Day: July 9, 2012

The World Mission legislative committee led by Bishops Ian Douglas and Ed Little and Deputies Mark Harris and Josephine Hicks has brought forth a resolution on the proposed Anglican Covenant that essentially kicks it down the road to 2015.

The House of Bishops approve Blessings legislation #A049 on a role call vote of 111 Yes, 41 No, 3 Abstain – goes to House of Deputies next.

Today the Episcopal Church “put the T in equality” by explicitly including transgender people in the work and witness of the Episcopal Church and as candidates to the ordained ministry. In voting to concur with the earlier actions of our bishops, the House of Deputies officially added gender identity and gender expression to the non-discrimination canons – making today a very good day to be an Episcopalian.

Resolved, That the Task Force shall have as many as 24 members, appointed jointly by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies by September 30, 2012. The membership of the Task Force shall reflect the diversity of the Church, and shall include some persons with critical distance from the Church’s institutional leadership; and be it further

Tom Jackson is live tweeting from the House of Bishops this morning, and he has captured a remarkable moment in which Bishop Gene Robinson, who is soon to retire as the bishop of New Hampshire, told his colleagues in the house that he was fed up with the sniping and mistreatment he has endured as the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop.

The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance completed its work on the proposed 2013-15 budget on Monday morning, July 9, at 9 a.m. PB&F reviewed the final copy of the budget spreadsheet and adopted it for presentation to the 77th General Convention.

The Committee on Prayer Book, Liturgy and Church Music at the General Convention has approved Resolution A049 (amended), which would authorize a provisional rite and accompanying resources for blessing same-sex relationships. The legislation moves next to the House of Bishops.

The resolution that creates a task force to propose ways of reorganizing the church, the resolution to authorize a provisional rite for blessing same sex relationships and the proposed churchwide budget are all expected to clear committee this morning.