Bishops Leo Frade and James Ottley are not seated at the same
table in the House of Bishops, but were able to sit together for
a “photo op” break in this morning’s work.
Bishop Frade, a former Methodist, said that he was pleased that
the bishops voted the morning to approve resolution A055, which
calls for interim Eucharistic sharing with the Methodist Church
(UMC). This resolution must now be considered by the House of
Deputies.
For
information on other actions by the House of Bishops today, go
to
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/75384_ENG_HTM.htm
For
the current text or status of any resolution, go to http://www.episcopalchurch.org/53785_ENG_HTM.htm
and click on “Legislation” on the left side of the
screen.
A
“gofer” at GC
When Dean George Werner, president of the House of Deputies, spoke
at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach, in March, Fr. Andrew “Drew”
Van Culin, Bethesda’s Associate for Christian Education,
expressed an interest in volunteering at General Convention.
This
week and next, the priest is serving as a Legislative Aide with
the Committee on Structure, which is dealing with such issues
as the restructuring of the Standing Commissions of the church
and a proposal to set a firm deadline of 60 days prior to General
Convention for resolutions to be submitted. (One of our deputies,
Fr. Horace Ward, rector of Holy Family, Miami Gardens, serves
on this committee.)
Van
Culin says he’s a “gofer” for the committee,
filing papers, delivering messages and registering those who want
to speak on a resolution being considered by the committee at
a legislative hearing.
He
says he has enjoyed the privilege of being in the House of Deputies
during debate, watching and listening, hearing both sides of the
discussion.
He
says he was especially impressed this afternoon during the discussion
on the first of the proposed resolutions concerning the response
of the Episcopal Church to the Windsor Report, by “the earnestness
of the conversation”.
He
adds that he heard the deputies “firmly desiring to stay
together”
“It’s exciting,” he says.
Fr.
Drew Van Culin describes his experiences as a General Convention
“gofer”—a Legislative Aide.
