Annual Council

November 9, 2009


Our Presiding Bishop visited the Diocese of Atlanta for our Annual Council. She answered questions, met with a number of groups and ministries, as well as preaching at the Council Eucharist. She stayed on her message of ‘mission, mission, mission.’ Among the more interesting his she said in answer to a question was that neither she nor the Archbishop of Canterbury had made a statement about the proposed anti-homosexual hate legislation in Uganda at the request of those most affected. They consider that such ecclesial pressure would weaken their cause. A brief excursion into the blogosphere and we find that many people are angered, disgusted and confused as to why there has been no statement. It is not clear to me why the word is no out.

This is what I reported to the vestry about Council:

The presiding Bishop visited the Annual Council of the Diocese of Atlanta. Among the many things that she said (which I reported at a ‘rector’s forum’ on November 8) was the reality that attendance in worship is down throughout the nation while other indicators of engagement (baptisms, confirmations, membership and financial giving) is up. It seems that we are not alone. Nonetheless I note that vibrant parishes offer a variety of times and styles of worship and wonder what we are doing if worship is not at the center of what we do. We were ably represented by the clergy, Diane Barber, Bruce Garner, Richard Hall, Florence Holmes and Robert Wadell, who enjoyed a number of reports indicating that we are a healthy and leading diocese in the church as well as Cathedral worship at which the PB preached. The various major addresses of council are available here