Connecticut Bishops Report On The House Of Bishops Meeting

This email was sitting in my in box when I arrived home tonight:

March 14, 2008

To the People of God in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut:

Grace to you and peace in Christ Jesus our Lord. May God bless each of you in the pilgrimage of Holy Week and the celebration of Easter.

We have just returned from the Spring Meeting of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church. Over 120 bishops from across our church met in Camp Allen, Texas. We especially bring you greetings from Bishop Wilfrido Ramos, who sends his love and asks for continuing prayers for the work of the Episcopal Diocese of Ecuador Central.

We met within the rhythm of the daily offices and daily Holy Eucharist. We worshiped in Spanish and in English. Most of our time together was spent in continuing education and briefings on the ongoing ministries of the Episcopal Church. A highlight for us was working with Nomfondo Walaza of the Tutu Center for Peace Studies in Capetown, South Africa, who led a session on Millennium Development Goal #3 - Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Over the weekend we participated in a Reconciliation Training Initiative of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.

Monday we received word that a full invitation from the Archbishop of Canterbury to include Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire as a participant in this summer's Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops is "not possible". Bishop Robinson told the House that he respectfully declined an invitation to be present in the conference's "Marketplace" exhibit section. But he also did urge other bishops to attend the Lambeth Conference to represent the Episcopal Church and tell the stories of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. The bishops of Province I will be the lead organizers of two evening gatherings during the Lambeth Conference to introduce Bishop Robinson to other bishops of the Anglican Communion and create a forum for dialogue.

On Wednesday, in business session and prayer, the House of Bishops voted to depose Bishop John-David Schofield, formerly the Bishop of San Joaquin, and Bishop William J. Cox, resigned Bishop Suffragan of Maryland, for repudiating the Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of the Episcopal Church and for abandoning the Communion of the Church. These actions were taken according to Title IV of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church.

We give thanks for our ordination as bishops and the trust you have given us as bishops in the Diocese of Connecticut. The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. The church does this as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 855). All of us, lay persons, deacons, priests, and bishops are called to work together under the lordship of Jesus. May God bless us and strengthen us in this ministry.

Faithfully,
Laura J. Ahrens, Bishop Suffragan
James E. Curry, Bishop Suffragan
The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut

The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church
Meeting at the Camp Allen Conference Center, Navasota, Texas
March 12, 2008

Give to your Church, O God, a bold vision and a daring charity,
a refreshed wisdom and a courteous understanding,
that the eternal message of your Son
may be acclaimed as the good news of the age;
through him who makes all things new,even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We, the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church, approaching the forthcoming Lambeth Conference, are mindful of the hurt that is being experienced by so many in our own Episcopal Church, in other Provinces of our global communion, and in the world around us. While the focus of this hurt seems centered on issues of human sexuality, beneath it we believe there is a feeling of marginalization by people of differing points of view. Entering into Holy Week, our response is to name this hurt and to claim our hope that is in Christ.

As the Lambeth Conference approaches, we believe we have an enormous opportunity, in the midst of struggle, to be proud of our heritage, and to use this particular time in a holy way by affirming our rich diversity. The health of such diversity is that we are dealing openly with issues that affect the entire global community. Thus, even as we acknowledge the pain felt by many, we also affirm its holiness as we seek to be faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Even though we did not all support the consecration of the Bishop of New Hampshire, we acknowledge that he is a canonically elected and consecrated bishop in this church. We regret that he alone among bishops ministering within the territorial boundaries of their dioceses and provinces, did not receive an invitation to attend the Lambeth Conference.

We appeal to the faithful of the Episcopal Church and the faithful in the wider, global Anglican family, to focus and celebrate our unity in the comprehensiveness of diversity. In union with Christian tradition through the centuries, we are willing to face challenges that precipitate struggle as a means towards reconciliation.

During our meeting we have been praying for a "daring charity and courteous understanding." With this intent and guided by the Holy Spirit, we go to the Lambeth Conference spiritually united and praying that God will sanctify our struggles and unify us for Christ's mission to a hurting world.