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Following the passage of the B033, the Presiding Bishop and his entourage came striding in for a press conference. Immediately afterward, the Network Bishops held their press conference. We were unable to cross-post our coveraqge. Please return to Stand Firm for our ongoing coverage.

ECUSA Press Conference Following B033 Passage

About to begin...

Briefing with the PB live from the press room:

Canon Williams introduces briefers:

+Chang
++Griswold
Warner+
Bonnie Anderson

We will begin with opening statements:

Warner+: 36 years ago I walked into my first HOD and was there when we seated women there for the first time. When the moment came, the one vote had come from the diocese of RI, and a roar went up from the house that was amazing. It has been my pleasure to see another change with the election of a woman PB. But what I want to say is that we dod not elect a woman to the PB or a woman to the president of the HOD. You see how important these things are. When B033 hit the floor we see how amazing she was running the house. I have been visiting the church and I have good friends that have a lot of pain surrounding WO, but this is certainly significant.

PB: A great deal has gone on and it cannot be reduced to one or two issues. It all has to do with reconciliation. What I have termed the diverse center has finally found its voice. AS they said on the floor: no longer are we going to be pulled about by the right and the left. God did not create the church for its own sake. It exists to be reconciling agent. That is why the millinium goals are so important with its goal of reconciliation and bringing justice to those who do not have it. People are reconciled to Christ so that they can be ministers of reconciliation in the world.

B. Anderson: For those who were in there you probably got a sense for its size it is very large. And there are people who are very committed to viewpoints. You saw today people willing to release positions long held in an open spirit of generosity. Now we have the space to go forward into the mission of the church. Now we can go forward and reach our millennium goals. The deputies also have work in the triennium.

Chang: In the conversation in the HOB it marks a fruition of work that began a long time ago. The focus on mission and the desire to move ahead in mission was very clear. WE deliberated in a sense of oneness and unity. All of this was done in the context of a prayerful spirit.

London Times: When the new PB spoke she said that she spoke because she believes it will be open for consideration in the near future. What is the effect of this resolution?

PB: The resolution has to be lived.

Bates: DO you have any grounds for supposing this will be acceptable

PB: I do not. I have spoken with the abc said he appreciated the seriousness with which we have responded
Conger: Where do rites for same sex blessings stand

PB: this general convention has not authorized any rites nor has it authorized the development of any rites.

Zeiger: The HOD refused to give D085 a floor hearing. Is this a good representation of the church?

Warner: here is what I have learned from traveling across the country. I got to tell you this church believes that Jesus Christ is the way and the truth and the life. The problem with legislation is that all polity and all churches, legislation is inadequate. When you bring in certain kinds of resolutions as if you can vote up and down God’s truth, that just does not work. tHere is no way you can say we have not been changed by Jesus Christ

PB: Also we recite and believe the Creeds which state the Lordship of Christ clearly. Resolutions to that effect would be unnecessary and redundant.

B033 PASSES

VOTE RESULTS

LAY: yes 77.4 no 21. divided 11 carried

CLERGY: 75.8 yes 24 no divided 10 carried

RESOLUTION B033: CARRIED

Schori Addressing the HoD

"Two bodies united in one being" is her theme, using examples of separating conjoined twins.

Do not separate twins unless both can live full lives. We in the church are much like that. This creature, this body of Christ, is not Holy One and Holy Two. The resolution which stands before you is far from adequate. I fin dthe language exceedingly challenging, but my sense is that it's the best we're going to today and at this convention. I am fully committed to the inclusion of gay and lesbian Christians in this church."

The incoming PB just admitted that this resolution is not adequate, but it is the best we can do at this convention.

Bustin' Out

Clarification on the "walkout" report. According to witnesses on the floor, Bishop Beckwith of Springfield walked out after what he evidently believed was a parliamentary snub by PB Griswold. Bp. Beckwith refused comment.

Our main site is down right now.

The mood on the floor of the House of Deputies is increasingly emotional. From up here in the press room, it appears that people in the middle are quietly panicking at the very real prosepct that this church will come aprt before their eyes. They are late to the debate, and do not fully understand the moment we've come to.

SPECIAL REPORT: HOUSE OF BISHOPS SESSION, WEDNESDAY MORNING

Matt is getting set up now...

The bishops have reportedly passed a resolution. A group of orthodox bishops has walked out and will issue a minority report.

Sarah report:

Just found out that they are considering the resolution in the HOB!
They have taken it from the HOD for consideration. I?m not certain what that means, but it was my understanding that the HOD received these resolutions first . . . that it had been assigned to HOD at the outset of the convention. I must be mistaken.


Matt is headed up to the HOB, while I stay here and observe.


One very unusual thing that I have noticed. They have shut all the entrance doors to the hall save for one. And there has been a security guard right next to it, plus a few volunteers lined up by it as you enter the one door. Normally five or six doors are open.


In conversation with one other person who is good at analysis, here are three important points regarding the latest resolution.


First, because we have already acted upon resolution 161 yesterday, and this resolution is similar in intent, the rules of the house require a motion to reconsider to pass the HOD -- that motion must pass by a 2/3 majority.


Second, when the Special Commission met and presented their report to the House of Bishops prior to this convention, the Bishop of Exeter was there and indicated that the moratoria resolutions were not enough.
You may recall that part of that language was to exercise ?very considerable caution?.


Third, one could drive a coach and horse through the language of ?exercise restraint?. One might very well exercise restraint but more forward anyway.



There is currently somewhat heated debate occurring on various other resolutions not pertaining to Windsor.



Word is filtering out that the HOB has passed the resolution

There's a press conference scheduled for 1:30 eastern.

SPECIAL REPORT: JOINT SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION

It is 9:42 am and I am here live from the floor of the House of Deputies. I got here early this morning to claim a seat right up front in the press box. I have a great view of everything from here. My fear is that someone will happen along and notice that I do not report for the New York Times, Washington Post, or ENS and cast me out to make room for the big boys.

But perhaps I look both clerical and official enough with my collar and jacket to avoid the bouncers.

This will be the spot for your live thread coverage of the special joint session of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies this morning.

If you have not yet read Greg Griffith’s notice, please do. We have an incredible amount of traffic. Yesterday and the day before we crashed the site. Today we are hoping to avoid that by simultaneously posting the same live coverage on both the main Stand Firm site and the alternate site. For instructions and directions, again, be sure to read Greg’s site.

Interesting news: I just learned from a deputy that both revisionist and orthodox leaders were approached last night by TEC leaders with a strong appeal for compromise. These leaders hope to peal enough people away from either wing to strengthen the middle and push through a compromise.

We’ll see how this pans out.

The Eucharist has ended and the floor is starting to fill. There is a constant stream of deputies and bishops filing past the press box toward their designated deputation tables.

Our friend from Integrity, the Rev. Caro (Greg published a very good article she recently penned articulating, with great fairness and accuracy, the orthodox position for her readers) is to my right. Sarah Dylan Breuer from the Witness to my left.

The room is almost completely full. There is a great deal of tension as you might imagine.

The press box faces the deputations from Taiwan, Western North Carolina, and New Jersey. If I get a chance to look up once the circus begins I’ll let you in on my observations.

The presiding bishop (Griswold) has arrived and is getting situated on the dais. Dean Warner is at the podium. The room is not nearly in order. The deputies and bishops are milling, the press is gaggling, there’s a low rumbling din of activity. A deputy approaches our table with a bag of balloons. He blows one up and shapes it into the shape of a “lameth poodle” and gives it to a reporter.

He seems to be working his way down the line.

I don’t want a balloon. I want clarity :)

Sarah:

Let me set the stage a bit.

At the back of the very large hall, there is the visitors gallery, which consists of about 700 chairs. To the right of the visitor's gallery are some booths for deputies to pick up information. To the right and front of those booths is the place for the alternates who are siting and listening, but not allowed on the floor [unless a deputy passes their vote on to an alternate].

In the front of the visitor's gallery is the deputies gallery. About 850 people. That gallery has been "augmented" by the bishop, who is sitting at the end of each deputation's table for this joint session.

At the front, of course, is the speaker's podium and a table behind the podium for various people. To the left of the deputies area is the press area, where our fearless Matt resides. And also there is a gallery for the Executive Council of the Episcopal church.

I have heard that the bishops will be making a presentation of some sort, and that they will leave at some point. But I have no idea of when.

The house is coming to order. The Chair is calling for the chaplain. The rev. Jennifer B. Burrows

The PB takes the chair:

++PB: When I became your PB I called us to conversation. Ipointed out the word conversation and conversion come from the same root. By conversion I did not mean one point of view capitulating to another, rather in seeing Christ in one another. Not a change of mind but a change of heart. As part of our response to the WR we have passed A159. We have also passed 166 supporting a process of covenant development. However, unless there is a clear perception on the part of our AC brothers and sisters that they have been taken seriously, there will be no conversation and the bonds of affection will be further strained. We will not see Christ in each other. For our voices to be heard there must be a clear sense that the voices of the Communion have been heard. Conversation works. There have been occasions in the primates meetings when I have had to receive before I could give. Humility is not easy. It does require at times restraint so that something larger can happen, when stepping backwards can in reality be a step forward.

Some of us believe restraint means denigrating our gay bretheren. Others believe that no restraint will compromise our ties with the world. Both sides want clarity and both therefore strangely vote together.

But relinquishment means taking steps together to allow for future conversations. I want our 26th presiding bishop to have an opportunity to be at the table and participate in AC conversatons.

What we yearn for has not been reflected in what we have done thus far. WE must act in concert with one another. AS your presiding bishiop and chief pastor I ask you to consider the following resolution”

He read too fast, here’s what I caught:

The 75th gene
Recieve and embrace the WR’

Call upon standing committees…to exercise restraint in consecrating people whose manner of live may pose a difficulty in the AC.

He prays and then ends the joint session. Apparently both houses will consider this resolution separately.

Greg can you work on getting that full text up asap…

I was just directed to the Anglicans United website where a transcript from ++Schori’s
Is printed, check out this paragraph:

“Whether its my bank account or my sense of control. Unless we can make sense of the blood of the cross, we will live in fear. That bloody cross brings new life into the world. That sweaty, bloody, tear-stained cross bears life. Our mother Jesus [yes, folks. That is what she said.] gives new birth to a new creation and we are his children.”


Okay, the joint session has ended and now the floor is bereft of bishops only the deputies are here.

They are working through a number of housekeeping issues.

Okay, thanks to Baby Blue and the commenters we have the full text:

Resolution B-033

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, that the 75th General Convention receive and embrace The Windsor Report's invitation to engage in a process of heaing and reconcilation; 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 consecreation 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.

Warner: The resolution presented by the PB has not been perfected by the HOB but is the text of the resolution that has been presented.

They are proceeding to elect someone to something

Dispatch. If you turn to your daily calendar for today, based on recommendations from committee chairs I am endeavoring to give us a starting point for resolutions that have priority. Most of the resolutions you see are concurrences, if we vote in favor we will not see them.
I move that all legislation be moved to consider a special motion

Russell: SD I would like propose an amendment to the motion to suspend the rules

Chair: this motion is not amendable,

????: If we pass this order what will happen for us to consider B033.

Dispatch: it is my intent to give the house advance warning about what is coming up. There are a number of other resolutions to be considered. I would suggest that we have almost 40 other resolutions here. IF we could deal with these expiditiosly we can move on to other matters.

Chair: It will be a 2/3rds vote to bring it before the house when it comes

Call:

Passed unanimously, rules suspended.

Okay:

Here's the deal. They have decided to move this resolution in the HOB first and then send it to the HOD. Realizing this I've just run over to the HOB and I am live. They are in recess now, rewriting B033 after some debate. They will return from recess and present the reworked text.

Sarah will stay down in the HOD to cover what is taking place down there. This way, we'll miss nothing.

PB: Please sit down. I am going to go back to what I said in the joint session. We are trying to deal with something that does not easily fit into a legislative process. Hopefully we can maneuver through this in a way that does not make us victims. Frankly of we are not finished by lunch we will have nothing. And frankly if we have nothing we will likely not be invited to lambeth. We need something clear.

We reordered the resolution. We should read this first so that people have an idea how it has been reordered.

This how it is now:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, 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 in considering 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.

I so move

Seconded

+Johnson: I have a friendly amendment

++PB: I would rather not deal with friendly amendmners

+Johnson then I move we strike “by not” and put “in”

This how it would be:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, 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 in considering 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.

Chair: this is how it reads already

+Wolf: I would like to call the question

PB: what is the motion?

+Wolf: I don’t know but whatever it is, I want to call it.

++PB: I call the question

Motion fails:

PB: Please sit down. I am going to go back to what I said in the joint session. We are trying to deal with something that does not easily fit into a legislative process. Hopefully we can maneuver through this in a way that does not make us victims. Frankly of we are not finished by lunch we will have nothing. And frankly if we have nothing we will likely not be invited to lambeth. We need something clear.

We reordered the resolution. We should read this first so that people have an idea how it has been reordered.

This how it is now:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, 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 in considering 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.
I so move

Seconded

+Johnson: I have a friendly amendment

++PB: I would rather not deal with friendly amendmners

+Johnson then I move we strike “by not” and put “in”

This how it would be:


+Chane: I move we insert the words “consent to so that it reads:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, 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 in considering consent 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.

+Shori: I heard a reference to one body and one mind. This reminds me of conjoined twins. One cannot ethically split conjoined twins unless they are both able to live separately and healthily. As much as I feel very hurt with those who are working for full inclusion I think we need to support the original resolution so that we do not kill either twin.

Call the question:

+Chane’s motion fails

Call the question on the resolution:

Vote

Resolution passes

B033 sent to dispatch in this form:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, 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 in considering 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.

. Apperently before I got here, there was a call for a roll call vote. This motion was denied from the chair. +Springfield walked out.

Source tells me most of the orthodox bishops have walked out to write a minority report

Developing….

Jst to be clear the "minority report" news above has not been confirmed. I'm just letting you in on what I know when know it.

I’m back in the house of deputies where the perfected version of B033 will arrive from dispatch shortly

Dispatch: I move we interrupt the order of business to receive a special message from the HOB

Chair: B033 has been adopted.

Dispatch: Upon receipt of a message from the HOB that message may be referred to committee or brought directly to the floor. I move that it be brought to the floor without reference to a committee

Second

Call

Vote: Passed with scattering of No’s

Dispatch: I move to suspension of rule 28 as it would apply to the HOB B033: This is the rule that does not allow the same matter to be considered after a motion to reconsider has failed.

Second:

That is debateable and not amendable....

discussion:

Bird: In regard to suspending rules, this is the langauge of A161. This was defeated as well as the motion to reconsider. I do not know why this can be reconsidered.

Chair: we are moving a suspension of that rule.

Coyle: I believe that Roberts rules call for a unanimous consent of the body covered when you want to reconsider a matter that has been lost

Bass: Point of order. This situation comes under two circumstances. Either that mentioned by deputy coyle OR if that does not apply then we come under rule 31 B which says that nothing should be reconsidered unless it be completely reworked. In either case a call for this by 2/3rds is out of order.

Chair: I will turn to the parliamentarian for clarification

Parliament: the feeling was that you are correct. This cannot be considered twice. We are relying instead on the phrase “nor any question of like import” considering this as a motion on a suspension of a rule so that it would be up to the house as to whether it considers the issue

Heel: I speak in favor of suspending the rules. Do not stop us from dealing with this issue. The attempt to stop this is unfair.

Crump: I point to rule 31B7 (he repeats the same thing that the other speakers have said)

Parlimentarian: B033 has not been through this house yet and has not been amended

????: we have been through this over and over again

????: I am tired of this house being hijacked by the extremes. LEt us deal wiht this! (applause)

Thompson: Rules are made for people. I consider the coming of our bishops as special appeal to all of us to reconsider a matter of import to the whole communion. Let us not be legalistic.

Heddon: I want to add to what was spoken. I believe the PB in calling us together really feels strongly and I think we need to honor that. It would be a slap.

????: I speak in favor of the motion. I feel like I have been manipulated into a corner by people who are far more intelligent than I when it comes to parliamentary procedures. Please stop messing with the rules to forward your own agendas

Allen: I am 31. My wife is 28 wks pregnant. I am tired of being bullied around this house. We have a responsibility to hear this out. I want to leave here and say the church I serve as a priest has decided to leave here together and continue the conversation. We are a pregnant church we are bearing the light of Christ. It cannot be the choice of this house to enact schism. I refuse it.

Call the question:

Second

Vote: It passes

Discussion is over.

Call Question on the move to suspend rules
Vote

Rule suspended

Moving on to consider the question of B033

Dispatch: propose 30 minutes. Each speaker two minutes, alternating views where possible: I move this order

second

Vote: this special order carries

Chair: I have the prerogative to invite a special guest to join us. ++Schori has indicated a wish to speak wiht us. I am uncomfortable making that choice without imput from you. Shall we invite her?

Yes is loudest (not a vote)

I will issue that invite

Chair: I have a list of speakers

Crew: I speak in opposition to this resolution. I wish I could do otherwise. I am thankful for this convention dealing with hard issues. I am particularly thankful to those who are my friends bt who disagree. I speak against this because the resolution is like cutting the tongue out of the HS. I believe in the HS. I believe in the bible. And I believe in the HS. That does not mean that I am right about what the HS says. But it does mean that you cannot tell me that I cannot listen. I urge defeat of this resolution.

Bradburry: Yesterday I voted in favor of A161 at the request of a remarkable member of this house. I am ashamed of that vote but I did it. 161 was defeated. We have been sent a different version that does some of what 161 did. But it does not target gay people the way the other one did. I don’t like this resolution but I can live with it. I can give it to the PB and say tell the AC this is what we have to offer.

Cabell: I oppose this resolution. Three years ago we carefully and prayerfully considered and then consented to VGR’s election following the HS. In this resolution we are saying we will refrain from following the HS. I cannot imagine what the church would look like if it had agreed to do something like this. I also know there are many provinces who are more than willing to work with us. I also know that there are others who will not work with us no matter what we do.
I urge defeat.

Bear: I rep the mushy middle though I am a liberal theologically. I feel the WR commends us for the process we went through in the process of WO. It is my hope that we will pass this res so we can do the same thing with this issue. Let us take the high ground

Chair: Our guest is here and she will speak:

PB elect: I thank you for your invite. Yesterday the bishop of LA spoke eloquently of living in a church with two minds and as he was speaking an image arose in my mind, the image of conjoined twins. Two bodies in one being. And when they wrestle with separating the twins, doctors recognize it is wrong unless both can live full lives. We are in a church like that. This creature, this body is not wholly one and is not wholly two. The resolution that stands before oyu is far from adequate but it is the best we are going to do. I am fully committed to the full inclusion of gays and lesbians. I do not understand this resolution as slamming the door. And if you adopt this we must work with all our might to find a common mind. This is not easy to say to you but I think it is the best we are going to manage.

Chair: everybody breath

Linder: I rise to speak in favor of our full acceptance of this resolution without amendment. Our PB elect has spoken with clarity about what it will take for us to remain in communion with the AC. I think the great thing about our polity is that people of great difference can sit at the same table and in the tension new truths emerge

Clark: I request a vote by orders: SC, Quincy, FT Worth and CFL: on the perfected resolution


????: This resolution tears me to the core of my being but as a gift to our PB elect I think we should adopt without our amendment.

Meyers: It is difficult to speak against this resolution and yet I do in its current form. I could ask us to act with consideration and with a time limit. tHe wR speaks of the ordination of women as a model of process. That is not true. It happened because people stepped forward boldly without fear. We must do the same. Vote against this.

Dyson: When I am counseling couples anticipating marriage, they will know that their relationship matures when they express what they are ready to give rather than what they want. That is like the Christian community. A sign of maturity si when we are ready to compromise. Our relationship is suffering and it is in serious trouble. Before it becomes irreconcilable we need to step back and see that what is in the best interest of thewhole is God’s church. I am asking us to subordinate our personal needs for the sake of the community.

Lambert:2003 the HOB sent the consent to VGR first to the HOD and then they voted. Now when they send us A161. We defeated it. They were shocked. Now they send this again. Our polity does not allow us to respond in a way that will disrupt the relationship between bishops and deputies. Let them lead us.

Palmore: I wish to raise 2 realities
1. there are gays and lesbians who are not ECUSAns who may not have the voice they would have in this Church
2. This church has embraced the listening process which includes listening to homosexuals throughout the communion

This res will facilitate and ensure the listening process.

Spencer: I will oppose this resolution because it is not even in the ballpark or even the parking lot of the ballpark of the WR. It does nothing to address the specific issues. My feeling is that we are tossing half a carrot to our friends in the communion as if they are not intelligent enough to see it. IT comes close to the peak of hypocrisy

Reed: I was embarrassed by the actions of this house yesterday, the arrogance. I was ashamed that we would not at all consider listening to our brothers and siters who have invited us into a process. I urge us to set aside our personal agendas. We must tell our bretherent hat we need them. We need to tell our leaders that we are humble and listening. If you are in the middle and you feel manipulated, rise up.

????: offer an amendment. After the word “church,” add “until GC2009” I find this resolution heartbreaking and it breaks for all the gay and lesbian people who have been such an important part of this church. I cannot imagine what my church would look like without the voices of these people. I propose this amendment as a way of offering some hope for us that the distilling of these voices in the wider church…



Missed a speaker….

Wade: I rise to speak against the amendment. This resolution can be tacked on to every resolution of this convention.

Forrester: I speak against this amendment. The truth is that Gene like Jesus embodies the truth because of his way of life. Jesus way of life is a sacrament.

Tech problems:

Stanley of Newark: The HS has been guiding this church in the realization of a new trith. I am frustrated that our family members of the AC have not participated in this conversation..By this amendment I hope that we can say to them that yes we are going to be in amendment with them.

Point: I call the question on this amendment and the main motion

All in favor:

Debate is terminated.

Called on the amendment

Vote: No’s have it: The amendment is defeated

Question called on B033:

Voting by orders is proceeding

This is it

Chair: the vote is now being tallied.



I have the electronic results

VOTE RESULTS

LAY: yes 77.4 no 21. divided 11 carried

CLERGY: 75.8 yes 24 no divided 10 carried

RESOLUTION B033: CARRIED

Greetings Even-Numbered Birth-Year People!

Coverage of the joint session begins at about 10am eastern, or following morning Eucharist, which may run later.

NOTE: TitusOneNine is down at the moment. Please check the backup site here.

Beisner Confirmed by Voice Vote

No details yet.

Resolution A161 Fails

Liberals rejected it because it included regret; conservatives rejected it because it was too murky.

Server Update; Dinner with Matt, Mike, and Louie

To explain what has been happening the past few days:

Web sites are "hosted" in two ways: shared, and dedicated.

"Shared" hosting means you're on the same server as many other web sites. You share the resources of one machine with many other customers.

"Dedicated" means you're on your own physical machine, with nobody else. You have all the resources of that one server to yourself.

For two and a half years, StandFirm has been on a shared server, doing about 1,500-2,500 visitors a day. Last Sunday, as GenCon began, our traffic started to increase. Monday was even bigger Tuesday was bigger still. By Friday and Saturday we were more than quadrupling our average weekday traffic. On Monday and Tuesday we were seeing 120-200 people online at once. Yesterday afternoon, we had 575 at one point.

Our statistics program finally gave out late last night and simply stopped reporting traffic - the digital equivalent of breaking your speedometer needle - but using a ratio of peak visits to total daily visits, I estimate we had over 17,000 visitors yesterday.

What happens when you have that kind of traffic is that you consume all the reources on your server, such that all the other sites you share it with come crashing down. I am told our traffic today caused the server to have to be rebooted 9 times, until our hosting company finally had enough and shut us down.

They are in the process of moving us to another server, where we'll be all by ourselves for the time being. I have not been told exactly when that might be finished. We will inform the usual suspects - Kendall, GenCon06, Drell, CTSix, and the AAC - the moment we're back online.

I have never seen two bloggers more upset by this than Matt and Sarah. They are like two Indy drivers suddenly forced to drive Yugos. I am trying to be serene in my frustration, but suffice it to say our hosting company and I are going to have some extremely interesting conversations over the next week or two. Right now, I'm focused on getting us back online and continuing our coverage of history in the making in the Episcopal Church.

Tonight at dinner with Matt and CaNN's Mike Daley, we talked about what we liked about our opponents in this debate. I have developed a soft spot for Caro Hall, a sweet, grandmotherly lesbian priest from New Zealand who's reporting for Integrity. Tonight after dinner we waved Louie Crew over and spent a long time talking to him about resolutions, voting, PB-Elect Schori, his health (getting better - Louie's a diabetic and has recently lost 60 pounds), and our respective web sites. Then we talked about how much we resent the fact that they have done such a great job at taking our disdain for their lifestyles and portraying it as a disdain for them personally. I'm sure they would insist that we've let our affection for them personally be obliterated by our disdain for their lifestyles.

Somewhere in all of that there is Christ, and I'm saddened that as we emerge from the ruins of this church, some will find Him, and some will not.

We're Going to Dinner

The House of Deputies has postponed action on the key resolutions until tomorrow. Our web host - is down and shows no sign of getting us back up any time soon. All the other big sites are sketchy at best. We're beat.

Check in tomorrow...

Matt Kennedy: Live Blog of A160 Proceedings

When the ABC gave a mandate to the Windosrt Committee he charged them with finding the way of the highest commuion possible. From the very beginning this process has sought the highest level of communion. NO one is being asked to stop being or believing differently, we are just trying to live together.

Eames said that when we decided what we decided in 2003 we “uncovered” divisions. He did not say we “caused” divisions. He also said that the WR is the beginning of jouirney not a judgement or an ultimatum.

We are seeking the kind of peace and the kind of space that allows us to relate to one another. Our words in these resolutions as they are before you do not reflect the view of any group or subset. They are intended to let us speak from our breadth. The voice of community must of necessity lack the clarity of a single voice. If there is no resolutions stated we will not be able to identify abise when it comes. The words before oyu are imperfect. The people around you are imperfect. God’s love and grace perfects

Katherine: Quotes Ephesians. Our charge was to respond to the Windsor report, the DC and the ACC. The committees strong desire to respond to our charge required us to listen carefully to many different perspectives to achieve the trust necessary to respond. We were able to hold the tension of the opposites together long enough to convey our desire for unity and distinctiveness. This allows us to see the parts and the whole, to move between them and allows us the freedom to view each other honestly and question, listen, hear, respectfully dissent, always discerning God’s will. We tried to model this for all who appeared before us as well. Nothing worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime and therefore we go forward in hope….missed the rest of this quote…may we abide in faith, hope and love and may the Spirit who imbued our work guide us in the process

MH: Fellow deputies this is an important moment in the life of the communion and in the body of Christ. It is with deep humility that I ask that as we move through our deliberations that we are able to surrender ourselves and our agendas to the Spirit who will bring us to the diverse center as we make our statement that will begin our walk toward restoration.

Palmore: for the past week we have been part of the pilgrimage described by ++Eames. That may have the sound of hubris and yet I am so proud of the fact that committee 26 in all of its diversity has engaged in a process of discernment. And that process is demonstrated in A160 which responds to Windsors call. I commend to you and ask for the support of this house of A160.

Harmon: the first step in reconcilaiitonis before us but lets only take it if we mean it. It does reflect the langugea of the WR. This makes clear that it is the actions and the consequencese of what took place in 2003 and this is deep because repentance and regret are expressed as is the request for forgiveness but this repentance will only be incomplete if there are no concrete steps following on this commitment. Those steps would be complying in full with the Windsor requests

Abernathy: I rise in support of this resolution. It is a sincere expression of penitence. It is not an expression of repentance. It does not say the actions were wrong in their own rite. Therefore they highlight the divisions that arose out of our actions. As I reflect personally is that I can cause harm even when my intentions are good I have learned to say I am sorry and that is what we are doing from our church to the world

I urgre rejection of this resolution because the wording could set a precedent that if we make a decision within our polity and if it causes hurt that we are going to be obligerd to apologise and ask forgiveness. It is not impossibke that we could be asked to do the same thing as a result of our PB’s election. Thus it limits our ability to act as the Spirit leads us as an autonomous body.

???: I rise to support this amendment. Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for a friend. I trust that we are friends. Perhaps we could take the word amend and take the d off of it and set an amen at the end of this resolution and begin this process of humbly laying down now.

McDowell: Being a southerner its hard for me not to get into the language of regret and repent. But when I was a small boy and looked up at the interstate, I needed to have someone look at my culture and my church and what it was teaching and what it was turning a blind eye too. I grew up in a culture where people of color werer not treated equally. When I voted for VGR I was proud to do it. I feel like I would be Peter on the road to Jerusalem if I were asked to repent or regret. Please do not force me to do that

????: I rise to support this amendment. I believe the spirit and wording of this resolution will be acceptable to the wide majoruity of Episcopalians and Anglicans. Can we move from the table of divisive agendas to the table of communion

Eckert: I have the greatest respect for the AC, however I speak in opposrition to this resolution and I have been an ECUSAn for all 18 years of my life and in that time I;’ve never known the church to regret an action taken in love. Since VGR’s consecration he has loved all people and brought more and more people into thte church.IT would be a huge step backwords in our mission to include all people. I cannot agree with a resolution that apologuses to people who voilify and hate him just for being who he is.

Cantrell: My brothers and sisters in Christ . In the past I have been wrong. I say that because in some of those occasions I have discovered it when someone has told me about it. I delight in the AC and long for the day that we are all one. It seems to me that I need to listen to the wisdom of the whole;. tHis seems to be the direction we are headed and I encourage this and pray that we strengthen it

???: It was one of the proudest moments of my life to vote for VGR. I could not and cannot regret this and I imagine that one day we will be asked to

Read: I urge us to adopt all of these resolutions without amendment or watering them down. IF we do not we will say we are not listening and we do not want to listen. We need to give our new PB clout and the only way we can do that is to tell the communion that we are listening to them. I urge us to adopt them how they are and tell the communion that we are listening.

Prichard: we have taken two actions that tell about who we are. The election of VGR an the eletion of our new PB. I imagint the majority here would not go back on those decisions. It is disingenuous of us to do these things affirm these choices among ourselves and then tell the world something different. WE need to tell the truth.

Mayo: I speak for ths res and I wish to commend the committee. I speak for it on several counts.
I am an educator of young people. Impact is one of the key words in this resolution. Our actions have impact on others. In this case people around the world are watchingf. What we do or don’;t do will impact millions. This resolution offers sincere apology and recognizes that we have hurt others and that we are truly sorry and ask forgiveness so we can be a family.

Watkins: I do not favor this resolution. I do not believe we have broken the bonds of affection. These bonds are stretchy and supple. I also reject the notion that the AC is of one mind and voice and they are collectively pointing the finger at us. They are not.

Coyle: I speak in favor of 160. If I am a church that is no stranger to making apologies and I am. I urge us to make this apology. IF there is a tear in the fabric and there is, this is an important first stitch in repairing the tear

Meyers: I cherish the relationshios I have formed with collegues across the globe. I regret the strain that has resulted from our decisions but I am concerned about the language of breaking the bonds of affection. This is not true world-wide as Watkins reminded us. I understand that this is WR language and yet we were reminded that this language is found in a report that is the start of a process. WE need to speak in our own words and I believe we should reject this resolution.

Beckwith: We are here because of actions taken in NH to raise up a new bishop and at that convention a prayer was offered to invoke the HS. That prayer was answered and the suporse was that it was VGR who was chosen. The greater the distance from that moment the more difficult it is for some to discern the spriit. WE cannot apologise for what the spirit has led us to do.

Marshal: Three years ago I appealed to this body to reject resolutions that would cause great division. Unfortunately that prediction has come to fruition. We are divided and we are faced wiuth the WR that demands a response. In the opening words I heard that the WR is not an ultimatum. I think just the opposite. I strongly support these resolutions and ask your support.

Worth: I want to offer the following as a reason I cannot support a call for regret. He quotes Robert F. Kennedy for a long long time beginning with: “A tiny ripple of hope…..” The actions of GC2003 swept down a mighty wall of oppression and we are experiencing the inevitable pushback and persecution but this should not send us to retreat. We have been called to new life. As this new life calls us back from the dead it calls us away from regret. This will allow our actions to be ripples of hope.l

Jennings: I move an amendment, On lines 10 and 11 to strike “breaching the proper constraints of” and replace with “straining”

Second

What are these proper constraits. Who decided what they were and how would we ha ve known? These are vague. Strain is simple and does not buy into the notion that the AC is broken. If it were broken then why would 5 primates from other provinces be our guests. Let us avoid fear and regret.

Jennings: I move an amendment, On lines 10 and 11 to strike “breaching the proper constraints of” and replace with “straining”

Second’

What are tehse proper constraits. Who decided what they were and how would we ha ve known? These are vague. Strain is simple and does not buy into the notion that the AC is broken. If it were broken then why would 5 primates from other provinces be our guests. Let us avoid fear and regret.

Waddell: I rise to support the amendment. The analogy of breaking or breaching is far more extreme than the facts. Straining is far more reflective affairs. It is improved by this.

Goldstack: I rejoice that I belong to a church that has VGR but I believe that we are still part of the AC and I want that relationship to continue. This amendment recognizes the strain and allows us to move forward in the discussion without diminishing the great things we ahave done.

Alexa: Clark from central florida: I urge us to reject this report and restore the original language and a simple reminder from a movie you might remember. It says love means never saying your sorry. Those who have been in love know that this is not true. Reject this amendment and restore the language

Fontain: I want to offer an amendment to the amendment: The amendment would be leaving the straining and on libne 12 striking everything after “2003” to “as we” and adding “seek to live into deeper levels of communion one with another”

This is a separate amendment. You must hold this until later.

????I speak in favor of the amendment. I did not receive the memo that outlines the proper restraints and bonds. I don’t think we should do something we will regret tomorrow.

Yabov: I speak against the amendment and for the main motion

1. I call on us to reject because the committee worked hard asa diverse group and they put this forward unanimously
2. read this carefully. We express regret for the brokenness. We seek to forgive and be forgiven and the depthof the trouble.
3. Consider the spirit of humility in this. I pray for our consideration and our moving ahead to support the original resolution.

Richardson: I speak against the amendment. We are offering back to the communion the language that has been asked of us. I speak against the amendment and for the languahe of the original

Mark Harris: I cannot see your face, but when I wave like crazy nothing happens.

Chair: Exner first, Harris second

Exner: I can tell you that our relationships are strained but they are not broken. Our pastoral bonds have been stretched and we are sorry for the pain we all share but to say we are sorry is not something we can do. To say that we have strained he relationships is a good thing

Mark Harris: I suppoer the amendment because I do not believe the crisis as great as the WR imagines. Some removal from the language fo breach is in order.

Chair: time for debate on the amendment is over

Call

Vote: Voice count inconclusive. They will count heads

Chair: time for debate on the amendment is over

Call

Vote: Voice count inconclusive. They will count heads.

The vote is closed:

Dice Southern OH: I would like to make a motion to extend debate on the main motion by 30 minutes.

Second

Dice: how about 15 minutes?

Let me give you the vote tally

Yes 530

No 305

Amendment passes

Amendment passes.

Matter before the house is the main motion as amended.

In lines 10 and 11, delete the words “breaching the proper constraints of” replace with “straining”

All those in favor of the original motion as amended

Yes has it. I will ask for a vote by machines.

While we are waiting for that vote, the chair believes that if we stay to 7:00pm then we will adjourn and leave here at 7:00pm.

Vote results

Yes 563

No 267

Here are the presentations for A161:

Dan Martins: Committee 26 is made up of a wide diversity of TEC. Ultimately we came back to something very close to the language of the special commission. At all times we have come as close as possible to the language of the WR. There is something here that everyone will not like but it adheres very closely to what we have been asked to do. That’s why I ask this house to vote for this resolution. When the proper time comes. Hold your nose if you have to but vote for this.

Ian: Mutual responsibility and interdependence in Christ. Anglicans across the world have been learning to live into this vision. A161 enables ongoing conversations across divides and despite differences. This is not perfect and there are no winners. But it does keep us at the table in honesty and faithfulness and staying at the table is what we need. If we do not pass this then our detractors will say that we do not want to walk together. Passing it will say we ant to walk together.

????: In the various documents of the AC documents the word oblige is key. It says that we are obliged in a relationship to care deeply with one another. I realize the word has a variety of meanings for many people. But in the words of the primary documents the words have to do with preserving a relationship that has community meaning. I pray you will accept these words and the entire resolution.

Snow: There are many things that are hard to swallow for those of us who are waiting to be affirmed by the church. It feels like we are being singled out with no promise of this ever coming to an end. But I am mindful of York’s words: where are the marks of crucifixion? I think “refrain” is our mark. I think this is the way forward: denial as a prelude to enlargemebt. This will help us create the space that will allow us to bear witness to the wider church. This is a mark of sacrifice to me and to my partner of 25 years. But I recognize that this is necessary for bearing with one another in Christ though I recognize that it will deprive us of the move and work of the spirit in and through some of our people.

Melnyk: (missed alot) WE realize that this resolution cost everyone, but it buys space as we live into the WR.

Chair: we now have before us A161. We have a 30 minute total. This will put us up around 7. You are sticking with us and working hard.

Sam Gould (youth rep): I speak against this res. It is presenting two contradicting ideas. In the first resolve it questions the manner of life of a man living in a partnered relationship. The second is apologizing for this. For me it feels like this resolution struggles with the same problem I struggle with every summer. I am a camp counselor for 8 year old. One of them knew he was not supposed to climb on the rocks. One day when he was caught he decided to apologize while he was on the rock. We are still on the rock.

Drell: I speak in favor of this resolution. After 2 years of dialogue we have a resolution that accurately reflects the WR requests for a moratoria. That is what refraining is and that is what we have been asked to do.

Jane Gould: It was my privilege to be a candidate for bishop of CA. Discusses her experience of the process of running for bishop and says that she and her gay fellow candidates used their ministries and sacrificed equally. Jesus regularly upset the religious community of his time….she is cut off for breaching the time limit

Holmgren: Remember that we are talking about the sacraments of the church. The celebration of the sacrament is never an autonomous act. It is always an act of the entire church. The whole church has a stake in the use of the sacraments. Let us put first our unity in the body of Christ for we all have one faith and one baptism and one lord

Babcock: I rise to urge defeat of this res. I believe it is unfair to shun brothers and sisters who are baptized into full ministry in the body of Christ. I do not believe this would heal the hurt. It would make it worse. As a woman in orders I remember that it was only through action that understanding grew.

Clark: On behalf of the clerical orders of SC FW, TN and CFL: I call for a vote by orders on the entire perfected resolution

Chairs so it will be done.

Russell: today I want to share what my mother told me. When I think I might have to apologize for doing something then I just shouldn’t do it. IF we are providing care for GLBT people then how can we apologize for doing it or refrain from doing what is necessary to care for them. We do not have to apologize for all the good things we have done for the GLBT people in our midst. With all the things that they endure around the world. For this house to shrink an inch from what we did in 2003 would be an unforgivable injustice.

Clark: On behalf of the clerical orders of SC FW, TN and CFL: I call for a vote by orders on the entire perfected resolution

Chairs so it will be done.

Russell: today I want to share what my mother told me. When I think I might have to apologize for doing something then I just shouldn’t do it. IF we are providing care for GLBT people then how can we apologise for doing it or refrain from doing what is necessary to care for them. We do not have to apologize for all the good things we have done for the GLBT people in our midst. With all the things that they endure around the world. For this house to shrink an inch from what we did in 2003 would be an unforgivable injustice.

Yabrov: I came to this GC not anxiously because I believe that God is in charge of our church and I believe he is leading us here and that what happens here will not diminish his love for us. I do believe we are struggling with mysteries. We cannot please everyone and we will offend members of our family. I urge the adoption of this resolution in full and without amendment because it has been worked on by a diverse committee. Moreover it does not reject VGR nor does it reject ++Schori. It affirms them both. I believe we should vote for this.

Fifteen more minutes of debate and then we will close. We will open the debate tomorrow and perhaps those of you on either side can

<>Peter Cook: Since the Watergate era the phrase non denial denial, the WR asks us to give a clear and unambiguous answer. In this resolution we give a non response response. Our regrets fail to acknowleged what we have done. The second resolve does not say we will not do so again and finally our apologies to our GLBT brethren are far more sincere than our apologies to the AC. Here we are a declining church in a growing communion and we presume to speak to the world. The resolution will not keep us in the Anglican Communion

Jones: I want to say sorry to Jim and to Mark and to Mary, homosexuals who are friends of mine. I could not bless their unions if they were to come to me because of my reading of the scriptures. I do not apologize but I do grieve for the pain that exists between us.

Hart: Over 200 yrs ago CT sent Seabury to England to be consecrated for our church. He was not consecrated because he would not take an oath to the crown. He went to Scotland and ECUSA was born. Now we are being asked to vow a new oath of conformity. I urge you to reject this amendment

Leed: I am urging the adoption of A161 exactly as written. There is an expression called “terms of art” that is appropriate here. This committee has worked long and hard. It is incumbent upon us to respect this work and to pass this because it will be acceptable to the AC. The words of this resolution will put us in a position where the dialogue can continue. And this does not say that GLBT people are not welcome. Notice this is only one order of ministry that this effects….time limit

????: I urge you to defeat this resolution. I came here and brought my baby because I believe that this church will change the world. If my baby falls in love with a woman she cannot be a bishop. That is why I am here.

Lous: In Latin American countries we still need time. We do not agree with this. This resolution can help give us time to prepare our people for this new Christian teaching

Stokes: in its failure to address the issue of justice, this document is theologically flawed. Dialogue and discussion and free conversation allows assent and allows truth to emerge. I do not believe that 161 is the product of unhindered dialogue but of coercion from Canterbury, Durham, York and Nigeria. I cannot express regret for these decisions or withhold care from people and give them an apology in its place.

????: I know it is important for us to create space. To demonstrate that we are serious about the WR. Today this is the right thing to do. Please do not amend to death a careful resolution and I urge the acceptance of this without amendment

Meyers: I rise to speak against this amendment. Snow spoke of being crucified. I will not and cannot be a part of hammering nails into the hands and feet of my brothers and sisters. I have experienced being cut out of ministry on the basis of my gender. I cannot do that to my GLBT brothers and sisters.

????: I am a conflicted moderate: think this resolution gives us room to work, room to let the spirit work. I realize that me standing here as a white privileged male may be difficult for my GLBT brothers and sisters to hear, but I pray that we will accept these resolutions

Perry: From the word “openly”, Are we to infer that had VGR or myself of any of our other GLBT people will deny or lie about our relationships then are we more acceptable to the AC in positions of leadership. I urge you to defeat this resolution.

????: I see this resolution as a hopeful and helpful step toward reconciliation and I speak as someone who has had a number of parishioners leave for another church that calls itself an Anglican church as well.

Harmon: I cannot vote for this res. The language is totally unclear. The water is murky, mucky, it is turgid and I cannot say. I cannot imagine my wife say that I am obliged to…My first question would be what are you asking me to do. Three verbs on top of each other. The WR language is very clear. This resolution moves us far away from the WR language. This cannot be done as a house in good conscience because we do not know what we are doing.

Ligget: I come from a small parish that is badly beaten up and a small diocese. I rejoice in what we did in 2003 but this is not about me. I come with great hope and a great hunger to move forward together. It will come at a cost. But we must go forward together. We may be right but we could be right at the expense of our communion.

The house is stopping things to make a communion