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