Bishop Itty makes important announcement on transition to new episcopate; delegates approve balanced budget; legislation passed affecting homosexuals and Native Americans; strategic Vision Plan unveiled

Story and Photos by Deirdre Steinberg

The 119th convention of the Diocese of Oregon was packed with important events, announcements, and decisions. The gathering of 550 delegates and visitors took place at the Salem Conference Center on Thursday-Friday, November 8-9, 2007. It was followed by the third annual Mission and Ministry Fair at the convention center on Saturday, November 10. More than 240 people attended the fair, which offered 40 workshops.
Delegates passed a balanced $2.2 million budget for 2008. They elected diocesan officials and passed several pieces of legislation dealing with the recognition of ethnic and gender minorities, budget processing, and the administrative structure of the Diocesan Personnel Committee, which helps determine clergy compensation.

Youth events
Young people had two special events to participate in at convention. One was the Friday night U2charist, a new kind of worship service that is being practiced in Episcopal churches around the country. A U2charist is a Eucharist service that features the music of the rock band U2 and its leader, human rights activist Bono. The service focuses on a message about God's call to rally around the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Convention U2charist, which drew more than 300 people of all ages to St. Paul, Salem, highlighted the need for clean water and its critical role in helping to eradicate disease and upgrade the standard of living for millions of people globally.

The convention also held its first “UnConventional Youth” event, organized by, among others, Catherine Healy, the new diocesan missioner with youth, young adults, and higher education. The weekend event was attended by 43 youth and church staff, who performed service projects including planting and harvesting vegetables in the Learning Garden at Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem and working at the Salem Outreach Shelter which serves the homeless.

Resolutions
After a lengthy and sometimes heated debate, delegates passed a resolution recognizing Integrity, Inc. and its local Oregon chapter (Integrity/Portland) as a diocesan program which “seeks a positive relationship with the Diocese to work together to meet the pastoral needs of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender persons.” It called upon the convention to support parts of the September 2007 House of Bishops statement on issues of human sexuality including bishops’ statements supporting the Archbishop of Canterbury “in his expressed desire to explore ways for the Bishop of New Hampshire to participate in the Lambeth Conference” and the bishops’ call for “unequivocal and active commitment to the civil rights, safety, and dignity of gay and lesbian persons.” (For the full text of the House of Bishops 2007 statement go to www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_90517_ENG_HTM.htm).

Delegates passed another resolution supporting the Resolution D046 of the 2006 General Convention, the Jamestown Covenant, which declared the decade of 2007-2017 to be designated as a "Second Decade of Remembrance, Recognition and Reconciliation" focusing on indigenous peoples, to "fully recognize and welcome" them into congregational life, developing outreach partnership among indigenous peoples.

Neither resolution had a stated financial impact.

A third resolution passed that will change some of the administrative structure of the Diocesan Personnel Committee. However, it is not yet clear what those changes will be. The Diocesan Personnel Committee was established in 1983 by Diocesan Convention to ensure that diocesan clergy are compensated at least at the fiftieth percentile of dioceses in the Episcopal Church USA. The committee is composed of both lay and clergy members. It serves as an advisory body to the bishop, Diocesan Council, the Board of Trustees, and other diocesan groups.

A fourth resolution, calling for changes in the timing for the budget to be presented to convocations for their review, was referred to Diocesan Council for further deliberation.

Delegates passed one change to constitutional canons. It revised Canon 5.4 (Canonical Offerings) and was submitted to convention by Diocesan Council. It calls for the diocesan-wide Thanksgiving Offering to go specifically to the Fund for the Poor and Homeless. This offering, in practice, has generally been allocated to the Fund for the Poor and Homeless, but the resolution made that designation permanent.

After another emotionally-charged debate, a constitutional change was defeated which would have changed the formula for determining DPA (Diocesan Program Assessment).

Another resolution that was defeated would have called for an outside management consultant to review the bishop’s staff roles and responsibilities.

Bishop Itty’s announcement
At the Thursday evening Eucharist, Bishop Itty announced his desire to begin the process of finding his successor, the tenth Bishop of Oregon. “It has been a blessing to serve as your bishop and to preside over this fifth convention with you,” said Itty. “The Lord has been faithful and good, and I feel that we have laid the foundation for a new direction and focus in missional thinking, reflection, and ministry.”

Itty told the convention delegates that in the early part of 2008, the Office of Pastoral Development of the House of Bishops will visit the diocese and help set the framework for the transition to a new episcopate. (See “Ministry of Thanksgiving” for Bishop Itty’s full statement.)

Vision Plan unveiled
The diocese’s Vision Plan was unveiled at convention. As “God’s Call for our Future,” the Vision Plan represents a three-year diocesan-wide effort to develop a vision for the diocese (in the form of a strategic plan) which can be used to evaluate (and potentially modify) the current diocesan structure, establish funding priorities, and influence the diocesan budget in upcoming years. The 15-page vision document outlines the core values and concerns that hundreds of church members and members of program groups from across the diocese enunciated in more than two years of focus groups led by members of the “Holy Conversations” vision team and the Diocesan Council. The effort was coordinated by the Rev. Dcn. Janis Hansen of St. Bartholomew, Beaverton.

In January, the Diocesan Council will create a Vision Implementation Group to carry out and refine elements of the Vision Plan. The Oregon Episcopal Church News will carry updates about action taken, milestones, and outcomes as this implementation group undertakes its work. Copies of the Vision Plan are being mailed to churches and a variety of diocesan groups.

Sale of Triangle Lake Camp and Conference Center
Mike Stone, a parishioner at St. Bartholomew, Beaverton, and member of the Triangle Lake Task Force, presented a report on the proposed sale of the Triangle Lake Camp and Conference Center to the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians for $2.2 million. As of press time, the sale was moving forward with an anticipated close date of February 2008. Stone reported that the property will not be developed as a casino. In fact, said Stone, when questioned, tribal elders said Triangle Lake was an historical meeting place for members of 28 tribes up and down the Oregon coast. The Confederated Tribes plan to use it as a cultural meeting place and as a camp for their youth.

Proceeds from the sale will be used to establish an endowment fund for the diocese’s camping ministry. The endowment will be used to hire a half-time camping coordinator and for capital investments in a partnership with the United Methodist Church (see “Summer camps”, below). A camping ministry board will also be established through the endowment to oversee the entire camping ministry program. At its January 31 meeting, the Board of Trustees will consider a recommendation to name the endowment in honor of the Rt. Rev. Robert L. Ladehoff and his late wife, Jean, who were instrumental in the development of Triangle Lake and Conference Center.

Summer camps
In that regard, Chuck Martin, a parishioner at All Saints, Portland, and member of the Triangle Lake Task Force, told delegates about the decision to enter a camping ministry partnership with the United Methodists, who have a strong and thriving campership program throughout Oregon. So that summer camping may be offered in 2008 to diocesan families, a part-time camping coordinator will be hired as soon a possible to help coordinate with the United Methodists and to establish a campership ministry in the diocese. Martin noted that the United Methodists have programs not only for youth but for adults and grandparents as well.

Realizing ‘Missio Dei’
In his keynote address on Friday, Bishop Itty emphasized his belief that the Diocese of Oregon has “begun a journey that is more focused on realizing the Missio Dei, the Mission of God, in our midst.” He said that throughout the diocese, individual congregations are being “reenergized with new life and vitality and with a clearer sense of missional thinking in defining our common life.” While admitting that the national church has challenges and “fragmentations” to overcome, the bishop said he was hopeful that the national church would persevere and that “we will commit ourselves to finding new ways to strengthen our own Christian witness and relations as a constituent member of the worldwide Anglican Communion …”

He concluded by saying: “In the midst of so many pressing demands on our time, our talents, and our treasure, I pray that the mind of Jesus Christ will continue to direct all our conversations and our doings. We should always let the gift of gracious and generous Spirit direct our common life as a community of God’s people, here in the Diocese of Oregon.”