Oliver, whom I have been sitting next to all GC, just said to me, “Amy, before this I liked you. Now I REALLY like you!” Ha! I really like Oliver too. This delegation was elected in the summer of 2019 and there have been moments in the last five years when the mood in the delegation was close to, “oh, you again.” But as General Conference comes to a close, the spirit of the Great Plains delegation is high, we feel connected and proud of what we have done together.
The spirits all over the conference are high, actually. At the close of worship this morning the band started playing the chorus “People all over the world, hold hands. Start a love train, love train!” They just kept playing and singing, people started a conga line and soon the aisles of the plenary floor were filled with dancing, singing, joy-filled people from all over the world. It was beautiful and fun and continued to lighten my heart. God is providing us with such promise and hope!
Yesterday one of the biggest moments was passing a petition that granted sacramental rights to ordained deacons. We have had two different orders of ordination, elders and deacons, since 1996. And it has been messy. It has also been good and beautiful and expanded the reach of the church as deacons have served inside and outside our local churches. But we can’t deny that how we understand the order of elders, the order of deacons, and the fellowship of local pastors is a little fuzzy. The way we deploy people with those credentials, even fuzzier. There was plenty of tension around the idea of allowing deacons to baptize and preside at communion. After a pretty short debate, the GC voted overwhelmingly in favor. The biggest argument I heard against it was a fear that young people who don’t want to itinerate (going where the bishop sends) will choose deacon over elder. It might be true that some people who are really scared of itinerancy are still choosing elder because they want to be able to baptize babies. The thought is if deacons have sacramental authority we won’t have enough elders.
I hope our young people are more discerning than that, with the help of God. Time will tell how this change affects elders and the itinerant system. For today, I’m glad for my deacon friends who feel like an impediment to their ministry has been lifted. My dear one, Ashely, Great Plains number one DEACON! Was able to be on the floor to vote and celebrate. It was great.
I spent most of the rest of my day focused on bishops in the USA, both by hours of meetings with the Interjurisdictional Episcopacy Committee and in private conversations with individual bishops. The story of what happened yesterday in the committee is too long for this newsletter. Buy me a coffee or drink sometime if you want to hear it. But it was remarkable and another piece of testimony to me about what God can do even when we think we are stuck.
Wednesday night when the IJCOE met it was tense, heated, territorial, full of parliamentary procedure and we had a close vote. On Thursday night when we met, the conversation was open, gentle, spirit-filled, and forward looking. When we voted it was unanimous. We will have hard work to do as three bishops will need to transfer, one of them out of our jurisdiction. It will not be easy, but things can be hard and good at the same time.
And…as I’m typing this someone is challenging the motion of the IJCOE to the Judicial Council, claiming what we did is only authorized at the end of General Conference, not, you know 7 hours before the end of General Conference. Lord help me. This is obstructionism at its best. Stay tuned. If our work gets overruled by the JC, I’m going to be really sad.
In other news we did finish approving the revised social principles. So that’s another major legislative goal accomplished. Did I tell you that already yesterday? Forgive me. I am not of the clearest head. But I remain joyful of heart, and am going to enjoy the day on this love train.
Love the positive vibe of this post! We feel it back home! Thank you. Love the vision of the conga line!
Amy, you have been on an endless marathon! I rejoice with you that the tenor of this conference has been so much more loving and joyful that the last one. Praise the Lord! God bless you and all your fellow delegates in the work you've done and the ministry that will be done as a result.