June 14, 2006
GC 05
Beloved:
The daily 0930 press briefing is concurrent with the daily Convention Eucharist around the corner and down the hall. As a concession to those who may find that conflicting, the briefing has now been designated by the moderator as the Liturgy of the Word.
Famed homiletics maven Barbara Brown Taylor was reported in the press yesterday as renouncing her priesthood to attend to more preaching or something or other. Quite apart from that interesting concept, today’s report is that she’s not done that at all, but only has left the parish ministry. Now, she’ll be spared vestry meetings and able to engage the work which is her heart’s desire and for which she may have become more appreciated.
The Special Committee on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion is meeting and holding hearings and will make a report tonight on how we’ll go about taking the Wind out of the Windsor Report. Well, not exactly, but something like that. Only the big grown-up reporters will be allowed to attend, so you know where that leaves Covenant, the Wonder Journal, and its errant progeny Out of Nowhere (cf www.covpubs.org). We’ll report as best we can with our usual secondhand scoops.
Each diocese elects four clergy and four lay deputies to the House of Deputies plus four alternates in each order, as well. This is to provide for a full voting complement and diocesan representation at all times. This year, Diocese of Tennessee alternates were neither assisted financially (as are deputies) nor notified of pre-convention meetings of the deputies nor were their names entered with the appropriate officials in the House. Our deputies this year and our bishop are either AAC/Network members or sympathizing fellow travelers. Our first alternates are not. Go figure.