The Episcopal Ecological Network (EpEN)

Phyllis
Strupp

General Convention – The Importance of Words

The Episcopal Church's 76th General Convention is upon us (July 7-18 in Anaheim). At convention, of course, the House of Deputies and House of Bishops will be voting on resolutions. Those resolutions, as abstract as they may seem at times, are crucial in the life of the church. They create the policy and establish the priorities for the church in the next triennium. They inform action and are expressed practically.

One resolution, for example, requires that The Episcopal Church establish a baseline for carbon emissions and then set measurable goals for emission reductions. That work is underway – but only because of that resolution. (Note: this resolution does not apply to each and every parish but rather to the headquarters in New York and related field offices around the country, as well as travel by staff and national commissions.)

You Can Influence the Outcome

Whether or not you plan to attend the convention, we urge you to express your support for those resolutions you deem most important.

Here's how to do so

1. E-mail your bishop and the head of your diocesan deputation. Tell them the resolutions you want them to support and why. Ask the head of the deputation to distribute your e-mail to all deputies.
2. Each resolution is assigned to a committee which holds hearings on that resolution. Each committee is headed by two chairs. Send an e-mail to those two individuals as well. Ask them to distribute your e-mail to members of their committee. Find the names of chairs below with their e-mail addresses (where available).
3. If you are going to General Convention, attend the relevant hearings. The hearing schedule is posted Tuesday afternoon, July 7 and every day following.

If you are going to convention, please visit the Episcopal Ecological Network's booth (#747) in the Exhibit Hall. We will have information about each of the resolutions the EpEN is supporting. If you are interested in helping follow a resolution, please talk with the representatives at the booth for details.

Priority Resolutions

Following extensive discussion of all the resolutions being submitted to General Convention, the Episcopal Ecological Network sees the following resolutions as priorities (note that the information includes the committee which will hear that resolution). Find more information about these and other resolutions at eenonline.org/about/resolve.htm.

EpEN Working Group

Committee Contacts

Readers' Input

What our readers are following

Province II

Diocese of New Jersey

We are amending our D001 Resolution slightly as for its beginning date, which will be amended to read as follows:

"...beginning on September 1, [the Day of Creation in the Eastern Orthodox Calendar] and extending over six Sundays...."

Explanation:

The date change is proposed for the following reasons: 1) September is the prime harvest season in much of the USA; 2) The dating as originally proposed would rob the Sundays immediately before Advent of their distinctive character; and 3) Observing the cycle on September 1 and the following 6 Sundays would bring ECUSA into conformity with our international partners who already celebrate the Creation Cycle, namely, the churches in Australia, New Zealand and Southern Africa.

This time frame will also encircle the important ecological liturgical date of October 4, St. Francis Day.

The procedure is that the amendment would come before the House of Bishops General Convention Liturgy Committee, the proposers will accept it, and then the amended Resolution, if accepted by that Committee, will go to the House of Deputies for their approval. So although the amendment is acceptable to the proposers, the process is a bit more detailed.

Province VI

Diocese of Minnesota

The Minnesota Episcopal Environmental Stewardship Commission has offered to its bishop and deputation the following list of enviornment-related resolutions that it endorses (with additional notes on the resolution on Creation Cycle of the Pentecost Season) and asks the deputation to support:

A035: Establishment of an Environmental Commission

C034/D001: Creation Cycle of the Pentecost Season
Minnesota already has set aside a time each year for honoring and celebration creation, thanks to Bishop Jelinek. To that end, MEESC really supports the Creation Cycle resolution – even if it needs to be adapted slightly in length, or where it is placed in the liturgical year from what we do in Minnesota. Having that resource in the Book of Occasional Services will give it wider visibility and credence.

B001: Amendment to the Parochial Report

C070: Memorializing the Genesis Covenant

C044/C046: The Earth Charter

Province VIII

Diocese of California

The Diocese of California is sponsoring two environmental resolutions:

1. Government Policies for Environmental Stewardship resolves that the Church urges the U.S. Government to legislate equitable subsidies of renewable energy along with reduction of its current subsidies of non-renewable energy It further recommends that the Church support adoption of a federal renewable portfolio standard which would specify that electricity suppliers obtain a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable energy, with that amount to be increased over time; and finally, that the Church support government programs to practice sound environmental stewardship.
2. The Scientific Integrity and Environmental Policy resolution urges that government policy decisions affecting the health and well-being of humans and ecosystems must be based on scientifically evaluated, peer-reviewed data; an that the General Convention supports legislative efforts to maintain the highest degree of scientific integrity, including the ability to conduct thorough, independent, peer-reviewed research, and to communicate the findings of that research openly and accurately for the benefit of all.

Diocese of Olympia

C070: Memorializing the Genesis Covenant

The Bishop's Committee for the Environment of the Diocese of Olympia, Washington, urges the 76th General Convention to adopt C070, the Genesis Covenant resolution. This resolution asks the Episcopal Church voluntarily to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at its buildings by 50% within 10 years. The Genesis Covenant was first proposed by Bishop Steven Charleston and captured the imaginations of people of faith at the HOPE (Healing Our Planet Earth) Conference in 2008. Resolution C070 invites Episcopal churches throughout the United States to join together to combat climate change. The invitation to participate in this work would be extended, world-wide, to all communities of faith.

The recent pastoral letter from the bishops of Province VIII delineates our responsibility as Christians to be healers of Creation in accord with the Genesis Covenant. The bishops urge Episcopalians to act quickly and decisively to avert catastrophic changes to life on this planet. Climate change, they note, is already affecting people around the world, particularly those living in or near poverty.

Bishop Charleston has asked a simple but powerful question: "if we, who are people of faith do not act to save this planet, who will do it for us? Who are we waiting for?" We hope the deputies to the General Convention will answer this question with a resounding "We will!"

Diocese of Spokane

The Diocese of Spokane continues to move forward in its awareness and education concerning Creation Care and our responsibility in that. In preparation for General Convention, Diocesan Council passed a resolution supporting and encouraging efforts addressing Creation Care and environmental action as well as our local Faith and Environment Network's (FEN) efforts to work in the larger community.

FEN has partnered with eMinistry, to offer a series of e-classes, workshops. These workshops provide a short affordable opportunity to learn about various aspects of environmental sustainability, networking beyond the Episcopal church, and positive, proactive steps that each of us can take to live smarter in God's Creation. Bishop Steven Charleston is offering Genesis Covenant information and community organizing aspects before General Convention in an eMinistry workshop. His goal is to empower others to get involved in their communities, especially to get the Genesis Covenant moving in other denominations and faith traditions.

Teleclasses on Resolutions

eMinistry Network

These classes are offered as part of a series of eMinistry teleclasses on the connection between faith and the environment.

They cover two of the many resolutions concerning the environment that will be considered by the General Convention in its July meeting in Anaheim.

Exploring "The Genesis Covenant" with Bishop Steven Charleston
Leader: The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Time: 7:00 to 8:00 pm Eastern (6:00 Central, 5:00 Mountain, 4:00 Pacific)
Cost: $12.00

We invite you to join this conversation with Bishop Steven Charleston to learn about the Genesis Covenant. He'll look at what it will mean for the Episcopal Church to commit to the Covenant, and how you as an individual can support this effort in your diocese and your local congregation. The focus will be on organizing your faith community to work actively to address the crisis of climate change in this tangible, measurable way. A key component will be carrying this organizing message throughout the interfaith communities of North America.

Click here for more information (this link will not be active after General Convention)

Liturgy and the Earth: An Introduction to Worship through a Creation Season
Leader: The Rev. Franklin "Skip" Vilas
Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Time: 7:00 to 8:00 pm Eastern (6:00 Central, 5:00 Mountain, 4:00 Pacific)
Cost: $10.00

Join Skip Vilas in this special pre-General Convention teleclass exploring the idea of a Creation Cycle and why its time has come in the liturgical life of our Church -- how it will enrich our worship life and help us to connect our faith and actions with the care for God's Creation.

Click here for more information (this link will not be active after General Convention)

About this Project

This another in a series of the e-Newsletter where we look at upcoming environmental stewardship activities occurring within the Episcopal Church – this issue focused on pending resolutions at the upcoming General Convention.. The submissions and links represent a sampling of environmental activities around the Episcopal Church. If you wish to contact any of the contributors, please send an e-mail to news[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending) for forwarding.

If I missed listing your input, please send me another copy. If your congregation's or diocese's efforts are not listed here, please send your information to news[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending). The webpage for this newsletter will be updated about every 2 weeks through the end of General Convention to add additional information.

Take time to visit the EpEN Website. If you have information to share on upcoming events in your area, please send an e-mail to news[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending).
The EpEN is now also present on Facebook as a group. You can search for us using our full name or the short-title.

The EpEN also seeks individuals interested in being contacts within Provinces and Dioceses as well as individuals interested in researching and writing about topics of interest. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to: chair[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending).

The next issue will come out in late August 2009 (deadline for submissions to be around August 15, 2009). This issue will focus on environmental issues resulting from action at General Convention. As space permits, information about activities at congregations and in dioceses will also be provided. If you have information to share with the wider church, please send your input at any time to news[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending) and indicate that the information is for sharing.

Please direct comments about this newsletter to Chuck Morello (please remove the square brackets before sending).

Chuck Morello
EpEN Webminister