Well, General Convention is in full swing, and the budget if complete.  Many things that had been removed from the budget by the Executive Council 'draft budget' have been restored by PB&F.  Sadly, there seems to be attempts to regulate the Church via the budget.  Certain canonical bodies had been stripped of their funding, thus making them non-existent...but that wouldn't make sense.  How can you 'close' a body, without legislation?  How can one group unilaterally shut down an activitly, when the Church hasn't spoken, and canons haven't been changed?

Thus, we restored various bodies, with the expectation that studies and recommendations will be forthcoming.

We have a variety of resolutions all trying to address the issue of restructuring.  Unfortunately, for me, this is a way of trying to take a 'piecemeal' approach to change the church.  Rather than taking a full studied approach, doing 'one thing at a time' seems to be the approach.  I'm hoping that this won't happen.

Yesterday (Monday) besides putting the budget to rest, and sending it to the printer, we also voted on the issue of 'Blessing of same sex unions.'

I voted against it, for a variety of reasons, but knew that it would pass.  I am comfortable with this, and will work within the Diocese to provide for such...

in the past, I said that we couldn't go forward in WV, with this, as the Church had not spoken.  Yesterday (assuming that the Deputies concur) the Church spoke. 

Many years ago, I asked a senior military person who was at West Point, when it went co-ed.  I asked how that went over, since it has been more than a century of 'males only.'  He looked rather curious.  He said, "it went smoothly.   We're in a military model.  When the brass speak, we salute, and make it happen.'

I believe that's the same with the Church.  We are in a hierarcichal church...The Church has spoken, and we move forward.

Certain committees will be formed in the coming weeks, so that a plan for rolling this out will be in place, without destroying the Body of Christ in West Virginia.

There are obviously various clauses within the body of the Resolution, which some will ignore, and others will complain about...but the entire piece was passed...not just a portion of it.

So - we'll look how we do this, together.

In addition, the Bishops passed a resolution requiring that, in the Triennial of 2016 - 2018, the Budget will be funded by an 'asking' of not more than 15%, and all dioceses will be 'required' to pay that rate, or more.

More to come.

+WMK