Observation on passage of denominational health plan

July 15
(Chicago Alternate Richard Peete offered this observation on Convention’s adoption of Resolution A177 creating a church-wide health insurance plan. Read more of Richard’s posts at http://rickpeete.blogspot.com/):

The General Convention just passed resolution A177 calling for the establishment of a Denominational Health Plan that would be mandatory for all dioceses, covering both lay and clergy employees. This would be implementation on a 3-year transition plan so that in the end, all dioceses will offer this one plan for medical coverage. This plan will be managed by the Church Pension Fund which has continually demonstrated its ability to handle financial dealings of the Church most effectively. (Click here for more details)

The mandatory nature of this plan is important from a cost perspective. The higher the participation level, the better the rates will be for both the Church and its employees in the plan. Things like plan deductibles, monthly fees, and details around what types of services are covered can be significantly affected by the number of people enrolled in the plan.

I am definitely not a Healthcare specialist. But having worked closely with the Human Resources department at my company, I can tell you that the Church Pension Fund will be quite busy as the plan manager for this Health Plan. One of the things I would be most concerned about are the cost of the plan, the benefits it actually covers, how pre-existing conditions are handled, how many doctors/hospitals accept the plan, and how emergency care is handled. I have not seen a Summary Plan Document (SPD) and without that, these questions remained unanswered for me. (Perhaps the Deputies received this document and not the Alternates).

Overall, I like the ‘idea’ of this plan but without having the details in front of me, it is difficult to get too excited at this point.

Public Narrative

Throughout General Convention, many of us have been participating in the “Public Narrative Project.”  We have been learning a new way of telling our individual personal stories, the stories of us (community) and the urgency of now (how we as a community are called to mission – to act with urgency).  We have done this exercise with members of our own diocese.  I find that even when you think you know someone, there is always so much more to learn.  It is exciting to hear about what calls your friends into mission. To learn more about the passions of your friends can so energize any of us.  I pray that we will take this exercise back to our congregations and parishes.

Yesterday, I was reminded about the amazing way we conduct business with each other.  One of the rules for us is to be very respectful to one another when we are talking and particularly when we hear the results of ballots.  It is that gentle reminder that the result you may want for the vote may not be what someone else wanted.  Praying for each other in all times is an amazing gift.

Bishops adopt D025 with amendment

Posted this just now to the Diocese of Chicago General Convention newsroom, first news brief to post after Episcopal Cafe published the vote count in The Lead.

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The House of Bishops Monday evening July 13 adopted an amended version of Resolution D025, the measure adopted by the House of Deputies July 12 calling for full access to the ordination process and reaffirming the Episcopal Church’s ties to the Anglican Communion. After approving amendments that added further definition to the Episcopal Church’s role “as a constituent member” of the Anglican Communion, and to the nature of a call to ordained ministry as“a mystery which the Church attempts to discern for all people”, the bishops adopted resolution D025a by a 99 to 45 vote with two bishop abstaining. Since the bishops amended the resolution it now returns to the House of Deputies legislative committee for review and recommendation. The committee can recommend concurrence or rejection, or further amend it, before the deputies take it up again.

The bishops consideration of the measure began with Bishop Jeffrey Lee of Chicago asking for table conversation time before the House formally took up the resolution. After a half hour of table conversation, Bishop Dorsey Henderson of Upper South Carolina moved the amendment on the nature of the call to ordination, which was later amended by Bishop Mark Hollingsworth of Ohio.

(based on reporting in Episcopal Cafe)

View Bishop Jeffrey Lee’s first video message from the General Convention:  http://dioceseofchicago.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/vid00001.avi

July 9, 2009
Post from the Rev. Shawn Schreiner, clergy alternate

Greetings.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to chat with some members of the deputation from the Diocese of Fort Worth. For the first time in as long as I can remember I saw in their eyes and heard in their voices the sense of hope for Episcopal Church in that part of the world.  Today I went to a hearing with the Education Committee and heard about the resolution asking the wider church to engage in conversations about what “marriage” means to Episcopalians.  And, as always, I have seen many friends and am making new ones.

General Convention Report from Alternate Richard Peete (A4):
(read more Richard’s blog at http://rickpeete.blogspot.com/ )

July 9, 2009
The House of Deputies approved the mission priorities for the Church which will guide the Budget allocations during Convention. These priorities are:

•  Networking the members of the body of Christ
• Alleviating poverty and injustice
• Claiming our identity
• Growing congregations and the next generations of faith
• Strengthening governance and foundations for ministry

Now it goes to the House of Bishops for their consideration. A full description of each priority can be found here.

The Archbishop of Canterbury speaks to Convention

The opportunity to hear from the Archbishop of Canterbury who gave an insightful assessment of our world today — we are in a crisis of truthfulness. We all need to get back to a place where our actions and behaviors are based on ‘mutual attention’ to the truths in our relationships, to the world we live in, and to the ‘Common Good’. We, the Body of Christ, were made so that what is given to us is then given to others in turn.

Hearing on Resolution B012

At 2pm today, testimony was heard during the hearing for Resolution B012: Pastoral Generosity. This resolution is in response to recent State Supreme Court decisions legalizing marriage between same-sex couples. This has been done in six states thus far, with more states expected to follow suit in the near future.

Bishops in these dioceses are asking the church for ‘pastoral generosity’ to give them permission to authorize marriage rites for LGBT couples who have entered into civil marriage and would like to have their marriages recognized and celebrated in their church. Without passage of this resolution, priests and bishops face a serious pastoral challenge in responding to their parishioners. How can they discriminate against a segment of their communities of faith when it comes to the Sacrament of Marriage?

Hundreds of people showed up for the hearing. Many, like myself, had to stand outside the meeting room and strain to listen to the testimonies. Laypersons, priests, and bishops — including Bishop Gene Robinson — spoke in favor of the resolution. Many shared the pain they have endured as a result of not being able to celebrate their bond of matrimony in and with their church communities.

Concerns on my mind

1. We have a $9M shortfall in the budget. This means drastic cuts. The question will be ‘where’ the cuts will be reflected. One area I worry about? The draft budget proposal has cut all financial support for black colleges that the church helped to establish long ago. These colleges, like St. Pauls College, Voorhees College, and St. Augustine have been hard hit by the economic crisis. State funding has dried up or been drastically reduced while demand for improved curriculum, higher enrollments, and operating costs have increased. Given the church’s mission priorities, it seems inconsistent that we would cease to fund educational institutions that help people escape the bonds of poverty and despair. I believe funding needs to be reinstated and even increased if possible.
2. We need to recommit ourselves as a Diocese and as a Church to eliminate institutional racism. We need to dedicate the time, talent, and treasure required to continue moving forward in this very important goal and to show others how to do the same.
3. We need to ensure the equal access for all the children of God to all Sacraments of the Church. How can the church call upon its clergy to discriminate against a segment of their congregations by denying them the Sacrament of Marriage? All people are created in the image of God. I liked Bishop Gene Robinson’s comment during the hearing today, “Marriage equality is a reality coming to a state near you.”

Chicago at General Convention

The bishops and deputies to General Convention from the Diocese of Chicago will be communicating their experiences at Anaheim, California, site of the 72nd General Convention, on this blog.  News and resources of General Convention will be posted on the Diocese of Chicago’s website and Facebook group which are linked from this blog.  To learn more about the deputation and the General Convention visit Chicago’s General Convention page:  http://episcopalchicago.org/about/about-admin/GeneralConvention2009.cfm