Greeting from Salt Lake City! It was photo day on the floor of the House of Deputies. (not in the photograph though is Caroline Carson and Ed Starns)- Photograph by Caroline Carson
by the Rev. Sharon Alexander, Chair of the Louisiana Deputation
Wednesday morning’s worship was a wonderful experience. The Rev. Becca Stevens of Nashville preached a powerful sermon about hope for all of God’s sheep, reminding us that we are all lost sheep at times in our lives. Rev. Stevens is the founder of Magdalene House and Thistle Farms, a ministry which helps women who have been in the sex trade learn life skills, make a variety of products and, most importantly, learn the power of hope in following Christ. We were reminded that “without the lost sheep and beggars, we (the church) are just a museum.” You can learn more about Rev. Stevens and Thistle Farms at www.thistlefarms.com.
While the House of Deputies did not vote on a great number of resolutions on Wednesday, the ones it addressed were the high profile ones. I am sure you have already read that both the House of Bishops and House of Deputies have approved official liturgies for same sex marriage. This approval was not unexpected. In both Houses the resolutions passed by a wide margin, after allowing for debate on the issues. This year the debate was respectful and it is my hope that we can find a way forward so that there is room in the church for both those who support this decision and those who oppose it.
The other special order of business was approval by the House of Deputies of three important restructuring resolutions. The first reduces the number of standing commissions to two (Structure, Governance, Constitution & Canons and Liturgy & Music). All other committees and task forces will need to be renewed every three years. It is expected that under this new structure some committees may be combined or refocused, and will be able to be better able to work more quickly and efficiently. The second resolution reorganizes the Executive Council (essentially the Board of Directors) of the Church so there is more accountability and transparency, and so that it can both respond more quickly to changes and be proactive in anticipating future needs and opportunities. The third resolution updated the budgeting and financial process of the Episcopal Church. On Thursday there will be votes on other restructuring resolutions that will further move the church toward being better able to lift up and support many different kinds of ministries.