How roomy?: A Day Nine message from Bishop Cederholm

Bishop Bud Cederholm writes:  

Bishop Bud Cederholm in the House of Bishops yesterday

“I realized these two weeks how much I feel at home in the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion.  It’s not always a comfortable home, but it is where I am loved and accepted by all.  It is the strength and gift of the Episcopal Church to be a haven and home to all people, including those we disagree with.

“During the conversations regarding blessing same-sex marriages and unions, bishops on either side spoke passionately about making room for each other when we disagree.  I go home knowing we have sincerely sought to listen to each other and sought to have our resolutions reflect that roominess.  I like that in our congregations but am heartbroken when people with different agendas do not make room and engage in power struggles (overt and covert) leading to conflict.  I go home knowing our call continues to make room for all people.  Every congregation and diocese, like every home, is charged with making sure there is generous hospitality and room for all.  How roomy does it feel in your home?  Your home congregation?  Our diocese?  Admittedly, we all have work to do in making room for all.  

Two bishops, a covenant and a campaign

07/15/09:  Today’s General Convention Eucharist theme was care for creation, and Bishop Steven Charleston’s sermon got frequent mention throughout the day around the convention halls.  It’s available in the on demand section of the General Convention Media Hub.

Resolution C070 asks the Episcopal Church to sign on to the Genesis Covenant, committing to work to reduce greenhouse emissions from its facilities by a minimum of 50 percent within 10 years.  Bishop Charleston, former president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge and now assistant bishop in the Diocese of California, and Massachusetts’ Bishop Bud Cederholm sat down at the close of a long day of business to talk about the Genesis Covenant, the 350 Campaign and what they hope people of all faiths will do to join in urgent care for creation.  (This was recorded in a cavernous room.  Turn up your volume so you don’t miss a word.)

Rejection stinks, but all is not lost: A Day Six message from Bishop Cederholm

07/13/09:  Bishop Bud Cederholm writes:

Bishop Bud Cederholm and deputy Jane Gould compare notes at Day Six's end.

“Rejection stinks.  My resolution to change the annual parochial report of the Episcopal Church to include costs and units of energy consumed by a congregation did not make it through the House of Deputies.  Despite my, I hope, stirring plea that global warming (and its effects) is the most critical moral, ethical and justice issue the church faces, delegates could not envision how reporting on energy consumption fits into the parochial report, one argument being that most would simply leave that item blank.  My argument (based on our experience in Massachusetts when we asked our congregations to report, and about one-third did) that it was an attention getter and led many congregations to want to do something to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint, did not carry the day. 

“All is not lost.