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A
cavernous exhibit hall in the Denver Convention Center became
holy space for the approximately 5,000 people who gathered for
the opening Eucharist. A millenium processional cross bearing
the convention’s "MM" logo, a gift of the Diocese
of Colorado, led the procession.
Presiding
Bishop Frank Griswold, celebrant and preacher, spoke of God’s
call to the Church, as to the prophet Isaiah, to "proclaim
the year of the Lord’s favor", the year of Jubilee,
of sabbath, of restoration and repair. We are to "run the
terrible risk of transformation", he said. We—the Church—must
"undergo repair, on God’s terms, not once, but again
and again" in order to "repair the world".
Following
the presiding bishop’s sermon, worshipers, all seated at
round tables, were given time to reflect privately, and with others
at their table, on the meaning of Jubilee and transformation for
themselves and the Church.
Special
music was provided by the St. John’s Cathedral Chamber Choir,
but the hall echoed, too with the near-musical vibration of chairs
sliding on the concrete floor as worshipers stood to sing—and
then the sound of 5,000 voices, in harmony.
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Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and House of Deputies President
Pamela Chinnis at the first press briefing of the convention.
Photo by Mary W. Cox.
In
addition to our bishops, deputies and alternates, our diocese
is represented here by a number of other persons with various
responsibilities. Some of them are: Cn. James Rasnick, serving,
as he has for many General Conventions, as a coordinator, and
his wife Cathy, working with volunteers; Connie Skidmore, parliamentarian
for the ECW Triennial; Dalia Mesa, in charge of translation services;
Fr. Juan Jimenez and Saulo Salvador, translators; Gerry Sweeting
and her granddaughter Ashley, delegates to the Daughters of the
King (and Junior Daughters) Triennial (which began last week);
and Fr. Bob Libby, reporting for The Living Church. There
will be reports from some of these persons either here on the
Web site or in the August issue of The Net.
Another
Southeast Florida parishioner who has a role at this convention
is Uchenna Ukaegbu, a member of St. Luke the Physician, Miami,
and a recent graduate of Princeton University, who is here as
a representative of the Episcopal Society for Ministry in Higher
Education. Ms. Ukaegbu says she and the other young adults have
come to convention to "make the church aware of the presence
of people under 50", to promote campus ministry and full
participation by students and other young adults in the leadership
of the church—and to track legislative issues of concern
to them as individuals. Ms. Ukaegbu has been attending committee
meetings on social justice and urban affairs. She will be writing
an article about her experiences here for the August Net.
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Diana Frade, wife of our bishop-elect, and currently a deputy
from the Diocese of Honduras, listens intently to discussion
on a resolution. Photo by Mary W. Cox.
Today
was the day our deputies expected to see our election of Bp. Leo
Frade formally approved by both the House of Bishops and the House
of Deputies. Although the House of Bishops gave consent first
to Bp. Frade’s resignation as bishop of Honduras and then
to his election as bishop of Southeast Florida, the matter of
giving consent to elections was not considered in the House of
Deputies today.
Fr.
Ramon Aymerich, one of our deputies, remarked that since the deputies
had, just before adjournment this afternoon, accepted Bp. Frade’s
resignation from the Diocese of Honduras, "he’s technically
out of a job!"
Bp.
Frade was more concerned that one of the resolutions proposing
acceptance of his resignation indicated that he was resigning
"for reasons of advanced age"! (He said he hoped this
would be corrected before his wife, Diana, who is a deputy from
the Diocese of Honduras, had a chance to see it.)
Bp.
Frade was one of five international panelists this evening in
a "conversation" on "Mission in a Hurting World".
He told of his experiences in companion diocese relationships,
and of the response from all parts of the church to the needs
of Honduras following Hurricane Mitch. "The ‘first world’
church is sometimes too politically correct" in its approach
to mission, he said, and has "replaced culturalimperialism
with apathy".
"You’re
not going to hurt us, and we’re not going to hurt you! We
need to be daring in our response to the command to go out and
proclaim Christ."
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Good
night from Denver—
--Mary
W. Cox, Diocesan Communications Officer
For
news on legislative actions and complete convention coverage,
go to www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens.
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