The 76th General Convention is upon us. This triennial gathering of the Episcopal Church meets in July of this year in Anaheim, Calif. The Archbishop of Canterbury will address the convention, days will be busy with legislative process, and we will be assembled in worship and prayer. I bid your prayers for your elected deputation and me as we travel and participate in the work of the church.
As seen in the July/August issue of The Southern Cross:
July 1, 2009 -- The 76th General Convention is upon us. This triennial gathering of the Episcopal Church meets in July of this year in Anaheim, Calif. The Archbishop of Canterbury will address the convention, days will be busy with legislative process, and we will be assembled in worship and prayer. I bid your prayers for your elected deputation and me as we travel and participate in the work of the church.
In the last issue of The Southern Cross I wrote that a task force was being formed to begin the process of dealing with the components that I addressed at the springtime convocations. That group has met once and started the conversations having to do with the operations of DaySpring, the relocation of diocesan house, ministry at the cathedral and the Episcopal Charities Fund.
These items will continue to be discussed and plans formulated in the hopes that our own diocesan convention in October will have more of a report to digest.
In the meantime, I offer this wonderful illustration. I do have the personal joy of visiting our congregations Sunday by Sunday. There are tremendous approaches to outreach and mission by the congregations in this diocese.
I recently visited St. George’s in Bradenton. After the confirmation service they hosted a brunch and told me of the many helpful ministries they are providing for people in their own geographic community. The senior warden then presented me with a check from the vestry and parishioners to help in the healthy inauguration of the Episcopal Charities Fund of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. It was a grace-filled gift to our diocesan community by a congregation that chooses to make a difference.
All of our congregations make a difference! I choose to point out one not to ignore the great work of others but simply to state that each local congregation makes a great diocese by choosing to make a difference locally.
The task force I mentioned above is comprised of members of local congregations in this diocese. The members of General Convention all come from dioceses and local congregations. We are all in this great church of our together.
I do bid your prayers for the General Convention and for the developing work of our diocese. More significantly, I bid you to choose to make a difference in your own congregation. It makes a difference to the whole Church.
