Participating in the polity - Rector's Rambling for October 28, 2018

Yesterday the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan met in it’s yearly Convention.  Since I am writing this mid-week, I cannot report on the details of what occurred at Convention, but I do want to keep people in the loop about it.

This convention is particularly interesting because it is our last “regular” gathering as a Diocese before the election of our new bishop.  That will occur, God willing, on June 1, 2019.  Bishop Gibbs has announced his intention to retire in December of 2019, giving the Diocese of Michigan time to prepare for the election, confirmation, and enthronement of his successor.

The polity of the Episcopal Church mirrors that of our federal and state government in many ways.  This is not accidental, but rather a product of the foundations of our denomination being established shortly after the writing of the U.S. Constitution.  Many of the originators of that document were also present when our church governance was put together.  We have bi-cameral houses for legislation, and both at the national level, and local diocesan level, important legislation, including the election of a bishop, must be passed in both houses.  At the diocesan level, the clergy and the lay representatives of each parish vote separately for important matters, like changes to the Canons, and, of course, the election of a new bishop.  To pass, or be elected, the legislation must gain a majority in both houses.

In my 18 years in this diocese the yearly conventions have seen, thankfully, a reduction in the types of resolutions where we take a supposed high moral position and tell politicians what to do.  Instead, we spent more time on mission and ministry, including the passing of balanced budgets.

Yesterday at convention there was all sorts of legislation in preparation for the upcoming election in June.  The results will be available on the diocesan Web site at www.EDoMI.org.

And pray for God’s blessing on us as the we prepare to elect a new bishop.