My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Our recent House of Bishops meeting took place in Province 9 in the Diocese of Puerto Rico.  Bishop David Alvarez and the 37,000 members of the diocese extended gracious hospitality and welcome to all who gathered in prayer, reflection, and study.

Much of our initial conversations focused on impact of Hurricane Katrina and Rita as Bishops Gray of Mississippi, Jenkins of Louisiana, and Duncan of Central Gulf Coast shared first hand information of pastoral and temporal challenges of our church in the southern part of our country.  Episcopal Relief and Development and the Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies shared preliminary news about a coordinated response by our church to assist diocese, congregations, and institutions that wish to partner with the communities that were affected by the recent tragedy.

Our conversations also identified environmental issues, concerns over economic and social injustices, and other ignoble patterns of behavior that mar the conscience of our nation.  In our time together, we adopted a resolution “expressing our opposition to the suspension of the provisions of the Federal Guidelines of the Davis-Bacon Act, which call for the paying of prevailing wages in federal contracts for relief and rebuilding areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.”

Considerable time was also spent in hearing from various eminent leaders from Southern Africa, Central Africa, Bangladesh, and Canada, who addressed some of the challenges of our time as it relates to Windsor Report, but who emphasized the importance of Communion and maintaining unity in the body of Christ.

Indeed, in the midst of the recent natural calamities that adversely affected our nation and the political, social, military, and economic difficulties of our time, it was a blessing to hear and share news of hope, transformation, renewal, and growth that continues to take place in many parts of our country.

I continue to be so very thankful and appreciative of the prayerful and active support of our own diocese to the ministry of the wider church as we work together to share the love of God, the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Grace of the Holy Spirit, in that part of the Lord’s vineyard in the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon.

Please find  the text of "A Report to the Church" from the recent House of Bishops meeting as carried by the Episcopal News Service by clicking on this link.