#GC79 news from the Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan.
July 13, 2018
Hello!

The last gavel has struck and we're about to begin our journeys home.

Over the past two days, the General Convention has decided over three hundred resolutions on the work of the church. Some highlights of those votes are below.

We also participated in the closing Eucharist of the convention, celebrated by the Presiding Bishop and preached by the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burroughs, Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis. I commend to you her sermon - available now as part of the recorded service and later on as a standalone video. The text is available here.

Thank you for reading our deputation updates and for keeping the Convention in your prayers these two weeks. Please continue to pray for the deputies and bishops as they begin to head home tonight and tomorrow.

Signing off from Austin,
Updates on the Convention
Episcopal Church and United Methodist Dialogue
All Episcopalians encouraged to engage with the proposal
The House of Deputies voted to concur with the House of Bishops to approve A041, Episcopal Church-United Methodist Dialogue on Thursday.

The resolution asks all Episcopalians to utilize the resources available online, ( umc-tec.org ) to understand the substance of the dialogue and its goal toward full communion between the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church over the next triennium. The vote on the proposed agreement would take place at the next General Convention in 2021. 

Among other things, full communion would enable clergy from one denomination to serve in the other with approval from the local bishop.
Deputy Spotting:
Deputies Brian Chace & Bill Fleener
Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan Deputies, the Rev. Brian Chace and Bill Fleener, took part in this Farewell video from Deputy News, produced by Canon for Evangelism and Networking, Katie Forsyth.

Keep Prayer Book Revision Weird
The Rev. Nurya Love Parish, Church Work
"The Episcopal Church’s General Convention today passed resolution  A068, “Plan for the Revision of the Book of Common Prayer. ” As a deputy on the floor of the Convention, it took me a while to figure out what happened. (I voted against the resolution, but I’m a team player so I’m moving on.)" Continue reading.


Read more on prayer book, liturgy, and language:



Resolutions Move Church Forward...Race, Gender
Rebecca Watts, Deputy News
"Three resolutions adopted on Wednesday by the House of Deputies are intended to dismantle racism and sexism in the Episcopal Church through practices and processes promoting equity, diversity, justice, healing, and reconciliation." Continue reading.
General Convention unites behind immigrants, in prayer, action, legislation
David Paulsen, Episcopal News Service
"If there was one issue that defied any expectation of controversy at the 79th General Convention, it was immigration...One of the defining moments of this General Convention was the prayer vigil held July 8 outside the Hutto Detention Center...That spirit carried through to the church’s legislative process." Continue reading.
Convention accepts $134 million 3-year spending plan
Mary Frances Schjonberg, Episcopal News Service
"After rejecting all three amendments put to them, deputies on July 12 accepted the proposed 2019-2021 budget and sent it to the House of Bishops for their consideration. The bishops acted minutes later, approving the budget in a voice vote without any debate." Continue reading.
Your Deputations & Bishops
EASTERN MICHIGAN

Lay Order
Dr. Elizabeth Jordan (Flint)
Ellen McVey (Midland)
Linda Rathburn (Grand Blanc)
** Claire Jess - (Flint)

Clergy Order 
The Rev. Brian Chace (West Branch)
*The Rev. Tracie Little (Fenton)
The Rev. Pamela Lynch (Gaylord)
The Rev. Sue Rich (Bay City)
**The Rev. Barb Cavin - (Flushing)

Bishop Provisional
The Rt. Rev. Cate Waynick
WESTERN MICHIGAN

Lay Order
Anne Davidson (Coldwater)
* William Fleener , Jr. (Lansing)
Tom Perrin (Kalamazoo)
Mary Simpson (Grand Rapids)
**Pam Chapman - (Grand Rapids)

Clergy Order 
*The Rev. Brian Coleman (Battle Creek)
The Rev. Nurya Love Parish (Belmont)
The Rev. Anne Schnaare (Marshall)
The Rev. Canon William Spaid
**The Rev. Dr. Jared Cramer - (Gd. Haven)

Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Whayne M. Hougland , Jr.
CONNECT

This special newsletter is edited by Katie Forsyth, Canon for Evangelism & Networking. Email Katie.