213th Annual Council |
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RESOLUTION RESULTS Courtesy Resolutions CR-1: Ms. Mary Lee (Mimi) Hearne Barringer (adopted) R-1a: Action for Environmental Protection and Reducing the Impacts of Climate Change (adopted as amended)
CR-1 Ms. Mary Lee (Mimi) Hearne Barringer Whereas, Mary Lee (Mimi) Hearne Barringer, a beloved member of St. Peter’s, Arlington, twice a Vestry person, Senior Warden, twice a Delegate to Annual Council, and past-President of Region III Council, died 15 August 2007; Whereas, Mimi gave of her time and talent to St. Peter’s as a choir member, icon writer, student of Greek, costume seamstress for St. Peter’s biannual productions of such plays as Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat and Narnia, participant in the Fellowship Commission, Newcomers Receptions, and the St. Peter’s Cookbook project; Whereas, with good spirit and seriousness she involved herself in the debates and life of Annual Council and was mother of four children who were long-time attendees and counselors at Shrine Mont camps; Whereas, Mimi, during whose tenure as President of Region III Council, the region flourished as she and the council organized a debate between a Lutheran scholar and Bishop Mark Dyer on the issue of a Lutheran-Episcopal Concordat, a council dinner with Bishop Lee and his invited speech at Goodwin House, and a book fair to benefit Holy Cross Korean Congregation; therefore be it CR-2 Mr. David Donaldson, Organist and Choirmaster of St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Arlington Whereas, a hallmark of Anglican worship is the central place of music in praising God; and Whereas, David Donaldson is completing 30 years of part-time service and full-time dedication to enriching the liturgical life of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia as organist and choir director; and Whereas, he has led the adult and children’s vocal choirs with quiet devotion and deepened St. Michael’s musical offerings by initiating a bell choir; and Whereas, he has augmented the parish’s musical repertoire by composing anthems for the vocal and bell choirs and musical settings for all the psalms in the liturgical calendar; and Whereas, he has shared with worshippers the beauty of the parish’s first pipe organ through his performance of preludes, postludes and other musical offerings; and Whereas, he has taught the congregation about the roots of church music through his articles in parish publications; and Whereas, he has expanded St. Michael’s musical activities by encouraging participation in the combined choir programs of Region III; now, therefore be it Resolved, that the 213th Council of the Diocese of Virginia joins the congregation and vestry of St. Michael’s church in expressing their appreciation for David Donaldson’s three decades of commitment to the parish’s music ministries and their gratitude and thanksgiving for his continued leadership and presence among them. Whereas, Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks was born and raised in Alexandria and was baptized, confirmed and married at Christ Church, Alexandria where she served as a volunteer beginning at age nine playing the piano for the younger Children’s Sunday School Class and singing in the Children’s Choir; and Whereas, Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks moved to Raleigh, N.C., and attended St. Mark’s Raleigh where she served as a member of the vestry for three terms and as senior warden; and Whereas, Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks relocated to St. Mary’s Whitechapel, Lancaster County, where she has been a member for more than 20 years. She has served as a member of the vestry, lay Eucharistic minister, acolyte/chalicer, Bible School teacher, president of the St. Mary’s Whitechapel Episcopal Church Women and as choir director for many years; and Whereas, Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks has faithfully served Region II as a lay reader and, most recently, as president of the region; and Whereas, Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks has continually encouraged the people of Region II to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, and to strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human beings; and Whereas, Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks has contributed generously of her time, energy and talents to The Diocese of Virginia, serving as a lay member of the Standing Committee, chair of the Church Status Committee, member of the Commission on Congregational Missions, member of the Diocesan ECW Board and delegate to the 2003 Triennial/General Convention; and Whereas, Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks has worked diligently to fulfill the mission of the Church to restore all people to unity with God and to each other in Christ; be it therefore Resolved, that the 213th Council of the Diocese of Virginia joins with the people of Region II and St. Mary’s Whitechapel Episcopal Church in expressing its profound thanks and gratitude to Mrs. Mary Saum Jenks for her faithful ministry and exemplary service to this region, The Diocese of Virginia, and The Episcopal Church; and be it further Resolved, that we honor her presence among us and extend our sincere love and best wishes for a long, healthy and happy retirement. Whereas, The Rev. Morton Townsend was the longest ordained priest in The Diocese of Virginia until his death on October 1, 2007; and Whereas, Rev. Townsend was a graduate of the University of Richmond (1940) and Virginia Theological Seminary (1943) and began his parish ministry at Manakin Church in the Diocese of Southern Virginia in Powhatan County in 1946, after serving as a chaplain in the U. S. Army from 1944-46; and Whereas, Rev. Townsend began his ministry in The Diocese of Virginia in 1948 and continued his ministry in this Diocese until his retirement in 1977. During this time he served as rector of Christ Church Parish in Lancaster County, including Christ Church, Grace, Kilmarnock, St. Mary’s, Whitechapel and Trinity, Lancaster; as rector of Hanover with Brunswick Parish and St. Paul’s, Owens, in King George County; as rector of Immanuel, Old Church, St. David’s, Aylett, and Church of the Creator, Hanover, for which he was the founding rector; and Whereas, Rev. Townsend served as a chaplain in the Virginia National Guard from 1947 until 1977, when he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel; and Whereas, Rev. Townsend, after his retirement in 1977, was an active member of Trinity Church, Lancaster, and a dedicated and inspirational part of the Body of Christ at Trinity until his death, giving generously of his time, talent and treasure to assure the future of Trinity; and Whereas, the Rev. Townsend served his Lord, his church, and his country with loyalty, generosity, and vision and was dedicated to the growth and future of the Episcopal Church; now therefore be it Resolved, that the 213th Council of The Diocese of Virginia joins with Region II and Trinity Episcopal Church, Lancaster County, Virginia in expressing their heartfelt thanks for the ministry of The Rev. Morton Townsend and in celebrating his life among us. Whereas, Sture Gordon Olsson, a life-long member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, West Point, died on September 10, 2007, at age 87; and Whereas, Sture Gordon Olsson served as a member of the vestry at St. John’s and a pillar of the congregation, regularly attending worship, often accompanied by his favorite canine companion; and CR-6 The Rt. Rev. Victoria Matthews Text will be posted when available. R-1a Action for Environmental Protection and Reducing the Impacts of Climate Change Resolved, that this 213th Annual Council join with those calling for a national interfaith conference to launch a multi-faith campaign on climate change, to be known as the “Genesis Covenant”; and be it further Resolved, that this 213th Annual Council respectfully requests that within 30 days of the passage of this resolution the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia write to the Presiding Bishop to express our support for the “Genesis Covenant”; and be it further Resolved, that this 213th Annual Council also supports the establishment of an annual prize, to be known as the “Lee-Atkinson Energy Savers Award” to be awarded to that parish or Diocesan organization that has made the most significant energy savings during a one-year period, and that the standards for the award be recommended by the Diocesan Committee on the Stewardship of Creation to the Executive Board by March 31, 2008, for approval and adoption; and be it further Resolved, that this 213th Annual Council encourages and calls upon each of the parishes of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia to conduct an in-house environmental audit of its energy use, consumption patterns, and plant use management; and be it further Resolved, that this 213th Annual Council recommends that the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and its individual parishes and organizations work with the Diocesan Committee on the Stewardship of Creation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star for Congregations program to identify ways to save energy and reduce energy costs. R-3s Inclusiveness in Ordained Ministry Resolved, that it is the mind of this 213th Annual Council that in light of the emerging experience of our church, we commit to a process of discernment and reflection on the ordination and service of deacons and priests living in same-gender relationships and recommend that the Bishop charge the Windsor Dialogue Commission to expand its process of educational resource development, town hall meetings and reporting to include this topic. R-4 Hispanic/Latino Ministry Whereas, the Hispanic/Latino community in The Diocese of Virginia is already a growing percentage of the population in the regions of the Diocese; and Whereas, The Diocese of Virginia, having been involved in Hispanic/Latino ministries since the 1970s, has learned that The Episcopal Church has much to give, teach, receive, and learn in Christian fellowship with the Hispanic/Latino community; and Whereas, The Diocese of Virginia and some the churches of the Diocese have already created and planted Hispanic/Latino worship groups and congregations in several regions within the Diocese; and Whereas, a large percentage of the Hispanic/Latino community remains unchurched; and Whereas, a special Joint Task Force of the Commission on Congregational Missions and the Commission on Church Planting is developing a plan for expansion of this work in The Diocese of Virginia; therefore, be it Resolved, that the 213th Annual Council supports the work of the Hispanic/Latino Task Force in developing a Five Year Strategic Plan to be presented at the 214th Annual Council; and be it further Resolved, that the 213th Annual Council directs the Hispanic/Latino Task Force to present its five year Strategic Plan to the Executive Board during the year 2008. R-5a Native Americans in Virginia Resolved, the Diocese of Virginia meeting in Reston, Virginia January 25-26, 2008, stands with our Native American brothers and sisters in the Commonwealth of Virginia and supports the resolution from The New Jamestown Covenant Summit of The Episcopal Church which met in Williamsburg, Virginia November 1-3,2007, calling upon The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations in Washington, D.C. and the Bishops and Episcopalians of the Dioceses of Virginia, Southwestern Virginia and Southern Virginia to call upon their elected officials in support of the federal tribal recognition of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe, the Monacan Indian Nation, the Chickahominy Tribe, the Eastern Chickahominy Tribe, the Rappahannock Tribe and the Nansemond Tribe; and be it further Resolved, that we call upon The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations and the Bishops and Episcopalians of the Dioceses of Louisiana, Long Island, Georgia, Atlanta, Hawaii and Fond du Lac to advocate in their respective spheres of influence for the federal tribal recognition of the United Houma Nation of Louisiana, the Shinnecock Tribal Nation of New York, the Southeastern Cherokee Council Inc. of Georgia, the Native Hawaiian Nation and the Brothertown Nation of Wisconsin; and be it further Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations in Washington, D.C, the Bishops of the Dioceses of Louisiana, Long Island, Georgia, Atlanta, Hawaii and Fond du Lac, Senators Warner, Webb, Dorgan and Governor Kaine, and a courtesy copy be sent to the Episcopal Native American Ministries Office. Whereas, God calls us to compassion; to alleviate the suffering of the poor; to speak up for those who have no voice; and to protect those who live closest to the edge; and Whereas, the 2002 Payday Loan Act provides a special exemption for this one industry from Virginia's usury cap law; be it therefore R-7 Sudan Leadership and Support Whereas, in mid-February 2008, the Episcopal Church of the Sudan is scheduled to elect a successor to the Most Reverend Joseph Marona, who retired as Archbishop of Sudan on December 31, 2007; and Whereas, the Diocese of Virginia, together with a number of its parishes, clergy and people have worked closely with several dioceses in the Episcopal Church of the Sudan since 1997; and Whereas, the Diocese of Virginia has helped to fund the January 2008 Conference on Peace, Justice and Reconciliation in Juba, Sudan, carried out under the auspices of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan; now, therefore, be it Resolved, by this 213th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia: 1. We extend our best wishes to Archbishop Marona on his retirement and for his good health, and give thanks for his courageous leadership of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan. 2. We urge our churches, missions, clergy, and people to pray regularly for peace in the Sudan and for God’s wisdom and guidance for the Episcopal Church in the Sudan as it elects a new Archbishop. 3. We pledge our continued cooperation and engagement with the vital ministries of reconciliation and hope being carried out by the Episcopal Church of the Sudan. R-8a Sudan Divestment R-9s Working for a Just and Humane Immigration Policy Resolved, that this 213th Annual Council calls on local governments acting in our Diocese, to the extent legally possible, to refrain from actions which harass and bring fear to the immigrant community, and not to undertake, sanction, encourage or allow raids of immigrant communities for the primary purpose of locating and seizing persons who are undocumented; and be it further
Resolved, that the Bishop of Virginia and the Executive Board establish a process to monitor legislative efforts related to immigration policy, to communicate with the diocese and request appropriate action; and be it further
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