broken, hurting world which the Father loves and desires to save, heal and restore through the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. I give thanks to God for calling us to share in his mission as part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church we know as the Anglican Communion. May the One who has begun this good work among us bring it to completion![12]
[1] http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Reflections_Document_(final).pdf
[2] http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Presidential_Address_III.pdf
[3] Concluding Presidential Address, p. 5
[4] Indaba Reflections, p. 3
[5] Indaba Reflections, p. 38
[6] Indaba Reflections, p. 38
[7] Concluding Presidential Address, p. 3
[8] This [1998] Conference:… 2. in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man
and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage;
3. recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation.
Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and
God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to
listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all
baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;
4. while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally
and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence
within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex; 5. cannot advise the legitimising or blessing
of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;…
[9] Concluding Presidential Address, p. 3
[10] http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/640?q=churches
[11] Resolved, That the 75th General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Report’s invitation to engage in a
process of healing and reconciliation; and be it further Resolved, That this Convention therefore call upon
Standing Committees and bishops with jurisdiction to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of
any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to
further strains on communion.
[12]Philippians 1:6
Monday, August 4, 2008
August 4, 2008
Dear Friends:
I write this note as I am preparing to return home from the Lambeth Conference. This experience has been one of the most exhaustingly wonderful experiences of my life. It will take days and weeks to fully emotionally unpack and intellectually process all I have seen and heard during these days. You can be sure you will be hearing more from me about them in the months ahead. Let me begin by sharing some initial observations.
There has been released a 43-page document entitled, “Lambeth Indaba: Capturing Conversations and Reflections from the Lambeth Conference 2008.” The Indaba groups of 40 bishops were designed for “purposeful conversation.” http://www.lambethconference.org/reflections/document.cfm
At the outset the Archbishop of Canterbury had made it known, unlike Lambeth Conferences in the past, which no resolutions would be debated or definitive decisions made. Rather, this was to be a time of sharing where each participant’s voice could be heard.
Each Indaba sent a “Listener” and “Reporter” to share insights from each of the sixteen groups. The Listeners then committed to writing what they heard. A word of caution: this is not an “official” document, but rather a report of our conversations. In my opinion, some parts are well written and thought out. Others, however, read more like minutes of a brainstorming session.
Our discussions and careful listening of one another focused on topics such as Mission, Anglican Identity, Evangelism, Justice, Environmental Stewardship, Scripture, Ecumenism and Dialogue with other World Faiths. We also discussed the difficult questions around the tensions over homosexuality and the actions that have “torn the fabric” of the Anglican Communion.
I might suggest a very helpful document to read is the 5-page third and “Concluding Presidential Address” of the Archbishop of Canterbury. http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Presidential_Address_III.pdf. Among other things, he shares his observations and plans for the way forward in order to restore the unity of the Communion.
He notes the widespread support among the bishops for the three moratoria recommended by the Windsor Report: ordinations of persons in a same gender union to the episcopate; the blessing of same-sex unions; and cross-border incursions by bishops. He also upheld Lambeth 1998 Resolution I.10 as continuing to be the accepted teaching of the vast majority of the Anglican Communion, citing this fact as the reason we did not re-visit it this time around.
Finally, it is clear that the process towards the adoption of an Anglican Covenant is well underway. The Covenant Design Group held five hearings and our Indaba groups had three sessions on “The Windsor Process and an Anglican Covenant.” A third draft will be presented to the Anglican Consultative Council in May 2009. If they sign off, it will then go to the churches of the Communion for adoption or rejection. It is unclear at this point whether there will be enough time to get it in the pipeline of next summer’s General Convention agenda or not. At any rate, the Anglican Covenant resolution before us at our Diocesan Convention this October is timely and important. Many around the globe, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, believe it to be our last chance to heal the wound of disunity the Communion is experiencing.
It is an honor to serve as your bishop. Thank you for your prayers and the opportunity to participate in the Councils of the church at an international level. I am,
Yours in Christ,
+Michael
Dear Friends:
I write this note as I am preparing to return home from the Lambeth Conference. This experience has been one of the most exhaustingly wonderful experiences of my life. It will take days and weeks to fully emotionally unpack and intellectually process all I have seen and heard during these days. You can be sure you will be hearing more from me about them in the months ahead. Let me begin by sharing some initial observations.
There has been released a 43-page document entitled, “Lambeth Indaba: Capturing Conversations and Reflections from the Lambeth Conference 2008.” The Indaba groups of 40 bishops were designed for “purposeful conversation.” http://www.lambethconference.org/reflections/document.cfm
At the outset the Archbishop of Canterbury had made it known, unlike Lambeth Conferences in the past, which no resolutions would be debated or definitive decisions made. Rather, this was to be a time of sharing where each participant’s voice could be heard.
Each Indaba sent a “Listener” and “Reporter” to share insights from each of the sixteen groups. The Listeners then committed to writing what they heard. A word of caution: this is not an “official” document, but rather a report of our conversations. In my opinion, some parts are well written and thought out. Others, however, read more like minutes of a brainstorming session.
Our discussions and careful listening of one another focused on topics such as Mission, Anglican Identity, Evangelism, Justice, Environmental Stewardship, Scripture, Ecumenism and Dialogue with other World Faiths. We also discussed the difficult questions around the tensions over homosexuality and the actions that have “torn the fabric” of the Anglican Communion.
I might suggest a very helpful document to read is the 5-page third and “Concluding Presidential Address” of the Archbishop of Canterbury. http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Presidential_Address_III.pdf. Among other things, he shares his observations and plans for the way forward in order to restore the unity of the Communion.
He notes the widespread support among the bishops for the three moratoria recommended by the Windsor Report: ordinations of persons in a same gender union to the episcopate; the blessing of same-sex unions; and cross-border incursions by bishops. He also upheld Lambeth 1998 Resolution I.10 as continuing to be the accepted teaching of the vast majority of the Anglican Communion, citing this fact as the reason we did not re-visit it this time around.
Finally, it is clear that the process towards the adoption of an Anglican Covenant is well underway. The Covenant Design Group held five hearings and our Indaba groups had three sessions on “The Windsor Process and an Anglican Covenant.” A third draft will be presented to the Anglican Consultative Council in May 2009. If they sign off, it will then go to the churches of the Communion for adoption or rejection. It is unclear at this point whether there will be enough time to get it in the pipeline of next summer’s General Convention agenda or not. At any rate, the Anglican Covenant resolution before us at our Diocesan Convention this October is timely and important. Many around the globe, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, believe it to be our last chance to heal the wound of disunity the Communion is experiencing.
It is an honor to serve as your bishop. Thank you for your prayers and the opportunity to participate in the Councils of the church at an international level. I am,
Yours in Christ,
+Michael
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Bishop Michael Smith would like to share the following links. The first is an article with the latest Lambeth news:
http://episcopalchurch.org/79901_99622_ENG_HTM.htm
The second is an article about a forum on human sexuality with Bishops Smith, Chilton Knudsen of Maine and Jon Bruno of Los Angeles (pictured above)
http://episcopalchurch.org/79901_99615_ENG_HTM.htm
The second is an article about a forum on human sexuality with Bishops Smith, Chilton Knudsen of Maine and Jon Bruno of Los Angeles (pictured above)
http://episcopalchurch.org/79901_99615_ENG_HTM.htm
The last link to a video of the forum between Bishops Smith, Knudsen and Bruno.
http://episcopalchurch.org/89878_97371_ENG_HTM.htm
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
July 29, 2008
Dear Friends:
Greetings once again from the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury, England. We are moving into the latter and most crucial days of this gathering. During these final days we will be discussing the topics of the Bible in Mission, Human Sexuality, and the Anglican Covenant. Please redouble your prayers for us these days.
This evening the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered his second Presidential Address to the Conference. He shared his desire for an Anglican Covenant and demonstrated a fair and accurate understanding of the two sides of the current debate over homosexuality, both the “traditionalist” and the “innovator.”
He closed by stating and asking: “I’ve made no secret of what I think that change should be — a Covenant that recognizes the need to grow towards each other (and also recognizes that not all may choose that way). I find it hard at present to see another way forward that would avoid further disintegration. But whatever your views on this, at least ask the question: ‘Having heard the other person, the other group, as fully and fairly as I can, what generous initiative can I take to break through into a new and transformed relation of communion in Christ?’”
The “Windsor Continuation Group,” appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury to address outstanding questions arising from the Windsor Report, has made several presentations and held a number of hearings. They have recommended adherence to the calls of the three moratoria of the Windsor Report: public Rites of Blessing of same sex unions, the consecration to the episcopate of those living in partnered gay relationships and cross border interventions.
In addition, they have recommended the formation of a “’Pastoral Forum’ at Communion level to engage theologically and practically with situations of controversy as they arise or divisive actions that may be taken around the Communion.” The Windsor Continuation Group also endorsed the ministry of a group with which I have been working as part of my appointment by the Presiding Bishop as an “Episcopal Visitor”: “We are encouraged by the planned setting up of the Communion Partners initiative in the Episcopal Church as a means of sustaining those who feel at odds with developments taking place in their own Province but who wish to be loyal to, and to maintain, their fellowship within TEC and within the Anglican Communion.”
You, brothers and sisters, remain in my thoughts and prayers. I am,
Yours in Christ,
+Michael
Dear Friends:
Greetings once again from the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury, England. We are moving into the latter and most crucial days of this gathering. During these final days we will be discussing the topics of the Bible in Mission, Human Sexuality, and the Anglican Covenant. Please redouble your prayers for us these days.
This evening the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered his second Presidential Address to the Conference. He shared his desire for an Anglican Covenant and demonstrated a fair and accurate understanding of the two sides of the current debate over homosexuality, both the “traditionalist” and the “innovator.”
He closed by stating and asking: “I’ve made no secret of what I think that change should be — a Covenant that recognizes the need to grow towards each other (and also recognizes that not all may choose that way). I find it hard at present to see another way forward that would avoid further disintegration. But whatever your views on this, at least ask the question: ‘Having heard the other person, the other group, as fully and fairly as I can, what generous initiative can I take to break through into a new and transformed relation of communion in Christ?’”
The “Windsor Continuation Group,” appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury to address outstanding questions arising from the Windsor Report, has made several presentations and held a number of hearings. They have recommended adherence to the calls of the three moratoria of the Windsor Report: public Rites of Blessing of same sex unions, the consecration to the episcopate of those living in partnered gay relationships and cross border interventions.
In addition, they have recommended the formation of a “’Pastoral Forum’ at Communion level to engage theologically and practically with situations of controversy as they arise or divisive actions that may be taken around the Communion.” The Windsor Continuation Group also endorsed the ministry of a group with which I have been working as part of my appointment by the Presiding Bishop as an “Episcopal Visitor”: “We are encouraged by the planned setting up of the Communion Partners initiative in the Episcopal Church as a means of sustaining those who feel at odds with developments taking place in their own Province but who wish to be loyal to, and to maintain, their fellowship within TEC and within the Anglican Communion.”
You, brothers and sisters, remain in my thoughts and prayers. I am,
Yours in Christ,
+Michael
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