July 12 -- The Last Day!

A Good Night’s Sleep Was Needed

Well, after a very good night’s rest (thanks to Nyquil, I must admit), I arose rested and ready. Still had a bit of an itchy nose this morning but managed not to unleash any particularly loud sneezes during worship or the legislative sessions.
 

8:00 to 11:00 am

Other than tweaking these just notes a bit, I wrote most of what follows as the day unfolded. So, here goes:

The Rules, They Are a Changin’

First we adopted a suspension of the usual rules of order designed to help move things along more quickly. Specifically, unless someone wishes to amend or speak against a proposed action, the vote will be taken without delay. This is designed to eliminate speeches in favor of resolutions which, while often articulate and heart-felt, are quite unlikely to change votes on uncontroversial matters.

Structure Resolution Fails

A motion to eliminate all but two standing commissions (Constitution and Canons; Structure) failed. Too bad. This had been recommended by the Structure committee that brought forward a much more daring resolution that passed unanimously. The ideas was to replace permanent commissions with task forces that would be smaller and more responsive to very specifically defined needs and responsibilities. And after either achieving its goal (or reaching a pre-determined "sunset" date), the task force would be disbanded. Sounded good and, to use a word too often heard here, quite "nimble."

Terrorists or Criminals?

Later we considered resolution D005, “Rule of Law for Terrorists.” This calls for terrorists to be treated as criminals rather than "as warriors in the context of a 'war of terror.'" After some impassioned debate, the resolution passed. Are those who commit acts of terror criminals or enemy combatants? According to us, they are merely criminals. I voted against the resolution.

The U.S. Needs Jobs

“Job Creation Legislation” calls for the President and Congress to approve "a bold new federal program, solely focused on the creation of new jobs." To me this sounds like a standing before a meeting and saying, "I'd like to make a motion" but never saying exactly what the motion is. This resolution, while addressing a real need in our country, falls short by not proposing a specific solution. If we're going to name a problem, doing so without also providing an answer is pointless and takes up way to much time in our deliberations. I imagine that somewhere along the way (i.e., during the hearing process) some very specific solutions were proposed then abandoned as being so specific as to invite rejection. As a result, we got something motivated by good intention but, in my view, weakened by its vagueness.

Health Care

Resolution A040: “Establish the Church as the Moral Voice of Health Care” offered a range of ideas worthy of our support. During the debate, a motion to strike language that specifically called for endorsing and supporting "full implementation of health care reform law in the United States" passed. The remainder of the resolution seems both appropriate and apolitical. The amended resolution passed without the language that at least a few of us found unnecessarily political and potentially divisive. After all, any resolution that refers to the Affordable Care Act (AKA ObamaCare) without even naming it is going to be seen as politically motivated by at least some in the Church.

2:15 to 6:30 pm

The Last Lap — and More Procedural Changes

After breaking for the Closing Eucharist and a lunch break, we returned for the final session. The first matter was a change in rules to reduce the time for each person speaking on a matter to one minute (yesterday you could take three minutes, then this morning it went down to two). Also total time to debate an issue was reduced to ten minutes (I believe it had been twenty minutes). All this because between 2:15 and 6:00 tonight we still have over 60 substantive resolutions to consider. And that's without consider resolutions on a "consent calendar"; these include uncontroversial motions that we vote on in a block to avoid time-sucking debate. From time to time, three (or more) deputations will ask for a resolution to be removed from the consent calendar so that we can consider it and debate it. That way, as long as we’re being attentive, the consent calendar is unlikely to be used as a mechanism to sneak something past the House without proper consideration.

Still More Procedural Stuff

Motions were advanced to change our procedure to no longer allow matters to be divided (by which we can vote on a resolution bit by bit instead of the usual procedure of simply voting on the whole thing); this passed. Another was advanced to no longer allow motions to amend. This went to a vote by machine, as the chair couldn't determine if the change in procedure was approved by the required two-thirds majority. So here's what happened: we took time to consider motions designed to save time. Oh, the irony of our procedure! We voted to continue to allow motions. 

Even MORE Procedural Stuff

Wait, I typed too soon! Someone just moved (and we approved) to change our procedure so that motions would not be allowed when considering actions coming to us from the House of Bishop,s and where we were asked simply to concur in their action. This one actually makes sense since if we did amend a resolution that came to us from the bishops there wouldn't be time for the bishops to consider our change and the resolution would therefore fail. So, if we don't want the resolution to pass, it will be faster to simply vote it down rather than let it fail because of a fatal and drawn-out combination of procedure and timing. Okay, so now I've really gotten lost in the weeds on all the parliamentary stuff; sorry about that. That's what happens when when one spends eight days immersed in this stuff.

We Episcopalians Have a Rich Liturgical Life — and We Love our Pets

Resolution A054: “Authorize Rites and Prayers for the Care of Beloved Animals” passed. This includes a "Service at the Loss of a Beloved Animal" and other prayers for use at the adoption, illness, loss, when pets are euthanized, and more.

Access to Holy Baptism and Holy Communion

Wait, didn’t we already consider this resolution? Well, yes the House of Deputies passed this and sent it along to the House of Bishops. They considered and sent it back to us in an amended form, striking the final sentence: "We also acknowledge that in various local contexts there is the exercise of pastoral sensitivity with those who are not yet baptized." A motion to refer the resolution to the Standing Commission on Mission and Evangelism failed. Now we voted to adopt the substitute offered by the bishops, and the amended resolution passed. This resolution, as now written, the reaffirms the importance of baptism.

Some of the Deputation from West Tennessee at the end of a long week and a half.
Look, most of us are still smiling!

And That’s Just the Tip of the Iceberg

I have described only a portion of what happened today, though I hope this blog has given you a taste of what it’s been like to be a Deputy at the General Convention of The Episcopal Church. Tonight we had a fun dinner (well, most of our deputation went out; one deputy and his wife had another dinner to attend) at a local Mexican restaurant where I had my annual bottle of Corona. 

This has been an enriching, frustrating, inspiring, delightful, exhausting experience. Later, once I’ve had a day or so to get back to Dyersburg and do a little more processing, I hope to offer some closing thoughts on my time in Indianapolis.

Thank you for reading; I welcome your comments below. (Oh, and apparently I didn’t configure Blogger correctly to accept your comments, but that feature should now work.)

Blessings,Gary +