One of the more interesting things happening at this General Convention has nothing to do with legislation. Twice, in joint sessions of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops, we have not offered amendments or calls to end debate; but, instead talked and listened intently to one another about the work we are called to do in the world, and how we might best live into our lives as followers of Jesus.
Two days ago (I think, the days are starting to blend here), part of our diocesan deputation discussed governance and structure with part of the deputation from the Virgin Islands, with whom we share our House of Deputies tables. The conversation sparked new ways of looking at how we might best be the church in support of our mission to love and serve in the name of Christ. Don't think that this was an idle conversation either. We then tweeted directly to the Committee on Governance & Structure our recommendations. They received well over 500 tweets!
Today, our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, led us in a discussion within our diocesan deputations on The Five Marks of Mission of The Episcopal Church. If you have not heard of these, then we have more work to do to be sure. They are:
- To proclaim the Good News of the kingdom.
- To teach, nurture, and baptize new believers.
- To respond to human need by loving service.
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind, and to pursue peace and reconciliation.
- To strive to protect the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
Our full deputation, alternate deputies, legislative aides, and our bishop, engaged in conversation about how we might best live out these marks of mission in the Diocese of Newark. We talked about evangelism, outreach, small congregations, campus chaplaincy, episcopal visitations, our youth, our worship, life in the diocese, and more. While we didn't tweet our thoughts about all of this, be sure that the conversation we had will enter into the life of our diocese in the months to come, and most especially, that your deputation will be returning with open ears, listening intently to what we hope will be a continuing of this conversation back in our diocese.
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