Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

"My passion is for mission. Because I think that's how we build the reign of God. The Millennium Development Goals give us an image, an icon or a lens, if you will, for how we can build the reign of God in our own day. They're achievable. They're achievable in less than 10 years if we can commit as nations and communities and individuals across the world to do it. That is remarkable! It's the first time in history when we have been able to say that it's possible to make poverty history. I think that's a great and glorious and incredibly engaging model for what it means to be church!" Presiding Bishop-elect, the Rt. Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori

Many of you may have seen press coverage about The Episcopal Church's General Convention over the last two weeks. The press loves to cover our conversations about sexuality. However, they may not have reported the most important work we did in Columbus from June 10-21.

We, with Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation (EGR), set a goal of having the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) sweep General Convention, and seize the imagination of the church, and in so many ways, they truly did. The U2charist as a launch for EGR and the MDGs at General Convention was more than we could ask or imagine, and it continued to sustain General Convention’s hopes to the last day, when several people from different places within the church took the time to thank us for the service. (You can watch a newscast about the U2charist, an interview of yours truly, and more about the MDGs at General Convention here, by clicking on the link to June 14th, and the amazing sermon by Bishop Michael Curry of North Carolina here.

At the EGR booth, we had book readings and many events highlighting each of the MDGs in creative and engaging ways, and our booth was a go-to spot in the exhibit hall. We also had "stunts" for the different MDGs, such as a cross made out of 10,200 popsicle sticks to represent the children who would die due to extreme poverty from the time of the opening service that day, till the end of the legislative session. You can learn more about these stunts by visiting Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation and linking to the General Convention News.

God’s mission was well served in our decision to make Peace and Justice, particularly the MDGs, as the first mission priority of our church and the lens through which we can do our ministry both within our congregations and out in the world. Soon thereafter both the House of Deputies and House of Bishops passed Resolution D022 which lays out how the church will follow God’s call as heard in the MDGs. This resolution included a provision for every parishioner, congregation, diocese to give 0.7% (seven tenths of one percent) toward fighting global AIDS and extreme poverty, either through an organization such as Episcopal Relief and Development or a companion diocese relationship such as we in Maine have with Haiti.

When the Budget passed on Monday, it included a provision for “every department and funded mission and ministry of the Church to give 0.7% of their money toward the MDGs.” At the same time the members of the Program, Budget and Finance Committee each pledged 0.7% of their personal incomes toward the MDGs and challenged all Bishops and General Convention Deputies to do the same.

The one MDG for which we did not have a stunt was #3 Gender Equality and Empowering Women. The Holy Spirit took care of that however, with what was perhaps the greatest moment for the church: the election of the Rt. Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori as the 26th Presiding Bishop. None of us came to Columbus thinking this would be an historic General Convention because of our election of the first woman Presiding Bishop. Many of us said, “It was what I hoped for, but I kept talking myself out of its possibility!” I wish I could somehow transmit to you the power of the Spirit that swept through the House of Deputies when her election by the House of Bishops was announced, the sound of 2000 people gasping (1900 or so with joy) and again, after our vote by which the House of Deputies concurred, with people from very diverse theological places speaking in favor of her election.

Bishop Jefferts Schori is committed to justice and mission. At the press conference she said, "My passion is for mission. Because I think that's how we build the reign of God. The Millennium Development Goals give us an image, an icon or a lens, if you will, for how we can build the reign of God in our own day. They're achievable. They're achievable in less than 10 years if we can commit as nations and communities and individuals across the world to do it. That is remarkable! It's the first time in history when we have been able to say that it's possible to make poverty history. I think that's a great and glorious and incredibly engaging model for what it means to be church!"

Poetically, her episcopacy will end in 2015, the year set for the achievement of the MDGs. The symmetry is stunning, prophetic, and in its own way a commission of all of us for this work.

Thank you for your prayers during these weeks. I am excited to continue to work with all of you to realize God's vision and hope for our world.

Peace,

Paige+ |
NEIDEEP at 9:55 AM