The actions of General Convention frequently affect what we hear and read and sing in our services. The new Book of Common Prayer was approved nearly unanimously at the 1979 General Convention in Denver. At the 73rd General Convention, July 5-14, deputies and bishops will be asked to adopt the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). The book has been in trial use by any congregation so desiring, and sets the Episcopal Church in tune with much of the Anglican Communion as well as with Lutheran, Methodist and other churches. If accepted, the RCL will replace the Book of Common Prayer lectionary, and its lessons will be heard the first Sunday of Advent, 2001, which is Year A. It will mean Episcopalians will hear more Hebrew scripture.

The 1979 convention adopted a concordat with the Mar Thoma Church of South India. This year, the meeting in the mountains will be asked to approve Called to Common Mission (CCM) with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), a revision of the Concordat of Agreement, which was approved at the Philadelphia convention in 1997 but narrowly defeated by the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly. Last summer, also in the Colorado center, the ELCA accepted the revision by a comfortable majority.

Three resolutions, each substantially the same as those adopted in 1997, require passage to effect full communion with the ELCA. The first, A040, is the formal acceptance of the document Called to Common Mission. The third, A042, deals with Lutheran ministers who "officiate on a temporary basis" in an Episcopal churches. The center resolution, A041, is arguably the keystone for Episcopalians. This provides for "a temporary suspension, in this case only, of the 17th-century restriction" that no bishop, priest or deacon is ordained who has not received the laying-on-of-hands by a bishop so ordained. This will permit "full interchangeability and reciprocity of pastors ... as priests or presbyters within the Episcopal Church" with no added ordination.

In light of this work, the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations has submitted a resolution to "enter into a bilateral dialogue with the Presbyterian Church (USA)." Noting that the Presbyterian Church and the ELCA are now in full communion, "bilateral conversation seems especially timely and propitious."

The commission, in response to a Lambeth Conference resolution, also "endorses the proposal of the World Council of Churches ... for achieving a commonly recognized date for the celebration of Easter." Presently, "Easter Day is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox" (BCP, p. 880). The proposed method would "maintain the Nicene norms that Easter fall on the Sunday following the first vernal new moon," the date of that event to be calculated "by the most accurate scientific and astronomical methods."

Sex, it seems, is an omnipresent topic. At the 1931 convention in Denver, the issue was "the sanctity of the home and of Christian marriage" in the form of "a proposal to reverse the stand of the Church with reference to remarriage after divorce." The Joint Commission on Marriage and Divorce had used the time since its creation at the convention of 1928 to make "a careful study of ecclesiastical and canon law of the church, especially in relation to marriage, divorce, and the annulment of marriage." The commission recommended "a more sympathetic attitude toward divorced people" than the Roman Catholic Church and "the whole Anglican Church except our own."

This year it has fallen to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to discuss its continuing "study of theological aspects of committed relationships of same-sex couples" and to present "recommendations of future steps." As the 17-member group, chaired by the Rev. Bruce Jenneker of the Diocese of Massachusetts, noted in its introduction to the resolution, the "issue of the homosexuality of some of [the Episcopal Church's] members" has been before General Convention for 25 years. It goes on to quote the report of the 1998 Lambeth Conference: "We must confess that we are not of one mind about homosexuality." Following essays by scholars on all sides of several questions, the commission recommends "genuine and respectful encounter" and "a dialog that is comprehensive and transforming." Finally, noting that "the continuing debate ... had led to a variety of responses ... dialog and pastoral action ... is essential," its resolution directs "that each diocese ... determine the resolution of issues related to same-sex relationships ... the blessing of such relationships, and the ordination of homosexual Christians."

Beyond this, the Liturgy and Music Commission has lived up to its title, giving convention new liturgies for ministry in many of life's most difficult situations under the rubric of Ministry with the Sick and Dying: Ministry in a home or health-care facility, a Form of Prayer when Life-Sustaining Treatment is Withheld or Discontinued, and a service for the Burial of a Child.

The Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with Justice Concerns takes its agenda from the day's headlines. Its work "focused on Haiti, Southern Africa, China/Tibet, and Israel/Palestine," looking at "world debt, globalization, migration, religious persecution, racism and xenophobia." Resolution A002 calls for "the whole church at every level" to adopt Ethical Guidelines for International Development, addressing respect for "local peoples and realities," the environment, and appropriate economic and technological development. Another calls for convention to "support compassionate initiatives to make AIDS-related medications available at affordable prices ... especially in the poorest and neediest nations."

A proposal from the Commission on Peace with Justice is the establishment of an Episcopal Youth Corps, to take advantage of the "enormous gifts, great compassion, and strong willingness to serve" of "our young people aged 17-30." Volunteers would serve in the United States and the Anglican Communion. The commission explains, "Imagine the sacred legacy years later as these Episcopalians move into positions of leadership ... having been shaped and informed by ... moving one or two years in the world as a servant."

Changes are proposed, not for the first time, in the size and shape of General Convention itself. The Commission on the Structure of the Church and the Colorado deputation have submitted resolutions to reduce the size of diocesan deputations. The Structure Commission would have two of each, clerical and lay; Colorado, three each. In addition, Colorado wishes convention to meet "no less than once every five years ... [for a period] not to exceed six legislative days." The deputation's rationale states that "General Convention is the longest, largest bicameral legislature in the world, costing our church millions of dollars every three years ... This model of governance is poor stewardship that cannot endure long into the 21st century." An analysis by the Rev. Stuart Keith, rector of Church of the Transfiguration, Vail Valley, goes on, "It will cost just under $5 million this triennium (1998-2000) to fund the office, site and facilities for [this] convention," not including the costs of national church staff nor of dioceses.

The Commission on Structure offers two more resolutions aimed at increasing lay involvement. The first is to lower the number of consecutive terms which could be served by the vice president and president of the House of Deputies from three in each office to two, pointing out that, at present, someone holding the vice presidency and presidency to the maximum allowable would serve 18 consecutive years. The second, A121, calls for the president of the House of Deputies to receive a stipend.

Two opposing resolutions address the provinces of the church. The Standing Commission on Structure resolves (A124) that "the existing system of provinces be and are hereby discontinued." And yet the Standing Commission on Domestic Mission and Evangelism resolves to work through the provincial arrangement for "recruiting, educating, and training evangelists and church planters who were born after 1964 and/or are people of color" and for the "training of lay and ordained leaders in second language skills and cross-cultural sensitivity." Goals are both to double the membership by 2020, and provide leadership for younger people and those who are Hispanic, African-American, Asian and Pacific Islander.

The resolutions requiring provinces not to be states, "Geographic combinations may be a convenient method of grouping dioceses, but this often does not combine dioceses of like interests and concerns ... Concerns have been raised that the provinces add an additional layer of governance that may not be necessary, and may be inefficient, uneconomical, and a hindrance to effective missions and ministry." A124 goes on to mandate that the commission "prepare and present to the 74th General Convention all necessary canonical and Rule of Order revisions required to discontinue the existing system" and that each province "identify existing and ongoing networks and programs of mission and ministry now being conducted by that province." Convention is asked to devise "more flexible arrangements" to support valuable, effective programs.