July 22, 2009

 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

 Thank you for keeping the General Convention in your prayers these past two weeks. Members of our deputation were faithful in their responsibilities, and lived through the challenging events with open-heartedness and serious devotion. The deputation team was comprised of of 4 clerical and 4 lay deputies: The Rev. Craig Burlington, The Rev. Bill Locke, The Rev. Scott Gunn, The Rev. Jennifer Pedrick, Missy Bennett, Caryl Frink, Mary Ann Kolakowski, and Dee Tavolaro, along with alternates in attendance, The Rev. Jennifer Phillips, The Rev. Al Barnaby and Becky Gettel. As you see these deputies in the coming weeks, please thank them for their dedicated service to our diocese and the wider Church and Communion.

 The House of Deputies and the House of Bishops addressed hundreds of resolutions, the passage of which occurred when both houses concurred on the resolution at hand. Two resolutions received significant attention in the mass media, and many others are important for our diocesan life. The call for church-wide health insurance, should result in lower costs for medical coverage. Our Church’s commitment to the Church in the Sudan, reaffirms our Companion Diocese relationship with the Diocese of Ezo. A reduction in the apportionment responsibilities to The Episcopal Church will have a small but important effect on our diocesan budget. The firm support for Hispanic ministry, matches our diocesan focus for this mission. The two resolutions that resulted in the most media attention were Resolutions D025 and C056 dealing with issues related to sexuality. As is often the case, these resolutions have been interpreted in different ways by different people.

 Resolution D025 deals with the discernment and call of suitable individuals to ordained ministry.

 “Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships [committed same-sex partnerships] have responded to God’s call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals, to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.”

 This resolution affirms the existing canonical responsibility of the Bishop, Commission on Ministry, and Standing Committee in vocational discernment to the ordained ministries of our Church.

 The ministry of gay and lesbian priests and deacons in our diocese has been exemplary, and the discernment process, deployment, and committee and commission membership remain fully open to the participation of all.

 Resolution CO56 asks the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to “collect and develop theological and liturgical resources” for the blessing of same-sex unions and report their findings to the next General Convention in 2012. This allows for a theological context in which to discuss potential liturgical rites. The resolution goes on to say, “bishops, particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of the Church.

 My oft-stated policy for the Diocese of Rhode Island remains the same; Until such time as General Convention officially authorizes such rites, I will not authorize same-sex unions in our churches or on any church property.

 Both resolutions passed by overwhelming majorities, approximately 2-1, and I believe both clearly express the mind and direction of The Episcopal Church. Personally, I was grateful for the clarity. However, in my opinion, these resolutions effectively supersede the moratoria requested of us by our wider Anglican fellowship, in regard to the consent to the episcopate of a partnered gay or lesbian person, and the provision of “generous response,” as stated above.  I remain committed to the Windsor Process, as many of you know, and this was the predominant reason why I voted “no” on both resolutions.

 Our Presiding Bishop was masterful in her knowledge and use of Robert’s Rules of Order, leading us with a firm and gentle hand through many, and often complicated, deliberations. There was a good spirit in the House of Bishops, and a sincere desire to honor both the direction of the Church and the integrity of those who hold a different point of view.

 As I prepare to go on vacation, I give thanks to God for you who give so generously to the life and mission of Christ in our diocese. During the Convention, I read Paul’s second letter to the Church at Corinth. There were a few verses that leapt off the page, as if I had never read them before. They come from the eighth chapter. “…the troubles they have been through have tried them hard, yet in all this they have been so exuberantly happy that from the depths of their poverty they have shown themselves lavishly open-handed.”  Good and faithful ministry has its joys and sorrows, yet in the fullness of Jesus’ love the risen life always prevails.

 Thank you for being that risen life for me and for the communities in which you serve.

 Yours faithfully,

Geralyn Wolf

Bishop of Rhode Island