Episcopal Press and News
Call for Younger Deputies Sent Out from General Convention
Episcopal News Service. August 6, 1997 [97-1914]
(ENS) Youth had an impact at the 72nd General Convention and, if the intent of one resolution is achieved, it will have even more in the future.
The resolution as passed encourages dioceses to include at least one person under age 30 in their deputations to General Convention.
"We cannot speak to whether the house over the past several conventions is getting older," said Byron Rushing of the Diocese of Massachusetts, chair of the Committee on Structure. "But we do know that there are approximately 36 to 42 deputies in this house of over 800 under the age of 40."
"As far as I know I am one of three delegates on the floor right now who is under 30 -- three out of 814," said Philip Brochard of the Diocese of California. "We always talk about how the future and the mission of the church is the youth and young adults. I submit that the present is part of that."
Firm statistics on the ages of deputies were hard to come by. The Episcopal Society for Ministry in Higher Education estimates there were only 19 deputies under 40 years of age. One deputy was 22 years old, as was a fourth alternate in one of the deputations. The youngest clergy deputy was a 31-year-old priest from Minnesota, the Rev. LeeAnn Watkins.
Only two youth per province hold seat and voice -- but not vote -- at the convention. "With us having a vote, we know that our thoughts will make an effect in the life of the church," said provincial youth representative Leslie Grooms of Chicago.
"Just having a voice doesn't assure anything," she said. "Having a seat and voice is but a small step in the youth becoming stronger in the Episcopal Church."
Several deputies objected to a motion restoring the original form of the resolution, which would have designated special diocesan youth representatives from each diocese.
Diane Pollard of the Diocese of New York drew an analogy between such representatives and the "special representatives" of other groups in years past -- including women and African-Americans.
"Our church has never done very well by making special representatives of special people or special groups," Pollard said. "I think that we need to go home and do our job, develop some young people and bring them here as full-fledged members."
The official youth presence from the nine provinces, sitting for the first time with diocesan deputations rather than in a separate section, felt its role at the convention has increased but could still be greater.
In preparation for convention, the group learned how General Convention operates, even holding mock hearings. They met with Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning and House of Deputies President Pamela Chinnis.
Jaime Rios of Trinity Church in Baytown, Texas, was chosen by his peers to carry their message to the House of Bishops. "I was a little scared at first," he said, but he received encouragement from his own bishops. "I had 10 minutes to tell the bishops what the youth wanted to say."
Rios said he believes the most important statement he made was a call for bishops to "move youth to the top of their agenda" in a real way. "I asked them to devote a piece of their budgets (and) more of their time to strengthen the youth programs in their dioceses."
Acknowledging the honor he felt in being chosen to represent the church's youth, Rios said he realizes his presence also will pave the way for future youth representation from each diocese. "I must admit I didn't fully understand the impact the youth presence could have until I got here," he said. "I'm very pleased with the way we've been received and been allowed to speak at hearings and on the floor."
Kelly Fayard of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast addressed the House of Deputies, and Kelly Goddard of the Diocese of Milwaukee, Edwin Johnson of the Diocese of Massachusetts and Amy Brojakowski from the Diocese of New York spoke before the Episcopal Church Women Triennial.
Bishops also made youth a focus of their tribute to Edmond Browning, the outgoing presiding bishop, as they established a fund in his name for a proposed pilgrimage of young people from the Episcopal and Japan to Pearl Harbor, Okinawa, Hiroshima and Nagasaki next summer.
In other actions, convention approved resolutions:
- continuing provincial training in the use of materials developed by the church for the prevention of AIDS among teen-agers;
- requesting that each diocese study "A Children's Charter for the Church";
- urging parishes to teach youth about and "support sexual abstinence, self-respect, resistance to peer pressure and respect to those who say 'no' to sex before marriage."