Bishop Jack Iker's Convention Address

NOVEMBER 15, 2008

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:2)

As we all know, this 26th annual meeting of our Diocesan Convention is anything but “business as usual.” Through a long process of spiritual discernment and prayer over the past year and a half or more, we have come to this historic moment of decision making. The eyes of many others beyond our own diocese are upon us today, and we are deeply grateful for their prayers and support as we deliberate on the matters that are before us.

At our first Convention in 1982, we voted to accede to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church and to “be admitted into union with the General Convention.” Today, as a matter of conscience and conviction, we will vote to rescind that action and to align ourselves instead with an orthodox Province of the Anglican Communion, the Province of the Southern Cone.

I will not attempt to rehearse all of the reasons and explanations for this course of action. By now, we have heard them many times before, and most of us are tired of debating them. The clergy and lay delegates to this Convention are probably the most well informed and best prepared in the history of this diocese when it comes to the issues that are before us. I doubt that anyone’s vote will be changed by any of the debates that take place here today. Our minds are made up. The time for discussion has come to an end, and the time for decision is upon us.

This past year has been a tense and at times contentious period in the life of our diocese. Every one of our congregations has engaged the controversies that are before us, some more than others. Most of our churches have hosted forums and conducted study groups on why we are doing what we are doing. Differences of opinion remain in our church family, but we cannot avoid the decision that is before us. Some can no longer remain within the structures of The Episcopal Church, and others cannot bring themselves to leave TEC, even though they may disagree with the direction it is headed. Some have encouraged us to stay and fight as the faithful remnant in TEC, to work for reform from within. I can only reply by quoting the saying that “the definition of insanity is to keep on doing the same thing, expecting different results.” The time has come to choose a new path and direction, to secure a spiritual future for our children and our grand-children. the rest