Episcopal News Service November 16, 2006
Presiding Bishop calls on committees, commissions, agencies and boards to 'change the world'
CCABs begin meeting with anti-racism training
By Mary Frances Schjonberg
[ENS] The Episcopal Church's committees, commissions, agencies and boards (CCABs) are the "connective tissue and the circulatory system and the nervous system" of the church, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori told the November 16 session of a combined meeting of 25 of 53 such groups.
"Go to it," Jefferts Schori said. "Do it faithfully. Do it with energy. Do it with passion. You can help us change the world."
House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson told nearly 350 CCAB members that they "have shown great generosity" in being willing to share their "incredible, amazing gifts and skills" with the rest of the church.
The majority of the November 16 agenda is given over to seven hours of anti-racism training, which is required of all the CCABs. Many members have already had the training elsewhere, but this joint training allows a large number of CCABs to develop a base level from which they can do additional anti-racism training that is specifically related to their work.
The General Convention has said that the Episcopal Church is determined to become an anti-racist church (http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts_new/acts_resolution-comple te.pl?resolution=200 0-A047).
As the Rev. Jayne Oasin, the church's staff officer for social justice (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/social-justice.htm), introduced the training, the invitation "May your heart be warmed and your mind inspired by the Color-loving God who created us all" was projected on a large screen.
She marveled at the "rich diversity of God's creation sitting in this room."
The training, called "Seeing the Face of God in Each Other," began "Praying the Baptismal Covenant," (http://www.ctdiocese.org/resources/christianed/AppendixH2PrayingBaptisma lCov.pdf) a liturgy developed by the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer (http://www.afp.org). Oasin said that anti-racism training is "entirely about fulfilling the Baptismal Covenant."
The committees, commissions, agencies and boards (commonly known as CCABs) receive resolutions from General Convention and set policies for their implementation during the following three years until the next convention.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_79790_ENG_HTM.htm
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