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2000-092

Task force seeks a churchwide reconciliation effort

by Kathryn McCormick

     (ENS) A diverse group of Episcopalians, united in 
their willingness to seek reconciliation with others 
primarily on  issues related to homosexuality, has called 
on the bishops of the church to study the role of church 
leaders as reconcilers--including what other churches have 
learned and are teaching about reconciliation--with the aim 
of ultimately issuing a pastoral letter on reconciliation 
and an accompanying study guide.

     The group, which met May 15-19 at Christ Church in 
Short Hills, New Jersey, in the first regional meeting 
sponsored by the recently-formed New Commandment Task 
Force, also made a number of proposals to General 
Convention.

     In a document signed by 14 of the 15 who attended the 
meeting, they asked:

     *That a process be developed whereby a bishop and/or a 
congregation may appeal to an as-yet-to-be-created council 
of bishops and a national reconciliation team for help in 
addressing "situations of theological and pastoral conflict 
between the congregation and its diocese." Members of the 
council and the team would represent a broad range of 
perspectives in the church and be trained in the principles 
and the practice of reconciliation. The council would offer 
pastoral direction to the team.

          *That the reconciliation team create strategies 
and processes for reconciliation and, when it responds to a 
conflict, develop a reconciliation process and provide 
training for clergy and laity.

          *That when proposed remedies have been exhausted, 
the team retain a provincial-level mediation group of 
trained professionals "to implement an amicable dissolution 
of the ecclesiastical relationship." The council of bishops 
would serve as advisers to the dissolution process.

          *That lay leaders, candidates for ordination, and 
clergy undergo a minimum two-day training in reconciliation 
offered by experience professionals.

     The group estimated that the initiatives would require 
$640,000 in funding for the triennium.

Disagreements deeply rooted

     Though the New Commandment Task Force is focusing on 
sexuality issues, the document said, "Our present 
disagreements are rooted in conflicts over issues such as 
the nature of the authority of Scripture, the nature of the 
church, and the accountability of bishops and congregations 
to God and each other."

     The group included men and women, gay and straight, 
liberals, moderates and conservatives.

     During their five days together in Short Hills, the 
group said, "We talked a lot, prayed a lot, and made 
constant reference to the Holy Scriptures and to the Book 
of Common Prayer. No holds were barred as we gave honest 
witness to our deepest convictions. We argued, disagreed, 
laughed, cried, and continued to pray."

     Group members share a list of what they discovered:

     *That in prayer and worship we could experience deep 
love for each other in Jesus.

          *That in honest conversation we could overcome 
negative stereotypes based on lack of knowledge or 
misinformation about each other.

          *That there are some matters about which we could 
not reach agreement.

          *That we all fervently desire that conservatives, 
evangelicals, anglo-catholics, and liberals alike remain in 
our church.

     Group members pledged to continue working for 
reconciliation, "not simply as a response to conflict, but 
as a permanent moral vision for our life together and as a 
paradigm for mission in the 21st century."

     The New Commandment Task Force includes Dr. Louie 
Crew, an active layman in the Diocese of Newark, New  
Jersey; the Rev. Brian Cox of the Reconciliation Institute 
in Santa Barbara, California; the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector of 
All  Saints Church in Pasadena, California; the Rev. 
Elizabeth Kaeton, canon missioner of the Diocese of Newark; 
the Rev. Richard Kew, representing the Anglican Forum for 
the Future; the Rev. Dorsey McConnell, rector of St. 
Alban's Church in Edmonds, Washington, and Ted Mollegen, 
lay deputy from the Diocese of Connecticut.

     They derived the name of the task force from biblical 
passages in which Jesus describes his new commandment, 
"that you love one another…".

Support from presiding bishop

     It quoted Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold Bishop 
Griswold as saying, "When disagreements are deeply felt, 
the evil one can take hold of our feelings, and use them in 
ways that create mistrust and division.  No human being has 
an infallible perception of what God wants, and we are 
called to exhibit both humility and love as we strive to 
discern what our Lord is calling us to do.

     "This team will help us learn to conduct ourselves in 
a more loving manner as we are doing that.  I also believe 
that its regional meetings will contribute new ways of 
approaching our potentially divisive issues in a manner 
that will build up the body in love and minimize the sense 
of frustration and loss felt by those whose points of view 
are not fully realized."

     Griswold, the task force said, has offered some 
financial assistance to help the group get started.

     The group is still seeking participants for three more 
regional meetings: at St. Christopher's Church in Dallas, 
Texas, June 12-16; at All Saints Church, Pasadena, 
California,  October 30-November 3, and in South Bend, 
Indiana, November 13-17. 

     Each session will start at 2 pm on Monday and end 
Friday at 12 noon.

     Nominees should be Episcopalians who hold, or who have 
held within the last seven years, elective church positions 
whch involve them in regular Episcopal Church activities 
beyond their parishes. Nominations should contain the 
person's qualifying characteristics, including a statement 
as to whether the person has a heart for reconciliation, 
and identifying the required elective office(s). Nominees 
should also state whether they consider themselves to be 
liberal, conservative, or moderate on the subjects of (a) 
ordaining homosexuals who are in life-committed 
relationships and (b) the blessing of same-sex unions.

     Each regional meeting is made up of approximately 
equal numbers of people from each of these three 
categories. Nominees should be willing to serve all four 
days of their particular meeting, and to pay their own 
travel and subsistence expenses for the meeting. A very 
limited amount of money is available to assist with 
expenses for persons who cannot pay all of their own costs.

     Individuals may volunteer by nominating themselves. 
Letters of nomination addressing all of the particulars 
should be sent to by hard or electronic copy to:

     New Commandment Task Force

     c/o A. T. Mollegen, Jr., tmollegen@alliedr.com

     49 Millstone Road

     Glastonbury, CT 06033 

     Information and forms are also available on the task 
force's website: 
http://members.aol.com/newcmndment/form.htm

--Kathryn McCormick is associate director of the Episcopal 
Church's Office of News and Information.