211th Annual Council |
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The resolutions posted here are those adopted by the 211 th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia on Saturday, January 28, 2006, text pending final review. Click here for .pdf file. Courtesy Resolutions CR-1: The Rt. Rev. Francis Campbell Gray Resolutions R-04s: End of life decisions Standing Committee Resolution SCR-1: Call for Election of Bishop Coadjutor CR-1 The Rt. Rev. Francis Campbell Gray Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas , Bishop Gray has been a joyful, effective leader and preacher for mission, sparking a large increase in overseas mission work by individuals and congregations in the Diocese of Virginia; and Whereas , Bishop Gray has led multiple missions from the Diocese of Virginia to Sudan, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, among other foreign locations; and Whereas , Bishop Gray has inspired many hundreds of Virginia Episcopalians to go on short term mission trips to places they would never have considered before he opened their eyes to the mission field; and Whereas , Bishop Gray has been a tireless and effective advocate for the poor and oppressed in the name of Jesus; and Whereas , Bishop Gray has been a gentle and tender pastor, a powerful preacher, wise counselor, and faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ; and Whereas , Bishop Gray will soon take full retirement from his Episcopal duties, after leading one more mission trip to the Diocese of Renk, Sudan at the end of February 2006, to dedicate a cathedral for which he raised most of the money, a tangible witness to the Gospel in a place where it has been dangerous to be a Christian; and Whereas , Bishop Gray is deeply loved, respected, and admired, and will be sorely missed by all of us in the Diocese of Virginia; now therefore be it Resolved , By the 211th Council of the Diocese of Virginia, that: 1. We give great thanks to God for the splendid ministry of the Rt. Rev. Francis Campbell Gray among us since his arrival as Assistant Bishop of Virginia. 2. We thank Bishop Gray for his unceasing efforts, kindness, wisdom, and mission leadership among us, and for his unflagging good humor, as someone who would introduce himself by saying, My name is Francis, and I’m a beggar for Jesus.” 3. We assure Bishop Gray and his family of our continued prayers and affection, and extend our heartiest best wishes to Bishop Gray, his lovely wife, Karen, and to his loving children and grandchildren, for a long, healthy, happy and fulfilling retirement where the Grays can enjoy their family, and in which Bishop Gray can continue to write, publish his poetry, play golf and beg for Jesus.
Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas , The Rev. Helen Priest has served with distinction as a member of the diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission (DEIC) for over eight years; and Whereas , During that length of service, her enthusiasm for and knowledge about interfaith relations contributed to the development of “Sharing God’s Peace,” a guideline for interfaith dialogue; and Whereas , Her profound commitment to the power of God’s reconciling love has inspired us; and, Whereas , Helen now finds it necessary to conclude her ministry with DEIC; now, therefore be it Resolved, That this 211 th Annual Council extends its sincere appreciation for Helen’s faithfulness in ecumenical and interfaith ministry, and asks God’s blessing on her continuing ministry.
Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, Clint Rose is a member of St. James-the-Less in Ashland, Virginia; and Whereas, He conducted a complete review of the property of mission congregations for the Commission on Congregational Missions, photographing the churches and their buildings and writing a report on the condition of each, including what repairs, if any, should be made; and Whereas, These reports will be of immeasurable value to the Diocese and to the mission parishes in improving the condition of their worship facilities; now therefore be it Resolved, The Commission on Congregational Missions does hereby express its deep gratitude to Clint Rose for his service to the Diocese and instructs the Secretary to present a copy to Clint Rose with our profound gratitude.
CR-4 The Rev. Stephen McWhorter Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, The Rev. Stephen McWhorter served as the Rector of St. Paul’s Church in Walnut Creek, California, and earlier had served in several clergy positions in Pittsburgh, PA; and Whereas , The Rev. Stephen McWhorter came to the Diocese of Virginia in 1990 to become the founding Vicar and subsequently the first Rector of St. David’s; and Whereas , The Rev. Stephen McWhorter has been a joyful, effective leader and preacher for mission, sparking inspirational work by individuals at St. David’s including Missions to Honduras, Liberia, Youth Groups in service to others; and Whereas , The Rev. Stephen McWhorter has been a tireless and effective advocate for his Pastoral Care Program; and Whereas , The Rev. Stephen McWhorter has been a gentle and tender pastor, a powerful preacher, wise counselor, and faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ; and Whereas , The Rev. Stephen McWhorter is deeply loved, respected, and admired, and will be sorely missed by all of us at St. David’s Church; now therefore be it Resolved , the 211th Council of the Diocese of Virginia joins with the vestry and congregation of St. David’s Church, Ashburn, in expressing its profound thanks to the Rev. Stephen McWhorter, for his ministry and exemplary service to the Episcopal Church; and be it further Resolved, that we thank him for his ministry and presence among us, and extend our love and best wishes to him for a happy and relaxing retirement and a fruitful new ministry.
CR-5 20th Anniversary of Samaritan Ministry Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, Through its innovative Next Steps program, Samaritan Ministry has helped thousands of program participants to move out of crisis into stability and dignity by helping them to set small steps to achieve their goals; and Whereas , Through its work, Samaritan Ministry has educated the community and raised the consciousness of others about the injustice of poverty in the midst of affluence and about public policies that lack compassion, and Whereas , Throughout the years, the staff, volunteers, partners and program participants of Samaritan Ministry have exhibited their steadfast adherence to the ministry’s core values of God’s Love (loving our neighbors as God loves us, with kindness and compassion), Dignity (honoring the dignity of all, promoting self-respect and self-confidence), Transformation (bringing positive, life-enhancing changes, empowering each other to lead fuller lives), and Partnership (working together, embracing diversity and holding ourselves accountable to one another), now, therefore be it Resolved , That this 211 th Annual Council honors and congratulates Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington on the occasion of its 20 th anniversary for the positive changes it has helped bring about in the lives of many people over the years, whether they were program participants, volunteers, staff or partners; and that we pledge to uphold and support—and encourage others in our diocese to uphold and support—Samaritan Ministry through prayers, volunteerism, financial support, and any other means available to us. CR-6 The Rev. James Harry Stamper, Jr. Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, James Harry Stamper, Jr. graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1956 (B.S.) and from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 1962 (M.Div.); and Whereas, He was ordained Deacon by the late Right Rev. William Henry Marmion on the twenty-fourth day of June, 1962, and subsequently ordained Priest by Bishop Marmion on the twentieth day of June, 1963; and Whereas, James Harry Stamper, Jr. and Jeanne Mikell “Mikie” Kline were united in Holy Matrimony on the seventh day of July, 1962, and had been married for forty-three years at the time of his death; and Whereas, He served as Vicar of St. Peter’s Church, Altavista, Virginia from 1962 to 1966, where he showed courage, resourcefulness, and an ecumenical spirit in the furtherance of civil rights for all; and Whereas, He served as Interim Rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia from 1981 to 1982; and Whereas, He served as Interim Rector of St. Asaph’s Church, Bowling Green, Virginia, St. Peter’s Church, Port Royal, Virginia, and Vauters Church, Loretto, Virginia, this being a three-church Cure, from 1982 to 1984; and Whereas, He served as Interim Rector at St. James Church, Louisa, Virginia from 1984 to 1985; and Whereas, He served as the respected and beloved rector of Beckford Parish, consisting of St. Andrew’s Church, Mt. Jackson, Virginia, and Emmanuel Church, Woodstock, Virginia, from 1985 until his well-deserved retirement in 2000 after fifteen years of good and faithful ministry in Shenandoah County; and Whereas, After his retirement he served as a supply priest and as Interim Rector, both formally and informally, for several churches in Region XIV; now therefore be it Resolved, That the 211th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia express its thanks to Almighty God for the life and ministry of the Rev. James Harry Stamper, jr. among us; and, be it further Resolved, That this Council extend its heartfelt sympathy to his beloved wife, Mikie, and, be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to Mrs. Stamper. CR-7 The Rev. Canon Robert Gunn Hetherington Adopted by the 211th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, The Reverend Canon Robert Gunn Hetherington, a graduate of Yale University and the Episcopal Theological Seminary, was ordained Deacon in June 1966 and Priest in December 1966; and Whereas, During his active ministry he faithfully served churches in the Dioceses of Pittsburgh, Western New York and Virginia; and Whereas, He was named Honorary Canon of the Diocese of Western New York in 1982; and Whereas, In 1984 he was called to serve the congregation of St. Paul’s Church, Richmond, Virginia, where his ministry has flourished over the past twenty-two years, the second-longest tenure in the life of that historical church, and his pastoral gifts of presence, humility, steadfastness and spiritual practice have been an inspiration to the people of St. Paul’s, and his passion to Proclaim Christ in the heart of the city” has been manifest in his parish’s steadfast involvement in addressing the spiritual and material needs of its city and region: and Whereas, His commitment, support and loyalty to the Diocese of Virginia has been consistent and substantial, both through his service on numerous regional and diocesan bodies, including the Standing Committee, and through the unwavering commitment to support of the Diocese, its Bishops, Clergy, Laity and Mission that he has led his parish to provide; and Whereas, He announced his retirement from St. Paul’s as of June 30, 2006; therefore be it Resolved, That the 211 th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia joins St. Paul’s Church, Richmond, and the Churches and people of Region IX, in expressing affection and grateful appreciation for the ministry of the Reverend Canon Robert Gunn Hetherington and our prayers for God’s continued blessing upon him and his family; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to him and printed in the Journal of the 211th Council Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, The Reverend Stephen H. Wade has faithfully served our Lord over the course of thirty-five years of ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church including leadership in the Dioceses of Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Chicago and Virginia, and Whereas, Mr. Wade has served as Rector of Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill since 1995, and Whereas, His leadership in the Diocese of Virginia has included service as Dean of Region IV, member of the Implementation Task Force on Ministry and the diocesan Commission on Missions, and Whereas, His gift for photography has enabled others to catch glimpses of God’s grace in the midst of the shadows of life, and Whereas, His witness has traversed geographical and ecumenical boundaries in service to the people of the Dominican Republic, the Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation and a variety of Ignatian retreat centers and conferences, therefore be it Resolved, That the 211 th Annual Council commends the witness and service of Mr. Wade on the occasion of his retirement from Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill and gives thanks for his ministry among us. Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, In the absence of clear advanced medical directives, end-of-life decisions can become unnecessarily difficult, and are sometimes politicized; now therefore be it Resolved, The 211 th Annual Council recommends that all members of the Diocese of Virginia have a current Medical Durable Power of Attorney; and be it further Resolved, That the 211 th Annual Council commends the work of the diocesan Committee on Aging and their publication Are Your Affairs in Order?; and be it further Resolved, That the 211 th Annual Council urges all members to discuss end-of-life issues with their families and/or other appropriate persons so their wishes will be known and honored. R-6 Call to Prayer and Fasting Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas , the Book of Common Prayer encourages us to dedicate ourselves to pray for the Church, as it is written in the Collect for the Church, "Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen."; and Whereas , The Diocese of Virginia’s Reconciliation Commission Report commends "to our diocese the power of prayer"; and the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral affirms "our earnest desire that the Savior's prayer, 'That we all may be one,' may, in its deepest and truest sense, be speedily fulfilled;" and Whereas , The Anglican Communion, of which the Diocese of Virginia is a member, is facing historic challenges to its polity, unity and mission; now therefore be it Resolved , The Diocese of Virginia strongly encourages parishes and missions of the Diocese to commit to a focused time of prayer and fasting for the bishops, deputies, and other leaders of the Diocese of Virginia and the Episcopal Church as they prepare for the 75th General Convention, June 13-21, 2006. Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, The number of believers in the Diocese of Renk has grown greatly since its organization in the late 1980s, in spite of great hardships and tribulation; and Whereas, The lay and clergy leaders of the Diocese of Renk have planted many new churches in that Diocese; and Whereas, The lay and clergy leaders of the Diocese of Renk have successfully established primary and secondary schools in Renk and other locations in that Diocese, as well as a medical clinic and agricultural projects, in spite of great obstacles and the destruction of some buildings during the war and its aftermath; and Whereas, The lay and clergy leaders of the Diocese of Renk have successfully established a Bible college in Renk to help train lay and clergy leaders for southern Sudan, a college which is persevering and expanding its work in spite the loss of many of its buildings; and Whereas, The lay and clergy leaders of the Diocese of Renk, led by their Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Daniel Deng Bul, have successfully constructed a new cathedral in the town of Renk, which will become known as St. Matthew’s Cathedral; and Whereas, The Diocese of Virginia, including a number of parishes and individuals, have worked with Bishop Daniel Deng Bul and with colleagues in the Diocese of Renk since 1997 in helping to establish schools, relieve famine, combat plagues, assist in Bible translation, work for peace, and exchange repeated visits; and Whereas, Many Virginians and Virginia parishes have worked with and in southern Sudan in support of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, including some from our Diocese who came under hostile fire during their mission trips; Whereas, The Rev. Lauren Stanley, a priest of the Diocese of Virginia, is now on long-term assignment in the Diocese of Renk, representing all of us in the Diocese of Virginia; and Whereas, Bishop Frank Gray of the Diocese of Virginia visited Renk in 2004, and with many Virginians has helped raise the funds for the construction of St. Matthew’s Cathedral, among other worthy projects; and Whereas, Bishop Gray and other Virginians are bound for the dedication of St. Matthew’s Cathedral on February 28, 2006, at which the Archbishops of Sudan and of Canterbury are scheduled to preside; now, therefore, be it Resolved, By the 211th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia that: We extend our heartiest congratulations and greetings to Bishop Daniel Deng Bul and the lay and clergy leaders of the Diocese of Renk on their successful completion of the Cathedral of St. Matthew’s in Renk, Sudan, and thank God for your continued perseverance in the face of great tribulation. We send our warmest greetings in the name of our Risen Lord to the Archbishops of Sudan and of Canterbury on this joyous occasion and we thank God for their tireless work in support of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, support through times of great hardship as well as now that peace has finally come. We recognize this occasion, where three different Anglican provinces--the Sudan, the United States, and England--are working effectively towards the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Sudan, as a joyous affirmation of our unity in the Anglican Communion. We assure Bishop Daniel Deng Bul, and the lay and clergy leaders of the Diocese of Renk, of our continued prayers, support, and friendship in the years ahead, and look forward to fruitful work together in the name of Our Risen Lord. R-13 A Resolution on Resolutions Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, Christians are directed by the Lord Jesus to love one another including those with whom we disagree; and Whereas, many resolutions at Diocesan Council are of a win/lose nature which damages the unity of the church and the witness of the church to the world; now therefore be it Resolved, that the Bishop appoint a committee to recommend improvement in the process of presenting and adopting resolutions in the context of the business of Council; and be it further Resolved, that such committee report to the 212th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia. Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Resolved, That the 211 th Council of the Diocese of Virginia direct the Executive Board to appoint an all-hazards emergency preparedness task force; and be it further Resolved, That such a task force would be expected to serve the people of the diocese as follows: Educate interested regions, vestries, and congregations on preparing for, mitigating the effects of, and recovering from natural and technical disasters that may occur in their communities, including avian influenza (bird flu) and other chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive threats; Promote relationships with local and Statewide emergency management agencies by encouraging individual and congregational involvement in local Community Emergency Response Teams and local Medical Reserve Corps; Strengthen congregations’ and regions’ relationship with Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters and National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters to fulfill Paul’s mandate to the Corinthians that “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (I Cor 12:26) and thus prepare to bear one another’s burdens effectively and competently. R-17s (substitute for R-1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15) Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, We in the Diocese of Virginia, members of the Episcopal Church in the United State of America and members of the Anglican Communion, united in Christ, called to live out our witness, are “gathered in the spirit” and moved by thanksgiving for the many gifts that mark our life together now, and over the last 400 years; and Whereas , The Lambeth Conference and Windsor Report have called us to acknowledge and respond with compassion and understanding to the pain and suffering of those who, because of their sexual orientation, endure marginalization and rejection; and Whereas , The bonds of affection and civility within the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church in the United States, and the Diocese of Virginia continue to be strained as a result of the actions of the General Convention in 2003; and Whereas , Bishop Lee, through his leadership, honesty, integrity and sincerity, models grace and civility in the midst of disagreement; and Whereas , Bishop Lee, Bishop Jones and Bishop Gray provide witness to our unity in Christ in their efforts to keep us in relationship to one another; and Whereas, One of the historic strengths of our Anglican tradition is our capacity to hold together persons with different, even conflicting, emphases in their understanding of the gospel; and Whereas, We are defined by our mission in Christ to the world and not by the disagreements that lead us to focus on our internal life; now therefore be it Resolved, That, for the purpose of advancing mission and the spread of Christ’s kingdom, the Diocese of Virginia commits itself to seek the highest degree of communion possible with those members of the Body of Christ with whom we find ourselves in disagreement, and will make every effort to cooperate as co-laborers in the Episcopal Church of the United States of America within the Anglican Communion; and, be it further Resolved, That, we commit to attend to our differences in a spirit of listening to one another, in order to witness to unity in Christ’s mission; and be it further Resolved, That, following the model of Bishop Lee, Bishop Jones and Bishop Gray, we commit ourselves to seek always to be respectful of one another and to stand together at the foot of the cross.
SCR-1 Call for Election of Bishop Coadjutor Adopted by the 211 th Annual Council. Text pending final review. Whereas, The Right Reverend Peter James Lee, Bishop of Virginia has called for the election of a Bishop Coadjutor who will have the right of succession, and Whereas , Bishop Lee has referred this call for an election of a Bishop Coadjutor to the Standing Committee of the Diocese which has concurred with the Bishop's request, therefore Be it resolved, that the 211 th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia, in response to the request of the Bishop of Virginia, hereby expresses its desire to carry out the request of the Bishop by the election of a Bishop Coadjutor who will have the right of succession and be it further Resolved that such election be held at the Diocesan Council on January 27, 2007 and be it further Resolved that the Standing Committee proceed to obtain the consent of a majority of the Bishops having jurisdiction and of the several Standing Committees to the holding of such election and appoint Search and Transition committees for the election of a Bishop coadjutor of Virginia.
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