Thoughts from the floor

Thoughts from the floor
To entertain ourselves during particularly pedantic and unnecessary discussions on the floor, Bungee and I write things on the disposable table cloth that we find funny. So far, we have constructed a running list of all the things for which a handful of deputies have voted “no.” These resolutions generally have been matters of wide acceptance (ie funding for Christian formation, education, etc.) The whole multitude of deputies will shout collectively “Aye!” when prompted, but then there will follow 5-10 deputies who will, with great fervor, yell “NO!”

Tongue-in-cheek, mind you, it seems that not all Episcopalians are in agreement. So far, we have resounding NO’s from a few deputies on the following:

NO to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s – to end global poverty)
NO to Lifelong Christian Formation
NO to Education
NO to peace
NO to reconciliation
NO to justice
NO to youth
NO to evangelism (with a running tally of 7 votes in which some deputies have said no to Evangelism)
NO to timely order of business
NO to prison ministry
NO to end of life ministry
NO to Jubilee Ministries
NO to ministry to wounded soldiers and veterans
NO to protecting adults from sexual predators

Bungee and I laugh about this, because in reality, the “NO’s” are to the resolution, or resolution with amendment, as presented to the house, and NOT to education, peace, justice, etc. It’s just funny to think that the “NO” deputies are really opposed to things like peace. No one is opposed to peace. People just yell “no” to resolutions dealing with peace.
This morning the House continued discussion of Resolutions B023 and D050 – consenting to the election of the Bishop-elect of Ecuador-Central and calling for the Convention NOT to consent, respectively. The Spanish-speaking deputies from Colombia, Ecuador, and Puerto Rico, along with English and bilingual American deputies spoke to the resolutions in quite a volatile discussion. The deputation from Ecuador Central was itself divided on the matter; some wanted Bishop-Elect Reverend Luis Fernando Ruiz Restrepo, and others claimed that the election had occurred in a non-democratic fashion, and wanted to be able to elect their own bishop. (For further information and thorough reporting on this matter, see: http://ecusa.anglican.org/79901_112517_ENG_HTM.htm) In the end, the house voted more than 70% in favor of the election, and Bishop-elect Ruiz walked to the front of the house, his wife walking with him and holding his hand, to a thunderous standing ovation. It was a wonderful end to a long and tense argument on the floor.

I was deeply moved by the painful testimonies of some of the Ecuadorian deputies, who obviously felt that they had been wronged by the proceedings of their diocesan convention and further action in the House of Bishops. I voted no to consent on Ruiz’s election, not due to any testimony I heard of his character (in which he sounded like a caring pastor and an exemplar of God’s love), but due to my concern that the dissent in Ecuador was still so ripe and so grief-filled, that we might be wrong to elect a Bishop unwanted by (seemingly) many in the Diocese. In the end, I am joyful for the many who stepped forward to speak on behalf of Ruiz, and I do believe that he will be a good leader for the Diocese of Ecuador Central.


(after posting at 1:00am, I am off to bed).