Episcopal Press and News

A summary of Executive Council resolutions

Episcopal News Service – Salt Lake City, Utah. October 24, 2011 [102411-03]

ENS staff

During its October 21-24 meeting here, the Episcopal Church's Executive Council adopted several resolutions, which are summarized below.

Executive Council

• Express to the Diocese of Washington and the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation profound sorrow at the recent earthquake damage to the Washington National Cathedral, acknowledge the importance of the cathedral and applauded and commend the efforts underway and those to be taken to raise funds for cathedral restoration (EC019).

Advocacy & Networking for Mission

• Direct the treasurer to file shareholder resolutions with Allergan and Cisco Systems on full disclosure of political contributions by corporations and other entities (AN035).
• Affirm that all things are created by God and that all material wealth is held in trust for God, with a moral obligation to use it for the care of the poor and the needy; affirm that government does not meet its fundamental obligation to create a just society for all; note the importance of charitable contributions to philanthropic organizations that seek to address the human needs currently unmet by society at large; affirm the critical role contributions play in combating poverty at home and abroad; urge federal lawmakers to pursue policies that encourage all Americans to financially support the work of charitable and philanthropic organizations (AN036).
• Affirm that the growing movement of peaceful protests in public spaces in the United States and throughout the world in resistance to the exploitation of people for profit or power "bears faithful witness in the tradition of Jesus to the sinful inequities in society," call upon Episcopalians to witness in the tradition of Jesus to inequities in society (AN037).

Finances for Mission

• Establish Trust Fund #1041 as an investment account for the Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton (FFM046).
• Establish Trust Fund #1042 as an investment account for the St. Raphael's Episcopal Church in Crossville, Tennessee (FFM047).
• Establish Trust Fund #1043 as a building fund investment account for the St. Raphael's Episcopal Church in Crossville, Tennessee (FFM048).
• Allow $131,000 to be withdrawn from a series of trust funds and remitted to the Episcopal Church of Liberia for training of evangelists, catechists, lay readers and Sunday school teachers; for the operations of schools in the Cape Palmas area; to award scholarships at Bromley School and other institutions; and to pay for property improvements and the construction of a new church at St. Andrews, Balomah (FFM049).
• Change the language of Trust Fund #815 (Vincent Astor Fund) to streamline disbursement process (FFM050).
• Allot 50 percent of income from Trust Fund No. 815 (Vincent Astor Fund) be allocated to the Diocese of New York and 50 percent to the Diocese of Long Island for the period 2012 through 2014, pending receipt of appropriate accounting and narrative reports for previously disbursed funds (FFM051).
• Approve the 2012 budget for the Episcopal Church (FFM052).
• Adopt revised official travel guidelines for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (the Episcopal Church's corporate entity), effective Dec. 1, 2011 (FFM053).
• Direct the treasurer to identify persons who might provide advice regarding actions to improve the attractiveness of the Episcopal Church Center building at 815 Second Avenue, thus making it more appealing to potential tenants (FFM054). 
• Direct the treasurer to present to the January 2012 council meeting recommendations, with the cost(s) involved, for a highest and best-use study for the Church Center (FFM055).
• Direct the officers of the DFMS to initiate an exploratory conversation with their counterparts at the ELCA regarding expanded collaboration, including the possible opportunities for partnerships in joint ministries and shared facilities (FFM056).

Finance for Mission and Governance and Administration for Mission

• Award a $40,000 grant to the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin for Latino/Hispanic ministry; direct the Chief Operating Officer to direct staff relating to Latino/Hispanic ministry, church planting and development to work with the diocese as it develops a Latino/Hispanic ministry in the diocese; provide a $285,000 loan to the diocese for 2012; direct council chair and vice chair to appoint a covenant committee to work with the diocese to provide redevelopment advice, support and collaboration, and report semi-annually to council's Standing Committee on Local Ministry and Mission; and convey council's deep appreciation to the people of the diocese, Bishop Chester Talton, Michael Glass, Nancy Key, the staff and the Standing Committee, for "their courageous leadership, steadfast faith in Jesus Christ and unfailing commitment to God's reconciling work in the world as expressed through the ministries of The Episcopal Church" (FFM-GAM001).

Governance and Administration for Mission

• Use allotted money to fund seven council members who are not bishops, deputies or first alternates to attend the 77th General Convention, with preference to members of the Class of 2015, who are willing and able to undertake voluntary assignments; and if funding remains, additional members be funded who are alternate deputies (GAM016).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Canon I.3 Article III to clarify the title of chief operating officer and chief financial officer (GAM017).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Canon I.4.1(c) to clarify the title of chief operating officer and chief financial officer (GAM018).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Canon I.4.3(d) to clarify title of chief operating officer (GAM019).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Canon I.1.13 to outline accountability of the executive officer (GAM020).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Canon I.1.1(b) to set policy for filling the vacancy in the office of House of Deputies vice president (GAM021).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Canon I.4.3(g) to place one Executive Council member on the Audit Committee (GAM022).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to direct the Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church to review and recommend revisions to the Canons and the Joint Rules of Order regarding the financial oversight and budgeting processes of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the Episcopal Church (GAM023).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Canon I.4.3(e) to clarify the title of the chief financial officer of the Executive Council (GAM024).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution to amend Joint Rule 10(a) to clarify the proper title of the chief financial officer of the Executive Council (GAM025).

Local Mission and Ministry

• Review a series of Jubilee programs (LMM021).
• Request that the House of Bishops consider issuing a new pastoral letter on racism at its March 2012 meeting (LMM022).
• Submit to General Convention a resolution that would recommit its dedication to continuing to work against the sin of racism in all its forms; that a culture, expectation and practice of anti-racism permeate the life of the Episcopal Church; that anti-racism principles and practices permeate the work of all teams of the DFMS, monitored and networked by a staff officer; that anti-racism principles and practices permeate the work of all volunteers participating in the church's governance structures; that anti-racism training oversight and implementation be carried out on provincial and diocesan levels; that all dioceses and provinces initiate anti-racism training if they have not already done so and continue to engage in anti-racism training; that dioceses and provinces use "Seeing the Face of God in Each Other" as a primary resource for developing a common language and core principles along with other existing or newly developed resources to dismantle and eradicate structures of racism and the oppression that they foster, and integrate the practices of anti-racism into their ongoing life; that the Provincial Leadership Conference report annually to the Executive Council on the progress being made in fulfillment of this resolution; and that General Convention request that the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $180,000 to be distributed and used by the provinces ($20,000 per province) for the implementation of this resolution (LMM023).

World Mission

• Express appreciation for a recent series of missionary appointments made on behalf of the presiding bishop (WM024).
• Express appreciation for a recent series of Young Adult Service Corps appointments made on behalf of the presiding bishop (WM025).
• Express appreciation for a list of mission companions who faithfully completed their term of service (WM026).
• Express appreciation for a list of Young Adult Service Corps volunteers companions who faithfully completed their term of service (WM027).
• Receive the report of council's D020 Task Force for inclusion in the 77th General Convention Blue Book; submit to convention a resolution on adoption of the Anglican Covenant that would have convention express "its profound gratitude to those who so faithfully worked at producing the Anglican Covenant"; commit the church to "continued participation in the wider councils of the Anglican Communion and to continued dialogue with our brothers and sisters in other provinces to deepen understanding and to insure the continued integrity of the Anglican Communion"; recommit the church to "dialogue with the several provinces when adopting innovations which may be seen as threatening to the unity of the communion"; and state that "the Episcopal Church is unable to adopt the Anglican Covenant in its present form" (WM028).
• Receive the report of the INC-055 Ad Hoc Task Force on The United Thank Offering; commend it to the United Thank Offering Board for appropriate consideration; commend it to the 77th General Convention and the Triennial Meeting of Episcopal Church Women for study; approve the newly developed Bylaws for the United Thank Offering Board approved by the United Thank Offering Board at its September 2011 meeting (WM029).